Trap Street

NUMBER 1

APRIL 2017

POWER – MYSTERIO – CLASS

T R A P S T R E ET a

NUMBER 1

APRIL 2017

Edited by: Dallas Jones and Roger Reynolds enquiries@trapstreet.org

CONTENTS 3 4 7 8

Confessional Dial

38 Whoword 1 A Doctor Who crossword with a differ-

The editors' chance to allude and pontificate.

ence. Do you know the first Hartnell season?

All Powered Up

The many versions of the animated 'The Power of the Daleks'.

40 The Twelve Haikus of Christmas "Who"

All 12 Christmas stories are given the haiku treatment.

Web Planet

Quirky and interesting web-links to try.

42 Paper Towns and Trap Streets

Astral Map

A variety of stuff is reviewed.

What is a "trap street", as seen in 'Face the Raven'. We find out.

16 Coal Hill Academy Class book reviews.

18 Top of the Class Class series reviews.

20 Gallifrey One 28 Years Later

44 Soliloquy

The script of a possible prequel to 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio'.

Low-down on the major US convention.

Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about...?

24 Black WHOles

Black Holes, what are they? How they have influenced Doctor Who.

.

“Things end. That's all.

Everything ends, and it's always sad. But everything begins again too, and that's... always happy. Be happy. I'll look after everything else.�

12th Doctor from 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio'

30 Cinematic Power

We get an idea of how 'The Power of the Daleks' was seen in cinemas across Australia.

34 Christmas in a Cinema

We look at the cinema screenings of 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio', in three countries.

2

CONFESSIONAL DIAL being provided for those requiring it.

Emails will be sent to our existing contacts and we encourage readers to get friends and colleagues to provide us with their email address so that we can send them the necessary links.

To help you navigate through the ezine if you click on a page number in the contents page you will be taken to that page. There are also other interactive aspects to this e-zine, if you see a word or words in red and underlined in red this is a link to something on the web, plus we have our page of interesting web links – Web Planet, as well, and all you have to do on that page is just click on the picture to be whisked-off to the web location.

Thanks to all the people who contributed to this issue and a special thanks to Paul Kennedy and Gavin Hayne.

As always, we are interested in your comments and feedback. You can contact us at: enquiries@trapstreet.org For written submissions to Trap Street, email us with your submission attached at: publications@trapstreet.org ☼ Dallas Jones & Roger Reynolds

What ho, everyone. It’s Dallas and Roger back with a new e-zine publication – Trap Street. With the success of Nethersphere , we thought it a good idea to branch out to produce a publication that gives a better idea of our interests.

It is our intention to create unique articles, that is material that cannot be found anywhere else. The subject matter is directed towards: the dedicated Who fan base and its spin-offs, like Class and Torchwood. We will also include special interest articles, for example this issue's article on Black Holes.

At present, we plan to publish Trap Street three times per year, i.e. every four months. In our first publication we have contributions from our stalwart Doctor Who fan-base, giving feedback on 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio' Christmas special and the cinema viewing of it and also 'The Power of the Daleks' cinema presentation and the various versions that have been released. We also have contributions on Class, plus reviews and much more.

Access to Trap Street will be by the on-line e-zine service supplied by Issuu, with download facilities as a pdf also

Contributors to this issue

Luke Beattie, James Burling, Matthew Chi Yan See, Bob Gilbey, Max Gowland, Deborah Green, Gavin Hayne, Rob Irwin, George Ivanoff, Paul Kennedy, Christian Kent, Fiona Leece, Rob Lloyd, Lisa Lush, Annette Maribo Jorgense, Jon Preddle, Connor Pullinger, Joel Rose, Paul Scholz, Robert Smith?, Ashley J. Tuchin, Isabella von Lichtan, Benjamin Warren and Craig Wellington.

DISCLAIMER

Doctor Who is copyright to the BBC. Copyright of all other material contained within returns to the

contributor on publication. No attempt is made to supercede any copyright. Views expressed within are those of the writer and not necessarily held by the editors.

3

ALL POWERED UP Dallas Jones tries to untangle the various versions of the animated 'The Power of the Daleks'

A

s time has gone by, we have heard more and more about different versions of 'The Power of the Daleks' that have been made available. I thought I would try to cover all the versions that have appeared.

The first time that 'The Power of the Daleks' was seen by members of the public was at the preview screening held on November 5 by the British Film Institute (BFI) at a theatre in Southbank, London. The screening was only of the first three episodes and it was even as early as this screening that errors were commented upon (e.g. the main one, of course, was the switching on Ben and Polly’s clothes). The screening for this was in HD but there were problems with sound and all three were screened in mono; it was intended

that they should be screened with the 5.1 surround version that Mark Ayres had created. Mark said of the problem “Not the BFI's fault, nor (I think) the BBC's. Something very odd went wrong when the files were made.” He added “I think that episodes one and three were mono mix-downs of the stereo. Episode two seemed to be a mono mix of front centre and front right channels only – very odd.”

The first release available for fans to own was via download on BBC Store from November 5 in both SD and HD. As I did not get either of these versions I do not know what version of HD it was made available in, 720p or full HD 1080p, plus I am not sure what sound version was provided mono or stereo or the 5.1 surround mix.

4

With fans now having a chance to study the story, more errors were discovered. A list of errors, but not exhaustive, that was picked up by one fan is as follows: "The Doctor's recorder playing, you cannot play a recorder with the right hand up top of the instrument, as there are two double holes at the bottom of a recorder, these are not in line with the other holes and, can only be played with the right hand. The Doctor's hands fluctuate between playing the recorder properly, with left hand up top, to playing it wrongly with right hand up top. Ben's hairstyle keeps changing with parting on the left, as it should be, then changes to parting on right. The Doctor's missing tooth right side of bottom jaw, keeps alternating to the left side. The biggest gaff is

tentive fans, corrected. The problem with Ben and Polly's clothes in episode one had definitely not been fixed. It is more than likely that the animators had insufficient time to fix the errors and have a new master created before the deadline for the DVD. In fact the deadline for the DVD was more than likely before the November 5 date when it was released on BBC Store.

It is interesting to note that the UK DVD release was in both region 2 and 4. With the DVD release you could not only watch and hear the story in glorious mono, but due to the sterling work of Mark Ayers you could listen to it in stereo and even more impressively in 5.1 surwhere the Governor inone" credit. The editing of The DVD in the UK structs one of his men, Bra- this version to movie format round. rated PG “Contains mild gen, to give some proper was not done by the animat- was violence and threat”. So, in clothes to the Doctor and his ors and apparently eaglethis release saw three companions. In the next eyed viewers say that there fact, being availed shot, Ben and Polly are is an extra credit at the end versions hence, at this point, four wearing them already, then of the movie version which versions, in total, were now at the end of the scene, they maybe the person who did available. are wearing their original the editing. outfits again. In episode two, The next version was the The cinema version was The Doctor's 'Examiners' Australian DVD release on originally created for the US badge disappears, when the market and is in the US TV December 14, which was exDoctor and companions are standard format 24fps and actly the same as the UK reeating some fruit, he then is shown in HD. It is not clear lease, other than having seen to be wearing it again newly printed covers adding if the sound was the stereo shortly afterwards." and ABC credits version or the 5.1 version. I Roadshow the ugly Australia cenThus, there were two ver- assume the original version plus rating, which was sions made available to fans that was available for down- sorship PG with “Mild science ficvia BBC Store download and load in the UK was edited tion themes and animated the three episodes seen at into the movie format and violence”. The actual DVDs the preview were the same thus converted to US 24fps as the BBC Store HD verfrom UK 25fps, as the sound had been ‘printed’ in Aussion. was definitely slower, which occurs when converting The next version made PAL to NTSC. I assume available to fans to see was from the version shown in Canada the cinema screening verin late November was the sion shown in mid-Novemas seen in the other ber in Australia, NZ, the US same and at the end of November countries. in Canada. It still has the erThe next version was the rors noted before but it was November 21 UK DVD rea ‘movie’ version with all the lease, but this appears not episodes credits cut out ex- to have had any of the ercept strangely the "episode rors, was found by the at5

tralia from the same master as the UK DVD release. This DVD was also available to be sold in New Zealand with a sticker for the NZ censorship rating covering the Australian rating. In New Zealand it was rated PG “Note: violence”. This version was also released in the US on January 24 on DVD, unrated, and also included the colour version.

What you say a colour version?

On November 3, before the date of the original release, things became complicated in regard to versions of 'The Power of the Daleks' when it was announced that there would be a colour version released.

The colour version was made available in late November via BBC America on their 'digital platforms' and on December 31 from BBC Store. It was made available in both SD and HD at BBC Store.

This version had been requested by BBC America and they arranged for it to be colourised in the US. The original animators had nothing to do with the colourisa-

tion. Apparently the version on BBC America still had the Ben and Polly error. This appears to have been addressed as the UK release on BBC Store was delayed a week, due to "technical difficulties", and does not have the Ben and Polly error. So, someone managed to fix the Ben and Polly error in the colourisation but I am not sure what other errors were fixed. Unfortunately in doing this they introduced at least two major errors; one with the Doctor seen wearing the “access all areas button” whilst inside the TARDIS! This error has probably crept in when trying to fix the previous problem with the badge in the B&W version, mentioned earlier. The other major error is that at the end of episode five a scene with the Daleks has been flipped and thus we see ‘left-handed’ Daleks!

The next release was on February 6 and was a UK steel book Blu-ray which contained two Blu-ray discs with the B&W and colour HD versions on them and two DVDs which included the B&W and colour SD versions. By this time the anim-

6

ators had re-done the B&W version to fix the errors and a new master was provided to the BBC, however, the corrected B&W version did not appear on this release.

The final releases, so far, have been on February 22 in Australia with a separate DVD and Blu-ray release.

The DVD saw the colour version, but it is the same colour version as released in the UK and US with none of the new errors fixed. The Blu-ray release contained two discs, one again the colour version this time in HD, but still with the new errors, and the B&W version also in HD but again still the version with the original Ben and Polly errors.

So, although a corrected version of the B&W 'The Power of the Daleks' has been produced, it has yet to be made available to the public and it is currently unknown if the colour version will be corrected to fix the new errors that were introduced Enjoy watching 'The Power of the Daleks' in whatever version(s) you have.

WEB PLANET QUIRKY AND INTERESTING THINGS FROM THE W.W.W.

Click on the image above to see a listing for the screening of 'An Unearthly Child' in Canberra in May 1964.

Click on the following links to find out more about Doctor Who in Australian publications in the 60s.

Link Link Link Link Link Link Link

What would Doctor Who have been like in the 70s if different actors had been chosen in the lead role.

Radio Times Jon Pertwee vintage TV Commerical.

An article on this very informative website about Doctor Who ’s Photographic Legacy.

The 1983 Doctor Who Celebration.

BBC inhouse film and one fan's home movie.

Two of the five untelevised 1985 Jon Pertwee NZ Telecom TV commericals.

Find out why Tom said "They’re firing lasers from their bosoms".

A very, very comprehensive website.

Which issues of Superman appeared in 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio'?

News in a clean, sylish format 7

A new fan audio group "Hive-Mind Media". Listen to their first story – Patricide.

ASTRAL Having seen the original broadcast of this story 50 years ago (gosh, is it that long ago?), I was full of eager anticipation, mingled with dread, at the prospect of seeing this again. Anticipation, as I remembered it as a fantastic and pivotal story, dread that my memory might be totally wrong, plus, as an animated reconstruction, it would not measure up to my expectations. After some time for reflection, required for an evenhanded evaluation, I find I have mixed feelings about this rendition of the story.

The outer thin cardboard sleeve has artwork

by Colin Howard based on the animation of the characters. Removing this out sleeve, inside we find the same cover picture and design on the normal DVD cover. On extracting this sheet from the DVD case, we discover that it is double sided, with the inner portion portraying, yet again, the same image with the ongoing classic Who cover design.

