Doctor Who - it's official

[ElScorcho]

Doctor Who - it\'s official

Christopher Eccleston, star of "The Second Coming" and "Cracker," who has been rumored for the past several days in numerous fan circles, has been cast as the Doctor in the new Doctor Who TV series. The following is the announcement from PA News / Scotsman.com:

Eccleston to Take Control of the Tardis
By Rachel Williams, PA News

Actor Christopher Eccleston is to be the new Doctor Who when the cult sci-fi show returns to our screens next year, it was announced tonight. Eccleston, star of Flesh and Blood and The Second Coming, will appear as the TV Time Lord in the 13-part BBC1 series to be shown in 2005. The BBC said the Salford-born 40-year-old would take the famous doctor into the 21st century in a "fresh and modern approach" involving travelling through time and space and fighting monsters on all fronts.

Jane Tranter, BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning, said: "We are delighted to have cast an actor of such calibre in one of British television's most iconic roles. It signals our intention to take Doctor Who into the 21st century, as well as retaining its core traditional values – to be surprising, edgy and eccentric. We have chosen one of Britain's finest actors to play what, in effect, will be an overtly modern hero."

Executive producer and writer Russell T Davies said: "We considered many great actors for this wonderful part, but Christopher was our first choice. This man can give the Doctor a wisdom, wit and emotional range as far-reaching as the Doctor's travels in time and space. His casting raises the bar for all of us. It's going to be a magnificent, epic, entertaining journey, and I can't wait to start."

The series will be filmed in Cardiff later this year.

So Christopher Eccleston is to be the next Doctor Who. I haven't seen any of the works mentioned, but Americans may have seen him in 28 Days Later, The Others, or Gone in Sixty Seconds.

There has also been talks that the Daleks might return, and the BBC are trying to come to terms with rights issues and the estate of Terry Nation (who is credited with creating them). It has also been rumoured that the Autons may return as well. (They were the menacing mannequins that appeared in the Jon Pertwee era.) There has been no news of the casting of the Doctor's companion yet, although it has been reported that her name is Rose.


Some other details:

Production Team
Russell T. Davies (producer)
Julie Gardner (exec producer)
Mal Young (producer)
Phil Collinson (producer)
Andy Pryor (casting)

Series One Writers
Russell T. Davies (8 episodes)
Steven Moffat (2 episodes)
Paul Cornell (1 episode)
Rob Shearman (1 episode)
Mark Gatiss (1 episode)

Additional details 13 episodes on BBC1, to be broadcast in early 2005, possibly as early as January 1 45 minute (approximate) episode lengths, a mixture of stand-alone stories with one or two two-parters.

No decision yet on foreign distribution to North America, Australia/New Zealand Stories will be a mixture of Earth-based adventures and outer space/alien worlds.

-posted on Outpost Gallifrey

Davies, Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss (League of Gentleman) have all written official Doctor Who novels for Virgin Publishing and/or BBC books. Paul Cornell is the most prolific and arguably the most popular, having created the character of Professor Berniece Summerfield - a companion of the Doctor who was so popular, she got her own spinoff series of books and audio productions.

As a longtime fan of the show, I have to say that this is all good news. See? if you wait long enough, it’ll come back!

 

[hypatia]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Thanks ElScorcho.

Who can I bribe to find a way to send me a copy of eps in 2005?

This is great news, I am sure. I have never seen the actor who will be playing the doctor, but if their press release is even slightly accurate ( I know, I know, I know ) then at least it sounds to me as if they are trying to retain the best of the qualities of Dr. Who.

I never saw a single Dr. Who episode until I was in college. And I still have fond childhood memories of that show.

I hope, from time to time at least, they keep some of that quirky quality if they can. I know that might be death for the modern audience they want to attract. But just in a scene or two, here or there.

 

[DaRkEnEdStAr]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Ahh !!!! at last a fellow Mancunian (although some would argue that salford isn`t in Greater Manchester) to be a star of Dr.who !!! Christopher Ecclestone was a detective in the series with Robbie Coltrane , CRACKER wich in my small opinion was the greatest crime series since sliced bread .

