www.nickgriffiths.co.uk

Hi Dave - great stories, thanks for the post. If you're on facebook, add Dave E as a friend to see his many excellent Who posts. I'll add the pic of Karen Gillan signing Who Goes There - nice work, Dave! - to the top of the Blog Links pile. PS Am aware I update the blog irregularly but I often add something to the Twot Feed, so check in regularly and there'll be some twaddle worth eyeing. Happy weekends!

just got back from WHO filming in caerphilly castle...got Matt Smith to do his 2 fingered churchill salute twice...the second time i asked him to! Had a sort of mini interview with Karen Gillan chatted to her about is this her last episode etc...wasnt easy as i was holding camera and videoing at the same time and combined with uneven ground surface and me slightly star struck ...i was wobbling until i calmed myself down,this is evident during the video ha!
was great tho and got her to sign my WGT copy...tagged you in on those Nick on Facebook...so stick on here if you like..will take pic of signed item too tonite...was cool day..
somebody placed on twitter a picture of a script on the seat of crew members car and it was clear enough to read...this sent a panic throughout the Who community apparently...and when i was at filming yesterday...me and a couple guys were called at by the crew .."hey guys"...we looked around and they were waving a script at us and laffing ...bit of a backlash from the twitter pic we think...then weirdly enough they were taking our pics...??
we think they maybe have a staff bulletin board at the office where they stick these things on under the title " Doctor who geeks at filming" or " rogues gallery of guys to watch out for at filming"
also had a head security guy come up to us and say "iv noticed you here and your carrying all the kit ...are you paparazzi or tourists ..?" i said "atheist actually!" he did chuckle and the other crew members...but i quickly reassured him it was for personal use and wont appear on the internet or anything else....i had my fingers crossed as i said this mind you...lol
great day !

I dearly hope some Daleks bump off Ross. Brrr... Ross. And Monica, for that matter. Phoebe. And Aniston's character. And Joey. Seems I only really liked Chandler.

Filming in Central Park? Is this the much awaited Who/Friends crossover episode?

Or look like Ian Beale. Thanks for the tales, Daves E & L (Wisty), the Blink thing is pretty spooky and I don't really recall Who being on in the autumn - though now I think of it, the curtains were always drawn and there was gloom in the air. I do think it's a shame there's no usual Easter Who because someone couldn't control the budgets. That said, they're in Central Park, NY, filming at the mo, so someone must have found some cash from somewhere.

Well if you will post pictures taken on a Box Brownie camera at twilight....

Easter came and went. As ever.
It was a bit strange not having a new season of Who starting now after the last few years.
Still, it's going to be on at it's 'proper' time of year this time.
Back in the '70s I used to be a royal pain in the arse at the end of the Summer holidays impatiently waiting for a new season to start.
I've often been reminded by my family of moaning so much about not missing the first episode of 'The Ribos Operation' when we were on holiday in Cornwall in 1978 that we had to get up at stupid O'Clock in the morning to travel back home so that I didn't miss it.
We didn't and it was great. Thank you Dad.
So yes, I'm glad about it being on in the Autumn (it was always better during the dark evenings) but over the last week or so I've reverted to type and been moaning to Mrs L. that it's not starting at Easter.
"You're just like a big kid" she says.
She's right.

weird experience of the month
i was recently at the opening of the new BBC studios in cardiff bay ...we were taken on a tour of the studios and saw lots of neat stuff from doctor who sherlock merlin etc...best bit there was a table of costume heads from "who" weeping angels cybermen davros and sycorax..and many many more all screen used...and best bit they would let you handle the stuff...i was in heaven!....well
i asked my mum...yes i took my mum with me okay...to hold the weeping angel head while i took a pic...now my camera a little pocket thing warns you when the pic will be blurred or somebody blinks...with a message on the screen...yes you know whats coming now...!
the girl on the stand that made the heads was standing to my side ...and when i took the pic ...a message flashed up on screen in a square around the angels head "Did somebody Blink?"...the girl standing to the side of me looked shocked and said "now thats just weird!!!" but there was no denying it was a really WEIRD moment!...praps they ought to incorparate that into an episode...neat!

