Sunday, December 28, 2014

Death Count - Voyage of the Damned

Hello readers! To round off the Christmas week, in this festive edition of the Death Count series, I will be counting up the deaths in the Tenth Doctor Christmas Special Voyage of the Damned. Enjoy!

About this Story

TitleVoyage of the Damned
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
Series 4
Episode X
Broadcast Date25th December 2007
Run-Time71' 53"
DoctorTenth Doctor
CompanionAstrid Peth
The Titanic Cruise Liner is orbiting above
planet Earth on Christmas Eve

Synopsis

After colliding with the Titanic, the Doctor hops on board to check it out. However, he gets a shock when he realises that it is a space ship orbiting the planet Earth. When asteroids collide with the ship, the Doctor has a race against time to save himself and his friends from the Heavenly Host, and to save the planet below from an almighty collision.

The Death Count

CharacterTime of DeathDescription
Unnamed Passenger20' 09"Crushed by falling beam
Unnamed Crewmember21' 14"Crushed by falling debris
Chief Steward22' 02"Sucked out into space
Unnamed Engineer24' 13"Killed by the Host with halo
Captain Hardaker24' 33"Crushed by falling beam 
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Kitchen Staff32' 00"Killed by the Host with halo
Heavenly Host33' 53"Crushed by falling beam, released by Mr Copper
Morvin Van Hoff38' 02"Falls off ledge into nuclear storm drive engines
Heavenly Host42' 10"Deactivated by Electromagnetic Pulse released by Bannakaffalatta
Heavenly Host42' 10"Deactivated by EMP released by Bannakaffalatta
Heavenly Host42' 10"Deactivated by EMP released by Bannakaffalatta
Heavenly Host42' 10"Deactivated by EMP released by Bannakaffalatta
Bannakaffalatta42' 56"Power drained after emitting EMP
Foon Van Hoff44' 50"Jumps into engines with a Host
Heavenly Host44' 50"Pulled into engines by Foon
Heavenly Host47' 48"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Heavenly Host47' 48"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Heavenly Host47' 48"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Heavenly Host49' 19"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Heavenly Host49' 19"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Heavenly Host49' 19"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Heavenly Host49' 19"Deactivated by EMP released by Astrid
Max Capricorn56' 58"Pushed into engines by Astrid
Astrid Peth56' 58Falls into engines with Max
 
Astrid and Max falling into the
nuclear storm drive engines

Death Toll:

30

Death Rating:

41.73 (Orange)



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Friday, December 26, 2014

New Episode Reaction - Last Christmas *SPOILERS*

Hello readers. After a few weeks off our screens, Doctor who returned last night for this year's festive special. Was it a Christmas cracker or was is a festive flop? Find out below as I react to Last Christmas. Enjoy!

About this Story

TitleLast Christmas
No. of Episodes1
Series No.
Episode No.
2014 Christmas Special
Broadcast Dates25th Dec 2014
Overnight Ratings (UK)6.34 million
DoctorTwelfth Doctor
CompanionClara Oswald


The Doctor teams up with Clara and Santa to
take on the Dream Crabs


The Reaction

Highlights

  • Build Up - The build up in the first half of the episode was brilliantly set up, leaving me intrigued and wanting more.
  • Concept of the Monster - I liked the idea of this monster which was quite similar to that of the Weeping Angels; "Don't think" instead of "Don't blink".
  • Acting - Both the main and the guest cast are on brilliant form, particularly Peter Capaldi, Nick Frost and Natalie Gumede. For me they held the episode together, and they acted the transition between the dream and the real world well at the end of the episode.


The Dream Crabs attack in the Infimary

Low Points

  • Repetition - After the good build up, the climax was repeated about four times before the episode came to an end. My mum found this a good thing, because she sometimes struggles to follow the action, but for me it got boring and predictable.
  • Old Again - I got deja-vu all over again with the ageing companion business. I think Peter Capaldi is the only main cast member not have been artificially aged in the past 4 or 5 years...?
  • Overall Lack of Threat - The Dream Crabs had a scary concept, but they didn't seem to do anything with it. This was highlighted by the fact that the Doctor was going to walk away and leave them before realizing they were in a dream that was in a dream (that was in a dream (that was in a dream)). For me, there was no threat of world domination, meaning I didn't really see how they were much of a big deal about them.


Quote of the Week

Santa: "It's an invasion, Miss Oswald."
Clara: "An invasion of what, elves?"
Wolf: "Woah, that is racist!"
Ian: "Elfist!"
Wolf: "Which is a bit hypocritical, from someone of your height"



Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Top Five - Christmas Specials

It's Christmas Eve! Are we all excited for tomorrow's episode? I, for one, am really looking forward to it, so I have decided to celebrate by counting by my top five Christmas Specials. Since 2005, there have been 9 festive episodes. Which were a gift from the heavens, and which were as lame as a Christmas cracker joke?

Honorable Mentions

Firstly, I'd like to kick off with some good ones that just weren't good enough to get on the list:

  • The End of Time - The Tenth Doctor's swansong was a great story, but for a Christmas episode, it wasn't Christmassy enough for me. Also, although it was in the New Year episode, that "I don't want to go" line absolutely ruined the vibe.
  • The Christmas Invasion - The Tenth Doctor's debut, again, was another good story, but the thing that let this one down was that there was not enough Doctor. For a story that was meant to introduce a new Doctor, he spends most of it in a coma.


