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Review – Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon

The Dimension Cannon gives the character Rose Tyler her own series, in four audio dramas by Big Finish Productions. Billie Piper reprises her role as the first of The Doctor’s travelling companions in 21st century Doctor Who.

Shop girl turned sci-fi action hero Rose Tyler is consigned to a parallel universe with her mum, Jackie (Camille Coduri) and a parallel version of her dear departed dad, Pete (Shaun Dingwall). They’ve turned their attention to helping protect not only their world from extraordinary threats but also many other Earths. They’re following in the footsteps of Rose’s beloved Doctor: the charismatic, time-travelling space alien whose defence of Rose’s Earth left her separated from it – and him.

The Dimension Cannon offers Rose a chance to bring The Doctor back into the fight – and into her life again. For short periods of time the cannon allows her to visit other parallel universes that offer clues to the whereabouts of The Doctor. On her first trip she’s reunited with a parallel version of Clive, a conspiracy theorist who was murdered in Rose’s universe. Bark Benton reprises the role of Clive throughout the set and it’s good fun to have him back.

The four stories take us to four new parallel versions of London, where we’re introduced to startling alternate versions of the well-loved characters that head up this series. This collection of audios is not so much a spin-off from Doctor Who as it’s a spiritual follow-on from ‘Father’s Day,’ the episode that introduced us to the ‘original’ Pete Tyler and led us through dark times leading up to his death.

Chasing The Doctor inevitably means getting to know the locals in each different London and Rose finds she already knows many of them all too well. She gets personally involved in the lives of the people she meets, encountering Jackie, Pete and others in slightly different forms. It makes arriving in each universe a treat for the listener – and leaving each of them is tough all round.

Big Finish tie-in plays lure us into the audio realm by offering us characters and situations that are proven successes on television. They honour these successes with intriguing stories that at least equal their predecessors in quality. Rose’s story in Doctor Who has a lot of heart – and heartbreak. These new tales are equally engaging character pieces.

By presenting so many alternate versions of the original roles played by the cast, the normally-invisible work of the actors gets a bit of a peek into the limelight. I was properly immersed in and moved by the drama here but I also enjoyed listening for the subtle differences between the characters parallel to each other.

I’m very much opposed to more for more’s sake; I hate seeing delightful series run down by commercial supplements. You’ll find none of that here in Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon. This box set revisits the Tylers in a clever way that gives us more of what we’re counting on in ways that constantly surprise.

Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon is available now from Big Finish.

Thoughts on Spider-Man leaving the MCU

Normally, I’d record this as a quick podcast. But I’m away at the moment and don’t have access to any of my equipment.

News broke recently, that the current deal between Sony and Disney/Marvel has broken down. There seems to be a lot of misinformation/misunderstanding of why the Sony/Disney deal happened in the first place.

A surprising amount of people think it’s because The Amazing Spider-Man films were financial flops. They weren’t. Far from it. They received a critical panning. But they were financially successful. The first one was the seventh highest grossing film of 2012, the second was the ninth highest grossing film of 2014. These are far from the duds so many Marvel fans are claiming.

The original deal happened because the head of Sony (Kenichiro Yoshida) felt dishonoured by Andrew Garfield. In Japanese culture, being dishonoured is a pretty serious thing. Garfield didn’t show up to the event in Rio, that was announcing The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and 4, The Sinister Six and, the wider Spider-Man universe. He’d also turned up to meetings unkempt and seemed entirely disinterested-making the Yoshida feel dishonoured. He wanted Garfield gone.

The company then found themselves in the position where they would either have to recast and make The Amazing Spider-Man 3, or reboot it again. For the third time in 15 years. Understandably Sony Pictures didn’t want to reboot. Which is why they initially turned the deal down. It was only when Kenichiro Yoshida wanted the deal, that it was accepted. Yoshida felt that rebooting the character for a third time, but into the MCU would limit damage control and garner good will with the audience. For both companies, which it did.

The deal was Disney would get to use him for 5 films. Starting with Captain America: Civil War, ending with Avengers: End Game. In exchange for this use, Disney would produce 2 films for Sony-with Sony maintaining distribution rights. In exchange for these films, Disney would get 5% the box office takings and all the money from Spider-Man merchandise.

