To celebrate Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary on Saturday, ABC Shops around Australia are hosting a “Doctor Who Day”. Each local ABC Shop will conduct a Cosplay competition together with trivia and colouring in competitions. Doctor Who prizes will be offered and there will also be specials on selected Who merchandise. Further details are available on the ABC Shop Doctor Who Day Facebook page, which also has a handy store locator.
Vivien Fleming
With less than 5 days to go to Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary, the first sneak peak on the #SaveTheDay website has been unlocked. Click here to watch the Doctor’s reaction as Clara rides a motorbike into the TARDIS.
This gallery contains 40 photos.
The David Tennant News blog has posted a series of 40 screen caps from the trailer for the 50th Anniversary Special, The Day of the Doctor. The Doctor Who Mind Robber reproduces them here for your enjoyment. No copyright infringement is intended. More screen caps from the extended trailer can be accessed at these links: Trailer Screenshot No 1: (from http://t.co/UuMVK6Ku3N) […]
The Doctor Who TV website has posted details on the 7 minute Doctor Who Mini Episode, The Night of the Doctor. The UK’s Freeview television listings indicate that the episode will go live on the BBC’s Red Button service from 16 November. Presumably it will be available from the BBC’s Doctor Who website at the same time. The Freeview listing describes the Mini Episode as:
The 50th Anniversary features Matt Smith, David Tennant and a mysterious incarnation played by John Hurt. Only one appears in this mini episode, The Night Of The Doctor. But which?
Vivien Fleming
©Vivien Fleming, 2013.
Presumably as a consequence of its leak, the BBC has released the official trailer for the 50th Anniversary Special, The Day of the Doctor, early.
Vivien Fleming
Writing the Doctor Who Mind Robber’s 50th Anniversary Countdown is reminiscent of Griffin the Chef’s sublime appearance in Episode 3 of the recently recovered and released Second Doctor serial, The Enemy of the World. That episode, as you may recall, had been the only part of the six part serial to have been previously held in the BBC Archives. Released as part of the triple DVD set, Lost in Time, Episode 3 had caused many a fan to discount Enemy. Forever being one to differ, my review of Enemy prior to the recovery was nonetheless positive. Australian Reg Lye’s portrayal of the laconic Griff was the highlight of the episode.
Griff the Chef hides under the table during a tense moment in The Enemy of the World, Episode 3
Griff is seen to complain to Victoria about his life as the evil Salamander’s chef. His mother, he stated, had wanted him to be a dustman and that night’s dinner was sure to be “a national disaster”. Having agreed to be of assistance, Griff went on to say to Victoria,
Well sit down and write out the menus. First course interrupted by bomb explosion. Second course affected by earthquakes. Third course ruined by interference in the kitchen. I’m going out for a walk. It’ll probably rain.
Reg Lye was phenomenal as the chef, Griffin in The Enemy of the World
Trying to keep up with this Countdown, and also sew the Second and Fourth Doctor Cosplay outfits discussed on Days 16 and 17, leaves me in a Griff type predicament. First course interrupted by The Day of the Doctor sneak peak. Second course affected by leaked The Day of the Doctor trailer. Third course ruined by interference from #SaveTheDay hastag on Twitter. Just over a fortnight out from the 50th Anniversary and any half interested fan could spend almost every waking hour of the day following the latest Doctor Who news.
Doctor Who retro posters courtesy of Radio Times designer Stuart Manning – http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-11/doctor-who-missing-episodes-retro-poster-designs
Keep watching the Doctor Who Mind Robber as we continue to report on all the anniversary news and hopefully even get some Cosplay sewing done!
Vivien Fleming
©Vivien Fleming, 2013.
The Radio Times has published details of the air date and times for the broadcast of The Name of the Doctor, the 50th Anniversary Special, in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia the show will be simulcast with the UK screening on BBC One which commences at 7.50 p.m on Saturday evening 23 November 2013. The ABC1 air times on the morning of Sunday 24 November for the five Australian time zones will be as follows:
Sydney/ Canberra/Hobart/Melbourne 6:50am (AEDT)
Alice Springs/Darwin 5:20am (ACST)
Brisbane/Cairns 5:50am (AEST)
Adelaide 6:20am (ACDT)
Perth 3:50am (AWST)
In New Zealand The Day of the Doctor will be broadcast on Prime TV at 8.30 a.m.
Vivien Fleming
The BBC Media Centre has announced that the 60 minute special, The Science of Doctor Who, featuring Professor Brian Cox, will air on BBC Two on Thursday 14 November at 9.00 p.m. Details on when the programme will air in Australia have not yet been announced.
The trailer and a short clip, “Brian Cox Tests the Doctor”, have been uploaded to YouTube and the BBC’s published synopsis describes the show thus:
Brian takes an audience, with the help of celebrity guests, on a journey into the wonderful universe of The Doctor, in a specially recorded programme from the lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
Brian reveals the science behind the spectacle and explains the physics that allows Doctor Who to travel through space and time. Fun, but filled with real science, it’s a special night for Who fans as well anyone with a thirst for understanding.
Brian is in the unique position of knowing The Doctor’s universe inside out as well as the reality behind the drama. When the TARDIS travels through time and space, Brian understands the physics involved. And when it comes to life on other planets, Brian knows the real science that could prove extra-terrestrial life might just really exist in our galaxy.
The Science of Doctor Who Trailer
Brian Cox Tests the Doctor
Vivien Fleming
Further to the Doctor Who Mind Robber’s post on 7 November, the BBC Media Centre has now released videos to accompany the short interviews with key cast members of The Day of the Doctor. Blogtor Who has uploaded the David Tennant interview on YouTube. All interviews, and their transcripts, can be accessed from the BBC Media website, the links for which are as follows:
Steven Moffat – Writer of The Day of the Doctor and Executive Producer of Doctor Who
Matt Smith – Eleventh Doctor
David Tennant – Tenth Doctor
Jenna Coleman – Clara Oswald
Joanna Page – Queen Elizabeth I
The Tenth Doctor, David Tennant in The Day of the Doctor
Vivien Fleming
©Vivien Fleming, 2013.
The BBC has released the first of its sneak peaks of the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, The Day of the Doctor. The official trailer will be aired on BBC One on Saturday evening at 8.00 p.m. Given the precedent set by the release of the teaser trailer several weeks ago, it can only be assumed that the trailer will appear online immediately after its broadcast.
Here’s a closer look at the painting the sneak peak
Vivien Fleming
The Doctor Who Mind Robber 