Ian fecking Beale?! Blond highlights?! You're fired - Ed.

Thought that pic was Ian Beale with blond highlights (-:

Anyone else? Please feel free to have achieved less than Royston, to make me feel better. (Though I did manage to knock up this basic but not unpleasant website for the Fowey Tightliners Sea Angling Club tightliners.webeden.co.uk, though shortly to become foweytightliners.co.uk (that's me in the corner, holding the ten-pounder, home page.)

Royston Not-Vasey, I salute you!

Well Mr Paddy Power made me a generous payment for horses ventured (-: Also visited Pompeii which was stunning. And have sent pitch for book 4 to publishers and await commission for said book, or final nay. Fingers crossed.

Easter, eh? Anyone achieved more than me?

Came on here to post a new DILY review, hardly effusive but at least it doesn't end "...A complete wanker". Small mercies.
http://culturalsnow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/only-puppets-you-know-for-children.html
Since I self-published the book as an ebook, and Amazon bunged it down to 99p, it has taken on a whole new life. Not that I'm making any more then beer money out of it, but I reckon I've sold 4-500 copies in that time, in the UK, US, Germany, Spain and France (one copy apiece for the last three, before I get excited).
I'm currently writing another ebook, which I shall not disclose here, that I plan to self-publish, ideally in a couple of months. Hell, why not?

I agree totally. One of the reasons - bar uber-nerdiness - that I rebuy stories on DVD, having owned the VHS, is for the extras. Esp enjoy the location features, for obv reasons.

Roy - Carry on with the Bakerthon but sneak in The Daemons when nobody's looking. I've spent a bit of time recently watching the extras on the 'Key to Time' DVDs. There's some really good stuff on there. Actually, I think pretty much all of the Who DVDs have great extras. Any thoughts?

G'day all. Have been away in Ver Smoke, which feels increasingly alien as we bed ourselves into Cornwall. Thanks for all the comments.
a) we are getting older, it's not her fault (sadly)
b) Royston, watch The Daemons, anything else would be odd
c) Yes, I used to really love BJH - was a member of the FOBJH if anyone cares to recall from DILY. That's Friends of Barclay James Harvest not Fuck Off Big Job Head. *sniggers to self at childish joke* And yes, everything was brown back then, or it was Leo Sayer. Neither a credit to our nation.
PS When you post a comment, please only press Submit once - I do it myself too. The system doesn't work.

Nick, Barclay James Harvest (you are/were a fan, no?) are on 'Top of the Pops' from 1977 on BBC4 at 19.30 tonight. Serious rose-tinted glasses with this programme up to now. It's been pretty awful every week - Leo Sayer, David Soul, The Brotherhood of Man etc. which is how I seem to remember it back then too. There was a lot of brown back then too wasn't there? I used to think people made that up but, watching this every week, it was actually true. It should get a bit more colourful as the year goes on with some of the punk/new wave acts beginning to appear and liven things up.
And Kid Jensen - what a cock.

Oh gawd, they seem to be getting younger and younger.

Dilemma-The Daemons dvd has arrived. Do I interupt Bakerathon to watch? Or not? Decisions decisions...

I thought she looked 12...

Is it me or does she look 7 years old? http://www.anglotopia.net/doctor-who/doctor-who-jenna-louise-colmean-emmerdale-actress-joins-tardis/ (Oh, it's me.)

Loving this http://redscharlach.tumblr.com/post/19565284869/otters-who-look-like-benedict-cumberbatch-a

Sure, no prob.

Nice article Nick, and parts of which I will work into my lessons next year when we look at how ordinary people reacted to WW2. If that's ok by you.

I wrote about my Dad: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/17/father-second-world-war-secret?INTCMP=SRCH
And will be talking about him at this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/open-weekend/family-secrets-and-how-to-tell-them

It's a funny one, that switch from b/w to colour. As if the Troughton era was boring/slow but Pertwee was scintillating/fast. Yet The War Games, over ten eps, is one of the best Who stories, and, say, The Time Monster, over six, is a right old bore. There's also something further out-of-time about the b/w stories... It's an interesting one, worthy of further discussion, should anyone fancy. Not that we like Doctor Who. Rubbish. Shit! Couldn't be bothered with it.