Essentially, the MCU deal happened because the owner of Sony got offended. Not because Sony needed Disney-the deal was mutually beneficial for both parties, but either would’ve still been okay without the other.

I was a guest on ‘Take your seats’.

In life you’ll find very few people who’ll truly support you-when you find them, you’ve got to keep them close. They encourage and help you to grow.

When Gerrod and I launched Bad Wilf in 2010, one of our very first listeners was Suky Khakh. Over the decade we’ve been been podcasting, Suky has been a constant supporter of ours.

He tweets about every episode and encourages our endeavours both off and on mic. When I was going through a tough patch recently, Suky was there with the words of support and comfort.

After years of talking online, it was an absolute pleasure to put a voice to the face when he joined those fine folks over at Progtor Who.

When he launched his own spin-off podcast, I was honoured that he wanted me to guest. I jumped at the chance. Not only was I getting the chance to talk about one of the greatest films of all time, I was getting the opportunity to give a little pay back to the man whose shown so much love, over the past 10 years.

So, everyone check out this episode of ‘Take your seats’.

Who’s he? Podcast episode 322

Phil was kind enough to invite me on his podcast, to present my case that Martha Jones is the most important companion Doctor Who has had.

Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running sci-fi series, Doctor Who. The character would also appear in the spin-off show Torchwood, on TV and BBC audio.

Follow Phil on Twitter-@whos_he_podcast



How to put together a passable fourth Doctor cosplay, at short notice

Last month I was invited to a fancy dress party in Devon’s Devon. I had a weeks notice and the only thing I was told about the party was “vintage”.

Given this limited information, I decided to go as a vintage character from Doctor Who. The fourth Doctor, as played by Thomas Stewart Baker.

Now, before we get into it. Let me start by saying I wasn’t aiming for screen accuracy here. I just wanted something that would be passable and recognisable as Doctor Who. I was also only going to Devon for the day, so I wanted something I could wear on the train to and from.

The first item I purchased, was a burgundy crombie jacket from Jacamo.

Again, in no way screen accurate. But, it’s passable and a really comfortable jacket to wear.

The jacket cost £99 and can be ordered here.

It could also pass for a Twelfth Doctor burgundy jacket.

For the trousers, I just went for a standard black pair. Again, in no way screen accurate. But passable. You can get these anywhere that sells trousers.

For the fedora, I just picked up a cheap one on amazon.

I also ordered a brown curly wig from Amazon. As the wig made my head massive, I put two safety pins through the wig and into the fedora to keep it on my head.

The scarf came from Lovarzi and is a 13” replica of one of the scarfs Thomas Stewart Baker wore, as The Doctor. This is a high quality replica and I absolutely love it.

Shoes, I just wore my Nike’s. I know, not screen accurate.

But you can’t prove he isn’t wearing these on Big Finish audios!

Overall, I was proud of the way this outfit came together. I’m in no way a cosplayer, but after doing this. I can see why people enjoy it, I got so many smiles, hugs and high-fives at the party. Maybe I’ll work on a more screen accurate version in the future.



Film review-A star is born

A Star Is Born, directed by Bradley Cooper, is a powerful and self-reflexive commentary on the destructive nature of fame. Cooper expertly weaves together the themes of stardom and celebrity, as he propels his own stars into the stratosphere. Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Ally, an emergent pop star, adds to the film’s metatextual implications, as she begins to resemble herself as the story unfolds. Cooper’s film takes measured steps away from movie stars and towards musicians, culminating in a version that reflects the contemporary marketability of pop stars.

The film’s opening concert scenes showcase Cooper’s Jackson Maine performing with remarkable purity, delivering genuinely good and memorable songs. However, as Jackson’s celebrity begins to wane and Ally signs with a record label, the integrity of their soul-pouring duets is compromised. Jackson’s alcoholism takes center stage, and his support system, including his older brother and manager (played by Sam Elliot) and longtime friend (played by Dave Chappelle), are unable to save him from his self-destructive tendencies.

