SciFiAndTvTalk

Piers Wenger And Beth Willis Talk About Doctor Who

No rest for the weary Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) in his first adventure, The Eleventh Hour. Photo copyright of the BBC.

This is the last of four BBC America press interviews with Doctor Who cast and crew, counting down to the premiere of the show's new season on BBC America, April 17th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Enjoy!

Piers Wenger and Beth Willis have taken on executive producer duties, alongside Steven Moffat, from the outgoing Doctor Who team of Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner. Here they reveal the challenges they have faced with taking on such a hugely successful series and why it's so important for Doctor Who to evolve.

"It has definitely been a big challenge taking on this show because we love it so much and why tinker with something that has been as popular, successful and brilliant as it has been?" says executive producer Beth Willis. "But at the same time we are terribly aware we have to look forward and work out how the show is going to survive in the future. In 2005, the team looked at what was fresh and new then and we have to do a bit of that ourselves. Looking at the episodes we've filmed so far, we're starting to see the impact of those changes; what the team has managed to achieve is pretty thrilling."

Fellow executive producer and Head of Drama for BBC Wales, Piers Wenger, agrees and adds: "The thing which is most important to us is telling a good story at the end of the day; that's always the thing the audience is going to be most demanding about. Beyond that, any changes we have made have been motivated by giving the show the best production values money can buy. It's the nation's favorite, and that means it deserves the best."

The advances in technology over the past five years have inevitably enabled the program makers to use more sophisticated techniques and create awe-inspiring visual effects. However, a new lead writer and Doctor are undoubtedly what viewers will feel mark the dawn of a new era for the hit series.

"The fact that we have Steven Moffat [executive producer] writing it and Matt Smith [The Doctor] starring in it gives the show an inevitable element of change," explains Willis. "However, the one thing that hasn't made us scared about this change was reading Steven's scripts. I feel deeply honored and excited to be in a position to be working with such great scripts. It doesn't really matter what color you use, where the camera is or how you position a light; Steven and Matt are brilliant, which has made mine and Piers' jobs much easier."

Renowned as the most dedicated and passionate fans in the world, it seems Whovians certainly have a lot to look forward to. But would Wenger and Willis consider themselves part of the loyal following?

"Steven, myself and Piers were some of the most excited people in the country when we found out Doctor Who was coming back in 2005. Well, in truth, Steven was probably the most excited, but Piers and I weren't that far behind him!" laughs Willis.

"I've always been a fan and I was even accused at the age of eight of shoplifting a copy of Doctor Who Magazine from my local newsagents - completely wrongly I hasten to add," confesses Wenger. "I was accused of it probably because I was in there all the time reading them!"

As noted above, photo is copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Karen Gillan Talks About Doctor Who

Karen Gillan As Doctor Who's Amy Pond. Photo copyright of the BBC.

This is the third of four BBC America press interviews with Doctor Who cast and crew, counting down to the premiere of the show's new season on BBC America, April 17th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Enjoy!

The regenerations of the Doctor are a staple part of the mythology of Doctor Who, but across the past five decades there has been another constant in the series; the changing faces of the companion. Now Karen Gillan, born in Inverness, Scotland, becomes the latest actress to join the Doctor in the TARDIS. Here she discusses landing the enviable role, the production team's continued use of secret anagrams (Torchwood was an anagram used for labeling Doctor Who tapes on older seasons) and making her mother cry...

"It was one of the strangest experiences ever; it was a really weird feeling," exclaims Karen Gillan about her casting as Amy Pond. "I found out on the day of my second audition with Matt Smith (the Doctor), so at least I didn't have a really long wait. It just didn't feel real, and I couldn't believe it!"

But auditioning for Doctor Who is unlike any other audition for the excitable, down-to-earth actress. "I knew that the audition was for the part of the Companion, but I wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it. They even had a code name for the role because it was so top-secret. The code name was 'Panic Moon;' an anagram of Companion, which I thought was really clever."

Even after Gillan discovered she had been cast as Amy Pond, the veil of secrecy was not lifted.

