Xmas Special to Pond Life costume index

The first half of Series Seven is due to start soon, so it’s time for a Costume Index to catch up on various mini episodes leading up to the new series!

The Doctor, the Widow
and the Wardrobe

Jacket Shetland Tweed jacket, with three-button fastening

Shirt Window pane dress shirt with mitred cuffs and tabbed collar

Trousers G-Star RAW Broncho jeans in black (matt look)

Bow Tie Self-tied burgundy with twill

Braces Narrow burgundy with small silver clips

Boots Black, custom made

This is the last episode appearance of the window pane shirt before its sale on eBay in aid of Comic Relief.

Good as Gold
viewer-written Blue Peter minisode

Jacket Shetland Tweed jacket, with three-button fastening

Shirt Blue dress shirt with mitred cuffs and tabbed collar

Trousers G-Star RAW Blade jeans in Spark Denim (waxy look)

Bow Tie Self-tied burgundy with twill

Boots Black, custom made

Notes The Doctor also wears an Olympic Gold medal, though not a accurate version as the design for the London 2012 medals had not been revealed when the minisode was shot

Pond Life
5-part red button minisodes 

Episode one
Jacket Shetland Tweed jacket, with three-button fastening
Trousers G-Star RAW Blade jeans in Spark Denim (waxy look)
Boots Black, custom made

SONTARAN and TARDIS SCENES
Shirt Blue dress shirt with
Bow Tie Self-tied burgundy with twill
Braces Wide burgundy with leather connectors and brass clips

MARTA HARI and RAPPING SCENES
Shirt Pale mauve striped shirt
Bow Tie Blue bark effect
Braces Narrow blue with metal clips

Episode two
Jacket Shetland Tweed jacket, with three-button fastening
Shirt Blue dress shirt
Trousers G-Star RAW Blade jeans in Spark Denim (waxy look)
Bow Tie Self-tied burgundy with twill
Boots Black, custom made

Episode three
The Doctor does not appear in Episode three

Episode four
Jacket Shetland Tweed jacket, with three-button fastening
Trousers G-Star RAW Blade jeans in Spark Denim (waxy look)
Boots Black, custom made

WHEN IN GOOGLES
Shirt Pale mauve striped shirt
Bow Tie Blue bark effect
Braces Narrow blue with metal clips

WITHOUT GOGGLES
Shirt Window pane dress shirt
Bow Tie Blue bark effect
Braces Narrow blue with metal clips

Episode five
Jacket Shetland Tweed jacket, with three-button fastening
Trousers G-Star RAW Blade jeans in Spark Denim (waxy look)
Boots Black, custom made

EXTERIOR SCENES
Shirt Window pane dress shirt
Bow Tie Blue aztec key
Braces Narrow blue with metal clips

INTERIOR SCENE
Shirt Window pane dress shirt
Bow Tie Blue bark effect
Braces Narrow striped blue with metal clips

Asylum Of The Daleks - spoiler-free teasers!

I’ve see a few other reviews do a list of spoiler-free teasers, so I thought I’d have a go too!

But for those who really don’t want ANY hints - I’ve put it under a spoiler tag!

Asylum Of The Daleks -
TEN SPOILER-FREE TEASERS

The Daleks’ catchprase takes on a whole new meaning

There are shades of Dalek from 2005 at one point

Where DOES the milk come from?

The Doctor meets yet another Prime Minister

Spiridon, Exillon and Demons Run all get a namecheck

Swat up on your Bizet before watching

Rory plays with fire

Someone forgets WHO The Doctor is

Remember that periscope Daleks eye in the trailer? You’ll never guess WHO operates it!

Who killed all the Daleks?
NOT quite who you think

Asylum Of The Daleks - BFI Q&A session

As if having the chance to see an amazing preview of Asylum Of The Daleks, we also got to see a question and answer session with matt Smith, Karen Gillian, Arthur Darvill, Steven Moffat and Caro Skinner!

It was hosted by Richard Bacon - an ex Blue Peter presenter who now has an afternoon show on Radio 2.
Earlier the same day he had Steven Moffat in his studio chatting about the new series as a prelude to tonights screening.

The first things he did was reprimand Steven for lying  to him about certain details of the season opener! He had categorically stated one thing - which when you see the episode is totally untrue!

Here is a selection of photos I took from our near front row, but far left position.

Asylum Of The Daleks - BFI preview

Last night was pretty bonkers - almost as bonkers as the Daleks in the Asylum itself!

When I heard they were holding a preview of the episode, I HAD to get along to see it.
The box office opened back in July and was initially for BFI members only. Knowing it would sell out in a matter of hours, I renewed my membership and decided I would go and buy my tickets in person.

I got there for when the BFI opened that morning and then queued for over two and a half hours before they finally started taking books.
It was touch and go, as their computer system seemed to crash as soon as it was online and when it was up and running the four seats I choose were sold before the button could be pressed to buy them! Luckily an alternative set were found and I had my prize!