I find it kind of disconcerting that both Polly and Ben have quite a scowl in the artwork.

Happily, the Doctor seems blandly cheery but, overall nicely done.

Inside the DVD case are two DVD’s; one for the actual animation / story, the other DVD for the ‘Extras’ plus a 16 page booklet. The booklet is one long article of interesting information by Andrew Pixley made up of a number of segments.

The first segment relates to the transition from Hartnell to Troughton as the Doctor.

The next is a fairly detailed description of the story based on the rehearsal scripts, presented very much ‘as it happens’.

The third segment is a series of chronologically arranged paragraphs relating to the announcement of the New Doctor.

Following this is a description concerning the commissioning and production of various aspects of the original episodes.

It concludes with a section that concerns transmission aspects for the programme in the UK; a couple of short paragraphs concerning BBC archives; details of overseas sales; and the back page lists original BBC 1 transmission dates plus cast members and crew.

These segments go into considerable depth, revealing much about the original environment at 8

the time of production and eventual broadcast of this episode. Apart from the fact it's microscopic text in white on a blue background, which I found hard to read and rather tiring on the eyes, the information was interesting and informative.

The story itself is set on an off-world mining complex on the planet Vulcan (no – not the Spock one or the planet orbiting between Mercury and the sun) and consists of intertwining sub-plots, all built around the predominant theme involving the Daleks and their quest for power and supremacy and (naturally) extermination of everyone in their path.

It’s a dark and moody piece with very few winners: it’s an examination of individuals’ motivations: the scientist for knowledge; the Security Chief for control; the rebels for ‘justice’; the Daleks’s duplicity (I am your servant) and their quest for supremacy.

It’s a tale where most of the main protagonists are killed and all the Daleks are destroyed. The Doctor, Polly and Ben depart, leaving behind a broken mining colony.

It’s amazing how one’s memory works. Having

L MAP seen the original broadcast, way-back-when, and watching it again, umtyump years later, it brought back the memories and emotions of seeing the Doctor regenerate for the first time.

Regeneration; what a fantastic concept. It was astounding enough that the TARDIS was bigger on the inside; that it could travel through time and space; that science itself was usurped with new concepts; that the stories were (usually) amazingly inventive and that it insisted that you exercise your own imagination: now the Doctor himself could transform into a completely new person.

And the music, my god, the music was unlike anything before on mainstream TV. Throw in a some incredibly fiendish adversaries and – !BAM! – you have one hell of a TV programme.

Although not lauded as a ‘classic’ story at the time, as mentioned in the commentary by Christopher Barry, this episode has since been recognised as a watershed, that is, in establishing regeneration as a ‘leitmotif’ of The Doctor’s existence.

I regret to say, that, for me, this animated version failed ignite my imagination. Though a good attempt, unfortunately it fails to capture the dynamics of the various re-

lationships between characters in the overall plot. Also, sub-plots in this story are, for me, not sufficiently examined as they unravel throughout the story. Maybe I’m asking too much.

In the original, I particularly remember that terrifying scene of the gelatinous blobs, Dalek brains, being put into the pepper-pot casing followed by that unforgettable scene of Daleks rolling off the production line. Somehow, the animated version failed to portray the true horror of these two scenes. Surely, the slimey (wimey?)

Dalek brains should quiver like jelly.

Perhaps, most striking to me, as I recall it in the original, there existed a pervading sense of shadowy foreboding, a darkness that seemed to hang, Damocles–like, over the entire story; an inevitable certainty, that whatever happened, there would be death and bloodshed. It wouldn't end well for many of the characters.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy it and I watched it several times more, but – and I guess this is, in part, due to it being animation and not, real, live interactive actors – it all seemed, somehow, “Lost in Translation”.

Or maybe, my views are coloured by recollections 9

of seeing the original and the sense of wonder I experienced at the time.

There are also Audio Commentaries on all 6 episodes. Episode 1 and 2 are moderated by Toby Hadoke (as are all these commentaries) and have Anneke Wills (Polly), Derek Dodd (designer) and Michael Briant (production assistant) plus joining them on episode 2 is Edward Kelsey (Resno).

They recall their impressions of this ‘Seismic moment in the history of Doctor Who’, as Toby describes it. Michael recalls Sydney Newman’s unfavourable reaction to the first presentation of Patrick Troughton in his initial costume. Working with Christopher Barry and his original concept of the Daleks is discussed. Peter Hawkins doing the Dalek voices and how several sets of

Daleks miniatures were purchased from Woolworths to make up the numbers required for the ‘Dalek Factory’ scene.

Episode 3's commentary is with Nicholas Hawtrey (Quinn), in France. He also mentions his involvement with the stage play Curse of the Daleks.

Sandra Reid (costume designer) recalls designing Troughton’s cosmic hobo look and her memories of colleague Daphne Dare.

Episode 4 sees David Hankinson (Dalek operator with 9th and 10th Doctors), Nicholas Brigs (voices of the Daleks) and Robert Shearman (writer of ‘Dalek’) invited to comment on this recreation of the original story.

Episode 5 sees Adrian Salmon (shading for human images) Martin Geraghty (line art) and Charles Norton (producer) provide the commentary on animation processes, together with the constraints of money and time for creation of the DVD. Episode 6 sees Anneke, Derek and Michael rejoin Toby to provide further commentary on the original story and their appreciation of this re-creation.

Disc 2 contains the “Special Features” component – which I always find very interesting. It’s here that we discover the amount of effort and energy that goes into constructing our favourite show on Earth. There are seven sections: Animation & Photo Gallery; Animation test Footage; Original Titles Sequence;

Servants and Masters the making of The Power of the Daleks; Surviving material and original trailer; Telesnap Reconstruction; Original Dalek recordings and finally PDF materials.

There is much to enjoy here. I will just cover those sections which I found of personal interest and leave the rest to the enthusiastic fan to investigate.

Specifically, I found the ‘Photo Gallery’ and 'Telesnap reconstruction' appealed to me rather more than the animation itself; probably because the old scenes themselves brought back fond memories and recollections of my original feeling of awe at seeing it for the very first time. For me, even in these stills, it somehow managed to capture that dark sinister sense of apprehension, subliminal menace and foreboding. This story is not going to end well.

As always, of particular interest to me is “the making of ...” section of special features. This section offers explanations and descriptions of how things are put together, constructed and finally delivered. I’m routinely amazed at the effort put in by everyone involved in the creation of each and every story.

Christopher Barry (director) guides us through the thought processes leading to the appointment of Troughton as the New Doctor and the many other facets of production leading to the final product.

10

Many feared that this would be the end of Doctor Who. Hartnell was well loved, particularly by younger fans and he was a very hard act to follow.

To lessen the trauma associated with a dramatic change of leading character, it was decided that Polly’s and Ben’s disbelief regarding the new Doctor’s validity could be used to reflect the viewer’s doubts, until their final acceptance of him as the genuine article.

Clips of Anneke Wills, Bernard Archard (Bragen) and Tristram Cary (music) explain their contributions and confirmation (to me, anyway) that anything well done, takes an enormous amount of energy, thought and creativity.

There are also 6 extra subsections dealing with the animation itself, as follows: Storyboard & Background Plates (Daryl Joyce); Character Art (Martin Geraghty); Shading (Arian Salmon); Audio Mastering (Mark Ayres); Animation & photo Gallery and Animation Test Footage.

Overall, although I’m not a great fan of animation plus the fact that I have recollections of the original, I found this to be a good rendition of the original story. It will, I’m sure, appeal greatly to those who never saw the original broadcast, giving them a sense of how this, iconic, ground breaking story, along with much innovation, helped pave the way for the longevity of the Doctor Who Universe.

This is another in the unending line of factual books about Doctor Who. Is it something interesting? Does it tell you something new?

Well to start off it’s not a reference book, yes it has lots of lovely facts but really there is no way to find them when you want to. As it says in the introduction “It’s a book to be dipped into.”

The object of the book is to fill 365 days (actually 366 as they include February 29) with 366 brief articles on something that happened in Doctor Who on that day. At the start we are told that they failed! So articles have been added to fill up these dates, even though things do happen on those dates in the Whoniverse. This is because as well as the main article there are lists of other events that happen on that particular day.

To fill all 366 days every single date of the first screening of every episode of Doctor Who is included, added to this are the births and deaths of actors who played Doctors or companions plus a few other people. Finally any actual dates that occur in the plot of an episode are also noted, although there are not many of them (e.g. on September 2 the Great Fire of London).

I did a quick check of the births and deaths of people and a few came to light which I thought may / should have been included. They were the births of Bruno Langley, John Barrowman, Camille Coudri, Daphne Ashbrook, Yee Jee Tso, David Morrissey, Lindsay Duncan, James Corden, Neve McIntosh, Catrin Stewart and Dan Starkey.

Plus the births and deaths of Kate O’Mara, Valentine Dyall and Richard Hurndall.

It is a very tightly constructed, multi-faceted thriller, entirely driven by strong characterisations.

Even the much-maligned Cyber-leader, who struts up and down with his hands on his hips like a boastful pirate, seems to me to be a plus. Exiled, alone and with only two uncritical underlings for

company, he hasn't noticed how far his mental function has slipped from pure logic. He's an analogue for Vorus. Each of them gradually deranged by the pressure arising from their mutual belief that they, and they alone, can restore the former glory of their people.

11

One date that is wrong listed in the book is the first screening of Doctor Who in Australia which is listed as on January 15, in fact this date is the first screening of Doctor Who in Sydney. On January 12 three days earlier it was screened in Perth WA. Oops!

One other thing is the book has been very poorly designed with huge amounts of white space everywhere. Quite a few articles just run over the page allotted (e.g. January 18) or by adding artwork to the article it again just pushes the text onto a new page (e.g.

February 25).

To answer the questions I asked at the beginning.

It is mildly interesting but really does not tell us anything new, it just juggles the facts into a new permutation. I bought my copy, on sale, for $6, about what I think it is worth.

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Chris Wahl, an Australian artist, whom I had discovered has been commissioned by Forbidden Planet to do a cover of their release of the Titan graphic novel Supremacy of the Cybermen .

It was originally released as a five issue

‘comic event’ to celebrate the Cybermen’s 50th anniversary. Subsequently all parts have been gathered together as a single graphic novel which has been released in three editions: a hardback edition, a paperback edition and a separate paperback edition, produced for Forbidden Planet with an exclusive

12

cover. This edition is the one with the cover by Chris Wahl and was exclusively available only at the Forbidden Planet chain of comic stores in the UK. Chris Wahls’ cover is exquisite and only being in black white and shades of green and blue is very noir, which ups the menace of the Cybermen from the get go. The renditions of the four Doctors are also of the highest quality and Wahl has caught all of them in such a way that they look extremely serious, even the loquacious Matt Smith.

With four Doctors on the cover, you get four Doctors inside who are battling the Cybermen who, in conjunction with another of the Doctor’s enemies, are attempting a very audacious plan that is up there in its scope with anything that has been attempted by Davies or Moffat in the last 12 years. What you may ask?

Well I will leave it for you to discover by obtaining the publication.

What I will reveal is that two other enemy races of the Doctor get involved, the Sontarans and the Silurians, but not in the way you would normally think. Each Doctor is accompanied by the current companion that is with them in the Titan comics, the 9th Doctor has with him three companions all from television, Rose, her mother Jackie and Captain Jack.

The other three Doctors have with them companions who have been created by Titan. The 11th Doctor has Alice Uwaebuka Obiefune an AfroBritish, the 10th Doctor has Gabriella "Gabby" Gonzalez a MexicanAmerican and Cindy Lu an Asian-Canadian, whilst the 12th Doctor is companion-less.

The artwork is very good with nice depictions of all the characters that have been seen on TV, except occasionally the 9th Doctor’s face is a bit too fat. The colouring is a bit too ‘comic book’ for my tastes, a bit too bright and garish in some places. Each Doctor’s ap-

pearance is a little bit different in tone and artwork, with the 12 Doctor’s a bit darker, but I felt they could have done a bit more to make the look of the comic for each Doctor more disparate.

