“A great episode of Doctor Who.” “An absolute slog to watch through.” “A chance to see this Doctor really having some fun.” “Shades of RTD.” Here’s what our readers thought of the return of the Doctor…

“This is an episode for the fans. Not only is it fast paced and beautifully produced but it has the feel of a landmark Doctor Who story. We have the two greatest foes in Doctor Who history, both parts played to their maximum potential. Michelle Gomez pitches the zany yet ruthless Master/Missy part perfectly. We get a buzz from seeing all those classic locations, UNIT HQ, Shadow Proclamation and Karn to name but a few. We have classic aliens and new ones too, from the bizarre to the down right creepy…
…the story reminds me a lot of Genesis of The Daleks and the clips of Tom Baker are used to maximum affect. That quote “If someone who knew the future, pointed out a child to you and told you that that child would grow up totally evil, to be a ruthless dictator who would destroy millions of lives… could you then kill that child?” This is basically the situation The Doctor is faced with. Except this time the stakes are higher…
Billy Brookes, 17, Grimsby, England

“A chance to see this Doctor really having some fun”
“With a combination of random guitar solos, major add-ons to Dalek history, confusing scene changes and some cheesy tank jokes, this is an episode that has the possibility of being loved to hate by long-time Whovians (think Love and Monsters).
“However as a self-proclaimed Whovian for most of my life, I loved it.
“The Magician’s Apprentice not only gave us a commanding and in charge Clara and some delightful Missy development but also a chance to see this Doctor really having some fun and exploring his new personality for the first time so far. His epic entrance brought an unstoppable smile to my face and his joke-filled speech to his party crowd had me giggling.
“Throw in some exquisitely creepy hand-mines (Moffat-King of Monsters) the brilliant reveal of Skaro and a fantastic cliffhanger and you’ve got an entertaining and exciting start to the series!”
Charlotte Usher, 17, Melbourne, Australia

“An absolute slog to watch through”
“Recent scripts from Stephen Moffat, in my mind, have been lackluster over the past couple of series. Episodes like ‘Time of the Doctor’ and the ‘Dark Water’ two-parter, seem to fall short compared to some other truly inventive episodes in their respective series. ‘The Magicians Apprentice’, unfortunately, also conforms to this trend.
“The script seems to be filled with great visual moments that don’t seem to gel in anyway with each other. As a result, there is little tonal consistency and a compromised pace that makes the end product an absolute slog to watch through. However, there are some good points, the characters are well performed. As I said before, there are great visual moments and the show has never looked better. The main arc of this story cannot be properly reviewed without seeing the second part, but it seems to be going in interesting places. Here’s hoping anyway.”
Nicholas Black, 19, Buckinghamshire, England

“Oh, yes… I definitely got what I need”
“As a rock god, who I’m sure Peter Capaldi is a fan of, once said, ‘You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you might find, you get what you need.’ The Magician’s Apprentice may not have given me what I wanted (explosions, running, Doctor saving the day), but it gave me everything I needed.
“It gave me Missy, back from the dead (poking fun at her own return). It gave me classic Who throwbacks (Genesis of the Daleks). It gave me the Doctor riding in on a tank, rocking punk, plaid trousers and Ray Bans, and shredding a custom Fender guitar as only a Timelord can. It gave me the thrill and torture of having to wait on the edge of my seat until next week for part two.
“Oh, yes… I definitely got what I need.”
Kat Stryker, 26, Seattle, United States

“This is how you make a great episode of Doctor Who”
“Left in doubt by Peter Capaldi’s first season as the heroic timelord? After watching the pre-title sequence of The Magician’s Apprentice you will love him and possibly even rank him among your favourite of the actors to portray the Doctor. The magic of Smith is there, the drama of Hartnell, the comedy of Baker, the brilliance of Tenant and, most importantly, the tweed pants of Troughton. This series 9 opener is not to be missed and you’ll be hanging on your seat forc‪next Saturday’s instalment. This is how you make a great episode of Doctor Who, with a great story, a great cast and fantastic production values with a love of the lore of the universe of the BBC’s 52 year old franchise.”
Lew Freeburn, 18, Wrexham, Wales