  • 5. The Runaway Bride (2006)

    The Racnoss attacks Central London
    After the heavy departure of Rose, the Doctor has a Christmassy adventure with a loud Donna Noble. For me, this episode is great as Donna is my favourite companion and she's in it, but the way David Tennant and Catherine Tate work together is absolutely brilliant. The dynamic was well established and I am so glad they decided to bring her back.

    The threat in this episode was also great. The Racnoss, brilliantly played by Sarah Parish, was menacing, while the Robot Santas were a good but completely separate addition which seemed to only be used for a few bangs at the party.

    4. The Next Doctor (2008)

    The Cybermen convert Miss Hartigan
    against their agreement
    The Cybermen returned for the first time since 2006 when the Doctor threw them all into the Void, and they plan to conquer Christmas in Victorian London. The return was executed well with the wonderfully acted Mercy Hartigan at the head of their plan. The Cybermen proved to be as ruthless as ever when they convert Miss Hartigan against her will.

    However, the thing that made this episode was the start of the lead up to Tennant's departure. Here, we see the Tenth Doctor face up to the fact that he will regenerate some day when he meets someone who appears to be his future regeneration. It's great to see how the Doctor is reacting to his future regeneration, even though he doesn't know how imminent it is.

    3. The Snowmen (2012)

    The Snowmen advance upon the
     Doctor and Clara
    Misleadingly advertised as the first appearance of the new companion played by Jenna Coleman, this episode was the birth of the Impossible Girl mystery that was the story-arc of the second part of Series 7. The chemistry between Jenna and Matt became immediately apparent, making the viewing easy and enjoyable.

    The return of the Great Intelligence was unexpected and brilliantly done, with this episode becoming a prequel to The Web of Fear with the nod to the London Underground. The Snowmen were also great as it took something Christmassy and turned it into a threat. Also, the death of Clara showed that these old enemies still packed a punch by killing ruthlessly.

    2. Voyage of the Damned (2007)

    The Doctor and his friends battle the
    Host on an unstable bridge
    The idea of a spaceship version of the Titanic orbiting Earth on Christmas Eve smells of disaster. My favourite thing about this episode is that it introduces a large range of guest characters then puts them in great peril. It them makes you watch them battle for survival with some emotional scenes as some don't survive. The whole guest cast is brilliant, particularly Kylie Minogue, as Astrid.

    Once again, the idea of taking a traditional Christmassy thing and turning it into a threat is brilliantly done, this time using angels. The Heavenly Host are ruthless killers despite being deceivingly helpful in earlier episodes. The imminent collision of the Titanic with Central London is also well done, with News Reports and cut scenes to what is happening on Earth at the time.

    1. Time of the Doctor (2013)

    The Eleventh Doctor's finale was a brilliant episode. Matt and Jenna's chemistry was brilliant and they both gave an emotional and impactful performance. I also liked the way the story brought together all of the story arcs, even though they had seemingly been resolved, and didn't fully resolve them, but gave them a regeneration of sorts, allowing them to carry forward into the Twelfth Doctor's era.

    The Doctor's greatest enemies assemble
    around the planet Trenzalore
    This episode also showcased an ensemble of the Eleventh Doctor's greatest foes, such as Daleks, Cybermen, the Silence and Weeping Angels, without making the episode overcrowded, which for me seems like a great task. Also, the theme of Christmas is very strong in this episode, which gave this episode a great balance of different emotions: the jolly festive spirit and the sadness at the loss of a Doctor.

    However, this episode, along with the 50th Anniversary, are absolutely pivotal in the direction of the entire show. The 50th toyed with the idea of Gallifrey still existing, with this episode confirming that it exists. Also, the show's lifetime is extended within the story of this episode, with the Doctor being given a new cycle of regenerations.

    Monday, December 22, 2014

    Death Count - Destiny of the Daleks

    Hello readers! In this edition of the Death Count series, I will be counting up the deaths in the Fourth Doctor story Destiny of the Daleks.

    About this Story

    TitleDestiny of the Daleks
    No. of Episodes4
    Season No.
    Serial No.
    Season 17
    Serial 1
    Broadcast Dates1st Sep -
    22nd Sep 1979
    Run-Time100' 10"
    DoctorFourth Doctor
    CompanionRomana
    K-9 Mark II
    The Doctor discovers a dormant Davros

    Synopsis

    The Doctor and Romana unwittingly land on Skaro where they plunge themselves into a war between the Daleks and the Movellans. They have reached a stalemate in their battle of logic, leading the Daleks to seek out Davros to reprogram the battle computers. Can the Doctor stop them?

    The Death Count

    Episode One


    The Doctor and Romana witness a burial, however, the character died off-screen and we did not meet them beforehand.