Nine prologues for this story were published individually on the backs of Titan's various Doctor Who comics leading up to the comic being released.

They saw the first nine incarnations of the Doctor (including the War Doctor) being either captured or surrounded by a Cyberman variant. As a bonus these have been included in the graphic novel as an extra. In the actual comic we also get

to see in single frames, the 6th Doctor, the War Doctor and the 4th Doctor.

Overall the story is very fan orientated but I cannot see anyway such a celebration could not have led to such an intricate, ‘everything bar the kitchen sink’ type story.

A very enjoyable adventure in a deserted village ,with a touch of Triffids.

Gwen must not be tricked to look at the Monster so it cannot feed and grow any further. But at the end is one of the best morals I've ever heard.

To defeat bullies who

mock you and always want the centre of attention, you just have to do only one thing: simply walk away and don't look at them. Don't let them know that what they do has ANY impact on you whatsoever. No matter how tempted, don't give

the Monster(s) the satisfaction that they have been noticed in any way.

In these days of bully awareness through to terrorist threats, I feel that message is gonna stay with some of us for a while... Chilling.

Recommend listening.

The “nice” Doctor makes sure to kill Davros *this* time… and fluffs it, again! If you can get past the hammy acting (or acting-within-acting of a Dalek agent) and the plastic props, this is ‘80s Who at full strength: Loc-

ation filming in the London dockyards – watch this then visit; Lytton is a very modern enemy whose own calculations and motivations ground the plot more than the myopia-megalomania of Davros and ‘Black Su-

preme’; last but not least, Tegan’s farewell is emotionally on-pitch, coupled to a haunting soundtrack that still makes me grieve when I play it on iTunes.

13

I must admit that this review has been an emotional one for me to do.

This has been my second listening to the War Doctor, Volume 3, whilst awaiting Volume 4 to arrive from Big Finish. I have loved seeing John Hurt play many varied roles throughout his career (John Hurt was adamant it should not be called “work”) so was very excited to see him play the War Doctor in the 50th anniversary stories, but saddened to hear that another Doctor has passed into the Matrix.

The War Doctor himself may not have wanted to be known as “the Doctor”, but he will be remembered that way in my heart.

In this third volume, the battle between the Time Lords and the Daleks continues, bring-

ing more races into the fray. Ollistra is plotting again, but will the Dalek Time Strategist beat her at her game?

Each volume has an overriding theme, and in this one it is the question of finding out who can be trusted, and who will betray the main players. It is an interesting concept, and great to see how each of the authors has tackled the question. Each of the authors is new to the series, bringing in fresh ideas.

The first CD is called The Shadow Vortex and is

by David Llewellyn. In this story Ollistra dispatches the War Doctor to East Berlin in 1961 to find a Dalek agent, Lara Zannis. The Doctor is trapped between members of the KGB and MI6, and befriends an unusual

14

person to help him stop the Daleks from controlling the “Shadow Vortex”. The Wall is just new and divides the city East from West and you can almost feel the greyness and oppressiveness of Communist East Germany seep through the audio.

The spy versus spy setting of the Cold War is an excellent place to start the volume in looking at aspects of trust.

This first CD feels more like a standalone story than the other two, partially because of the very different setting. Nonetheless, it was very enjoyable.

The second CD in the volume was The Eternity Cage by Andrew Smith.

Here the Sontarans, with their drive to be the best in every war, want to be part of the Time War,

seeing it as the ultimate conflict. To achieve this they are rather devious.

There also appears to be someone within the Time Lord ranks that is passing information to the enemy.

The tension gradually builds within this story until the cliffhanger ending from which the next story follows on.

The third CD is the Eye of Harmony by Ken Bentley. Here the Dalek Time Strategist has been presented an opportunity for a critical strike on Gallifrey, and the plot involves working out which people to trust and who is the agent.

There are key mentions

of some aspects of “Time Lord physics” governing the Eye of Harmony within this story, but they are handled well, and feel plausible.

Overall this volume was very cohesive and great to listen to, especially given the strong performances by the cast. I am not sure if you could describe it as “enjoyable”, but that is because of the uncomfortable ideas this series confronts, and the way it does not shy away from the darker aspects of conflict.

Production values were high, as you would expect with the Big Finish audio range. I think the sound

Juxtaposing two or more disparate elements has been a forte of Doctor Who since its outset. It works really well in 'The Abominable Snowmen' and 'The Web of Fear'.

A bunch of great big alien robots gatecrashing a Tibetan monastery in the former, a bunch of great big alien robots running rampant in the London Underground in the latter. Add the eerily voiced Intelligence and pep it up with web guns and it's all very strange and strangely compelling.

Good plotting, some excellent characterisation and acting – in short, Doctor Who at its best. I encountered these two as Target books in my youth before I ever saw any sur-

viving episodes as an almost adult. To be honest, I did feel the books were the deeper experience – but for one massive consideration which outweighs all others.

Nothing beats watching Patrick Troughton on screen in the role of the Doctor. Even in the weakest of episodes he magnificently transcends the material. He really is that great.

At the risk of falling foul of the rumour mill on the abominable worldwide web, can someone please assure me that there must be more missing episodes out there somewhere? Pretty please?

15

effect production was better than the last two volumes, as it eradicated some of the over repeated sound effects, that if listened to in quick succession, could be a little annoying, or unintentionally comical.

I have reviewed the CD version of the War Doctor, Agents of Chaos, but there is a download version also available. Currently there is no additional material for the downloaded content compared with the CD version. Sometimes the content of the extras varies in the download versions.

"Poppy is a ie t gi rl , ri gh t up un e re drives it th roqu ti l sh e stea ls a ca a s to rierse ewn, the r ug h a sh op win e ic s s r la an c do w. d c o n-s Max is a ni ce gu hap p e nael ds to rie s ab o ve a y, bu t th en he ki fu n. lls hi s who le fa m in d a te . ily. Ju st fo ro rig A m ar al ways se re e n e d t o u g g e s t s , c s em s so ha ppy, so w rb s o n w h a hi s de ath from hy is he tryi ng to As the tbelu th e scho ol ro of ed – d ju n m p ? to in No on e ca n fig ur p un B ut what’s e naba e ou t why te en ag ers stra ng el y – b o dy. again? Tho s e lu e be ha vi ng so acci de nts, raanndd da ng erou sl y. Storie s ofarim b e O Kyo u take the p Miss Qui ll’ s cl asom atta ck s, even co ld bl oo po ssib le ca r o ut if re m be rserk, an d so s si t up an d ta ke no ti ce . Kde d m urde r m ak e Pe rs o nally, the dpams ’ m e of th em are A ids are go in g as even dyin g.

Th en R am wak es s tart, ans owf the no ve l, up io in t in a c bo he do esn’ t fig ur se e ou t why, hedymhe do esn’ t re co gn ise, an d if p ro mishinngo t o m o c n u ay wel l be ne xt." hic Alo ngside e dé s c e ne s,, bwut als o le a but of Cla ss last thre e papeth ye s ar ie rb , r B ac B cto r se and se ttings ; Jokyrno ve ls base d around the CsaB oo ks re le as ed n t u re s D o e v d A id m e e by ch arac te rs G uy Adams, A.K. B ened thing. on e Hou se by James G os s.ic t and Wha t Sh e Doe s NexTht eWSt I thin ill A stou nd Yo u hat lighwth, o s ay t In by G iven the middlin ns o it a Wh o fam g to ne gative re sp se ems – muc e rs t o d o c on w se h e of to n th C gm are an inte re stin e Doctor Who audience , la ss by – it in a e nte rt in e qu gw I th

ay to en ge wit k no ve ls what yo u h the se riesin(n have thoughga o matte r two of the mmigaiht t of it ), first be ing the nacco nc erns from pe op lebewcahous e they bypass budget lo ok of th ting, and the se co nd be ingdidn’t like it. The e sh the overall lo wIn a no ve l yo u do ow. n’ t muc h the same w have to worry ab out ei ther d, in ay as the Doctor Who no ve lis atan io ns of the

LOST­ GUITAR. If found please return to April MacLean

16

er kno wleilditgy that t ib p o s s s e rie s if the TVwhat the y like d unive rs e . s ame , fo r O f c o u, rtshee s e n o n TV u s m o r giving yo ung S F fo rc an b e d a ys , 5 3 .5 o ut o f

ally what aecttou te ll n a h t r e t t e o fte n b e no ve ls are fr o de s e s e Clayosns d the e ight e p is nd b e p in – no rtaininego ns e e ls e ’s e t n e n a J o yridekeisto inhab it sdo mwill Ram e ve rd t a it’s li hap p e n? An to yo u to fin b ling itetsotio ns I will le ave th e are qu de ar re ade r. me in frfiorsmt w u nge , a r d o t o ugh g . Th e is e wagsine gn way o f writqinuite ’ e ngartic ular, is als o p p ro ac he s vio lef nthte , in p a o f the way it a me e p is o de s o te rms minds me o f s o gin Ne w d ir o nly refe g like ae sV, whic h is no b a n li e it s ve ve l at tim r Wh o no Do cto r e re adnbcyo mp le te b ld u o c o ve ls r e ve nk the sdeo nn’t like Cla sse, oaway with aonund m y y the d s e e the m c o h little b ac kgr lm o f all, an S F s to ry wit o nd the re a atc hing de rn-dInady e e d, it’s no t bae ygate way to we m a try, uire d. no ve ls c o uld b eline d to give thre o f the the s e o ne was s o inc c o ns ume mo s o m e d w a n te d to ts e t y re a d , a n o m theo no u– fr s s la C . an io n to jo y ho did e n n to th e c anyo nerewa gre at addnitdios e ttings in aedtdhite s e no ve lsthae c harac te rs ao s t YA lite ratuicr e . re o f s whic h, like m itho ut p re jud w adult y a n yo n e e njo ye d b

IN MEMORIUM MR FRANK ARMITAGE HEAD TEACHER 27/10/2016

17

'The Lost' The Weeping Angel was a big OMG moment.

'Brave­ish Heart' A worthy follow­up to last week; ironically something "Doctor Who" struggles to do (that is, have the second part of a two­parter hold up as well as the first), and I really enjoyed it.

Benjamin W

I yelled out loud!!

Connor Pull

'The Lost' Shocking on seeing two parental death Ram's father and Tanya's mother.

Funny how long it took Tanya to notic

Rob Irwin

ish Heart' again.

Just watched 'Brave­ think I when Charlie said "I My favourite bit was hen I will d Matteusz replied "T am lost Matteusz" an . find you". Pure magic Dallas Jones

!! e du f p th o se u s wh

e is is episod ' a b ou t t h y a s o 'Detained t a nt t r u t hs I thing I w t h e sc a r y t u o The only b a hink f e ss. a de m e t rily) con g n urling that it m a d n J a me s B dly a u o (l o t w a nt e d

pregnancy.

Stunning that the Shadow Kin are dea the use of the Cabinet of Souls but sad cost of April's life.

We finally see the Governors and they good guys and marked the end of Ame

shockingly met her demise by... a Weep Eerily enough before the reveal of the Angel I did sense their presence when l the Shadow Kin here.

To top of f all of this is that the serie ends with a clif fhanger with April no

Gu e s

Corakinus' body.

'Detained' Matthew I loved this ep isode. Pushing I found the first episode terr the characters i them, through to extremes, by the ef fect of trapping after that, in its own way. th e pr iso I ne r on them, an each others's d their reaction confessions ­ appreciate it once I stopped great writing, s to c great perform ances.

Who" and "Torchwood".