 

[Endymion]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Cardiff. Oh great. That means all of the extras will be cast offs of "Pobl Y Cwm" (Welsh langage soap) and be called Dai.

Can't wait

 

[DaRkEnEdStAr]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

i remember that show , as i once lived in north wales - LlanLlechid to be prescise .. I think the "thing" that will drive Dr.who is the writing and a good lead actor anything else is an advantage to me

Sut mae ? Blae dac chi`m byw ? Blennw yw Enw Chi ?
I speak welsh (a bit)

 

[Endymion]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Daiawn. diolch.

That's about the extent of my knowledge.

 

[hypatia]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

(snip).. I think the "thing" that will drive Dr.who is the writing and a good lead actor anything else is an advantage to me (snip)

That really has been the driving force of Dr. Who, hasn't it? If the writing isn't horrible (and sometimes even when it was) that is the element that kept us coming back for more, isn't it? Such a fun character. It must be quite a challenge playing it.

 

[DaRkEnEdStAr]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

It must be quite a challenge playing it.

Sure is ...

That really has been the driving force of Dr. Who, hasn't it?

Yes ! Yes ! Yes !
The ideas formed the show .. Its unqique concepts ... e.g. the show was made like a play or public production , i think that was a great way of doing it . The ideas beind the Aliens was ahead of it time , i think . I was watching a episode with the cybermen and as i was watching something came to me ... I just suddenly thought that they reminded me of the Borg And one of their lines they said in this paticular episode " Resistance will be crushed " The Borg must have been influenced by the cybermen !!!!!

 

[ElScorcho]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Well, it looks like the news series is getting a pretty hefty endorsement. It has Parliament in its corner.


============================================================
Dear Michael Grade,

Congratulations on making the shortlist for the next BBC Chairman. This role is of course traditionally a non-executive one, but we would like to ask you for a reassurance on one specific point.

In your memoirs and in several interviews you have confirmed that the suspension of production of "Doctor Who" in the mid-1980s was motivated, at least in part, by your strong personal dislike of the programme. For example, you have said "I hated it - I thought it was awful" (This Morning, ITV, 13 November 1999). Two years ago (15th April 2002) you called for it to be sent into oblivion when you appeared on the BBC's "Room 101" chat show.

As you will know, the BBC is currently committing substantial financial and creative resources to a major revival of "Doctor Who". Some of the UK's leading writing and acting talents are involved, and the export and merchandising potential is very significant. The programme's impending return was celebrated last autumn at a reception at the House of Commons, attended by a large number of MPs of all parties.

Some however are concerned that, were you to become BBC Chairman, the project would be derailed – potentially wasting significant sums of licence payers’ money.

Are you therefore prepared to guarantee that, should you be appointed to the post, you would not interfere in any way with decisions about “Doctor Who”?

Copies of this letter go to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and to the media.

Yours,

Tim Collins MP (Westmorland and Lonsdale - Con)
Don Foster MP (Bath – Lib Dem)
Stephen Pound MP (Ealing North - Lab)
Julie Kirkbride MP (Bromsgrove – Con)
Bob Russell MP (Colchester - Lib Dem)
Eric Pickles MP (Brentwood & Ongar – C)

============================================================

Michael Grade was a Controller at the Beeb during the time that Doctor Who got its roughest handling, and is perceived as being personally responsible for the show's hiaitus, shortened seasons, the crap that ended up The Trial of a Timelord and the subsequent sacking of Colin Baker from the lead role. And his motives appeared to be strictly personal.

But talk about fans in high places! Across party lines, even. Too bad there weren't any Farscape fans in Congress.

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Michael Grade was a Controller at the Beeb during the time that Doctor Who got its roughest handling, and is perceived as being personally responsible for the show's hiaitus, shortened seasons, the crap that ended up The Trial of a Timelord and the subsequent sacking of Colin Baker from the lead role. And his motives appeared to be strictly personal.

Note: Controller does not mean the accountent it means THE BOSS. For intance the Controller of BBC1 is responsible for approving all TV programs made for and shown on BBC1.

