Dr. Who arrives in America

[Krakalakachkn]

BBC America announced today that the new era of the BBC's iconic BAFTA-winning drama, "Doctor Who," will make its U.S. premiere on Saturday, April 17, 2010, soon after the UK broadcast.

 

"Doctor Who," BBC America's highest rated series ever, continues its tradition of rebooting with new lead actors and creative team. Matt Smith debuts as the new, Eleventh incarnation of the famous Time Lord alongside a new traveling companion, the enigmatic Amy Pond (Karen Gillan).

 

"Britain has a tradition of reinventing its iconic characters, like James Bond and Sherlock Holmes - and Doctor Who. In introducing the Eleventh Doctor, writer Steven Moffat is opening the show to a whole new audience, while serving fans with an exciting mix of inter galactic, time travelling adventures. We can't wait to meet his new Doctor!" comments Richard De Croce, Senior Vice President Programming, BBC America.

 

BAFTA-winning writer Steven Moffat, creator of some of the most frightening and award-winning "Doctor Who" episodes to date, takes over as lead writer and executive producer. Writers for the new series include Richard Curtis (The Boat that Rocked, Love Actually), Chris Chibnall ("Law & Order UK," "Torchwood"), Toby Whithouse ("Being Human," "Torchwood"), Mark Gatiss ("The League of Gentlemen," "Sherlock") and Simon Nye ("Men Behaving Badly," "Hardware").

 

Guest stars include SAG Award winner Alex Kingston ("ER," "FlashForward"), Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo (The Secret Life of Bees, Hotel Rwanda) and Tony Curran ("24").

 

Traveling both through time and space, the new series has the mysterious Doctor and Amy Pond together exploring sixteenth century Venice, France during the 1890s and the United Kingdom in the far future, now an entire nation floating in space. The first three episodes of the 13-episode series have been confirmed as "The Eleventh Hour," written by Steven Moffat, "The Beast Below," also by Moffat and "Victory of the Daleks" by Mark Gatiss.

 

Moffat's work includes the hit comedy "Coupling," the critically-acclaimed thriller "Jekyll," the new BBC series "Sherlock" and along with Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, the screenplay for The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn - which is being directed by Steven Spielberg.

 

Piers Wenger ("Ashes to Ashes") and Beth Willis ("Ashes to Ashes") are the executive producers. It is a BBC Wales production for BBC One and distributed by BBC Worldwide.

[Silver]

Dr Who kicks ass.

[Silver]

Just watched first episode of season 5. Man, what's with the Doctors clothes?!?

[Majsju]

I am curious if it will be aired with subtitles or not.  ;D

[Mr Ares]

Just watched first episode of season 5. Man, what's with the Doctors clothes?!?

I can't recall any oddities about the Doctor's clothes in Tomb of the Cybermen (the first episode of the real season 5). Any way, pretty poor turn out here, clearly the people of this board have poor taste in TV shows. I think Matt Smith did a pretty good job in the role, and look forward to seeing more of the eleventh Doctor.

[Krakalakachkn]

The first episode of the new series of Doctor Who was watched by more than eight million viewers, the BBC says.

 

In a dramatic opening sequence, the new Time Lord Matt Smith was clinging to the open door of the Tardis as it hurtled across the London skyline.  Smith, 27, is the 11th and youngest actor to take on the role of the BBC's time travelling Doctor.  He replaces David Tennant, whose final outing as Doctor Who was watched by 10.4 million viewers on New Year's Day.  Tennant's first  appearance as the Doctor in April 2006 also attracted eight million viewers.  The BBC said audience figures for Smith debut's on Easter Saturday peaked at 8.4 million and averaged eight million, an audience share of 36.9%. 

 

 

In the Doctor Who episode, The Eleventh Hour, the newly-regenerated Doctor crashed the Tardis on Earth and found himself battling a shape-shifting alien.

 

Matt Smith and Karen Gillan star in the 13-part series

 

The Doctor's new companion is Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan, who spent most of the episode in a kissogram policewoman's uniform.  As well as a new Doctor and companion, the episode also unveiled a new-look Tardis interior.  The new 13-part series was overseen by a new creative team, led by TV writer Steven Moffat, after Russell T Davies stood down as the show's producer and chief writer.  Moffat has said Smith's Doctor was very different from his predecessor.  "David was sort of neat and fastidious like a humming bird. Matt is gangling and shambling - he's like a terrible mess that somehow becomes elegant by magic," he said.

 

Antony Wainer from the Doctor Who Appreciation Society gives his reaction to Matt Smith's performance

 

"He brings back genuine madness to the role of the Doctor - Matt's Doctor is bonkers."

Doctor Who began in 1963, and seven actors played the Doctor before the show was dropped in 1989.

After a TV movie in 1996 - starring Paul McGann - the TV series returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role.

Tennant took over in the same year and played the time travelling hero for four years.

[Liathiana]

Can't wait!

[Silver]

*SPOILERS FOR UK AIRING OF DR WHO*

 

 

Just watched the Angels episode, it was getting pretty scary in the middle of the episode. Did they explain why the angels killed the 3 guys like that? Still don't really like the newest Dr, he just seems too cocky at times. I do like Amy though, she provides a nice counter point (and hot in a girl next door kind of way).

[Liathiana]

Okay, I've only seen the first Ep but I love him! I love the episode, I love the new companion and I love the new doctor ;D

[Majsju]

It took almost half a season for me to really warm up to Tennant, but the new Doctor, I liked him from the start.

[Corki]

I didn't think much of the Churchill episode, and what they did to the Daleks. Apart from, I like the new series. And I wonder how parents managed to explain a stripogram to young kids who watched the first episode when we met the adult Amy Pond!  ;D

 

Plus I am convinced one of my best friends from uni is the new Doctor! They could be identical twins!

[Majsju]

Not sure what to think of that one. At first, the anges were quite scary, but in the second ep, they lost that, especially everytime "angel Bob" started talking.