Deborah Green

18

Th e r e r e sse d . p im t a not t h ot x a nd n ly... I'm e d s a s u S o it Warren l is tu potentia u c h g ra e m h o T o . t e is orylin ill" and g o o d st a ng e H r G " e nou g h o ll t o l a few ut it's a linger c ha nne e h t t he r e b e g t an . a l m os e me c h pisode.. e it's mad t s a l t o w . Th a e c ond hs, that of times n But a s . e l b a forgiv made it h l.

Lisa Lus will tel n o s ce Quill's a e s

It's aimed at a dif ferent audience... I'm enduring the teen angst to enjoy the sci足 fi, I'm guessing teens are enduring the sci足 fi to enjoy the angst and attitude!

Annette Maribo Jorgense

e e in on se x sc e n M 足 M as a cene in Th e r e w 足 F se x s M a o sh o r t d an ny? Tw a g episode in s I mis oesn't r... am isodes d p e t a not he h ig e ined, s ou t of e r e st r a t it n u e Q m . o s m atuitou e as gr strike m in u g ht .

R ob I r w a v e t ho h d l u o Iw

alt with by dly at the

y sure aren't es who ping Angel.

e Weeping looking at

"Class" hate.

I really want to address the s teenagers. And This show is targeted toward various other if my social circle, tumblr and anything to say, teen based fan blogs have Whenever I see it's a success. Teens love it. they tend to be someone hate on the show intended age much, much older than the nt. It's not made demographic. That's the poi for you. t btw.

"Class" is absolutely brillian Luke Beattie

The music was the unsung hero.

es / season ow in

Benjamin Warren

w Chi Yan See

ible but it did get better

found it easier to comparing it to "Doctor Fiona Leece

I really liked it. It ha s developed rather nicely. Like an y show, some eps were better than others.

'Detained' was definite ly my favourite. Liked the big reveal at the end of the final episode.

Would be VERY happ y for a second series. Althou gh they need better fight choreogr aphy.

George Ivanof f

I preferred the end theme to the opening theme. I think it just doesn't sit well with me, and I would prefer the closing theme as opener too.

Bob Gilbey

19

G a l l i fr e y O n e 2 W

Thursday is the day guests who have arrived early can pick up their passes at the Los Angeles Airport Marriot.

The hotel is located minutes from Los Angeles International Airport and while this is convenient for guests just staying for the weekend, it is a long way from the main tourist sites in L.A., which is why I missed the early registration.

The Convention itself is on the lower level of the hotel which can be accessed through the main lobby. The lobby was totally full by the time I arrived. Even on a Thursday night before the official start of the convention, there was already an amazing display of Doctor Who finery: T-shirts of every make and model, fezzes, Before I left I was given bow ties, scarves, sonic some advice on Twitter: 1) screwdrivers and even the hydrate, 2) don’t assume occasional guitar. There that you’ll see all that you were multiple Amy Ponds, want to see, 3) find your innumerable River Songs, a tribe, 4) have fun, 5) skipforest of Weeping Angels ping some sleep is OK but and a plethora of Doctors. miss too much sleep and you After picking up your pass won’t enjoy yourself the next day, 6) don’t skip showering. you are then free to join the With those words of wisdom, "Ice Cream Social" where you can mingle with everyI excitedly set off for Los one while you stand in line Angeles. for your bowl of ice cream.

It was also my first introduction to the ribbon culture that exists at 'Gally'. Within ten minutes of walking into the main hall I had already lthough the Convenaccumulated half a dozen tion doesn’t officially ribbons. The ribbons are atstart until the Friday, tached to your pass and all

ith a guest list that included Paul McGann, Louise Jameson, Katy Manning, Philip Hinchcliffe and Lalla Ward in her first US Convention in over twenty years, I was looking forward to my first ever Gallifrey One convention.

A

20

of which have some relevant Doctor Who quote on them.

The "Ice Cream Social" then turns into karaoke where attendees can sing the night away. After waiting until around midnight to perform my lacklustre version of The Rolling Stones “It’s Only Rock’n’Roll” I decided to call it a night.

D

ay One kicked off for me with the "Radio Free Skaro Live Show". Steven Schapansky, Warren Frey and Chris Burgess have been starting the proceedings for the past

28 Years Later several years now and always have great guests. This year was no exception.

Paul McGann talked about the late John Hurt and the influence he had on British actors in the 70s, especially on himself.

to other RFS fans, including Kathryn DragonMakr, a regular correspondent to the "Staggering Stories" Podcast.

After swapping a few Doctor Who Top Trumps cards it was off to the "Making of 'Talons of Weng-Chiang'" discussion with Louise Jameson, Philip Hinchcliffe, Deep Roy and Roger Murray-Leach. As you’d expect, this was an in-depth discussion on the making of one the most iconic Doctor Who serials, 1977’s 'Talons of Weng-ChiPhilip Hinchcliffe and Roger ang', including the revelation that at one Murray-Leach talked about all things Doctor Who in the point, Li H’Sen Chang was originally mid-70s with Roger stressing the importance of accur- going to be the Masacy in set design, especially ter! for those set in the past, as This was immediately folin 'The Talons of Weng-Chilowed by Gary Russell interang'. Rachael Stott and Nick viewing Lalla Ward. Lalla Abadzis, writers for the 12th talked about her time on the and 10th Doctor Titan Com- show, some of the costumes ics, were on, discussing she wore, her charity work their work and how they for "Denville Hall" (a retirecame to work for Titan. ment home for actors and theatrical professions in the After wandering around the dealer’s room for a while UK) which she has been involved with for several wishing I had more money years. This was Lalla’s first and more space in my lugever Gallifrey One and is gage, I went to the Radio one of the three surviving Free Skaro meet up. I was original series cast members able to briefly chat with members of the cast, collect who haven’t made the trip a few more ribbons and talk to Los Angeles, the other 21

two being Tom Baker (who doesn’t travel any more) and Jackie Lane (who doesn’t do many interviews). Lalla was charming and insightful and a little bit of a smart-arse.

Her Romana was one of my favourite companions growing up and I admit that I fell a little in love with her after watching the interview. It was very hard to stay cool when I got her to sign my copy of the DVD cover for 'City of Death' a couple of days later.

Another meet-up after that – this time with the Verity!

Podcast. More ribbons and

swag (a fetching Verity tumbler) and mingling with Verity fans before heading back to my hotel. This was probably the coldest, wettest night of the weekend and I headed back to my hotel trying to avoid the worst of the rain. It didn’t work. At least I wasn’t wearing Amy Pond’s Police uniform like some poor guy I saw shivering out in the smoking area!

T

hankfully the weather had cleared up a little on Saturday morning as I made my way back to the Marriott. The first panel I attended was a discussion panel on the "1970s being the Golden Age of Doctor Who" with a panel that included novelist Barbara Hambly. As you’d expect there was general agreement that the 1970s were the best years for Doctor Who but there was some debate as to whether the Pertwee or the Baker years were better.

There was also a panel of modern (non-Doctor Who) writers discussing what it takes to write for a modern TV series and panel with Anneke Wills, Katy Manning, Peter Purves, Prentis Han-

cock and Michael Troughton discussing Doctor Who in the 1960s.

However, the highlight of the day for me was “The Gallifrey Chronicles” panel with Lalla Ward, Louise Jameson, John Leeson, Sean Carlsen and Gary Russell discussing their work on the “Gallifrey” range of Big Finish audios. During the panel, Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nick Briggs confirmed from the audience that there will be another series of “Gallifrey” and that it may be set during the Time War. I look forward to that and catching up on the “Gallifrey” audio

but all the other Doctors were well represented. So were the companions and monsters, from the toddlers dressed as the Cherubs from 'Angels Take Manhattan' to the multiple Masters and Missies, the range of Rivers and Romanas, a scattering of Cybermen, both old and new, and even a Gell Guard from 'The Three Doctors'.

The most surreal moment though, was watching Davros confront a blue Dalek from the movies (the ones with the pincers, not the plunger) in the foyer of the

conference area!!

Unfortunately due to conflicting schedules, I didn’t make it to the Masquerade, range. but I did manage to go to Traditionally, Saturday is the live recording of Graeme usually the day that everyBurkes “Reality Bomb” podone wears their best coscast. Guests included Wartumes in readiness for the Frey from Radio Free Masquerade and there were ren Skaro , Deb Stannish from some great costumes. As ex- Verity, Paul Cornell, Rachael pected, there were a lot of Stott and Nick Abadzis. The 10th, 11th and 4th Doctors podcast ended with Graeme reliving some of his more memorable Gallifrey moments and why he loves the fact that for one weekend he doesn’t have to care what anyone thinks of his love for a 53 year old British TV show because everyone else in the room feels the same way.

22

L

ast Day at 'Gally'. It was more subdued than the other two days. A lot of people leave early to get back to work the next day.

I caught the end of the live commentary of 'Waters of Mars' with actual NASA scientists Sarah Milkovich and Kim Steadman as they picked holes in the plot;

watched Steven Schapansky interview Prentis Hancock and then Louise Jameson about their careers and respective times on the show; went to the "Verity Live In Defence of Panel" where random people gave spirited arguments on Paul McGann’s wig in the TV Movie , fan gate-keeping and the lack of a fan club for the 12th Doctor’s hair.

Wandering around the courtyard I watched a Dalek chase a little girl around, two Blake's 7 cosplayers yell “Where’s Blake?” at each other and noticed a car in the adjacent car park done up as an X-Wing Fighter complete with fake R2-D2!

One of the last panels of the weekend was the “Look at Where We Are” panel hosted by Deb Stannish. This was an amazing panel with Lalla Ward, Louise Jameson,

Katy Manning, Catrin Stewart, Daphne Ashbrook, Anneke Wills, June Hudson, Naoko Mori and Hattie Hayridge discussing the challenges they’ve had in their careers and if they thought it was easier for women in television today compared to when they all started. This was an outstanding panel that was only marred by the fact that they only had an hour on stage.

"The Year in Review" followed immediately after and featured video interviews from the casts of Class and Doctor Who and ended with David Tennant’s speech to “Not be Dicks” taken from his recent appearance from the BBC show The Last Leg. This brought the house down.

After recording a special message for Steven Moffat inviting him back to Los Angeles, Gallifrey One organiser and director Shaun Lyon brought everyone on stage for one more thank you. I then had one more walk around the lobby and said a few goodbyes to some of the people I had met over the last few days and went back to my hotel, still buzzing from the high of the weekend but upset that it was all over.

23

G

allifrey One is a huge celebration of Doctor Who and I recommend that every Doctor Who fan

should try and get there at least once. The programme was huge and you’ll probably never get to see all the things you want to unless you can find some way of being in two places at the same time (an actual TARDIS would be very handy). It’s a very friendly, relaxed and laid-back convention. The crowds, while by no means small, are nowhere near as big as events like ComicCon. The guests all have stated that they’ve never felt so comfortable and welcomed at a convention. Indeed, it was fun just roaming the lobby and seeing who was about. Small interviews going on in a relatively quiet corner, Philip Hinchcliffe holding court over a group of adoring fans, friends old and new catching up and maybe even a few new romances blossoming.

I’ve already started planning my next trip there.

Probably not next year, when the theme is “The 29 Voyages of Gallifrey One”, but definitely soon. Part of the advice given to me before I left for Los Angeles was “find your tribe.” To be honest, I’m not one hundred percent sure I did, but I had a great time looking. Anybody want to come with me next time? One of the two other Aussies I met during the weekend bemoaned the lack of an after-party following the Masquerade. I think we should get a group together and show them how it’s done.

Black WH les

BY ROGER REYNOLDS

WITH INPUT FROM DALLAS JONES

H

ave you ever sat outside at night, on a dark and lonely hill top, looked up at the universe above and just wondered? The cosmos is awash with awesome and unbelievable constructions of time and space and matter and it exists right on the edge of human understanding about how things work.

One such exotic example of this is a Black Hole.

I

t’s all down to gravity.

Before we leap right into the physics, just to advise, this is a twopart article. This first part covers basic physics about Black Holes and looks at how Classic Doctor Who used the mystery of Black Holes in various stories.