“The Daleks felt fantastically underused”
“A little boy lost on a battlefield calls out to a whimsical old man standing in front of a phone box.
“Instinct tells us that the boy will be saved but, when they hear his name, everything is shaded with doubt.
“Not only is Doctor Who back but, surprisingly, so is Davros.
“Despite Davros’ heavy presence, each line deliciously delivered by Bleach, the Daleks felt fantastically underused. As with the best Doctor Who villains, they felt scarier in their scarcity. Davros’ commentary while they contemplated Clara’s extermination showed more insight into the mentality of the Daleks than last year’s Into the Dalek could ever have hoped. This was Davros’ story; and it’s only just beginning…
James Postans, 22, Walsall, England

“The bad is outweighing the good”
“I found it very disappointing opener that reinforced my belief that Moffat has become worst part of Doctor Who. Continual the bad is outweighing the good when it comes to Moffat’s scripts.
“While the episode opens on an excellent scene, wracked with tension and one that concludes on a massive bombshell, the following twenty minutes lack any focus and are really just self-indulgent filler, compromised of the sort of fan service and unnecessary meta-humour that has come to define Moffat’s writing.
“Both the writing and usage of Missy is inconsistent and far too much like River Song. While Gomez brings great energy to the role her presence in this episode only served to undercut the emotional weight of her death in the previous season finale.
“The episode somewhat regained its focus in time to deliver an effective cliff-hanger but I would hope and expect the second part to be far stronger.
John Foley, 17, London

“Shades of RTD”
“Shades of RTD can be found throughout this enthralling tale, with the return of the Shadow Proclamation and Julian Bleach’s brilliantly conducted Davros’ sinister ways of making the Doctor see himself like never before. Capaldi and Gomez steal the show however, superbly complimenting Moffat’s mazy writing with standout performances throughout. Trust Moffat to thrill us even before the opening titles – no-one saw THAT reveal coming, and hats off to the BBC for keeping Davros’ return under wraps. The use of Tom Baker’s speech is also a nice touch.
“One part I struggle to see the point of is Clara’s ‘death’, as we already know from the trailers that she appears in future episodes. This is a nitpick however, and overall if this standard is kept up for the second part, we’re in for one of the greatest stories of the modern era, perhaps even of Doctor Who in general.”
Ben Hobson, 19, Worcestershire

“No matter how desperate your situation… you gather all your strength and you fight”
“’Your chances of survival are about one in a thousand, so here’s what you do: you forget the thousand and you concentrate on the one.’
“What a line! What a beautiful, inspiring and simply brilliant line that perfectly sums up everything that Doctor Who is about. No matter how desperate your situation or how hopeless things seem, if there’s even the slightest chance you can survive then you gather all your strength and you fight.
“‘The Magician’s Apprentice’ was filled with lots of memorable quotes and moments (The Doctor, an army tank and an electric guitar, anyone?), Peter Capaldi was back and on better form than ever before and the story was exciting right from the start! From the reintroduction of Missy, to the dying form of Davros and the extermination of Clara, ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’ has hinted at many great things to come and I, for one, can’t wait!”
Rebecca Collins, 22, Bonnybridge, Scotland

“A brave but effective first episode that leaves me desperate for part two”
“The Magician’s Apprentice was an episode for the fans – from the subtlest of references to the Ponds (‘anachronisms in New York?!’) to clips from all time classic, Genesis of the Daleks, it was a whirlwind mashup, the lore of Classic Who fitting seamlessly into cinematic New Who. Add that to the creepy monsters scattered throughout – instant classic hand mines (fantastic pun) and horrific Colony Sarff (Voldemort?) – you’ve got quite the episode on your hands!
“Missy was, of course, fantastic. Her constantly changing accent, her manic energy and her ambiguous allegiance make for a hilariously terrifying character. The chemistry between Capaldi and Gomez meant that perhaps Clara was pushed slightly to the background, but the pain rippling through the Doctor’s voice at the climax was enough to remind us although they flirt, Clara is the Doctor’s priority.
“Overall, a brave but effective first episode that leaves me desperate for part two.”
Rebecca Hignett, 21, Eastbourne

News Source: Radio Times

TOM BAKER ERA LIGHTING DESIGNER AND MUCH ADMIRED “GENIUS” PASSES AWAY AT HOME.