Anyway, Black and White DVDs.
I have a few and enjoy watching them. However, Aimee can't stand them as "They're too slow" and "Black and White's boring!". Kids, eh?
The best thing for me about the B&W DVDs is that the picture's been cleaned up greatly and some of the detail missed in viewing the videos really stands out.
My faves? Hmmm. Probably 'Dalek Invasion of Earth', 'The Invasion' (love the Cosgrove Hall animation) and 'The War Games'. I'd recommend the 'Lost In Time' 3 disc compilation too.

Dear Mr Legge.
Hello.
My name is David.
I'm 43 years old and have watched Doctor Who avidly since 1973.
I have many DVDs of the stories (which have replaced my huge video collection), most of which I can recall pretty much scene-by-scene - and, in some places, word-for-word - as well as many Who-related books and other assorted memorabilia.
Like Nick Griffiths - whose website I regularly visit and contribute to - I also hate Doctor Who.
Many thanks.
Mr D. Lythgoe

Some people just don't get it, do they?

I love a new review and I especially love this one, of DILY, from the dellightful Michael Legge - didn't he used to run Channel 4 or something? - of London, on the GoodReads site.

"Promise me you'll never read this. An unforgivably boring trawl through a incredibly dull man's life. The worst part of it is he clearly hates Doctor Who. A complete wanker."

Clearly he missed the point entirely and has no sense of humour - both of which I can forgive - and he's entitled to his opinion re my boringness and wankishness - ditto, though a tad harsh - but where the fuck does he get the idea I hate Doctor Who?! I've had uber-nerds say I'm not much of a fan, which I can understand, because I don't take it anywhere nearly as seriously as they do. But hate the show?! I trudged to Croydon to buy up every single pirated episode recorded on VHS. I spent well into four figures on plastic dolls of the characters. I practically wet myself when I finally got to meet Tom Baker. I could go on, but what's the point. Michael, you're a strange c*nt.

Hmm. When I bought the Hand of Fear (and Robot of Death mask) was assured by the seller that they were genuine, stored in a garage by some BBC effects type. Turned out they were both replicas. Mind you, I only paid £40 each for them - back in the late 80s I'd guess - which should have been a clue.

shame your hand of fear wasnt an original...that would be worth a bob or two for sure

yeah its amazing what you can get if you ask nicely and your in the right place at the right time....they gave me some black sprayed cork or whatever it is and apparently it was part of an explosion in "journeys end"
so i got another bit of crap to add to my collection...davros"s ear would have been brill...and you can see in the pic of his glove that was pretty amazing too!
Sounds like you had some pretty cool invites in your time Nick....have you been to one of Lady Gaga"s all nite parties at her flat yet? somehow it wouldnt suprise me if you had ...lol !
ps il forward pics to you

Yes, sad re Philip Madoc. Who's next? Ruth? Better not be Tom. Will weep. Really. Aldbourne's a fabulous place, and not vastly distant from Android Invasion's East Hagbourne - that's a serious weekend of olde English village-ness. Seen some of your pics on Facebook, Dave E - looks great. One of my major Who regrets involves the Radio Times shoot for the arrival of Davros. I interviewed all involved, including the very affable Neill Gorton from Millenium FX, who was taking off the actor's mask as we chatted. I so dearly wanted to ask if I could have Davros's ear, so very nearly did. Would he have said yes? I shall never know. (I did once slightly cheekily ask if he'd mind mending my broken Hand of Fear - a replica, as it turned out, so I never bothered - and he said Yes to that, which would have been deeply generous. Like I said, affable chap. Respect.

just got back from the new BBC drama village tour...good stuff ...casuality set...ok...upstairs downstairs set...mmm...Pobol y cwm set...dont ask...
doctor who props and special effects department...holy shit!!
it was great and you could handle all the kit!!! woohoo!!
tried on weeping angel mask...no improvement ...davros glove...and minotaur mask from "the god complex"...one of my favs! the work that goes into this stuff is unreal...had a great chat with the lads for "real sfx" the special effects experts...they threw part of a wall at me ,bricks and cement,i cringed then realised it was rubber! amazing stuff
will send some pics to you Nick...

aldbourne...yes i have thought about that,apparently they have doctor who reunions/conventions there occasionally so iv heard...now that would be cool.
quite an iconic location so im led to believe!
Yes overlooked the Daemons though god knows how...i remember as a kid watching some of it but scarpered when the mini devils appeared!!! excellent episode !!