A

lthough gravity is the weakest of the forces operating in our universe, it is the most pervasive, that is to say it operates over vast distances and affects all matter (well, as far as we

know – we don’t know its effect on Dark Matter – but that’s another question altogether).

Gravity is a ‘force’ created when matter (i.e. something like the Earth) distorts space / time. Our sun, which is much bigger than the Earth, distorts space / time more and thus has a much greater gravitational ‘pull’. The bigger the mass, the bigger the distortion and hence, proportionally, the greater becomes the gravitational force of attraction.

The thing is, you see, an associated ‘escape velocity’ is related to the gravitational attractive force.

This is the velocity at which an object, say a space ship for example, must travel to break free of gravity’s pull.

If you throw a ball upwards, after a few seconds it returns back to Earth.

The faster you throw it, the higher it goes and the longer the time before it returns to Earth. If you could throw the ball fast enough, it would escape Earth’s gravity and go into 24

space, never to come back.

For Earth, you’d have to throw the ball at a velocity of a mere 11 kilometres per second (kps). Objects larger than the Earth have a greater gravitational field (pull); they require a correspondingly higher escape velocity. For example, Jupiter’s escape velocity is 60 kps while the sun’s is 620 kps.

I

saac Newton (he was not ‘Sir’ at the time) derived an equation showing the relationship between mass and the force of gravity and also the associated mathematical relationship for escape velocity.

As long ago as the 18th century, John Michell and Pierre-Simon Laplace (one of my favourite mathematicians!) pondering Newton’s gravitational equations, realised that taken to its logical extreme, it was possible that a highly dense / massive object could exist such that light itself, which travels at staggering 300,000 kps, could not escape the associated grav-

itational field. Of course, such a ridiculous notion was considered impossible – at the time.

So, if we could somehow ‘make’ a massive object with enough matter in it, it would be possible that nothing could escape from it, not even light itself.

Ludicrous – of course.

Not so fast, Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity postualted in 1915 would, through logic, leads us to the prediction of Black Holes.

The first modern solution employing Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, characterising the nature of a Black Hole and the associated gravitational collapse, was developed

by Karl Schwarzschild, in 1916, who went on to define important characteristics of Black Holes, which will be discussed in a continuation of this article in our next issue.

However it was not until 1958 that a rigorous and

complete interpretation of a Black Hole as a region of space was first published

by David Finkelstein.

Up until this time, Black Holes had long been considered a mathematical curiosity; it was only during the 1960s that theoretical work showed they were, in fact, a generic prediction of general relativity. The development of radio astronomy at this time, paved the way to the discovery of neutron stars, sparking interest in gravitational collapse and highly compact objects. Such astronomical discoveries prompted the realisation that Black Holes might be, after all, an astrophysical reality.

number of apparently ‘empty’ (i.e. no visible stellar objects) regions in space were observed to be strong sources of X-ray radiation. Needless to say, anything unknown or unexplained raised the pique of physicists and astronomers alike.

Intense investigation of a highly energetic X-ray source in the Constellation of Cygnus revealed that a nearby star (only 6070 light years away!), designation HDE 226868, had a small but perceptible ‘wobble’. Such a wobble indicates that the star was part of a binary system, i.e. two objects closely (astronomically speaking) orbiting each other.

However, the other orbiting object could not be Well, to cut a long story seen with conventional short, in the 1960/70s, a telescopes. series of ingenious obserSubsequent calculations vations, using high altiand observations showed tude balloons and rockets that, based on the wobble, to rise above the Earth’s the invisible object orbitX-ray blocking atmoing HDE 226868 had a sphere, were performed. A very high mass with an incredibly small diameter; convincing evidence that the invisible object must be a black hole. The existence of a Black Hole orbiting HDE 226868 was subsequently pronounced in 1971. It was designated Cygnus X-1.

Current observations indicate that matter spirals out from HDE 226868 onto an area known as the accretion disc associated with Cygnus X-1. It is, in fact, the accretion disc which generArtist impression of matter spiralling from the nearby star, ates the X-ray radiHDE 226868, onto the accretion disc of Cygnus X-1. ation.

25

T

here has been an ongoing love / hate (mostly hate) relationship between Doctor Who and the mysterious realms of Black Holes. We will look chronologically at the Classic Doctor Who stories that mention Black Holes, and the first story is ‘The Three Doctors’.

A

Black Hole holds centre stage in this story and is alluded to, variously, as follows: The Chancellor of the Time Lords describes the Black Hole as “A nowhere, no place, a void. According to all known laws, nothing can exist there.” The President replies that the Black Hole “…is draining vital cosmic energy away in spite of all we can do to check it” and that “unless the energy loss is stopped the whole fabric of space time will be destroyed.” Further he states, that it is “a force in the universe of antimatter.”

We must concur with the description of "a nowhere place, a void" since at present our knowledge of particle physics does not extend into the realm of a Black Hole itself. However, Black Holes do not "drain away vital comic energy" and are not composed of anti-matter. (as far as we know!)

The President also mentions an “… absolute event horizon” (we will talk about event horizons in part two) which is, indeed, a facet of Black Hole topology.

The Chancellor states that “already the time travel facility is at risk.” This might

be feasible, if we assume time travel needs enormous energy then, indeed, the massive energies liberated by a Black Hole might well support time travel. (I assume a lot here, don’t I?) Also in this tale, Doctor Tyler is transported to Omega’s ‘domicile’ along an (improbable) beam of light.

Doctor Tyler describes where he’s arrived, as in a Black Hole” to which the 3rd Doctor replies “Yes, exactly. That's where we are.

On a stable world in a universe of antimatter. An anomaly within an impossibility.”

As far as we know, it’s not possible to travel along a beam of light (faster than light!) and end up in a Black Hole. Definitely a case of highly improbable science, I’d say (but who knows?).

Later on, the 2nd Doctor says that “a Black Hole is a singularity... where all the known physical laws cease to exist” and this is still our current perception of Black Holes – we don't know anything about the physics of the singularity – the centre of the Black Hole itself.

At the conclusion of this story the 2nd Doctor’s flute meets with an explosive end as it, being normal matter, reacts with Omega’s antimatter universe thus creating a supernova. This is an interesting concept but highly unlikely, since the energy of a ‘normal’ Black Hole (i.e. several million times the mass of our sun) 26

vastly exceeds that of a single supernova. Furthermore, even if the flute were entirely obliterated in an antimatter explosion it would not liberate sufficient energy to trigger a supernova explosion.

Comment

Some correct scientific descriptions, some questionable, some ‘imaginative’ and some well, impossible. But, what the heck, it makes for a great story does it not?

Immediately dropping out of our chronological list, it is appropriate that we instead look at ‘Arc of Infinity’.

T

his sequel to 'The Three Doctors' sees Omega still in his antimatter world using something called the Arc of Infinity. Is this some type of Black Hole?

Let us investigate.

We first find some information about the Arc of Infinity when Nyssa reads from the TARDIS data bank: “Rondel, intergalactic region devoid of all stellar activity.

In former times the location of collapsed Q-star. Q-star?”

The Doctor elaborates: “They're very rare. On burnout it creates quad magnetism. That's what the

sensors picked up. It's the only force known to shield anti-matter”.

Nyssa concludes that it must be the Q star’s quad magnetism that’s protecting the creature.

The Doctor asks Nyssa if anything more is known about this region of space to which she replies: “Not much. Just the name the ancients gave to this region.

The Arc of Infinity”. The Doctor triumphantly deduces: “That's it, Nyssa.

That's how it came through.

What we saw was the gateway to the dimensions. The Arc of Infinity”.

The Castellan gives us a bit more information when he says “We know the creature controls the shift of the Arc of Infinity”. Later on the Doctor states: “Of course. I've been so silly.

Amsterdam is located on the curve of the Arc…”

Comment

There is a lot of technobabble in describing how the Arc of Infinity works; QStars (we have to assume the Q in Q-Stars refers to ‘quad’) and quad magnetism

causing a shield against anti-matter? (Ed: note there is something called a Quadrupole magnet but it does not have the properties described in this story). The only possibility is that these Q-stars are a particular type of star that, on collapsing into a Black Hole, it creates quad magnetism.

The Arc of Infinity is also described as being able to be shifted and having a curve. Thus it might be something like two Black Holes connected to form a sort of ‘tunnel’, linking places vast distances apart (hundreds of light years). In the end we can’t be sure exactly what the Arc of Infinity actually is, especially as Black Holes are not specifically mentioned in the story.

tor Paradigm with many references made to it.

The Doctor asks Engin about Rassilon and a ‘transgram’ is provided which reads: "And Rassilon journeyed into the black void with a great fleet. Within the void, no light would shine and nothing of that outer nature continued in being, except that which existed within the Sash of Rassilon… Now Rassilon found the Eye of Harmony, which balances all things, that they may neither flux nor wither nor change their state in any measure. And he caused the Eye to be brought to the world of Gallifrey…"

The Doctor immediately recognises that it is a Black Hole and asks Engin where the Sash of Rassilon is. He Jumping back to our chro- tells Engin “that Sash is a nological list of stories that technological masterpiece. feature Black Holes we It protects its wearer from come to ‘Deadly Assassin’ being sucked into a parallel and those pesky Time Lords universe. All he [The on Gallifrey again.

Master] needs now is the Great Key and he can regenerate himself and release a his story sees the inforce that'll obliterate this troduction of 'The Eye entire stellar system". He of Harmony' and is a further informs Engin “Don't recurring theme in the Doc- you realise what Rassilon did? What the Eye of Harmony is? Remember? That which balances all things. It can only be the nucleus of a Black Hole.” He then tells a disbelieving Spandrell “A myth? Spandrell, all the power of the Time Lords devolves from it. Neither flux nor wither nor change their state. Rassilon stabilised all the elements of a Black Hole and set them in an eternally dynamic equation against the mass of the planet. If the Master interferes, it'll be the end not only of this world, but of a hundred other worlds too.”

T

27

Comment

This story states that 'The Eye of Harmony' is the ‘nucleus’ of a Black Hole. I assume this means it is that part of the Black Hole inside the event horizon. I don’t think it refers to a naked singularity as they were not postulated till 1991 (see part two on event horizons and singularities). How Rassilon is able to use it to power Gallifrey is covered by “stabilised all elements…” a nice bit of technobabble. It is described as being able to suck anyone into a parallel universe. Yes, a Black Hole would suck anyone in, but again we do not know if it leads to a parallel universe.

It is not clearly explained how the Master interfering with a Black Hole could release a force that would obliterate Gallifrey’s stellar system, but the energy involved with a Black Hole is tremendous.

on tells Grace: “If the Eye of Harmony isn't closed, this planet will be sucked through it! Grace, I need to fix the timing mechanism on the TARDIS and close the Eye… The Eye of Harmony is open. If I don't close it, get my TARDIS and the Master off this planet, this planet will no longer exist!”

He then tells Grace “I shall prove that the Eye of Harmony is open. Look at this".

He then pushes against a window of Grace’s home and the glass seems to melt around his hand. He says “You see? Already the molecular structure of the planet is changing.”

Comment

The references to Black Holes are, at best, sketchy but the claim that they distort space / time is perfectly valid and if the Earth were exposed in close proximity to one, it would indeed be ‘sucked’ into it.

We again jump out of The Movie’s main premise chronological order as 'The is a quite a stretch for mainEye of Harmony' features stream Doctor Who mythovery prominently in 'Doctor logy and as well as known Who (The TV Movie)'. So too, but ‘Who’ gives let’s see what that story tells science a monkey’s? It’s a damn us about Black Holes and good story. this particular Black Hole.

T

he Master takes Lee to the TARDIS’s Cloister room and says to him: “Come, let me show you.

Here is the Eye of Harmony, the heart of the structure.