Tonight was the night we had been waiting for and I met up with Matt Elliott and his girlfriend outside the BFI before going in.
While waiting I was approached by a couple of people who recognised me from Cardiff. I had minded their bags in the Blue Box Cafe before seeing the TARDIS set, and they were still grateful for my gesture, which was sweet.

After an age hanging round, it was time to go in. It was allocated seating, and our seats were over to the far left. Pretty quickly the auditorium filled up.
Projected on the screen was a spoof poster for the episode, in the style of a feature film. Nice.

I realised the front dozen rows at the centre had been reserved for the press, as this was technically a press preview. Behind them remained an empty couple of rows.

It wasn’t long before we found out why - a door down the front opened and Matt Smith, Karen Gillian, Arthur Darvill, Steven Moffat and a whole entourage of people paraded to the the warm welcome of everyone present, and they took their seats - right in the middle of the audience!

We later found out there was a large contingent of Doctor Who crew in attendance, plus Nicola Bryan, who played Peri alongside Colin Baker!

The screening was presented by the controller of BBC1, who laid praise and plaudits on The Moffat and Matt Smith, making them sound like the saviours of British television.

After an extended trailer for upcoming BBC drama programmes (excluding Doctor Who) it was finally time to see Asylum Of The Daleks!

I really want to keep this spoiler free - for reasons you’ll understand later and when you get see it for yourself on or after the 1st September.

But trust me - it’s a corker of an opening episode!

By the way - are those more NEW braces The Doctor is wearing ...?

Destination: SKARO!

So, I’m off out tonight - to the National Film Theatre on London’s South Bank to see the special preview screening of Asylum Of The Daleks.

To say I’m excited is an understatement!!!

Bow ties are cool (blue)

I often get emails asking me about the bow ties worn by Matt Smith.

The problem is that early on in series five Matt’s bow ties were hand made from specially sourced silks, so finding one off the shelf made in the exact fabric is impossible, though there are some similar ones out there.

Series six proved to be even more of a challenge with the introduction of a couple of blue ties in very unique woven fabrics.

By far the most fan-popular of these is one with a form of aztec key design.
It has raised I shapes in blue, against a black background.

One of my readers recently sent me a link to a website which has a bow tie that is not dissimilar to the aztec key design, having a parquet pattern (like the wooden flooring) instead.

It’s by no means perfect, but it is the closest thing I’ve seen for a long time.

As usual I would include the link here, but it appears to have been a limited item and is now already discontinued.

Typical!

This is getting silly

Photo © Ryan Farrell

The Doctor Who crew have been out filming on location again this week, and despite having already shot two adventures with the new companion, this time it’s for her debut adventure, the Christmas special.

And being a new adventure - it seems The Doctor has ANOTHER new costume!

So far he has been dressed in a stylish new purple-colours cashmere frock coat; and then a fetching three-piece brown tartan number.

Photo © Ryan Farrell

This time it’s the weirdest one yet, making him look like the Mad Hatter from Alice In Wonderland.

The smoking jacket is reminiscent of something Jon Pertwee would have worn, and that coupled with a frock coat of the same cut (but not style) as Peter Davison, has me wondering if these are a hinted reference to the long history of Doctor Who as it enters its 50th anniversary.

As ever with The Doctor - TIME WILL TELL!

Photo © Ryan Farrell

Series seven preview

The new series is getting closer and closer, with it likely to premiere before the end of the month.

I’ve got my tickets for the BFI preview of Asylum Of The Daleks on the 14th August, and today we got the first full-on BBC publicity for the new series - both photographic and video.

Overnight a fantastic promotional image from Asylum Of The Daleks was released, showing an injured Doctor carrying an unconscious Amy Pond, surrounded by seven Daleks.

The image has been created by Lee Binding, who has done a number of the covers for the classic series DVD releases.
You can find him on Facebook under Tea-Lady Design, where today he posted about doing the image.

So proud to have done this. Huge thanks to Edward Russell for his brilliant guidance - and nipping down to the Cardiff basement to photograph the Special Weapons Dalek when we ran short of pictures. We like to think that the SW Dalek has been trundling around various BBC corridors since 1963. Photoshop users may like to know the final file was over a thousand layers, and 4.9gig in size. Phew!

If I’m right, the Daleks on show originate from (left to right) Planet Of The Daleks (1973); Remembrance Of The Daleks (1988); Victory of The Daleks (2010); Dalek (2005); The Daleks (1963); and The Stolen Earth (2008).

‎Download 16 x 9 version

Download 4 x 3 version

As if that wasn’t enough, the new trailer for series seven was also launched today. It’s a 90 second roller-coaster ride of action adventure!

I don’t know bout you, but I can’t wait!

All Saints Layer Boots - BACK IN STOCK*

* sort of

Shock of shocks – All Saints, the makers of the Layer boots as worn by Matt Smith in series five, have brought the style of boots back in stock!

