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| Back for more in 2012: DOCTOR WHO and his companions. Image: BBC TV. |
For a man of nearly 1,000 years old, that time and space traversing Time Lord known only as The Doctor, played by Matt Smith, is as sprightly as ever, especially now as the hit British sci-fi series approaches its incredible landmark 50th Anniversary next year. The new season, number seven, and Smith's third year in the title role, has begun filming this week, and I'm sure modern WHO fans young and old in their millions across the world are salivating at the bit with excitement for whats to come this year and next from the hand of writer/producer Steven Moffat-this seventh season being ultimately split across 2012/2013 due to tragic BBC cutbacks. A separate Anniversary Special of some kind is on the cards, though not fully confirmed yet, alongside a whole host of also as yet unrevealed celebratory excitements (including a possible one-off TV drama about the shows sixties origination, kind of like the one that celebrated CORONATION STREETS recent anniversary), plus the return of at least two old enemies from WHO's past (you can't not have the Daleks, who helped make the show the success it was, in the shows anniversary year, whilst rumours that the sixties cuddly monsters, the Yeti, will be making a re-imagined comeback have also been doing the Internet rounds).
As Smith remains a firm and beloved fixture for at least another year, the TARDIS doors will be swinging open for the departure of popular husband and wife couple Amy and Rory Pond (as played by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill) with a new (female?) companion discovering life anew in the fast lane, presumably by around the third or fourth episode of the new run, and after what Moffat has described as a heart-breaking, tragic ending for Amy Pond's time as companion. The only tragedy I know is that this character was poorly conceived in the first place and was in the series for far too long. I'm greatly looking forward to seeing some fresh and more enthusiastic (less sarcastic hopefully) blood alongside our intrepid adventurer, and what will surely be a return to the series by curly haired Boudica Alex Kingston as River Song.
Scripts for the new season, as well as having the main story-arc framing from Moffat, apparently include another contribution from previous season writers Mark Gatiss, BEING HUMAN creator Toby Whithouse and the rather over-rated Chris Chibnall, along with TORCHWOOD writer John Fay. The first announced guests of the series have been confirmed as comedian/actor/HARRY POTTER star Mark Williams and SHERLOCK co-star Rupert Graves.
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| The Doctor's last on-screen appearance in Xmas 2011's over-rated The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe. |
After an over the top, mostly disappointing second season for Smith last year, backed up with a saccarine mis-fire that was the Xmas Special (why, oh why, do they actually have to have a Xmas theme now?Why can't we just have a rollicking good, adventure/horror story for the period), of which our lead star deserves far better, KOOL TV is hoping for greater things over this next year. Self indulgent celebration for 2013 is expected and deserved for WHO, but hopefully in a more enjoyable and sophisticated way than has been seen recently, and one that's also less smug.
To get us in the mood for the shows upcoming anniversary, how about this great fan clip compilation of every WHO story and spin-off ever, here: Doctor Who Story 1963 to Now - A Babelcolour Tribute - YouTube and a nice mystery poser here: Doctor Who: The First Question 50th Anniversary Teaser Trailer - YouTube
UPDATE 12/3/2012: The series has commenced filming with an episode having location filming in Spain, where the Doctor, Amy and Rory will battle half-human, half-robot baddies in a Victorian-era Western town. Lets hope they don't run into Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford's COWBOYS & ALIENS whilst they're there...
Early Season Seven Trailer: DOCTOR WHO New Season 2012 Teaser Trailer s7 - YouTube
Feature: Matt Smith and Karen Gillan film Western-style Doctor Who episode on Spanish film set | Mail Online
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