"I wasn't allowed to tell anyone that I got the part, but my boyfriend was with me when I found out, so there was rather a lot of screaming! I decided not to tell my parents as I didn't want to spoil the surprise, but when I finally did tell them, I made a special day of it and my mom took a day off work. She just couldn't believe it when I told her. She was doing the dishes and she literally stopped in her tracks and cried. She's a huge fan of the show and has been for years. She even has Dalek bubble bath at home!"

Part of the interest in Gillan was due to her being a relative newcomer to the industry, so how would she explain her life so far to the public?

"I'm from Inverness in Scotland, right up in the Highlands. When I was 16 I moved to Edinburgh to study acting and stayed there for a year, then at 17 I decided to move to London to continue my acting career," she reveals. "I also did a little bit of modeling for two years, which I enjoyed. I met some great people and it was a really fantastic experience."

Amy comes face-to-face with a less-than friendly extraterrestrial. Photo copyright of the BBC.

Since Doctor Who's return in 2005, there have been a number of memorable Companions for the Doctor. How does Gillan feel Amy compares to those who have gone before?

"Well, for a start, Steven Moffat [executive producer] has written a brilliant character. I do think Amy is different from previous Companions because she's very equal to the Doctor. She doesn't take his word as gospel and she's always happy to challenge him. If he tells her to do something, she won't necessarily do it. Amy might go off and do her own thing, which can sometimes create a rift between the two of them! They are best pals, though, and it's a very up and down relationship because they are both very passionate people."

So is it fair to say that we will see some conflict between Amy and the Doctor?

"The Doctor is definitely an Alpha make and Amy is an Alpha female, so when they meet, they combust. They have quite a turbulent relationship, but it's also really passionate and they care about each other. Amy can really hold her own against him and Steven's written some great one-liners. It's a great relationship."

And Gillan feels that Matt Smith as the youngest actor to play the Doctor, has risen admirably to the challenge.

"I think Steven said it perfectly; Matt manages to be old and young at the same time," explains Gillan. "That's the great thing about the Doctor; he has the energy and mischief of a young child as well as the wisdom, age and intelligence of someone a lot older. Also, with Matt's performance in particular, he's so believable that he isn't human. He has all these things that he does that make you really believe he's an alien or a Time Lord, and you're drawn in by that."

The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan) - a combustible twosome and a perfectly matched team. Photo copyright of the BBC.

As noted above, all photos copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Matt Smith Talks About Doctor Who

The Eleventh Doctor surrounded by some of his enemies. Photo copyright of the BBC.

This is the second of four BBC America press interviews with Doctor Who cast and crew, counting down to the premiere of the show's new season on BBC America, April 17th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Enjoy!

IT may be the eleventh time an actor has taken on the iconic role of the Doctor, but Matt Smith hasn't let that stand in his way of creating his very own vision for the character. Here, he explains what it was like to land the role and talks about his dream trip in the TARDIS.

"It was quite weird news to receive," says Matt Smith, the youngest actor the play the title role of the hit show, Doctor Who. "I mean, at that point it was a piece of information I couldn't share with anyone, so it didn't feel tangible, but needless to say I was very pleased.

"I actually ended up walking around London listening to Sinatra on my iPod," laughs the 27-year-old as he tries to explain the moment he found out he had won the much-coveted role of the Doctor. "Funnily enough, my mum had texted me to say she thought I should play the Doctor a week before my agent asked me to audition, so she was delighted I got the part. I was also abroad when it was announced on the BBC and my phone went mad - the bill was enormous!"

Matt Smith as the Doctor in his first adventure, The Eleventh Hour. Photo copyright of the BBC.

Spanning five decades, Doctor Who has been a part of British culture for nearly 50 years. Since its successful return in 2005, both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant have played the title role and made their own mark on the eccentric Time Lord. Now it's Smith's turn to give his own portrayal of the iconic character; a challenge which some young actors may have shied away from.

"I think these things are only as intimidating as you allow them to be," explains Smith. "It's a real privilege to join such a successful show; it's a bit like joining Manchester United [soccer team]. It's good to be part of something strong and long may it continue. Plus I couldn't have inherited the role from a nicer man. I guess it's like anything really, the more you do something the less daunting and intimidating it becomes."

Smith admits, however, that his first day of filming, which took place on a beach in wet and windy conditions, was both daunting and challenging.