The new boots are currently ONLY available through the US site.

All Saints US
Cropped Layer Boot

Don’t get too excited though. Firstly don’t forget Matt wore replicas of the boots; and these ones are called Cropped Layer Boots as they are one eyelet shorter at the top.

Here is a comparison between my own Layer Boots, and the new Cropped Layer Boots.

If you want to be picky, the soles are now a tan leather rather than black, but if you can overlook these couple of slight differences, they are probably worth getting.

Doctor Who Experience: Cardiff - THE GROUND FLOOR

A few days ago I went to the re-opening of the Doctor Who Experience at its new home in Cardiff.

There are two parts to the Experience: an interactive walk-through show; followed by an extensive exhibition space displaying all manner of costumes and props from almost the entire run of the series from 1963.

The interactive show, bar the addition of updating a clip compilation right at the start, everything is exactly the same, down to the layout of the rooms and corridors you walk through.
Photography isn’t permitted in this part of visit, so there’s not much to show.

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t been, but I will say when you enter the first room take advantage before the lights are dimmed to look around the room and see all the various artefacts representing nearly five decades of Doctor Who.

The exhibition part of the Experience is now expanded and covers two floors - more than can be covered in one posting.
Here is the first half of my review.

Doctor Who Exhibition -
The Ground Floor

As per the Olympia version of the experience, once you’re out of the interactive parts you then move into the exhibition stage of the event.

With little exception (which I’ll come on to later) most of the exhibits are exactly the same as before, but now it is in a two floor purpose-built venue, they are laid out much better.
For example, if you find the right vantage point it is now possible to see all three Police Boxes at once, where they were previous in separate areas.

The exhibition comprises of both classic and new series displays, often sitting along side each other, with equal prominence. The new series displays do have an obvious Eleventh Doctor bias.

Doctor Who Experience: Cardiff - THE OPENING

After a six month absence, the Doctor Who Experience reopens today at its new purpose-built venue in Cardiff bay, barely a stones throw from the new BBC studios where the series is now shot.

I booked my ticket last month as soon as they were available, plus a return train trip so I was all prepared well in advance.

It meant an early start, but it would be worth the effort - or so I thought.

Trains to Cardiff depart from Paddington station in London, and I got there in plenty of time to discover someone had been hit by a train on the line and all departures were cancelled for the foreseeable future. Great.
The station was packed with disgruntled passengers looking disbelievingly at the departure boards of doom.
My planned train was listed as delayed, but this was soon revised to cancelled, dashing my hopes of departing on time.

Signed up to the air of despair, I sat waiting and listening to the endless repeating announcements and I started to wonder if I was gonna get there in time.
The next train I could get was flashing delayed too, but then suddenly switched to boarding, prompting a mass stampede towards platform 9! Swept along in the rush, I managed to sprint to the front of the trains and a near empty carriage, bagging a table seat in the process. The train quickly filled, with standing room only, and after a bit of a delay we set off - only 45 minutes later than planned.

So after a shaky start and wondering if I was going to miss the whole thing, I finally arrive in Cardiff, with time to spare.

The ticket barriers at Cardiff Central station were decked out with Doctor Who Experience branding, which was cool.

Having visited the area twice before, I know the walk from the station to the bay quite well, and it was a nice day so I took my time. As it happened I passed a billboard poster for the Experience, which I might have missed otherwise.

It wasn’t long before I was passing the Millennium Centre, for me still full of happy memories from the Official Convention and our Girl Who STILL Waited photoshoot. Coming around the bay there was a bit of a buzz, with people in front of me heading in the same direction, many wearing Who-related t-shirts.

I had visited the site of the new home to The Experience in March, so I knew where I was heading, and by the queue so did everyone else!

There were a LOT of people queued up waiting for the noon opening.

To entertain the crowd, a Dalek, Cyberman, Silence and Silurian were on patrol for photo-ops, with some concerned looking kids keeping their distance with their parents for protection.

As the queue slowly moved closer to the entrance, I was approached by a couple of Who fans I had seen at Chicago TARDIS last November! They had come over specially for the opening. That’s dedication for you.

In the lobby I was surprised to see Bessie, Jon Pertwee’s trusty car. It was cool to see, but I did wonder if any of the kids coming today even knew what it was.

Around the walls of the lobby are a series of graphics depicting monsters from the new series, and strangely an image of an Ice Warrior dating back to the Patrick Troughton era. I wonder if that’s a clue of what’s to come in series seven?

Ticket checked, I was finally inside the building and in the queue to see the Experience part of my visit. My ticket is for a one hour entry slot, which is a bit flexible, and you enter in groups of around 20 to 25 people. As you move through the stages of the interactive show, the next group is entering behind you unseen, so I guess around three or four groups are at various stages at any one time.

Check back soon and I’ll tell you what to expect to see beyond those entry doors . . .