Looks like we are having an anarchists Who watch convention-independenty scattered but philosohically connected.
My Who conundrum was solved by Face of Evil DVD arriving.- terrific story, possibly best one for introducing new companion.
Sad to see Philip Madoc gone-not a good couple of years for Who fans tbh.

"strcuk" was intentional, btw. My tribute to French Connection.

Seems we've all strcuk a vein of Who-watching. Something to do with the beginning of the year - well, it still feels like early Feb to me - and the recession? I've just had Planet of the Spiders delivered on DVD. Always found it hard to rewatch, since signals the end of JP, whom I adored in the role. Ditto Logopolis. Found myself reading about Billy Hartnell's era over the weekend in new DWM - Ace? Brrrr - and wanting to catch up on some of that. Recall loving The Web Planet, for one. And War Games from Pat's era. Any thoughts on the b/ws?

Ah, where was I? Oh Yes. 'Frontier/Planet' together as a 12 episode blockbuster make fantastic viewing. 'Invisible Enemy' was really good. I remembered a lot of it from when I was a kid and it was as good as I remember. Except for the giant prawn. 'The Key To Time' series took me back to being 10 and uttterly obsessed with the show. 'The Ribos Operation' was and still remains a hidden gem. Mary Tamm was gorgeous. 'Armageddon Factor' has Mary and Lalla - too much for a young man to bear!!! 'K-9 and Company' was shit. Great weekend's watching though.

Yes, the 'Willie Monster' in 'Creature From The Pit' makes me snigger like an overgrown schoolboy too! Particularly how Tom Baker communicates with it...
Anyway, watched 'The Face Of Evil' yesterday & thoroughly enjoyed it. I vaguely remember watching this the first time around when I was a wee lad. Loved some of the dark flashes the Doctor has in this & also the story is decent too. As for Leela... I now know why dads across the country probably went a bit quiet in front of the telly on a Saturday tea-time...!

Never seen The Daemons before?!?!? At least you've corrected that now. A nailed-on classic. You really must vist Aldbourne on your location travels. Spearhead from Space, ditto. Robot... not so much. I can never escape that image of the Action Man tank - though you're right, the Robot costume is a BBC marvel, esp on those budgets. Speaking of monsters on budgets, I've just watched Creature from the Pit. The story, I really enjoyed, so many Douglas Adams touches evident, and Chris Barry clearly directed his ass off, trying to make everything look as classy as possible, against the odds. The odds being 1,000,000-1 in the case of that giant waggling penis.

watching the daemons at the moment...never seen it before and i must admit its quite impressive.
God if they did a remake of that with the current Doctor it would be excellent....!!!
watched Robot the other day too...thats pretty amazing too...the robot is a work of art...saw the original that was used at the doctor who experience in London.
Also watched spearhead from space...pretty good though i thought jon pertwee camped it up a bit to much ...his wide eyed look everytime something bad happened,like being shot,kept making me think of worzel gummidge!!!

Anyway, I came on here to say this: Good grief! I have stumbled upon - and it was a stumble, I assure you - what can only be described as Doctor Who fan porn. Recently I was followed on Twitter by someone calling themselves Time Girl Katie, or was it Rogue Cyberman? I forget. Anyway, I assumed they'd read DILY and followed back, out of courtesy. A while later, TGK tweets about some lingerie (see Twot Feed); next thing, there's a "chubby bisexual Doctor Who fan"... well, here http://www.roguecyberman.com/say-hello-to-dani/#comment-68.

believe me, Royston, you don't "pour" my royalties. You'd be lucky to "pipette" them. Such is publishing.