"It was very tough because we were up against the tide and could only film until 3 p.m.," reveals the actor. "It felt like being in a twilight zone because there were so many people watching and dozens of paparazzi around! It was nice that Karen Gillan [who plays the Doctor's new companion, Amy Pond] was there as well, though," he continues, "because we were both going through the same experience. We were also surrounded by Doctor Who fans and every time I had to nip to the toilet they followed me. I've now learnt this is the norm on Doctor Who."

Central to the story is the TARDIS, which transports The Doctor across time and space to a wonderful array of worlds and universes. The TARDIS is a living creature and regenerates along with the Doctor in the opening episode of the new series. The details of the new TARDIS will remain an onscreen surprise for viewers, but Smith confesses he was like a boy in a candy store when he first set foot in it.

"It's like a Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche all molded into one!" exclaims the excited actor. "It's so incredible because the TARDIS is an icon of our cultural history and suddenly I'm the one who's flying it. I am quite clumsy, though, so I kept breaking parts of the console and the poor production team had to keep fixing it," chuckles Smith. "But the TARDIS is a magic concept and it provides a constant source of wonderment and adventure for both the Doctor and the viewers."

The Doctor (Matt Smith) meets his new companion, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan). Photo copyright of the BBC.

There have been 10 previous incarnations of the Doctor, each with their own traits and quirks, but what can viewers expect from this bow tie wearing Doctor?

"He's still the same man, but I think my Doctor is a bit more reckless; he's a thrill seeker and addicted to time travel," reveals Smith. "The Doctor is the mad buffoon genius who saves the world because he's got a great heart, spirit and soul, but he also doesn't suffer fools. I hope all of these things come across, but I think I've also injected a bit of my own personality into the role. I also helped choose the Doctor's costume which was great fun. Steven Moffat [series executive producer] is very keen that the outfit isn't seen as the overriding factor of the Doctor's personality, but we still needed to find something that felt right. We tried on lots of things but kept reaching a dead-end. We dismissed a number of items including a long leather coat, a long blue coat and some short punky stuff! But then one day I brought in my braces and a tweed jacket and it went from there. Soon we had the whole outfit, although something still felt like it was missing and I asked if I could try on a bow tie - at that point the execs all bowed their heads in concern, but luckily when I tried it on we agreed it worked and it has sort of become the signature of my Doctor now."

Joining the Doctor on his adventures throughout time and space is new companion Amy Pond, played by redheaded beauty Karen Gillan, and Smith admits the pair of them found it difficult to remain serious when filming scenes together.

"I always used to look forward to us being in make-up together because we would just make each other crack up. I think that's important because it forms part of the energy of the show," explains Smith. "I also think the Doctor and Amy share a sightly mad relationship; she's a handful and he likes the fact that she challenges him and can sometimes act a bit bonkers. The way they are introduced to each other is truly magical and they form a deep affinity for one another."

Throughout this series, Amy and the Doctor go on some truly extraordinary adventures.

"I loved filming the vampire stuff in Croatia, which doubled for Venice," notes Smith. "I had to climb a huge bell tower with a rain machine pummeling water at me. It was freezing cold but I absolutely loved it! I also enjoyed filming part of episode 10 when I was yanked through the air on a harness after being hit by an invisible monster. However, my favorite scene to film was in the first episode when I ate fish fingers and custard with the character of Amelia. Luckily, they were actually breaded cakes so it wasn't quite as bad as it sounds. I had to eat a lot of them, but it was an enchanting scene, so it was worth it."

Young Amy/Amelia (Caitlin Blackwood) and The Doctor (Matt Smith). Photo copyright of the BBC.

As noted above, all photos copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorzied copying or duplicating of  any kind. Thanks!

New Doctor Who Arrives On BBC America In April

Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor in Doctor Who. Photo copyright of the BBC.

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 17th, 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, 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 intergalactic 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 Gentleman, Sherlock) and Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly, Hardware). Guest stars include SAG Award winner Alex Kingston (ER, Flash Forward), Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo (The Secret Life of Bees, Hotel Rwanda) and Tony Curran (24).