Duncan Brown, the highly respected BBC studio lighting designer who worked on four Doctor Who stories has died – this news comes just after the airing of a new series episode that could be seen as a sequel to his very first credit on the show, the hugely acclaimed Genesis Of the Daleks (1975).

Brown was one of the finest lighting directors to have worked on the series. Genesis Of The Daleks benefits hugely from his creation of an alien battlefield sky for the studio rendered exteriors and his use of shadowy corridors for the Daleks to advance through. His final story, The Leisure Hive (1980), is one of the most remarkable looking stories in the entire classic run, the hive itself a mixture of eerie greens and soft pinks depending on the exact location, and Brown makes great use of shadow again as the duplicitous Stimson stumbles about blindly as he is stalked by a half glimpsed Foamasi.

He also lent his expertise to The Android Invasion (1975) and The Robots Of Death (1977) and features on the DVD documentary Genesis Of A Classic in which producer Philip Hinchcliffe singles his work out for special attention. Describing the production’s aim of having the Daleks emerge from the gloom and shadows Hinchcliffe reflected that “that takes a very good lighting director because that means there’s more work to be done in the studio recording time. It needs someone with an artistic sensitivity but also someone that can work quickly and do it.”

Looking back on his work, Brown admitted that “I was surprised just how good it looked. [It] stood up well”. With characteristic modesty he described his job as being one of physics and engineering and that if there was anything artistic about what he did then it came from interpreting the script. “If the writer’s pleased – that’s the most important bit.”

Margot Hayhoe, who worked with Brown many times over the years in her capacity as Assistant Floor Manager and Production Manager paid tribute to him today saying “I always enjoyed working with him, he had a great sense of humour and always lit with great artistry, quickly and with no fuss. Among other shows, I mostly remember him from To Serve Them All My Days. He had a mischievous twinkle. He carried a portfolio of screen shots of his work compared with prints of Old Masters which he used as reference. As the saying in lighting went for many LD’s ‘Everyone a Rembrandt’. One of my great regrets when most of the Dramas I worked on became all film productions was the fact that I was unable to work with such a delightful person.”

Producer Albert Barber (Grange Hill) who first worked with Brown on Playschool recalls: “Duncan was always kind, helpful and had a smile of encouragement whether you were green and inexperienced or older and perhaps wiser. Always a joy to work with as you knew it would be one area that you wouldn’t have to worry about and that quiet, confident style would in turn make for a good team production. He was a terrific man, mentor and professional. I liked him very much.’

Roy Gould, director of the Brown lit Oh, Doctor Beeching! (1995-97), had worked with him many times over the years when he was AFM and production manager on many David Croft comedies : “One week he came into the David Croft’s office when I was the PM and asked me if he could try something out on the next recording of Hi-De-Hi – I said that David and I trusted him completely and to go for it. When I arrived in the studio that Friday, I looked up at the staffroom set and saw 3 or 4 bits of poly[styrene] clipped to the top of the set at various angles and some Bacofoil stapled on some of the flats. I looked at the lighting grid and noticed that he had hung just one light. When he saw me he asked his assistant to turn off the Workers and bring up the staffroom lighting – the one light came on and and its beam bounced from the Bacofoil to one bit of poly to another: the set was lit perfectly. With one lamp! Genius. Adored the man.”

Brown’s many other credits included Madame Bovary (1975), When The Boat Comes In (1976), The Duchess Of Duke Street (1976/77), Pinocchio (1978), Top Of The Pops (1978), Are You Being Served (1983), Eastenders (1986), Johnny Briggs (1987), Bread (1988), A Bit Of Fry And Laurie (1989), ‘Allo ‘Allo (1989), You Rang M’Lud (1988-90), The Legacy Of Reginald Perrin (1996) and Death Of A Salesman (1996).