Fridge freezer in Cornwall-people will be coming from miles around to view this strange modern gadget-and envying you for pouring your royalties into such expensive newfangled technological devices.

Congrats, Royston. I love my copy of Daredevil Cats in Chinese. I particulalry enjoy finding it on the Chinese version of Amazon then hitting Translate. Oh the chuckles!
PS Watch the vid. Stay old-school.
PPS I have a new fridge-freezer. Days don't get much better than this.

Well that old conundrum for a fan-do I watch Face of Evil on video to continue the Bakerathon, or do I wait for the dvd release due soon? I had thought of the video, but then when the dvd arrived I would be 4 or 5 stories ahead, and then would going back to watch it break the continuity of the watch? These are world defining issues folks.

On a happier note it looks like my book the fourth may well be commissioned soon (-: And book one is now available in Indonesian lol looks weird.

Andrew - hello there thanks for the note. I'd suggest you self-publish, which I wrote about here http://www.high50.com/archives/culture/self-publish-and-be-damned
Equally, I'd suggest leaving out the meeting with Cliff, but perhaps that's a personal preference (admittedly I did buy Little Town on 7", which bewilders me to this day).

Hello All - Every time I hope to get back to normality (ie staring gormlessly at Mac with broadband up and running), that fails to come to pass. I haven't done any non DIY/decorating work for weeks. BT arrive tomorrow, and I'll be dragging me Mac down to the new house just as soon as I've typed this, so let's hope. Equally, I am jealous of all these Who viewings, while I've been staring at two mice I've trapped in a shoebox, with the front cut out, hoping that if I watch them for long enough they will start acting out something from Shakespeare. I WANT TO RETURN TO THE 21ST CENTURY! (Though I don't envy Dave L K-9 & Co, which I recall as being fun if undemanding. Royston, however, you remain a heretic - Assassin does it for me every time, just because the best bits were so brilliantly done and out there.)

I loved 'Dalek i loved you' I found it very inspiring and made me want to publish my own diaries that ive written over the years off and on and ive kept about my tv memories, including dr who, also the day i met cliff richard ( thursday 2 november 1988) but i would like some tips, what publisher would i go to, my mate has writen childrens books and has had a number of rejections! from Andrew Dexter.

Going to have a Who Box Set weekend.

Today I'm doing 'Frontier In Space/Planet Of The Daleks' followed by 'The Invisible Enemy' and 'K-9 & Co.'.

Tomorrow it's 'The Key To Time'.

Wish me luck...

Deadly Assassin-Got through it-the matrix episode is overlong and cliche ridden, and some of the supporting cast are a bit. erm ..large in their performances. And an antique grandfather clock is an odd disguise for a Tardis to adopt in mysterious unearthly Gallifrey.

Have had two reviews of DILY since requesting reviews below. Both two-star. * sighs deeply, weeps into bucket * In case people are taking offence to my "well, fuck you" vibe, it's one of my favourite lines from the otherwise rather lame Monty Python's Meaning of Life. (Bit obscure, I'll concede.) Anyone fancy giving it more than two stars? I mean.

"The Deadly Dull Assassin"?!?!?!?! Royston, thou art a lunatic.

Well farewell Sarah Jane and first significant point of Bakerathon reached. Overall the stories have held up well-largely due to 1. a degree of creative storylines 2. easy to follow linear plotlines. 3. Baker's mesmeric reinvention of the role.
I also have to say that Hand of Fear eps. 1 and 2 are actually pretty good, and the 'evil' Sarah Jane is nicely unsettling.
Next up The Deadly Dull Assassin-not my favourite tbh.

Well. Difficult watch because not the best of tales. Eldrad, if I recall the name correctly, either a lady or a bloke. Starts well, tails off. But yes, our Lis... I'd miss her more in her final tale - that bye-bye from Tom...

Hand of Fear-a difficult watch. How can Sladen be dead?

Love Mandragora - Baker's pronunciation is a marvel.