Everything gets its power from here.” The Master needs Lee to open the Eye of Harmony. When Lee does so this, the Doctor immediately knows what has happened and tells Grace it is “the power source at the heart of the TARDIS.” The Doctor, a little later

Returning to our chronological list and we are back with the 4th Doctor and again with those Time Lords on Gallifrey, but there is nary an 'Eye of Harmony' in sight.

between two Time Lords, Gomer and Savar. Gomer says “the answer may lie in the cyclic burst ratio.” to which Savar replies “a Black Star protects us. What is a cyclic burst ratio?”Gomer answers “I'm making a study of what I would term wavelength broadcast power transduction… You see, I've noticed lately, well, over the last decade or so, an enormous fluctuation in relative wavelength transduction over a particularly narrow band.” The final mention is when Kelner remotely manipulates the stabiliser banks of the TARDIS and the Doctor yells at Rodan “We're being thrown into a Black Star!”

Comment

Hmm?? Mostly wibbly wobbly stuff here: “cyclic burst ratio" and “wavelength broadcast power transduction”. Savar saying “a Black Star protects us” and the Doctor referring to being thrown into a Black Star are both obviously referring to the Eye of Harmony.

Technobabble, unexpurgated, technobabble.

Back to real Black Holes and some real science.

T

he Doctor tries to immobilise the TARDIS but K9 says it is still moving and accelerating.

Romana suggests it is due to a gravitational field and asks o Black Holes actually if it could be a Black Hole. are mentioned in this The Doctor replies: “It's not story but it does men- pulling hard enough for tion Black Stars, by which I that.” He then muses about what it would be like to be assume they mean Black crushed to a singularity.

Holes. Black Stars are first mentioned as a throw-away He also ponders what if line from Borusa who says: were beginning to “Then let him rot in a Black someone create an artificial Black Star.” Black Stars are next Hole by fixing gravity brought up in a conversation beam to attracta matter to

N

28

one point in space, then when there's enough, it would start to collapse into a singularity. He changes his mind and confirms it is a Black Hole as he next says “unless we find a way of getting out of here, we're all going to be crushed to a singularity”, to which Teka asks “what's a singularity?” and Romana replies “a mathematical point with no dimen-

along with one of your spacecraft.” Later, whilst talking with Romana about a direction beam, the Doctor says its “pumping out energy over vast distances” and that it is focussed on the Black Hole. He then says it could be a “gateway towards hyperspace” and Romana asks where it would exit. The Doctor later works out that the Nimon use two Black Holes with a hyperspatial tunnel in between to travel through space, as Romana says “leaping across the universe as far as they want, instantaneously.”

dictable turbulence.” It is revealed that the objective of Bruchner, a passenger of the Hyperion III, is to hijack the space-liner and drive it straight into the centre of the Black Hole of Tartarus.

As the space-liner approaches the Black Hole, Lasky, Bruchner’s boss, asks “how long before the ship reaches the point of no return” obviously referring to the Black Hole’s event horizon.

Comment

The notion of using an object with a large gravitational field as a sling shot, to Comment course and gather All good solid physics as a change speed is and small Black Hole is a physic- frequentlya legitimate used technique. al (though not yet observed) has been employed extens- It possibility and, in close ively in sending spacecraft proximity, it would exert a to the outer planets. massive gravitational field.

It is also quite true that a The Doctor’s description miscalculation might well of a Black Hole is absolutely plunge a spacecraft into the correct, also the existence of planet (e.g. Jupiter) or a an event horizon, plus the Black Hole.

It’s not known if mention of an escape veloBlack Holes have ‘unprecity. Even (possibly) a ‘Sardictable turbulence' as gasso Sea in space’ is we’ve never (thank goodness) gotten that close to be sions.” The Doctor then says conceivable. able observe them.

The comment that the “The question is, can we "Black Hole isn’t pulling generate power soon However, it might be poshard enough" is not quite enough to take the ship to sible in the not too distant true as a large Black Hole, escape velocity before we future, with the use of Ligo, fall into a Black Hole with an at a sufficiently great dis(The Laser Interferometer event horizon?” An asteroid tance, would exert a small Gravitational-Wave Obserwith the mass of a planet is gravitational ‘pull’. vatory) to detect such gravalso being attracted to the itational variances (well – Black Hole and the Doctor maybe – I eagerly await). his story is set in the uses the TARDIS like a In the next issue of Trap year 2986 AD on the cricket ball to bounce off the Street I will explore the space-liner Hyperion asteroid and out of the grav‘anatomy’ of a Black Hole III which is approaching a itation field of the Black sector containing the Black and raise some of the major Hole. questions arising from our of Tartarus. The ComOn Skonnos the Doctor is Hole current understanding of modore changes course to captured by Soldeed and he bring the space-liner closer them and look at their aptells him “How very odd… pearances in Who since its the Black Hole, to save you don't know what a neut- to return in 2005. time to which the Doctor rino conversion is… Did you comments “Very narrow know that someone’s build- margin of safety… Quirky ing a Black Hole on your Black Holes. doorstep?... I got stuck in it, phenomena, They can gulp with unpre-

T

29

W

ith the news that 'The Power of the Daleks' was to be screened, in all its wonderful black and whiteness, in cinemas throughout Australia, I thought it would be interesting to find out how fans responded to this decision. So I asked them on, the social media of my choice, Facebook. I asked a series of short questions to get some idea of what happened at the screenings.

The questions I asked were: What cinema did you

go to to see it at? What day and did time you see it? Approximately how many people were in attendance?

Was there any fan activity at the event you attended?

Here are most of the responses I received, with mine first.

Dallas Jones

I saw it at Dendy Newtown in Sydney on Saturday November 12 at 3.30 p.m.

Approx 60 people were in attendance. Three people came along as Weeping An30

gels and lots of people in Doctor Who T-shirts plus someone wearing a Dalek cap. The cinema was also selling special Dalek ice cream cones! (I did not get one, as they had run out by the time I went to buy one.)

John Richards

What cinema you go to to see it at? Bendigo Village.

What day you saw it and what time you saw it.

Sunday 3.30pm. Approximately how many people were in attendance. 25 to 30. Was

there any fan activity at the event you attended? No, but I read online the local fan club had offered and been rebuffed. Don't know if that's true or not.

Ron Godwin

I saw it at the Regent cinema in Albury on Sunday November 13 at 3.30 p.m.

12 people were in attendance – three other "old stagers" like me, a mix of younger people, (male and female), and two children.

There was no organised activity at the screening.

Everyone there seemed to enjoy it. The 15 minute documentary was shown after the main feature.

Richard Andrew Plane

Like Ron Godwin I attended the Regent in Albury. It had absolutely no advertising at all. I even had to book via the Village website.

James Tomlinson

I saw it at the Dendy, Circular Quay on Monday November 14 at 6 p.m.

About 50 people were there but I really wasn't paying that much attention sorry!

David Butcher

I saw it at Hoyts Charlestown at 1 pm on Saturday. The cinema was about ⅓ full. The odd one (including me) wore Doctor Who T-shirts but no fan activity and no Doctor Who signage in the theatre complex at all advertising it.

Edwina Harvey

I saw it on Sunday 13th at Randwick Ritz Cinema at 3 p.m. There were approximately 50 people. No costumes, but a few people (including me) were wearing Doctor Who T-shirts. She also asked "I want to know what the Dalek Ice creams were like?"

Steven Godfrey

I saw it at Hoyts Penrith on Saturday 12th at 1 p.m.

About 20 people werein Cinema 2 with no fan activity. I got into the session about two minutes late and missed seeing the opening credits and the regeneration scene due to congestion in Penrith Plaza car park.

It was absolutely brilliant with the cinema screening it as a full length movie not in episodes. One of the best Dalek stories of the 60s.

David Whitaker's script is well written and the animation is the best the BBC has ever produced.

Kristen Nicholls

I saw it at the Village Jam Factory (Melbourne) on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Approximately 20-30 people were there (I thought there would have been more).

We tried to organize a club event for the DWCV but didn't get too much response (only six of our members, but a few of our regular attendees to our events had advised us they couldn't make it due to prior commitments). The only cosplayers were me, Phillip and another one of our club members. A few people in Tshirts.

We also missed opening credits / regeneration (taking our time buying food) as we had asked the box office if there were previews beforehand and she told us they had 20 minutes listed.

According to a friend it was only 10 minutes.

Wayne Hickey

I saw it on Saturday at Event Cinemas George Street. There were about 50 people. A few T-shirt wearing fans, but that's about it.

I enjoyed it immensely.

31

Diana Roos

I saw it at the Cairns City Cinema on the Saturday at 1 p.m. 10 minutes before the show started, there were about 25 to 30 people. Possibly more came in and sat behind us – some left during the credits but we stayed to watch the interview so I don't know if more came. I would think the Sunday show would have had more people since many work on Saturday. I wore my 'Horton hears a TARDIS' T-shirt – but didn't see any costumes.

When they showed the Matt Smith episode a few years back some kids dressed up.

Here is a picture of me in my T-shirt.

Sarah Louise Bee

I saw it in Gold Class at Village cinemas in Hobart on the Sunday at 3.30 p.m.

There looked to be about 30 people attending. No costumes or fan activity that I could see but some Who Tshirts were worn. There was no advertising that it was on and I only learned about it through a fellow Hobartian Who fan. I really enjoyed it.

Nathan Farrow

I saw it at Dendy Opera Quays on November 14 at 6 p.m. There were about 40 people, including children.

No fan activity beyond thorough enjoyment.

Kerrie Dougherty

I saw it at the Avoca Picture Theatre at 9 p.m. on Sunday 13. A grand total of 7 people and I was the only one sporting a Doctor Who T-shirt. I'm told they had a bigger turnout at their session on Saturday. The Daleks looked great and some of the background renderings were really good.

Southbank Cinemas ­ Brisbane

Nigel Mitton

I saw it at Village Doncaster on Sunday at 3.30 p.m. There were about 25 people – some with Who Tshirts; two children in costume (11th Doctor). Nothing noticeable outside.

Steve Panozzo

I saw it at Event Cinema Macquarie Centre on Sunday, November 13 at 1 p.m. and there were about 15-20 people there (dressed in regular street clothes).

Michael Simshauser

I saw it at Forum 6 Tamworth on Sunday 13 and there were around a dozen people. Fan participation was limited to T-shirts although some numpty turned up in a Star Wars shirt.

Peter Bulkeley

I was at the Luna Cinema Windsor in Perth on Saturday afternoon. About 50 people were at that screening... oh and a Dalek...

Stefan Raffetseder

Mount Isa had zero turnout. Mind you it wasn't even on here so have yet to see it !

Adamm Ferrier

I was really annoyed that the advertising said that it would be available for a week, only to find that by Thursday it had stopped playing.

Aaron Richardson

Village Knox on Saturday 12th at 1:30 p.m. Approximately 20 people in attendance of various ages. No Steven Nicholson special event in the foyer, no I saw it at Event Macquar- signage / posters etc... a few ie Centre on Saturday 12 at of us wearing Who T-Shirts.