    Death Toll:

    0

    Death Rating:

    0.00 (White)

    Episode Two

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Lan17' 05"Exterminated! (Later reactivated)
    Agella24' 02"Crushed by collapsed ceiling (Later reactivated)
    Romana is questioned by the Daleks

    Death Toll:

    2

    Death Rating:

    7.91 (White)

    Episode Three

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Worker14' 02"Exterminated!
    Worker14' 16"Exterminated!
    Dalek17' 12"Detonation of bomb by the Doctor
    Dalek17' 12"Detonation of bomb by the Doctor
    Dalek20' 33"Blown up by a Movellan
    Movellan21' 10"Deactivated by the Doctor
    The Doctor and Romana are held
    captive on the Movellan's ship

    Death Toll:

    6

    Death Rating:

    24.39 (Green)

    Episode Four

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Lan9' 29"Deactivated by Tysson (Reactivated for use of Workers)
    Agella12' 19"Deactivated by Lan (Reactivated for use of Workers)
    Movellan14' 02"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Movellan14' 04"Deactivated by Tysson
    Movellan14' 07"Deactivated by Agella
    Movellan14' 13"Deactivated by Worker
    Movellan14' 21"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Worker14' 24"Killed by Movellan
    Movellan14' 37"Deactivated by Romana
    Movellan14' 40"Deactivated by Romana
    Movellan14' 43"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Worker19' 42"Exterminated!
    Worker19' 47"Exterminated!
    Worker19' 50"Exterminated!
    Sharrel20' 31"Deactivated by Romana
    Dalek21' 34"Bomb detonated by the Doctor
    Dalek21' 53"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 55"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 55"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 57"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 57"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 57"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 57"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 57"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Dalek21' 59"Bombs detonated by Davros
    Davros instructs his Daleks to destroy
    the Movellan ship

    Death Toll:

    25

    Death Rating:

    95.60 (Red)

    Overall

    Death Toll:

    33

    Death Rating:

    32.95 (Yellow)



    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Wednesday, December 17, 2014

    Doctor Who DVD Files - Part Seven: Issues 34-38

    Introduction

    Hello readers! In this part, the issues include the Third Doctor's debut, the Fifth Doctor's swan song, and the Fifth and Sixth Doctor's involvement in the Dalek civil war! Enjoy!

    Issue 34 (21/04/2010)

    The DVD

    Resurrection of the Daleks - Dalek Civil war breaks out! Can the Doctor stop it before the death toll rises higher?

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - Resurrection of the Daleks - Can the Fifth Doctor prevent the reawakening of Davros? (DOC 5.17)
    • Allies - Adelaide Brooke - Meet one of the most important women in human history (AB1)
    • Enemies - The Malus - Peel back the plaster and come face to face with evil (ML1)
    • The Doctor - Slugs and Cybermen - The Sixth Doctor faces a host of alien aggressors (Part 34)
    • Enemies - Gelth - Discover the history of the extraterrestrial phantoms (GL1)
    • Allies - Caecilius' Family - Read about the Roman family who survived Pompeii (CL1)
    • Enemies - Commander Lytton - The mercenary worked for the Daleks and met two Doctors (LY1)
    • Technology - Adipose Ship - Take a peek inside the nursery ship that came to Earth (AS1)
    • Behind the Scenes - Doctor, Doctor - An exclusive interview with the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison (Part 34)


    Issue 35 (05/05/2010)

    The DVD

    Spearhead from Space - The Doctor begins his exile, and he arrived just in time....

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - Spearhead from Space - The Newly regenerated Third Doctor battles Autons (DOC 3.1)
    • Allies - Natural Ood - Discover the squid faced aliens in thier native state (OO1)
    • The Doctor - Doctor in Distress - The Sixth Doctor must rescue the Second (Part 35)
    • Enemies - Family of Blood - Meet the family who liked to slay together (FM1)
    • Allies - Liz Shaw - The Third Doctor's first companion was a brainy scientist (LS1)
    • Flashback - Big Freeze - Victoria must escape the grip of a Martian warrior (DR2-4)
    • Behind the Scenes - Shaw Thing - Exclusive interview with Caroline John, who played Liz Shaw (Part 35)
    • The Doctor - Tenth Doctor - Look back over the life and times of Doctor number 10 (DOC 10)
    • Technology - Bessie - Take a peek under the bonnet of the Doctor's vintage car (BE1)


    Issue 36 (19/05/2010)

    The DVD

    The Caves of Androzani - The Doctor and Peri land on Androzani Minor, where they come into contact with a deadly disease. But will they pull through?

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Technology - Sonic Pen - it's not only the Doctor who has sonic technology (SC5)
    • Enemies - Captain Hardaker - Meet the captain who planned to go sown with his ship (HD1)
    • Allies - Laszlo - This bizarre but tragic tale of the pig and the showgirl (LZ1)
    • The Doctor - Doctor on Trial - Why has the Doctor been kidnapped by Time Lords? (Part 36)
    • Enemies - Headmaster Finch - The leader of the alien Krillitanes was one smooth operator (FN1)
    • Allies - Peri - This Californian student had a wild ride in the TARDIS (PR1)
    • Behind the Scenes - Script Supremo - Exclusive interview with Doctor Who legend Terrance Dicks (Part 36)
    • Episode Guide - The Caves of Androzani - Prepare for a white-knuckle ride as the Fifth Doctor faces death (DOC 5.19)
    • The Doctor - The First Doctor - Journey into the past and meet the Doctor's original incarnation (DOC 1)


    Issue 37 (02/06/2010)

    The DVD

    City of Death - The Doctor takes Romana sightseeing in Paris. However, their trip is interrupted by an alien from long ago.

