Though no one has ever said so explicitly, The Mallorca Files was clearly designed to remind the British of the benefits of a close relationship with Europe. The show is filmed in a Spain where everyone speaks fluent English, with one British and one German lead actor, and a supporting …
There is a milestone in every cinephile’s journey that turns the table from a hobby to an obsession. A specific film ignites a fire within the individual, leading to an almost unexplainable passion. One of the world’s biggest cinephiles, the legendary director Martin Scorsese, not only invested in restorations but …
Within Doctor Who, ‘two-parters’ have become commonplace, a trademark of 2005’s reboot series. Some are renowned for being fan-favorite episodes – The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances – while some are a lot less beloved; see The Pandorica Opens/Big Bang. But while some don’t hit the heights of others as a …
Russell T Davies is considered one of the greatest British writers of a generation. He has written what are considered some of the greatest TV shows ever, including shows like Queer As Folk and It’s A Sin. In 2005, Davies was tasked with rebooting the long-running sci-fi show Doctor Who. …
Doctor Who: Rogue is the 6th episode of Season 1 with Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. The 2005 reboot of Doctor Who has always had a romantic streak.. Assuming we discount the 1996 TV movie with Paul McGann’s iteration of the Doctor, Russel T Davies adjusted the show to have …
Holding a mirror up to society is typical of science fiction. For the last decade or so, it’s been a little less common in Doctor Who, as the show has taken a less allegorical path, with episodes like Rosa, which tackled segregation with a literal Rosa Parks refusing to sit …
For all its mysteries and sci-fi shenanigans, Doctor Who usually has an answer. Whether that is the Bad Wolf arc, references to Torchwood, the scientific mumbo-jumbo that sort-of-but-not-really explains itself. There’s a simplicity to the show in that regard, where you know that answers are coming. That even this current snow ordeal that continues to manifest …
Back in the early 2000s, when Russell T Davies revived Doctor Who for a new generation, he became well-known for his intricately placed narrative threads. If you are an avid fan of his original era, Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Vote Saxon, and the planets disappearing will be ingrained in your memory. Little hints that, once …
Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat returns to the show after seven years away with Boom, an episode that feels like a compendium of his best and worst traits. His former episodes include firm fan favorites The Girl in the Fireplace and Blink, both high-concept stories that include deep emotional stakes to those involved. His time as showrunner from …
There is a phrase in pop culture that originates from an episode of Happy Days: jumping the shark. It implies a breakdown between the audience and the content, in which the audience stops being immersed in what is occurring on screen. In The Devil’s Chord, the latest Doctor Who episode, a god-like music thief …
Nostalgia, for better or worse, is a potent factor towards enjoyment. In Space Babies, Doctor Who’s first episode of a new season – the newly regenerated Doctor being played by Ncuti Gatwa – the nostalgia that was invoked for me is for one of the worst movies of all time: Baby Geniuses. Now, I know what …
If you’re an aspiring screenwriter, then you know how difficult it is to be able to read certain already-produced scripts to hone your craft. Some titles seem to be locked up in vaults. The BBC Writers Room just made life easier for emerging writers who are also sci-fi fans. The …
There’s a reason that Doctor Who has persevered on our screens for over 60 years, and it boils down to the show’s concept of regeneration. The ability for the protagonist to change their faces, gender, or personalities every few years means the show always finds a way of pulling back in ratings. …
Doctor Who, from the beginning created the perfect element to keep the show going: regeneration. When William Hartnell became too ill to continue playing the Doctor, they introduced the Doctor’s ability to regenerate into an entirely new person upon death. Now, sixty years later, Russell T Davies (previous and current showrunner) has introduced a …
Doctor Who always could turn the ordinary into terrifying: shadows, water, gas masks, even blinking. Though it is still considered a children’s program, it has never shied away from taking the chance to scare its viewers. Doctor Who Special 2: Wild Blue Yonder is no exception when it comes to this risk-taking. Now, …
Doctor Who has been around for a long time, much longer than most people realize. It originally premiered on BBC in 1963 and celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. I managed to get into Doctor Who before the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor. This time around, we get three specials featuring the …