Doctor Who – Page 20 – The Bad Wilf Network

Frankie episode one-spoiler free review

A few years ago in America, there were a series of commercials featuring Cavemen advertising GEICO car insurance. A TV exec saw the ads and thought “this would make a great TV show” (It didn’t).

After watching Frankie, it’s clear that an exec at the BBC saw the Boots “here come the girls” commercials and had the same thought.
Luckily, Frankie is a good show. It’s written by Lucy Gannon (Soldier Soldier) and stars Eve Myles (Doctor Who/Torchwood) and Dean Lennox Kelly (Doctor Who/Shameless).

Frankie (played by Myles) is a nurse with a heart of gold, often putting the care of her patients ahead of her own. Her long-term partner Ian (Kelly), a police officer is starting to feel the strain of her being so caring.

The episode starts off a few days before Frankie’s 36th birthday. Ian is planning a surprise party for her, she knows. He does it every year.
Frankie is so caring, that she misses her own birthday in order to care for one of her patients. Which, is the straw the broke the camels back for Ian.

Eve Myles puts in another great performance, it’s as if the part was written for her. She injects humour and emotion and gives us a fully formed character, that we often don’t see in a series opener.
The supporting cast is also great, Kelly puts in an endearing performance as Ian, in the hands of a lesser actor, he could have come across as unlikeable, but you genuinely feel his pain when Frankie lets him down.

Be prepared to fall in love with Eve Myles all over again.

Frankie starts on the 14th of May at 9 pm, BBC1.

Have a listen to the chat the Pharos project and I had with Eve Myles last year.

Big Finish review-Eldrad must die!

The drama is a follow-up to every Doctor Who story aired between 1974 and 1977 that featured an original antagonist, except for three. The story resurrects Eldrad, played by Stephen Thorne, and is the opener for the latest trilogy of audio dramas featuring the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, and Nyssa.

While I’m not a big fan of Big Finish’s tendency to exhaust Doctor Who’s past, particularly the Hinchecliffe/Holmes era, I keep an open mind. The Five Companions was enjoyable, The First Sontarans was surprisingly effective, and The Curse of Davros provided a fresh perspective on its titular character. Unfortunately, Eldrad Must Die! falls short of expectations.

Marc Platt, who has delivered some inventive stuff in the past, presents a generic storyline with thin characters that fail to engage. The characters run back and forth, talking about crystals, but nothing seems to go anywhere. While there are some intriguing crystalline images, they are communicated clumsily.

Although the story follows up on some elements of Mawdryn Undead and Turlough’s exile from Trion, they don’t add much to the character. The characters lack the spark that makes the best stories of this companion team work. Most of the drama appears to bide its time until Eldrad shows up, which results in Stephen Thorne shouting a lot. The story then comes to an abrupt end.

Eldrad Must Die! is another audio drama that brings back an old foe and assumes it will be sufficient to pique our interest. Unlike The First Sontarans, this is yet another story that fails to deliver.

Wilfredo Acosta’s incidental music is generic orchestral warbling, but he does a great job with the Kastrian crystals. The sound designer is highlighted on the CD Extras, which is unusual.

However, it is worth noting that while Eldrad Must Die! may have its shortcomings, Mark Strickson’s performance as Turlough is outstanding. He brings depth and nuance to the character, elevating the material and making it more engaging. Strickson is one of the best actors to have portrayed a companion in Doctor Who, and his work on audio is no exception. His performance is a highlight of the drama and a testament to his talent as an actor.

In addition to Mark Strickson’s standout performance, the rest of the cast also do a commendable job with their roles. Peter Davison delivers a solid performance as the Fifth Doctor, balancing the character’s intelligence, wit, and compassion in a way that fans have come to expect. Janet Fielding, Sarah Sutton, and Mark Strickson also slip back into their roles as Tegan and Nyssa effortlessly, capturing the essence of their characters from the television series.

The supporting cast, including Julie Graham as Dr. Carter and Matthew Cottle as Rossiter, also contribute strong performances, bringing energy and personality to their roles.

Overall, the cast of Eldrad Must Die! brings a sense of familiarity and comfort to Doctor Who fans, making the audio drama a worthwhile listen for those who want to spend more time with these beloved characters.