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - City of Death - The Fourth Doctor and Romana enjoy a Parisian caper (DOC 4.31)
    • Allies - Colonel Mace - Read the secret fil on UNIT's commanding officer (CM1)
    • The Doctor - Sixes and Sevens - The Seventh Doctor battles Tetraps, Bannermen and a dragon. (Part 37)
    • Enemies - Scaroth - Behold the one-eyed creature whose ship created life on Earth (Part 37)
    • Allies - Ian Chesterton - This 1960s schoolteacher was abducted by the Doctor (IC1)
    • Enemies - Cassandra - Meet the last human - or what's left of her (CS1)
    • Flashback - Devil Doll - Jo Grant gets a nasty present from the Nestene Consciousness (DR3-3)
    • Behind the Scenes - Location, Location, Location - Your guided tour of Doctor who in London and Cardiff (Part 37)
    • Technology - Jagaroth Ship - Check out the interior of this weird spider-like spacecraft (JS1)


    Issue 38 (16/06/2010)

    The DVD

    Revelation of the Daleks - Learning of the death of an old friend, the Doctor visits Necros to find gruesome schemes taking place.

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - Revelation of the Daleks - Davros returns with his grisliest scheme yet (DOC 6.7)
    • Enemies - General Staal - The Commander of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet unmasked (SN2)
    • Allies - Melanie Bush - Meet the original fiery red-head who journeyed in the TARDIS (MB1)
    • Enemies - Mercy Hartigan - How one Victorian lady became a metal giant (MH1)
    • The Doctor - Ancient Artifacts - How far will the Seventh Doctor go to ensure victory? (Part 38)
    • Enemies - Glass Dalek - Gaze in horror at the most gruesome Dalek ever (DL10)
    • Allies - Mr Copper - This elderly historian from Sto proved he was young at heart (MC1)
    • Behind the Scenes - Action Man - The second part of our exclusive Graeme Harper interview (Part 38)
    • Technology - Platform One - Travel to the end of the world in ultimate style and comfort (PL1)




    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Sunday, December 14, 2014

    Death Count - The End of the World

    Hello readers! In this edition of the Death Count series, I will be counting up the deaths in the Ninth Doctor story The End of the World. Enjoy!

    About this Story

    TitleThe End of the World
    No. of Episodes1
    Series No.
    Episode No.
    Series 1
    Episode 2
    Broadcast Date2nd April 2005
    Run-Time44' 46"
    DoctorNinth Doctor
    CompanionRose Tyler
    The Sun begins to expand

    Synopsis

    On her first trip in the TARDIS, the Doctor takes Rose to Platform One to witness the moment the Earth explodes. However, among the great and the good gathered to witness the event a saboteur is lurking. Can the Doctor work out who it is and will he put a stop to their plans in time? And how will Rose cope in such an alien environment?

    The Death Count

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Raffallo14' 19"Killed by Cassandra's Robot Spider
    Steward20' 52"Burns after Spiders disable sun filter
    Adherent of the Repeated Meme31' 43"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Adherent of the Repeated Meme31' 43"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Adherent of the Repeated Meme31' 43"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Adherent of the Repeated Meme31' 43"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Adherent of the Repeated Meme31' 43"Deactivated by the Doctor
    Moxx of Balhoon35' 59"Burned with Sun's rays after shields fail
    Jabe36' 16"Burns when ventilation chamber gets too hot

    Note: Cassandra appears to die at 39' 46", however, she is later shown to have survived in the episode New Earth


    Death Toll:

    9

    Death Rating:

    20.10 (Green)



    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Wednesday, December 10, 2014

    Character Profile - Rose Tyler: Teenage Tearaway



    Meeting The Doctor

    The Doctor and Rose first met when he saved her from some attacking Autons. After separating and rejoining a few times, Rose returned the favour by saving the Doctor's life, as well as the lives of everyone on Earth, when his negotiations with the Nestene Consciousness went wrong, with her Bronze level gymnastic skills. When offered space travel, Rose declined. However, at the mention of time travel, Rose abandoned her life and ran for the stars.

    Rose's first trip off Earth took her to Platform One in the far future to witness the death of Earth. However, there was a saboteur in the midst of the group of delegates from various species who were celebrating the planet's life. The heat shields were taken down which would have led to the deaths of everyone on board. The Doctor saved the day while Rose was trapped on an observation deck, after the saboteur attempted to kill her.

    Rose then travelled to 1869, where the TARDIS landed in Cardiff. Here, Rose and the Doctor were met by a gaseous species named the Gelth who took an unhealthy interest in corpses. They inhabited the corpses, making the dead appear to walk. When the Gelth's plea for help turned out to be a cover story for an invasion, the Doctor and Rose teamed up with Charles Dickens and a servant girl to stop them.

    One Long Holiday...