Michael Grade is remembered for two things cancelling Dr Who and stopping the transmission of Miss World.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Any relation to infamous producer Lord Lew Grade, AKA Sir Low Grade ?

 

[colonyearth]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Well, if he's to blame for the demise of Dr. Who, I certainly hope they're not stupid enough to put him in charge. He'll say what they wanna hear then do what he wants anyway. Finally, the UK and BBC have come to realize what an incredible franchise there is in Dr. Who worldwide. All it takes is one idiot to populate the landscape with more idiots to muck up the works.

Of course some of the bad writing and kind of "off" feel after Tom Baker I blame on John Turner. It was when he took over that it seemed like Who got too serious or something. I still love the Dr. -- don't get me wrong. I'm glad to hear that Davies is returning to the feel of the early Dr.'s through T. Baker.

And for a good example of a company that doesn't care and a bad man in charge populating the landscape with morons...just take a loooooonnnnngg look at Trek.

I'm not British, so perhaps some of you folks across the water might be kind enough to write your reps and tell them not to hire this guy. I mean, if he killed it and hated it and it was personal, then he doesn't need to be back.

He'd f*ck it up sooner or later.

CE

 

[hypatia]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

I'll second CE's opinion.

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Any relation to infamous producer Lord Lew Grade, AKA Sir Low Grade ?

Yes, nephew. Here is his biography.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/655811.stm

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

I'm not British, so perhaps some of you folks across the water might be kind enough to write your reps and tell them not to hire this guy. I mean, if he killed it and hated it and it was personal, then he doesn't need to be back.

He'd f*ck it up sooner or later.

CE

Good idea but I am not going to do it. The BBC needs to regain its independence from British politicions.

Something that just struck me, was Grade in charge of Channel 4 when it was showing Babylon 5?

 

[DaRkEnEdStAr]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

I actualy found out a couple of days ago that the Queen and the PM have to "grant their wishes" before any new head of the BBC takes over .

 

[hypatia]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

I actualy found out a couple of days ago that the Queen and the PM have to "grant their wishes" before any new head of the BBC takes over .

I must confess: I've never understood the whole royalty thing.

They effectively have control over who heads the BBC?

As I said, I just don't understand it. Just what can the royal family control? Why?

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

I actualy found out a couple of days ago that the Queen and the PM have to "grant their wishes" before any new head of the BBC takes over .

I must confess: I've never understood the whole royalty thing.

Simple. The US President is a monarch; the role inherited its powers from the British kings.

They effectively have control over who heads the BBC?

The BBC is a government agency. The Head of State can appoint the head of government agencies.

As I said, I just don't understand it. Just what can the royal family control? Why?

The current monarch controls everything and nothing. In practice the Prime Minister has the power. The Queen is just a second signature. Although the Royal Prerogative was used to fire an Australian Prime Minister.

 

[colonyearth]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

I'm not British, so perhaps some of you folks across the water might be kind enough to write your reps and tell them not to hire this guy. I mean, if he killed it and hated it and it was personal, then he doesn't need to be back.

He'd f*ck it up sooner or later.

CE

Good idea but I am not going to do it. The BBC needs to regain its independence from British politicions.

Something that just struck me, was Grade in charge of Channel 4 when it was showing Babylon 5?

Check into that second question...but sitting idley by while they act without knowing the public opinion is no different than not voting. Whether you like it or not, they're the ones that will make the decision. So write them and let them know what you, as a citizen, want.

People complain that leaders are out of touch yet they never let them know how they feel about a subject anymore. I guess we figure polls tell them all they need to know. But polls don't say squat and are no replacement for a good old letter to a politician or editor.

If you want the government out of it...take that fight to them on those grounds...but this is a different fight, to be fought on its own grounds.

Hell, give me some addresses or emails and I'll write your government. Let them know how much Dr. Who means to the people outside the UK and how we don't want it f*cked over either.

CE

 

[ElScorcho]

Re: Doctor Who - it\'s official

Simple. The US President is a monarch; the role inherited its powers from the British kings.

Either you have a very warped sense of humor, AMS, or you're very, very confused. But that's a topic for a different forum.