Duncan Brown died at his Surrey home on September 14th. He is survived by his wife Kaye, their daughter, and grandchildren.

News Source: Toby Hadoke

Doctor Who drew an audience of less than 5 million viewers on its BBC One return last night (September 19), according to overnight data.

Series nine premiere ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’ could only summon figures of 4.58 million (21.2%) in its 7.40pm timeslot, more than 2 million less than last series’ opener and Peter Capaldi’s full debut ‘Deep Breath’ (6.79 million).

2012 premiere ‘Asylum of the Daleks’ with Matt Smith logged 6.38 million, and in 2011, first episode ‘The Impossible Astronaut’ entertained 6.52 million.

In 2010, Matt Smith’s first full appearance as the Doctor in ‘The Eleventh Hour’ appealed to 7.66 million.
Last night’s Doctor Who was also handily beaten by ITV’s The X Factor, which averaged 7 million (32.2%) from 8pm with a further 321k (1.6%) on +1.

‘The Magician’s Apprentice’ starred Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and Michelle Gomez, and saw the return of Dalek creator Davros.

News Source: BARB

It’s been officially confirmed that Jenna Coleman, who plays Clara Oswald, will leave Doctor Who during the new series which starts tomorrow, Saturday 19 September.

However, it’s not been revealed exactly when Clara leaves and the question many are already asking is how will she part company with the Doctor?

Jenna Coleman made her Doctor Who debut on 1 September, 2012 as Oswin Oswald in Asylum of the Daleks. She returned on Christmas Day of that year, playing Clara and remained with the Eleventh Doctor from the following episode, The Bells of Saint John, onwards. She stayed on board the TARDIS for all of Peter Capaldi’s episodes to date and after filming for the last series finished, Peter commented, ‘Jenna has been absolutely brilliant. I think she’s wonderful in the show, and she’s my favourite companion.’

But Series 9 sees the Impossible Girl’s departure although the how, why and when are all questions we’ll have to watch the new adventures to find out…

Whatever happens, we’ll bring you the inside info first but for the time being we’ll prepare to say goodbye to Clara and good luck to Jenna. We’ll miss them both.

News Source: BBC

The actress is keen to follow in the footsteps of her former Emmerdale co-star and already has an idea of what her companion could be like.

Verity Rushworth wants to be the next companion in Doctor Who.
The 30-year-old actress is a big fan of the sci-fi series and is keen to follow in the footsteps of her friend and former Emmerdale co-star Jenna Coleman – who is reportedly quitting the BBC One show – and join Peter Capaldi’s Time Lord in the TARDIS.

She told BANG Showbiz: “I’d love to be in Doctor Who, he’s going to need a new companion soon, right?

“They obviously like the Northern girls so I’m putting myself forward for it. I watch Doctor Who, I have a friend in Doctor Who, Jenna was in Emmerdale with me so I grew up with Jenna.
“Jenna can give me some tips for it and some wardrobe tips, she always looks gorgeous.”

Verity – who left her role as Donna Dingle in Emmerdale in 2014 after returning to the ITV soap for a second stint as the character – already has an idea of what her companion could be like and believes she could be a “kooky” friend to the Doctor.

She added: “I’m quite kooky so I think I could be quite kooky on the show and I could keep the Doctor on his toes. I’d also bring a bit of banter to the TARDIS which would be fun.”

It was reported earlier this week Jenna had decided to quit playing Clara Oswald in order to take on the role of Queen Victoria when she ascended to the throne at the age of 18 in 1837 in upcoming £10million ITV drama Victoria.

A source said: “Jenna clinched the role of Victoria a while ago but it’s been a very closely guarded secret.

“There is a lot of excitement about this series, which has Sunday night written all over it.”

The BBC is yet to confirm her exit.

The new series of Doctor Who begins with The Magician’s Apprentice this Saturday on BBC One

News Source: The Mirror