    A navigational error led to Rose arriving back home a year after leaving. However, when a spaceship crashed into the Thames after hitting Big Ben, that was the least of their worries. Taken into Downing Street to aid with the investigation, the Doctor and Rose discover an alien infiltration of the British Government.

    With the Slitheen having them trapped in Downing Street, the Doctor and Rose need outside help from Mickey Smith and Rose's mum (Jackie) to stop the planet being destroyed in a nuclear war. Mickey, as instructed, hacks into the army and fires a missile at Downing Street, wiping out the Slitheen, putting an end to their plans. Rose departs once again, much to Jackie's dismay after realising the danger her daughter is in.

    A trip to the near future bring the Doctor face to face with his deepest fear: a Dalek. Rose gets trapped underground with one of the murderous creatures, however, as she revived it, it shows mercy towards her, using her as a way to get the Doctor let it out. Rose then witnesses a new side to the Doctor, and is left questioning who the real monster is. Once the Dalek is dealt with, Adam Mitchell, joins the TARDIS crew.

    Changing History Lessons

    Rose guides Adam on his first adventure in the TARDIS to Satellite Five. However, when the Doctor and Rose notice something amiss, she lets Adam go astray, leading to events that could change humanity. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Rose are taken captive on Floor 500, leaving a plucky journalist to save the day, killing the Mighty Jagrafess and The Editor. The Doctor and Rose then take Adam home due to his reckless behaviour.

    Rose asks the Doctor to take her to see her father, Pete Tyler However, when she saves his life when he was meant to die, history is changed, and Reapers arrive and begin to kill people. When Rose messes up even more by touching her younger self, the Doctor is killed by a Reaper. There is only one way for him to come back: for Pete to die like he was supposed to. Therefore, Pete dies, allowing the Doctor to live.

    Everybody Lives!

    Chasing some space junk, Rose and the Doctor land in the middle of a Blitz. They become separated, while the Doctor is stalked by a gas-masked zombie, Rose flirts with the handsome Captain Jack Harkness, who rescued Rose from dangling off a barrage balloon. They track the Doctor down to an abandoned hospital, where they're all cornered by The Empty Child and his army of gas-masked zombies.

    Escaping the hospital via teleport to Jack's ship, the Doctor, Rose and Jack learn that the space junk contained medical nanoparticles that reconstruct injured people in warzones. They were wrongly "repairing" people by turning them into the zombies. However, the Doctor cannot find a way to stop them. In the end, only a mother's love can save the day. Jack joins Rose in travelling with the Doctor.

    Bad Wolf Rises, Everything Changes

    Refuelling at the Rift in Cardiff, Rose and the Doctor are dismayed to learn that a Slitheen has survived. The Slitheen is planning to build a doomed nuclear power station and sell the remains of Earth for profit. Rose meets with Mickey and they discuss their relationship, before she runs back to the TARDIS abandoning him once again. The Slitheen is reverted back to an egg by the TARDIS, which they return to its home planet.

    Separated from he Doctor and Jack, Rose is placed in a deadly version of The Weakest Link, a game show. Not knowing the deadliness of the game, she doesn't take it seriously at first. However, when she sees someone die in front of her, she takes it seriously. Just as she's about to be rescued by the Doctor, Rose is fired at by the Anne-Droid, seemingly killed, whereas she's actually been teleported to a Dalek spaceship...

    Rose is rescued by the Doctor and Jack and taken back to the Game Station (formerly Satellite Five), with the Daleks in pursuit. The Doctor sends Rose home to keep her safe, but she returns when she breaks open the TARDIS and absorbs the power of the Time Vortex. She destroys all the Daleks and brings Jack to life. However, the immense power is killing her, so the Doctor takes it from her, causing him to regenerate...

    To Be Continued...

    In Rose's next character profile, find out how she adapts to the new Doctor!



    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Sunday, December 7, 2014

    Death Count - Robot

    Hello readers! In this post I will be counting up the deaths in the Fourth Doctor's debut story and Harry Sullivan's debut as a companion, Robot.

    About this Story

    TitleRobot
    No. of Episodes4
    Season No.
    Serial No.
    Season 12
    Serial 1
    Broadcast Dates28th Dec 1974 -
    18th Jan 1975
    Run-Time98' 21"
    DoctorFourth Doctor
    CompanionSarah Jane Smith
    Harry Sullivan
    The K1 Robot leers over Sarah Jane


    Synopsis

    With the Doctor recovering from his regeneration, Sarah Jane takes it upon herself to investigate a scientific organisation suspected of carrying out thefts of scientific equipment. When Sarah uncovers the secret, UNIT and the Doctor have to battle the K1 Robot when the Scientific Reform Society threaten to deploy nuclear missiles. But can they do it on time, and when the problem grows, will they be able to save Sarah Jane?