Travelling both through time and space, the new series has the mysterious Doctor and Amy Pond together exploring 16th 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-part 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 and Beth Willis (Ashes to Ashes) also serve as executive producers on Doctor Who. It is a BBC Wales production for BBC ONE and distributed by BBC Worldwide.

As noted above, photo is copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

David Tennant ' s Final Doctor Who Special On BBC America

[caption id="attachment_4657" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="David Tennant at the Doctor in The End of Time. Photo copyright of the BBC"][/caption]   BBC America today announced the U.S. premiere of David Tennant's final special as the Tenth Doctor. Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two, premieres January 2nd, 2010, one week after Part One, on BBC America. The finale to the era of David Tennant is one of the most eagerly anticipated adventures in the history of Doctor Who. Guest-stars include John Simm (Life on Mars) as The Master, Timothy Dalton, Catherine Tate, Bernard Cribbins and June Whitfield. New synopsis for the final three specials airing on BBC America over the holiday season are as follows:   Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars - Lindsay Duncan (Alice and Wonderland) joins the Doctor as his sharpest and most strong-minded companion yet for the second of four Doctor Who specials. The Waters of Mars is a dark, scary thriller that sees the Doctor land at a base in peril on the planet Mars. A creeping infection beneath the Martian surface threatens not only the human race, but also the Doctor's most fundamental beliefs. Together with Adelaide Brooke (Lindsay Duncan), the base's commander, the Doctor must defeat a seemingly unstoppable menace before it can reach Earth and wipe out mankind. The Doctor must fight not only the water, but destiny itself, whilst also confronting his own existence, when the prophecy about his future begins to resonate. Is his song about to come to an end? The Waters of Mars airs Saturday, December 19th @ 9:00 pm EST/PST on BBC America and was written by Russell T. Davies (Torchwood, Queer as Folk) and Phil Ford and directed by Graeme Harper. The executive producers are Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner (Torchwood, Life on Mars).   Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One - It's the Tenth Doctor's final journey, but his psychotic nemesis, The Master, has been reborn on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death, the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate. Meanwhile, the alien race, the Ood, warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire universe. The End of Time, Part One airs Saturday, December 26th @ 9:00 p.m. on BBC America and was written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn. The producer is Tracie Simpson.   Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two - The Doctor faces the end of his life as The Master's plans hurtle out of control. With the sound of drums growing louder and an ancient trap closing around Earth, the Doctor and Wilf must fight alone. But sacrifices must be made, and the deadly prophecy warns, "He will knock four times." The End of Time, Part Two airs Saturday, January 2nd @ 8:00 p.m. on BBC America and was written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn. The producer is Tracie Simpson.   Regarding the final specials, lead writer and executive producer Russell T. Davies told the Radio Times, "It's personal for the Doctor. The Master (John Simm) is his enemy, his opposite, and yet so tantalizingly close to being his soul mate. There's something epic about their sheer existence - the last two survivors of an ancient race [The Time Lords]. It's a clash of the titans, both of them heading for death, and yet both determined to survive - at any cost."   Davies and Tennant are passing the baton to Steven Moffat and actor Matt Smith, who will play the Eleventh Doctor in a new season of the re-imagined series premiering in 2010 on BBC America.   As noted above, photo copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

BBC Unveils New Logo For New Doctor

A first look at the new Doctor Who logo, which will accompany Matt Smith's debut as The Doctor in Spring 2010, has been unveiled and can be seen at www.bbcamerica.com/doctorwho. The logo is the eleventh to be used onscreen in the show's history. Accompanying the logo at BBCAmerica.com is an animated insignia of the show's initials, which will be used as branding for the new series in conjunction with the logo. About the new logo, Steven Moffat, the show's new Lead Writer and Executive Producer said, "A new logo. The eleventh logo for the eleventh Doctor - those grand old words, Doctor Who, suddenly looking newer than ever. And look at that, something really new - an insignia! DW in TARDIS form! Simple and beautiful, and most important of all, a completely irresistible doodle. I apoligise to school notebooks everywhere, because in 2010 that's what they're going to be wearing." The new series of  Doctor Who will premiere in Spring 2010. The final three episodes featuring David Tennant will be broadcast later this year with the existing logo onscreen.