Ally’s journey from a struggling server to Jackson’s touring partner, lover, and eventually wife, is captivating, and the onscreen chemistry between Cooper and Gaga is palpable. However, as the film progresses in the familiar path of earlier A Star Is Borns, the destructive nature of fame takes its toll on both Jackson and Ally.

Cooper’s film is an incredibly accomplished work of filmmaking, with its expertly crafted direction, brilliant performances, and poignant themes. Gaga’s performance is a telling commentary on her own career, as she embodies the struggles and triumphs of an emergent pop star. The film’s themes and implications are undeniable, making A Star Is Born a must-see for fans of music and cinema alike.

Overall, A Star Is Born is a thought-provoking and poignant exploration of the price of fame and the toll it takes on those who seek it. Cooper’s direction and Gaga’s performance are a powerful testament to the art of filmmaking and the nature of stardom in the modern age. This film is an important addition to the canon of music-driven films, and a must-see for anyone interested in the complexities of celebrity culture.

Podcast Hosts Team Up Against Heart Disease

On Saturday 28th April, Stacey Taylor (host of Stacey’s Pop Culture Parlour) will be leading the fight against heart disease with a 24 hour charity podcast. The third SPCP Live Event will be co-hosted by Barry Nugent (of the Geek Syndicate podcast).

“Back in 2014, I was looking for something to do for charity that wouldn’t involve something as terrifying as throwing myself out of a plane or clambering down the side of a tall building, but would be enough of a challenge that people would part with some cash to support it. A friend suggested that I turn my monthly podcast into a live endurance event: 24 hours of non-stop Stacey chatting, with guests, interviews and competitions! Thus, Stacey’s Pop Culture Parlour Live (#SPCPLive) was born”, explains Stacey.

The duo will be chatting all things telly, comics, books, music, video games and more, as well as being joined by guests from the world of pop culture to keep them company. The event will be broadcast live from Stacey’s home in Great Barr to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

“Both my mum and my brother were my heroes, so when Stacey asked me which charity we could support for this event it was a no brainer for me” explains Barry, who suggested the British Heart Foundation as the beneficiary as he sadly lost his mum and eldest brother to heart disease. “It’s especially important when you see some of the scary stats around heart disease.”

Stacey said “I knew that the BHF was the perfect choice, as in addition to Barry’s reasons, I suffer from a rare form of heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome which causes palpitations involving episodes of my heart pounding from between a few seconds to several hours. The resources from the BHF following my diagnosis were an invaluable source of information and anxiety-reducing comfort to me.”

“We hope to be entertaining, to highlight the work the charity does and raise money for a great cause.”

You can tune in from 9am on Saturday 28th April via mixlr.com/spcp-live and can donate before, after or during the show to help us do our bit to combat heart disease at www.justgiving.com/spcplive3

The British Heart Foundation funds vital life saving research preventing, diagnosing and treating heart and circulatory disease including connected conditions such a stroke, vascular dementia and risk factors such as Diabetes. Help us to help the BHF by either spreading the word about the event or donating whatever you can to it.

#SPCPLive #TeamUpAgainstHeartDisease

Episode 185: Capaldi’s balls

In which Martyn and Gerrod discuss an important issue, as well as the 2002 werewolf movie, Dog Soldiers.

Dog Soldiers is a 2002 action horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall, and starring Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee, and Liam Cunningham. A British-American-Luxembourgian co-production, set in the highlands of Scotland.

Martyn also tells the story, about the time he caused a major security alert at the Dutch Embassy.

The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as but not limited to Amazon Music, Podchaser, Player FM, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

Check out our Youtube.

If you’d like to support the show, then please shop via our Amazon link. A small percentage goes our way, at no extra cost to you.

Socials:

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Martyn – @BadWilf

Gerrod –@InGerrodsMind

Pete – @BeeblePete

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Episode 167: Class

In which Martyn, Gerrod and Pete visit a schoolyard from classic Doctor Who and chat about the BBC’s Doctor Who spin-off, Class.

Check out the official BBC Three Classwebsite.

This podcast can be accessed via different places, including Audioboom, Player fm and Itunes.

Twitter:
Martyn @BadWilf
Gerrod @Gerrod_Edward
Pete @BeeblePete

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