    The Death Count

    Episode One

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Unnamed Guard2' 12"Strangled by K1 Robot
    Unnamed Guard10' 08"Strangled by K1 Robot
    Unnamed UNIT Soldier18' 45"Strangled by K1 Robot
    The K1 Robot is revealed to Sarah Jane

    Death Toll:

    3

    Death Rating:

    12.36 (Mint)

    Episode Two

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Joseph Chambers13' 03"Strangled by K1 Robot
    The K1 Robot breaks into
    Chambers' office

    Death Toll:

    1

    Death Rating:

    4.00 (White)

    Episode Three

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Unnamed UNIT Soldier22' 56"Killed by K1 Robot with disintegrator gun
    The K1 Robot escapes from
    Kettlewell's lab

    A tank is also disintegrated by the K1 Robot at 23' 27" with an unknown number of occupants


    Death Toll:

    1

    Death Rating:

    4.07 (White)

    Episode Four

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Professor Kettlewell5' 27"Killed by K1 Robot with disintegrator gun
    Unnamed UNIT Soldier16' 49"Dropped on ground by K1 Robot
    Unnamed UNIT Soldier16' 49"Dropped on ground by K1 Robot
    Unnamed UNIT Soldier17' 06"Trampled on by K1 Robot
    K1 Robot20' 57"Dissolved completely by metal virus
    The metal virus spread over the
     K1 Robot

    Death Toll:

    5

    Death Rating:

    20.39 (Green)

    Overall

    Death Toll:

    10

    Death Rating:

    10.17 (Mint)



    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Sunday, November 30, 2014

    Quick Update - 30/11/14

    Hello readers! Today, instead of a regular post, I'd like to bring to your attention some changes that have happened on this blog recently. I have made these changes and additions in the hope that I have made my blog easier to navigate and access older posts which you may want to re-read. I hope you adapt well to these changes!

    New URL

    You may have noticed this one already, but a few weeks ago I changed the Url of this blog. It is now known as thewhoviandiary.blogspot.com. However, due to this change a few links changed and as I use templates for most of my posts and I forgot to update the templates, I kept pasting the old url. This meant there were some broken links, such as the links to the Death Count table. However, these have now all been fixed and should be functioning as intended.

    Series Designation

    I have decided to designate certain series as regular or recurring series. Details of this can be found on the About This Blog page. Regular series will be posted more often than recurring series, with New Episode Reactions only being posted after new episodes are released.

    Contents Pages

    As you have probably seen, most of my posts belong to a particular series. Now, I have pages listing all the posts from a particular series meaning you can now access all older posts without trawling through pages of other posts. These pages can be found in the tabs just below the header image or can be accessed using the links at the bottom of all posts from each series.

    Death Count Table and Contents Page

    The same old Death Count table is still there along with its superlatives, but a new addition to this page is the massive list underneath it. There, as I post more Death Counts, I will add the links to the list meaning all the posts are in one place and easy to find!

    Click here or on the "Death Count Table and Contents" tab beneath the header image.

    Doctor Who DVD Files Contents and Issue List

    On this new page, I have compiled a list of links to each part in the series, as well as providing a list of all the issues of the partwork magazine I have covered so far.

    Click here or on the "DWDVDF Contents and Issue List" tab beneath the header image.

    New Episode Reaction Contents Page

    Find a list of all my reactions so far on this page, and keep your eyes peeled for my reaction to the Christmas episode, hopefully to be published on Boxing Day!

    Click here or click on the "Reaction Contents" tab beneath the header image.

    Recurring Series Contents

    For a list of all the posts in the recurring series, go to this page and then follow the links to the corresponding page for each series. Also on this page, find links to those posts with don't belong to any series (like this one).

    Click here or on the "Recurring Series Contents" tab beneath the header image.

    About This Blog

    I have made some minor edits to this page, including the series designations, as well as including a quick summary of what each series intends to do. Also, some news about upcoming and returning series!

    Click here or on the "About This Blog" tab beneath the header image.

    Happy Reading!

    I hope you come to like these changes, and find them useful. After all, I have made them to make your lives easier. If you have any suggestions of possible improvements I could make to my blog, then I would love to read them in the comments below, and I am always open to new ideas for posts, or if it's an exceptionally good idea, I might make a series out of it! Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you continue coming back for more of my timey-wimey diary entries!

    Thursday, November 27, 2014

    Death Count - The Time Warrior

    Hello readers! In this post, I will be counting up the deaths in the first ever Sontaran story, The Time Warrior, which also happens to be the debut story for popular companion, Sarah Jane Smith. Enjoy!

    About this Story

    TitleThe Time Warrior
    No. of Episodes4
    Season No.
    Serial No.
    Season 11
    Serial 1
    Broadcast Dates15th Dec 1973 -
    5th Jan 1974
    Run-Time97' 03"
    DoctorThird Doctor
    CompanionSarah Jane Smith
    The Doctor and his new companion, Sarah Jane Smith,
    battle the Sontaran meddler, Linx



    Synopsis

    Researching the disappearance of scientists at a research facility, the Doctor travels back to the Middle Ages with a stowaway. When he arrives, he finds a Sontaran, Linx, messing with the development of technology on Earth, accelerating it by several centuries. Can the Doctor stop Linx before he gives Irongron the power to conquer the Earth?