1 p.m. There were 20-30 But the real kick was the people in attendance. screening itself... the cinema had a wrong code for acIan Williams cessing the film!!!! After I saw it at Village Hobart waiting 40 minutes, the proat 3.30 p.m. on Sunday 13th. jectionist arrived and apoloAround 26 people attended gised... 90 minutes past in a Gold Class cinema that screening time, we were seats 32. fully refunded, given complimentary tickets and then Antony Howe moved from the VMAX to a I saw it whilst in Melsmall screen for a 3 p.m. bourne, on a trip. I found it screening!!! The cinema was on at Village "Crown" (very ¾ capacity and just a standnear where I was staying) – ard cinema, not the full I think it was Sunday (?? mega screen... film was when I travel I lose track of good (they skipped the ads) time in my faulty TARDIS) – but as it ran straight with no about 3.30 p.m. There were episode breaks, it was a bit very FEW there. Maybe 20 bladder-challenging by the or so? The dumb ticket final act!! Still brilliant, but sellers didn't help – I was at they need to work on how a film the night before and they receive digital films!!! specifically asked one of them if it was on and could I Greg Dalley prepay. I was told "no" it Just watched it at Village was NOT on!!!! Luckily I Cinemas Shepparton. There went back to check the next were more people in the oriday as I thought he was ginal program credits (i.e. probably the average dolt... not counting the animation / and yes, it WAS on – hoperestoration team) than in the less. audience. Can't speak for The new ticket seller (the yesterday's session though. next day) sold me seat K-8 – Hearing the era's theme but I sat in the empty seat K- music in cinema quality was quite the experience. The 9 :-). And at the end was able to boast to some young story and soundtrack in general carried the show. Animpeople who were watching ations were surprisingly that I had seen the origineffective in some darker inal!!! :-) The main reason I ternal scenes, just adequate wanted to see it... the in many others. The animaDALEKS were GREAT!!! :-) 32

Alex Rohan

tion of Robert James' Lesterson reminded me of Peter Miles as Nyder in some scenes (does anyone remember Robert James as Newman Noggs cracking his fingers in the BBC 1977 Nicholas Nickleby?).

I saw it at Event Indooroopilly on Sunday November 13 at 1 p.m. About 20 people were in attendance. I didn't notice any particular fan activity.

It was bloody great, I Michael O'Brien thought. It's been one of my favourite Dalek stories for a Too expensive for me; Villong time now. Revised that lage Hobart wanted $40 per opinion now, for me it is one ticket. of the best of all time, cerNiall Doran tainly the best sixties story.

Dendy Cinema ­ Canberra That's over the top! I was What a clever, clever script. in Melbourne, where it cost Yes it drags a bit as a movie, David Andrew Patterson $25. but that's not how it was meant to be seen of course.

I saw it at Castle Towers.

Aaron J Climas The Daleks are SO sneaky, There were two boys (perI thought they had priced haps ten years old-ish) in my SO manipulative. A solid locked it at $25 by the dis10/10 from me. row who kept coming and tributors? Hmm. At the going throughout. They Animation-wise I did not screening I attended in Can- were among a few who rose have massive expectations berra three people walked to leave at the end of the but I enjoyed it nevertheout about a half hour in. story; I took the liberty of less. The Daleks in particusaying, "There's more," after lar were beautifully lit and Carrie Oct which they stayed for pershot. Little touches such as Hey everyone! Just finhaps the first five minutes the way they shot down the ished watching 'The Power spaceship ramp and hit the of the Daleks' at Dendy Cir- (tops) of the documentary.

Had some interesting dia- studio floor with their eyecular Quay. Loved the story stalks bobbing – beautiful logue with staff after the and the acting is really attention to detail, beyond screening. Apparently "one great. Who cares about the what I'd have expected from animation knowing the BBC week only" means one team only had six months to **programming** week only, a low-budget animation. which runs from Thursday achieve it on a very small More than happy to shell to Wednesday, and "limited budget! So happy! out for movie tickets if it screenings" means it is not helps recoup the investment Mal Hewison necessarily on every day. and will be buying the BluWent to see it today at ray later when it's available.

Steve Christopherson Hoyts... "What movie sir?", I took two friends with "Doctor Who", "Doctor me, both younger than me.

Strange?", "No, Doctor The youngest said he'd buy Who", "Oh, ok"... then, sitit if it was in colour and on ting in the theatre and the Blu-ray. The other one has Marvel Studios banner been introduced to everycomes up... thing New Who and he said Matthew Chi Yan See he liked it a lot. Both are inI saw it at Randwick Ritz to anime, and animation in on Sunday November 13 at general. Personally I will be 3 p.m. There were lots of buying the DVD. I'd prefer it people, perhaps around 30. in B&W. All three of us liked As far as I can tell there was it, I am just incredibly happy no fan activity when I was that the BBC took the there. Funny how someone plunge on animating a full forgot to remove the Episserial, and I'll support in ode One credit on-screen whatever way I can, future Piccadilly Cinema ­ Adelaide given the movie format. releases.

33

CHRISTMAS I

I

'm not usually around for the Christmas special, but this was a rare case when I was in my home-town of Ottawa, Canada. I've spent most of 2016 indoctrinating my 28year-old girlfriend into New Who (I'm 44 and a Classic Series fan from way-back).

She's more a Marvel person, but we've now watched all the way up to early Capaldi and she's mostly been quite into it. (She loves Eccleston, Tennant and Smith but hates Capaldi so far.)

Weird aside: she loves the few episodes of the Classic Series we've watched. I didn't even show her the "good" ones, because she wanted to see the Classic Series' most violent episodes and loves Cybermen, so we ended up watching 'Resurrection of the Daleks' and 'Attack of the Cybermen'.

She adored them! Especially – get this – the special effects. She told me she never gets to see practical effects,

so she spent all her time in wide-eyed wonder at the fact that someone actually did all that stuff for real, not on a computer. My mind still boggles at this.

Anyway, back to the Christmas special. I bought us tickets for the screening.

I enjoyed it well enough, but it wasn't especially to my taste.

However, she loved it! I think the superhero angle was a great one to catch fans of this genre (which I'm not really). She even upgraded her impression of Peter Capaldi, saying he'd improved a lot. So the next night we ended up watching three Capaldi stories in a row. So I'd call that an unqualified success for 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio!'

T

he stifling mid-day heat, and the onslaught of crowds at the Boxing Day sales in midcity Auckland, enforced me 34

to seek out the comfort of a much cooler and lesscrowded environment, one which the quiet and halfempty food hall at the central city multiplex gratefully provided. Although 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio' was to air on Prime (New Zealand) later that evening, since the Christmas special was to have its one and only cinema screening at 1p.m. that afternoon, it was a case of 'since I'm here, what the heck' so I got a ticket. (I noted with amusement that I was assigned seat K-10; as it so happened the seat next to me however remained empty!)

The theatre was by no means full, with around 70 people of all age groups in attendance. After what seemed like an eternity of interminable advertisements and trailers, the show finally got underway with a short introduction / teaser followed by the episode itself.

An hour later as the final credits rolled (and yes!

There was a full "Coming Soon" trailer for the next series; there hasn't been one of those clip montages for quite a few years. Always a highlight!) some in the audience got up and left, even though there was still a "Making of" to come. (Call yourselves Doctor Who fans.

Tsk.) As a fan of most modern superhero movies (although too many recently have been below standard) I enjoyed the clichés and tropes of the genre being acknowledged and riffed upon in Steven Moffat's script. The Ghost's (why oh why wasn't the spe-

IN A CINEMA cial called something with 'Ghost' in the title, something more relevant and less-self-referential, such as 'The Ghost of Christmas'?) was an interesting Whoniverse take on the familiar Superman story, complete with its own Lois Lane / glasses as disguise / bullets bouncing off chest moments.

While the superhero fluff was enjoyable, the lack of clear logic to the 'brains in tanks' invasion sub-plot gave the impression it was a tacked on afterthought when it was decided to give the Doctor yet another alien villain to face. (When was the last time Doctor Who had a non-alien honest-to-badness human villain?) I couldn't quite grasp how the invasion plan was actually supposed to work, since it's unlikely that all the targeted world leaders would ever rush to New York for safety during what was just the latest of several threats to the planet over the years.

But I couldn't help wondering whether Harmony Shoal (also named in the previous special) was another (almost but not quite) variation on the name Melody Pond / River Song, and with two seasonal 'appearances' behind it now, the name might carry some greater significance and purpose later on; one that will be revealed by the time Steven Moffat regenerates into Chris Chibnall…

The magnificent Peter Capaldi once again demonstrates that he was absolutely born to play the Doctor, and although I've

never been a great fan of Matt Lucas, Nardole wasn't as irritating as I had anticipated, which bodes well since Lucas is set to reappear during the forthcoming Series 10.

'The Return of Doctor Mysterio' (what about 'The Ghost of New York'?) is by far the best of the three Capaldi specials to date and I'm glad I got to see it with an equally-appreciative audience of fans (excepting of course those non-true fans that left early, tsk). I left the theatre with a smile, and stepped out again into the blazing heat, wishing I had superhuman powers with which to combat the fresh blitz of hungry bargain hunters…

D

uring the 'Doctor Who: World Tour' of 2014, Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman did a whirlwind journey to pretty much every continent on the planet.

One of their stops was Mexico, an unusual destina35

tion a lot of us Who-lovers thought, but it was then revealed that Doctor Who was indeed shown there, pretty much right from the start.

However, it went under a different name in Mexico, a name that Peter Capaldi simply adored. That name was, of course… Doctor Mysterio.

Cut to Christmas 2016 (not a ‘table wine’ kind of a year, more like a ‘jug of acid and lava’ kind of a year), and now this interesting bit of trivia has been incorporated into the actual show.

No big surprises really, considering current show runner Steven Moffat has continually revealed himself to be the master of the obscure reference.

Before going any further, I do believe I should level with you all. I think it’s best that I’m honest right from the get-go, before we go into this review too deeply. I am not a fan of the Christmas special format. They’ve never been highly compelling viewing for me, and the Christmas theme always seems to be awkwardly shoehorned in, or (even worse) rammed in with the finesse of a sledgehammer.

That being said, I do think 'A Christmas Carol' is the best of the Christmas specials.

So, naturally I was relieved when the Christmas aspects of the show were limited to the pre-title sequence.

Now, much was publicized about how this was Doctor Who ’s venture into the very popular superhero genre, and I must admit I was a little dubious of this choice by the Grand Moff.

I did even have a fleeting thought to myself: “Can I smell a shark about to be jumped here?”

I am happy to report that they have not lost the plot completely… yet. 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio' was a cute, fun adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. True, it doesn’t compare to such highly regarded stories as 'Blink', 'Listen', or even 'Caves of Androzani', but really, I don’t think it ever aimed to.

I think the Christmas specials work best when they’re a little disposable, with a little bit of fun, a little bit of heart and very little intensity and / or ‘nitty-gritty’.

'Mysterio' definitely had fun and heart, and it works well as a companion piece to

fell into his usual trope when writing female character (like he did with Amy, Clara, and sadly, River by the end). He has a constant habit of confusing smug aggression for confidence and self-assurance.

Peter Capaldi continues to simply shine as the Doctor.

We are really seeing the best of this brilliant actor in the role, and we are so fortunate to have him for however last year's over-the-top romp long he wishes to stay. Many people have been mention'The Husbands of River ing that he seems to be Song'. ‘phoning-in’ his most recent I particularly liked how appearances, however, I do Mysterio was heavily influnot subscribe to this way of enced by Christopher I believe it is a resReeves’ Superman movies of thinking. ult of misinterpreting his inold which were very sweet Capaldi hit the and had an endearing sense tensity. running on Series 8 of naivety and romance. This ground with such ferocity, he tore style of comic book storythe role to shreds, trying to telling lends itself well to find his comfort within this Doctor Who. Plus, we got to incredibly challenging charsee a very British view of acter. His performance is the most American of all at the point where he genres… resulting in many a now fully understands the role, great gag, which always hit and therefore can move the mark. within the astonishing range All the cast for this not-so- of emotions with much more festive adventure were quite ease and, to be quite frank, masterful skill. strong: Justin Chatwin was particularly adorable as our Finally, Matt Lucas resuperhero lead Grant / The turning as Nardole was the Ghost. He played a very of the cast. I was straight bat throughout, and stand-out never overly impressed with instantly made us cheer for Lucas’ previous work. I’ve him. I also enjoyed Moffat always been left expecting bringing back the now famil- more from his performances iar narrative point of the in the past. Even in the last Doctor visiting one specific Christmas special, I never character through the imfully understood his characportant points of their life. ter. However! I am a This gave the Doctor an man. Nardole is the Grant and instant chemistry, changed perfect new addition to the and it worked.