Bakerathon sharing time with audiobooks of the Sansom Shardlake series, largely because I await dvd release of Face of Evil. Anyhoo next stop that pesky Mandragora helix.....

Still decorating. Am in a nightmare sandpaper-paint-sandpaper vortex. Hope to return to pottering in front of Mac middle next week. DILY selling very well on Amazon last two months - get yours by clicking that thumbnail. Just 99p! (Practically giving it away.) PS If you've read and enjoyed it, pls do bung up a review. (If you didn't, well, fuck you.)

Decorating. Bloody bored. Decorating.

made me think of "TARZANS NEW YORK ADVENTURE" 1942 film...though im sure id rather watch that than some american sherlock attempt!
news update...appparently BBC are threatening legal action as CBS network were offered Sherlock a while ago and wernt interested ...then suddenly they come up with an idea...wonder where they got that from?

Nearly forgot. That rarest of creatures appeared of late: a review of Mrs D! http://www.writersbox.net/fiction-reviews.html#looking-for-mrs-dextrose

Royston - That's a fabulous trio, right up there with the best. I adore Android Invasion, though that is partly for its setting and those Androids. Morbius stands out for the plot over setting - boy that scenery was unconvincing - and for that "We take head now?" line. And Seeds of Doom is just genius. Harrison Chase = delightfully bonkers.
Dave E - Nothing surprises me in television. It will no doubt be shocking (if it ever gets made). The americans remade - did it ever air? - Ashes to Ashes and I interviewed Matthew Graham at Ashley Pharoah's house while he watched the pilot, incredulous and groaning.

Bakerathon update...
Android Invasion-great location filming, terrible plot. Morbius-good all round, and Solon's castle suitably gothic. Seeds of Doom pending completion, Harrison Chase top villain.

I hear the americans have pissed off the BBC with the annoucement that they are making a version of Sherlock based in New York called "Elementary"...Moffatt will be well happy?!

Am yet to watch second half of Sherlock pt 2 and all of pt 3. Will thus reserve judgement. However am amazed you prefered Dinos to Androids, poss because am such a huge fan of the latter. Must give Dinos another whirl mind - been a good 20 years since I last watched it.

Have watched 'Invasion Of The Dinosaurs' & 'The Android Invasion' & was suitably impressed, more so by 'Dinosaurs'. The model dinosaurs weren't all that bad & it's always good to see a few shaking walls! Plus a certain UNIT officer turning traitor...
Have to say I was let down by the 'Sherlock' finale. I found Moriarty unconvincing & credulity stretched just too much, especially at the end. Having said that, I'd still watch it over most of the bilge pumped through the telly screen. Cheerio!

G'day. Forgive current sporadic updated - 'tis all go here. Agree with both comments below. I adore Pyramids of Mars - those Mummies were among the best realised of all Who monsters. More shortly...

Bakerathon update-just watched Pyramids of Mars. And has there ever been a better opening episode or cliffhanger ' I bring Sutekh's gift of death to all humanity...'

Hello! I've thoroughly enjoyed 'Sherlock' so far even though I'm still a huge fan of the Jeremy Brett version. The chemistry between Messrs. Cumberbatch & Freeman is superb & I love the fact that it all seems to belt along at a 100 mph! One of the best things to be on telly for a while...
Just bought 'Invasion Of The Dinosaurs' & 'The Android Invasion' so that should keep me busy for a while. Hopefully they'll be better than the last Christmas special which had it's moments before being engulfed in a tidal wave of schmaltz at the end... although that probably had something to do with it being Christmas no doubt. Bah!

PS been away, yet to catch up on Sherlock ep 2

A most excellent selection of opinions. I do take on board what Michele says re Moff's females. I also loathed Coupling, incidentally, though not sure whether that was shallow women or achingly middle-class sitcom.

oooh just had given to me some VHS tapes of the entire Blakes 7 series...i used to love that!!
Avon what a ruthless bastard he was...
Theres also some Who tapes too...Tom baker yahool...thats me sorted for the entire winter ...goody!