    The Death Count

    Episode One


    The Sontarans are revealed for the first time

    Death Toll:

    0

    Death Rating:

    0.00 (White)

    Episode Two


    The robot knight attacks Hal

    Death Toll:

    0

    Death Rating:

    0.00 (White)

    Episode Three


    Irongron plans his attack on Wessex Castle

    Death Toll:

    0

    Death Rating:

    0.00 (White)

    Episode Four

    CharacterTime of DeathDescription
    Irongron21' 37"Killed by Linx
    Linx22' 38"Shot in probic vent by Hal with an arrow
    Hal aims for Linx's probic vent

    Death Toll:

    2

    Death Rating:

    7.99 (White)

    Overall

    Death Toll:

    2

    Death Rating:

    2.06 (White)



    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Wednesday, November 19, 2014

    Doctor Who DVD Files - Part Six: Issues 29-33

    Introduction

    Hello readers, and welcome to the sixth part of this blog series! From this point, the series moved to releasing unordered Classical stories. The issues covered in these parts include Daleks, Davros, Cybermen and a special Multi-Doctor story for the 10th Anniversary in 1973. Enjoy!

    Issue 29 (10/02/2010)

    The DVD

    Remembrance of the Daleks - The Doctor is caught up in the Dalek civil war, but can he stop either side gaining the Hand of Omega?

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Enemies - Max Capricorn - Take a look at the fiendish mastermind behind the Titanic disaster (MX1)
    • Allies - Professor Yana - Read about the Master's human alter ego who was good (YN1)
    • Behind the Scenes - Andrew Cartmel Interview - The script editor of the Seventh Doctor's adventures opens up (Part 29)
    • The Doctor - A New Era - The Doctor is reborn once more, this time a younger man (Part 29)
    • Flashback - Spearhead - Witness a bizarre confrontation between battling alien insects (DR1-3)
    • Allies - Intrusion Counter-Measures Group - Meet the people who were the forerunners of UNIT (IG1)
    • Enemies - Abzorbaloff - Read about the big, green monster from Clom (AB1)
    • Episode Guide - Remembrance of the Daleks - The Seventh Doctor takes on two Dalek armies at once (DOC 7.5)
    • Technology - Imperial Dalek Shuttle - Step inside the ship that landed in London in the 1960s (DL2)


    Issue 30 (24/02/2010)

    The DVD

    The Three Doctors - The Doctor teams up with himself (twice) to save the universe from Omega.

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - The Three Doctors - Find out what happens when you break the First Law of Time (DOC 3.15)
    • Enemies - Futurekind - Read about the toothy terrors from the end of the universe (FK1)
    • The Doctor - Shock Return - Companions aren't immortal, as Adric finds out (Part 30)
    • Allies - Jo Grant - Meet the Third Doctor's unscientific assistant (Part 30)
    • Enemies - The Empty Child - Keep your distance from the zombie who wanted his mummy (EC1)
    • Allies - Draconians - Not all aliens the Doctor meets are bad (DR1)
    • Enemies - The Wire - Are you sitting comfortably? Then let her begin (WR1)
    • Behind the Scenes - Companion Piece - An exclusive interview with Katy Manning who played Jo Grant (Part 30)
    • Technology - Sycorax Ship - Step inside the spaceship that truly rocks (SY1)


    Issue 31 (10/03/2010)

    The DVD

    Genesis of the Daleks - The Doctor learns of the Daleks' creation, but can he stop it?

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Technology - Sonic Screwdriver - The early days of the handiest piece of Time Lord tech (SC4)
    • Enemies - Empress of the Racnoss - This ancient monster planned the feed humanity to her offspring (RC1)
    • The Doctor - Friends and Foes - The Fifth Doctor meets old friends and faces deadly enemies (Part 31)
    • Allies - Kamelion - This shape-changing robot had a strange life on board the TARDIS (KA1)
    • Flashback - Big Top Terror - The Seventh Doctor and Ace face sinister clowns (DR7-2)
    • Allies - Reinette - She knew the Doctor all he rlife. He knew her for just one day (RN1)
    • Enemies - The Black Guardian - Meet possibly the most dangerous being in existence (BG1)
    • Episode Guide - Genesis of the Daleks - The Fourth Doctor is on a mission for the Time Lords (DOC 4.4)
    • Behind the Scenes - Re-Imagining the Daleks - An exclusive interview with Robert Shearman, writer of Dalek (Part 31)


    Issue 32 (24/03/2010)

    The DVD

    Earthshock - When Cybermen hijack a space freighter, life on Earth is at stake!

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - Earthshock - The Doctor faces Cybermen and the death of a companion (DOC 5.6)
    • Enemies - Clockwork Robots - Find out exactly what makes these androids tick (CR1)
    • The Doctor - Friends Reunited - The Fifth Doctor must team up with his former selves (Part 32)
    • Allies - Queen Victoria - The monarch who was saved from a werewolf's jaws by the Doctor (QV1)
    • Behind the Scenes - The Other Doctors - More actors have played the Doctor then you might think (Part 32)
    • Allies - Adric - Read about the companion who lost his life to save the world (AD1)
    • Enemies - Kandyman - This villain with a sweet tooth terrorised the Seventh Doctor (KA1)
    • Technology - Space Freighter - Step inside the craft that housed thousands of Cybermen (SF1)
    • The Doctor - Seventh Doctor - Meet the eccentric yet uncompromising incarnation of the Doctor (EP 4.7)


    Issue 33 (07/04/2010)

    The DVD

    Pyramids of Mars - The Doctor and Sarah Jane face Mummies and a god-like being.