TARDIS. His offbeat senseI found Charity Wakefield of-humour and nonplussed view of aliens (because he is to be a little too forced as one himself) is the breath of Lucy Fletcher, but this was fresh air this show has not to do with her acting and I thought she was quite needed. Most importantly though, Lucas has finally a charismatic performer.

She was merely let down by been allowed to stretch his acting muscles and show us the writing. Again, Moffat 36

he can do compassion and seriousness with ease. It’s the most inspired bit of casting since they made Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble a regular.

The moral? Give these otherwise forgettable comic actors a regular three-dimensional character, and watch them soar.

So, now onto Series 10 and enter Bill. I, for one, cannot wait to have her onboard. I much prefer three in the TARDIS. As De La Soul says: “Three. It’s the magic number.”

The wait has been long.

However, I think it’s been a necessary evil, to get us excited about our show again, to shake off the darkness and cynicism of 2016, and to embrace the hope and opportunity that a new year will bring.

The Doctor, Nardole and Bill will be with us in 2017, and it’s about time.

sinful character that looked like evil Mr Sin sitting up the back of theatre with plastic knife in tow and gurgling blood pouring outside of his sinful mouth!

Doctor Who meets America is the best way to describe this story, truly the message is we can all be superheroes dressed as we are! It was marketed at an American audience set in New York with Superman as the main character! I enjoyed it although I hope in future the show keeps its Britishness! Capaldi is a truly remarkable Doctor, who gets better with every episode!

I give the movie 3 1/2 Stars or 7/10!

I

attended the Boxing Day screening of ‘The Return of Doctor Mysterio’ at Hoyts, Wetherill Park. The screening was at 10 am, as was the case with all cinemas, I’m pretty sure.

The cinema was probably about half full, with a diverse audience, ranging from a pair of teenage girls, to a family with young chilhe Hayden Orpheum at dren, to an elderly couple.

Cremorne first opened There weren’t any cosplayon October 3, 1935. I ers present (I was going to attended this beautiful go as the 11th Doctor, in his cinema on Boxing Day in Series 7B costume, but it 2016 to view the Doctor was far too hot on the day), Who Christmas special! but I was delighted to see a little girl, no more than sevIt was a family occasion screening with my mum and en or eight, wearing a fez and carrying both the 10th daughter at the unique artand 11th Doctors’ sonic deco heritage listed Orpheum! The special started at screwdrivers. In general, 12:30 p.m. to a packed audi- the audience seemed to love it, with a lot of laughter ence of mainly Doctor Who arising every time a joke nuts! We were transfixed when the old classic theatre was made. I was even surprised to see that nobody curtain rolled up and down left during the ‘Doctor Who and it reminded me of the Extra’ segment after the theatre in 'Talons of Weng story.

Chiang'! I thought I saw a

T

37

As for the story itself, I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt that it was one of the most fun stories in a while.

Having a superhero in Doctor Who seems like a risky idea, but I think that it worked very well in this story (though, it does leave one to wonder why The Ghost didn’t get involved in any of Earth’s countless alien invasions over the years).

It successfully managed to both satirise and pay homage to the superhero genre, displaying many of the clichés that we have come to know and love over the years. All the while though, it still felt distinctly like Doctor Who. It also connected to ‘The Husbands of River Song’ more than I had anticipated.

It was a nice touch, using the Doctor and River’s 24 year long final night together, to explain the Time Lord’s absence from our screens this year.

Speaking of that story, Matt Lucas’ Nardole is proving to be quite a good companion after all. Many doubted his potential as a full-time character, but I for one think that he’s a fine companion; not amazing, but certainly not bad. In fact, all of the guest cast were pretty good, especially Justin Chatwin and Lucy Wakefield as Grant / The Ghost and Lucy, respectively.

All in all, it was a very pleasant experience. It wasn’t anything too fancy, but it’s always a treat to see the Doctor on the big screen, especially in the company of other fans.

Hopefully there’ll be more cinematic screenings to look forward to in the future.

W HO W O R D 1 T

HA R T N E L L

his crossword has 42 clues, one for each episode of Hartnell’s first season. The answer for each question is a word that appeared in the episode title.

There is a clue for each answer based on an important event in the episode plus there are many answers that have a second clue based on the actual word. As an example, to give you an idea of how this works, I could have had a clue of “Flowers but are not alive”. The answer for this is “Dead”. I will leave it to you to work out how the clues give this answer.

33 35 37 38 40 41

Countdown from 100 Getting a lift in life 300 and 24 on a horse The Doctor in disguise It’s in the mace They are floored but can run away

DOWN

2 Audience with a tyrant 3 The good wife soldiers on 4 Increase radiation excursion 6 They were not just cutting remarks 7 Block of Ice ACROSS 8 Locked out by foreigners 1 Mountain sickness 9 The original you might say 5 Shoeless 10 Signed passes for a coun8 Cocoa anyone? try 11 Barbara sees all but not a 12 Boared to death jacket 14 The Doctor wins and 13 Ian is not drunk but he is looses but does not duck legless 18 A sash as a disguise 15 These were musical 19 Nice bracelet in sanctuary 16 Magnetic personality 22 Spring is sprung and it’s a 17 Susan’s flaming moment of calamity inspiration 23 Aladdin can see 20 A key is bent but no chil26 Guilty until proven innocdren taken ent 21 Forged letter 27 A bottle escape cheaply 24 Molybdenum 29 Chemical symbols in vines 25 Corsican 31 Teach you not to smoke!

28 Girls are separated but not 34 The journey ends, it’s big by a fence 36 Susan is the key for a trial 30 Eclipse on the chain gang 32 Barbara is left behind but 39 Working not for this lady not in plain sight 38

39

THETWELVEHAIKUSO 'Christmas Invasion' As a "Doctor Who" haiku

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Pyjama antics The Doctor is unhanded Just six little words

'The Runaway Bride' As a "Doctor Who" haiku

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Wedding dress woman Spider at the Earth's core Saxon intervenes

"Doctor Who" haiku Of 'The End of Time' special

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• The Master returns Master race is created The Time Lords return

"Doctor Who" haiku Of 'The Time of the Doctor'

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Gallifrey needs help The Battle for Tranzalore The Doctor's new cycle

'Voyage As a "Do

by Da

Cras Attack o Astr

'A Christmas Carol' As a "Doctor Who" haiku

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• The Pond's honeymoon Yearly Xmas Eve romance Both Kazran's meet-up

'Th 'Last Christmas' special As a "Doctor Who" haiku

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Santa saves the day Dreams within dreams within dreams Clara's tangerine 40

Diam

OFCHRISTMAS"WHO" "Doctor Who" haiku Of 'The Next Doctor' special

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Jackson Lake revealed Cyberking's London rampage Hartigan's revenge

e of the Damned' octor Who" haiku allas Lee Jones ••• sh of Titanic? of the Angel Host rid dissipates

u

e

Look at 'The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe'

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Madge helps the Doctor Escaping the acid rain The return of Reg

"Doctor Who" haiku he Husbands of River Song '

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• A surgeon is found monds are a girl's best friend Last 'night' together

'The Snowmen' special As a "Doctor Who" haiku

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Governess Clara Great Intelligence revealed The Latimers' grief

Latest Xmas "Who" As a "Doctor Who" haiku

by Dallas Lee Jones ••• Christmas quickly done Doctor Mysterio fun Back to full season

41

PAPER TOWNS AND TRAP STREETS

H

More than meets the eye!

By Paul Gerard Kennedy

In this particular type of ave you ever looked for something such as scenario, the objective is to portray something to be real a book title, a movie, that is actually fake (rather a street, a town or even a than fictional). country; to find that they just do not exist?

It may be referred to a ghost word, mountweazel, Welcome to Paper Towns nihilartikel, paper street, paper town, phantom island, ince earliest times, phantom settlement or trap people have invented street. fictitious creatures and places, even from AusOne of the best known tralia: fakeries was the “Feejee Drop Bears – ferocious Ko- Mermaid” purporting to be a mermaid; displayed by the ala like creatures that drop great showman P. T. from trees and savagely atBarnum. tack their victims.

It was much later proved to be the top half of a monkey, sewn together with the bottom half of a fish.

But the public believed it to be real and paid to see

S

The discovery of the 1,500 year-old lost city near Uluru – that included thousands of artefacts with about 756 items made of gold!

Sandy Island (supposedly between Australia and New Caledonia).

breaches of their copyright by including in the map the paper town / fake town of Agloe (an anagram of their initials).

If other mapmakers included Agloe in their maps, Lindberg and Alpers would know that their map had been copied and could take legal action.

The same technique has been applied through the creation of trap streets – street names created by map-makers for streets that do not exit, thereby creating a “trap” for copyright breaches.

The one flaw with paper towns and trap streets is that once they are created, they become real to the world.

If using Google Maps, you

the creature.

Along come Paper Towns and Trap Streets

I

n the 1930’s Otto G. Lindberg and his assistant Ernest Alpers created a map of New York State. They wished to protect their work against 42

will find a marking for Agloe General Store!

According to a BBC program aired in 2005, there are some 100 trap streets in London.

In 2008, John Green wrote the novel Paper Towns, which centres on Quentin "Q" Jacobsen and his search for his neighbour Margo Roth Spiegelman, who had left cryptic breadcrumb clues for Quentin to follow. The clues eventually lead him to the paper town of Agloe.

The movie Paper Towns followed in 2015, adapted for the screen by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

But what happens when a Trap Street, is not really a Trap Street?

W

through it and emerge onto platform 9 ¾, where the Hogwarts Express was waiting to take him on his greatest adventures.

S

Enter The Doctor

eries 9, episode 10 'Face The Raven', sees the Doctor and Clara in one of their most climactic adventures as they deal with the alien inhabitants of one of London’s hidden trap streets.

The Doctor and Clara receive a distressing call from Rigsy, whom they had last encountered in series 8, episode 9 'Flatline'. Rigsy explained that a mysterious tattoo had appeared on the back of his neck, and it was counting down.

The Doctor determines that when the countdown reaches zero, Rigsy will die.

Together they try to retrace Rigsy's steps from his last 24 hours.

hat if it is simply a way of hiding itself from the everwatching eyes of the world!?

In the Harry Potter movies, the students of Hogwarts would journey to their school via the Hogwarts Express from King’s Cross Station in London.

To board the train, students would make their way to platform 9 ¾. To young Harry Potter’s dismay, platform 9 ¾ was simply a sign on a brick wall.

Unable to remember But with encouragement, where he had been and he ran towards the wall and what he had done, Clara found that he could pass suggests that Rigsy may have visited a trap street.

The trio eventually locate the secret entrance to Rigsy’s trap street, at which time, some of Rigsy’s lost memories resurface.

The street resembled Harry Potter’s “Diagon Alley”, but soon it was found to be very different.

43

What looked like a typical scene from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, was a charade for something much more sinister.

The inhabitants of this trap street were not ghosts as we known them, but ghosts of their former lives.

Beneath their human façades, lurks over 25 different alien races, including Cybermen; all of them had taken refuge in this street – their survival depended on their mutual cooperation and respect for the laws of the street.

The Doctor and Clara recognise the Mayor and protector of the trap street, Mayor Me, who they had known as “Ashildr” (series 9, episode 5 'The Girl Who Died') and in series 9, episode 6 in 'The Woman Who Lived'.

They quickly learn that Rigsy is accused of murder, and that his fate is to meet the Raven – his executioner.

No matter where he tries to flee, the Raven will track and kill him.

As the adventure continues, it is now revealed that the victim of the murder is still alive, and that the situation had been constructed to trap the Doctor.

In the meantime, Clara had found a way to transfer Rigsy’s tattoo onto herself.

Unfortunately, the Doctor could not stop the count down, with Clara bravely giving her life – in a street that was not supposed to exist – a trap street.

A story full of twists and turns through the hidden pathways of the trap street that claimed the life of our brave Clara.

44

45

46

47

Next issue... Series 10...