Sherlock? Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant!!!
i loved the bit when Sherlock admitted he was scared...this guy can act!
just realised how he and the Doctor ,matt smith, could swap jobs and both do the part justice quite wonderfully actually!

my new year resolution is to become a time lord

Sherlock was fantastic (to coin a phrase). Not as good as Rathbone, natch (-: Shame only 3 episodes, but quality over quantity would seem to be the watchword with this one.

Gatiss is pure vanity casting as Mycroft Holmes, whomever's playing Moriarty is too young and utterly unconvincing as a braniac villain likely to defeat Sherlock, and what they did with Irene Adler last week WAS a scandal (it takes some doing when the 21st centruy version of a Victorian female character is WORSE than the 19th century version). I feel like beating Moffat over the head with multiple copies of 'Scandal in Bohemia' and insisting 'Read the damn story properly!'

Have come to the conclusion Moffat's incapable of writing a strong woman character who isn't in the end defined by her relationship to the lead male (cf River Song, who in the Library episodes with Tennant was REALLY GOOD, and has now been reduced to a begging crying damsel in distress).

That said, I love Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in the lead roles. It's just everything else that pisses me off!

Any views on Sherlock? Immensely watchable, I find.

Best of luck with that.

Up to Planet of Evil eps 2.

Belated Happy New Year to all! I've not seen the new Day of the Daleks, but I'd love to. Do elaborate pls. I agree with Dave E that once we hit the tower the whole thing started to disintegrate - but before that I loved it. New year resolutions, anyone? And news from Royston on his Baker T watchathon?

yes crimbo special scored 8/10 for me was great until it got to the top floor of the tower then it just fell apart,still it was worth watching and looked fantastic as the xmas ones always do...but then again who,excuse the pun,am i to say...coz i thought last years xmas special was superb...so it goes to show how much i know?! loved the odd referal to past doctors ...

'Day of the Daleks' Special edition - New effects, new Dalek voices. I really like it. Anyone else seen it/have an opinion?

Happy New Year (-:

Ainley it is (-: so Nick can forward the winning case of champagne to Dave.

G'day Dave L. Delighted to hear of your Who-fest - the Pertwee Dalek stories were generally brilliant. I've managed to watch the Chrimbo special at last, by retiring beneath my covers with the iPad. And I too loved it (with reservations). First half was wonderful, then it got a bit flakey - forgiven by the fact it was Xmas. A good old-fashioned linear story at last! Perhaps the best of the Xmas specials - and helped no end by the near-total absence of Amy & Rory.
I'll go with Dave L's Anthony Ainley, now we're clear.

perhaps actor who was in Doctor Who would be a better wording....

Wrong again

Hope you all had a good Christmas and Santa brought you everything that you wanted.

A bit of a Who-fest in our house -

10th and 11th-era Tardis playsets and the 2012 Annual and Brilliant Book for Aimee and a stack of DVDs (Season 6 Boxset, Dalek War Boxset, Key To Time Boxset, Day of the Daleks and Planet of the Spiders) for me. Wahey!!!

Lots of quality viewing time ahead.

Now then, a deceased cricketer/Who related actor?

Hmmm...I'll have a punt at either Nick Courtney or Anthony Ainley.

Then it has to be Pertwee.

Wrong!

Royston's Q. Guess has to be Troughton.

Evening, chaps. Bloody relieved to get rid of that stupid DILY advert, which was doing my tits in. Should be able to update blog more regularly now t'is gorn. Thanks for all the comments. I'm yet to watch the Xmas special - had just pressed Play when a series of mini relatives arrived, adding the mockers to that idea - so will add judgement once had a chance to settle down in peace with the puppy. Did enjoy the daft opening spacesuit segment.
Happy Chrimbo, all!

Xmas Who-Great piece of whimsy-a million times better than last year. Just shows what 1. a linear (ish) plotline and 2.a solo Doctor can do.

Merry Xmas and here is my Who related quiz question

Which Doctor Who actor, according to his Wisden obituary, opened the batting in swimming goggles.

Your quiz of the year should have had a q like 'What best rated book is now available on special offer via dalek.webden?'

pertwee 3 in a row has to be the Daemons...well that did have five episodes so il say the first 3...great stuff