    The Magazine

    Here is a list of the pages featured in the magazine of this issue. Listed is the section it belongs to, the page title, a quick description of the page and its sorting code.

    • Episode Guide - Pyramids of Mars - The Fourth Doctor faces a being the wants to destroy all life (DOC 4.8)
    • Allies - Tim Latimer - How a 20th Century schoolboy helped defeat the Family of Blood (TL1)
    • The Doctor - Changing Faces - Not everyone's happy about the new face in the TARDIS (Part 33)
    • Allies - Barbara Wright - One of the Doctor's first companions, and one of the bravest (BW1)
    • Flashback - Power Point - Davros turns the tables on the assassin hired to kill him (DR6-2)
    • Enemies - Mr Magpie - There was only one escape for the man trapped by the Wire (MA1)
    • Behind the Scenes - Writing the Past - The Fires of Pompeii writer James Moran feels the heat (Part 33)
    • Technology - Gadget - A closer look at the robot from the ill-fated Bowie Base One (GD1)
    • Enemies - Sibylline Sisterhood - Discover the women only cult betrayed by the fiery Pyrovile (SB1)




    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!

    Sunday, November 16, 2014

    Character Profile - Romana: Fact File

    Fact File

    NameRomana
    SpeciesTime Lord
    Place of OriginGallifrey
    Associated DoctorsFourth Doctor
    Relationships
    First AppearanceThe Ribos Operation
    Portrayed ByMary Tamm
    Lalla Ward

    Appearances

    (NC) denotes a Non-Companion appearance

    The Ribos Operation
    The Pirate Planet
    Stones of Blood
    The Androids of Tara
    The Power of Kroll
    The Armageddon Factor
    Destiny of the Daleks
    City of Death
    The Creature from the Pit
    Nightmare of Eden
    The Horns of Nimon
    The Leisure Hive
    Meglos
    Full Circle
    State of Decay
    Warrior's Gate
    The Five Doctors


    Mary Tamm played Romana's first incarnation
    Lalla Ward played Romana's second incarnation


    Overview

    Romana I with K-9
    Romana arrives in the TARDIS upon the instruction of the White Guardian in order to help the Doctor assemble the six segments of the Key to Time. Firstly, they arrive on the planet Ribos, followed by a trip to Zanak, where another planet turned out to be the second segment, and a trip to Earth, where Romana fought carnivorous stones for the third segment.

    The search for the fourth segment took Romana to the planet Tara, where android doubles caused trouble. Romana is almost sacrificed to Kroll in the battle for the fifth segment on the planet Delta III. The final segment was found of the planet Atrios. Here, it was disguised as an actual person. Once the Key to Time was assembled, it was handed over to the White Guardian, but Romana continued travelling with the Doctor against the wishes of the Time Lords.

    Romana is captured by Daleks
    Now on the run, Romana changed her appearance, regenerating to her second incarnation. Romana was then caught up in the Dalek-Movellan war on the planet Skaro, before taking a trip to Paris in 1979, where Romana and the Doctor encountered Scaroth. On the planet Chloris, Romana came face to face with the creature from the pit.

    Romana helped out when the collision of two spaceships uncovered a drug-smuggling plot involving the Mandrels. She also helped to put a stop to the evil Nimon, who was posing as a god to destroy worlds. At some point, the Doctor took Romana to Cambridge, and while there, were taken by a time scoop to the Death Zone on Gallifrey. However, they were caught in a time eddy and never arrived.

    Romana and K-9 on Brighton Beach
    In search of a holiday, the Doctor takes Romana to the leisure hive on the planet Argolis. On the planet Tigella, Romana claimed the TARDIS as her own to buy her life, before tricking her captives and rescuing the Doctor from Meglos.

    The Time Lords once again asked for Romana's return, but before she could go back to Gallifrey, the TARDIS became trapped in E-Space, another smaller universe. Here, Romana visited Alzarius, meeting new companion Adric, and had a run in with some vampires. However, at the gate between E-Space and her home universe, Romana opted to stay behind, in order to help the enslaved Tharils free themselves.

    Personality

    Romana emulates her own version of
    the Doctor's clothing
    Romana shares many personality traits with the Doctor, which in her second incarnation, is seen through Romana's dress sense, wearing her own version of the Doctor's clothes.

    Romana is exceptionally clever, often reaching the correct conclusion before the Doctor, due to her straight-forward attitude, especially during her first incarnation. This straight-forward attitude in her first incarnation often led to Romana being annoyed by the Doctor's eccentric attitudes.

    Romana knew how to fix K-9
    However, in her second incarnation, Romana became much more like the Doctor in the sense that she became more eccentric herself, often thinking up and going along with silly plans to fool the enemy.

    Underneath the bubbly persona, however, there was a serious side to Romana. Like the Doctor, she would use violence and, only if absolutely necessary, she would be capable of killing.



    Thank you for reading! Drop a comment with your thoughts or suggestions! They will be greatly appreciated!