Jun 132012
 

Out and about on daily travels it suddenly hit the THT Executroids like an anvil.  Today, June 13, is Valeyard Day.  Back in misty remembrances of the interwebs there was a site called 6:13 dedicated to pictures of Colin Baker and Michael Jayston in their respective guises from the problematic Trial of a Time Lord season.  Sadly because it was a FortuneCity site it's long since been subsumed by the tides of web hosting (of which we bear many scars as well).

It's all to easy to remember that the interactions between the characters only consisted of shouting at each other across a BBC stage, but one of the coolest parts of the Trial season, including the opening effects sequence in episode 1, was the revelation, and it was Robert Holmes' last significant contribution to Doctor Who, that the Valeyard was an amalgamation of the Doctor's darker self, somewhere between his 12th and 13th (actually 11th and 12th to be fine about it) regeneration.  

The Ultimate Foe is every bit the sloppy mess we all remember, but the kernels of greatness were in that story.  We wonder how Mr. Future Showrunner will make this bit of future history work here in a few years.

 Posted by at 4:04 pm
Mar 052012
 

Welsh actually.  Still it is with a heavy sigh to learn that Philip Madoc has died, aged 77.  Strange how some actors cast such a long shodow over a program such as Doctor Who.  The art of acting for many of the best character actors is to suggest menace rather than show it out-right.  In that regard Philip Madoc was masterful.

He could project such a wonderfully lugubrious quality running straight through from the smuggler Brockley in Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD to the War Lord in The War Games and then to his greatest  triumph as Solon in The Brain of Morbius. 

Of course his career carried over to many other series and appearances.  I remember his comedic appearance  in "The Avengers" episode The Correct Way to Kill or as a slimy publisher in A Very British Coup.

What a magnificent head.

 Posted by at 8:00 pm
Dec 242011
 

It's hard to say whether the last item in our Who Holiday Countdown counts as Christmas-sy or not, after all the two Doctor Who Proms were performed and recorded during the summer prom season, but it's broadcast during the run-up to Christmas sure makes it feel as though it's a Christmas event.

Oh how we love the Who Proms here at THT Worldwide, especially the first one back in late 2008 with Freema and Catherine Tate. 

Probably just the novelty of it all we suppose, still it was wonderful to hear many of those too familiar cues and themes played out orchestrally in that venue and before a big audience.

Here's to hoping there's another one coming as part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary in 2013.

 Posted by at 2:00 am
Dec 232011
 

The last string in our odyssey of Doctor Who-related Christmas events is the most directly related.  As part of run-up to The End of Time Pt I David Tennant was engaged in a few special projects, one of which was this great BBC ident for the 2009 season.

It's an unadulterated joy.  I doubt anybody does this kind of stuff better than the Beeb.  Just try and disagree.

 Posted by at 2:00 am
Dec 222011
 

We'll round-up our favorite Who crossovers as part of the run-up to Christmas with some of the best mashup videos I've found in the past year.  Who doesn't like a little mash-up with their holiday fixings.  We did this last year and have since been keeping an eye out for more of the same.  Doubtless there are many others but for sake of brevity we'll limit ourselves to four.  Enjoy!

 Posted by at 2:00 am
Dec 212011
 

A long, long time ago in a suburb far, far away, and definitely way before the internet was a gleam in Al Gore's eye, fans used to get together and express their love for Doctor Who in video form.  On videotape no less. 

Oh yes it was a simpler time, when DWB and videotape circulation of lost Troughton or even Pertwee were currency for the hardcore stateside fan.  The most profilic group to have produced these parody video was The Federation out of Chicago.  Starting in 1983 (or thereabouts) and continuing well into 90's they held the sharpest eye of parody, one which others who followed could only aspire to

The Feds put out their videos on "Video'zines" and showcased their work to great effect, as well as some others who later got into the game.  On Issue #1 dated January 1986 they premiered a little something called "A Doctor's Carol."

Sadly no images exist from the video (easily obtainable ones that is).  Still the story should be familiar enough with the twist being that it's the Sixth Doctor getting the Scrooge treatment.  It was even a musical!

Whatever happened to those plucky Feds?  Steven Hill runs Gallifrey Base and even has an entry in IMDB.  Jennifer Kelley helps run Chicago Tardis.  Did rather well don't you think.

BTW a little deeper dive proved that the Feds a little more active today than previously thought.  Good on them for keeping the spirit going.

 Posted by at 2:00 am