Episode 90: Doctor Who, The rings of Akhaten

In which Martyn and Pete are joined by Nick and Andy from Podcastique.

In usual Bad Wilf fashion, they go massively off topic. The Podcastique guys have released this as a video podcast, so you can check that Check out this episode

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Episode 89: Doctor Who-The Bells Of Saint John

In which we actually discuss Doctor Who, yes, actual Doctor Who. Martyn and new host Mark look at The Bells Of Saint John. It’s also our longest episode to date.

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Episode 80: The Snowmen

In which Martyn and Pete look at the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas special.

The show can be accessed from different places, including Stitcher, Blubrry and Itunes.

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MATT SMITH AND STEVEN MOFFAT CEMENT THEIR PLACE IN HISTORY DURING DOCTOR WHO EXPERIENCE VISIT

Doctor Who star Matt Smith and lead Writer Steven Moffat created their own piece of Doctor Who history today during their first visit to the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff as their hand prints were immortalised in cement, which will be displayed permanently at the new attraction. Matt Smith is the first Doctor to be immortalised in this way, while the fingers of the show’s Lead Writer will also be set in stone.

The casts were in addition to the unveiling of several new exhibits of the most iconic monsters and props from the recently broadcast series including the dress worn by new companion actress Jenna-Louise Coleman (Oswin’s dress and boots from Asylum of the Daleks), Grayle’s Chained Weeping Angel and The Cherub Angels (The Angels Take Manhattan) and the Robots and costumes of Solomon and Nefertiti (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship).

Matt Smith says, “It’s fantastic that the Doctor Who Experience has been given its very own purpose-built home here next to the studios and it feels like a bit of a spiritual home for Doctor Who. It’s been great fun unveiling some of the Doctor’s most fearsome adversaries from Series 7 and with the Christmas special and more episodes next year, there’ll be plenty more props to come down the line”.

On his hand-cast: “I’m honoured to have made my own little piece of Doctor Who history today. It’s a show with so much tradition over nearly 50 years, so to be the first Doctor to take part in something like this is really special”.

Steven Moffat says: “I’m very excited and honoured to have my hands preserved forever. And quite relieved they came back out of the cement! I now know, for all my future crimes, that my fingerprints are readily and permanently available.”

The Doctor Who Experience is the only interactive Doctor Who attraction in the world. It welcomed over 230,000 visitors during a one-year stay at London’s Olympia before moving to Cardiff in July 2012. Since opening in July, over 40,000 fans have passed through the TARDIS doors and taken part in their very own Doctor Who adventure.

Steven Moffat to cast a new Captain Jack?

It’s been rumoured and I stress rumoured that during series 8 of Doctor Who, we will see a younger, recast Captain Jack. I’m extremely sceptical that Moffat would go down this route, seeing as we’ve just had the Doctor and River Song storyline.

But, With John Barrowman’s profile rising stateside a recast would certainly make sense. He has just been cast as a series regular in CW’s ‘Arrow’ so, his availability would play a huge factor in him returning as Captain Jack. Going with a younger Jack would also make it easier for the writers of Doctor Who and Torchwood, to keep track of the continuity, when/if Torchwood ever returns.

When Jack first met the 9th Doctor, he told him that he had two years of his life missing, Moffat could certainly answer that open plot thread by introducing a younger captain Jack.

But, who would be capable of playing a part played so perfectly by John Barrowman. For me, it’s an easy answer. Beau Mirchoff (pictured above). Now, Mirchoff is not a household name but he does bear an uncanny resemblance to John Barrowman. Beau is probably best known for playing the son, of Barrowman’s character in Desperate Housewives.

DVD REVIEW-Clone

Originally called ‘Womb’ this straight to DVD release has a pre-Doctor Who Matt Smith playing the recently deceased lover of Eva Green. It’s sat on the shelf for a couple of years, but due to Smith now being the Doctor, it’s finally getting a release.

Smith has recently died and Green has decided like you do to clone him and raise him as her son.
I was initially intrigued by the premise, it isn’t every day you see a sci-fi movie shot as an art-house flick and I think this movie shows us why. It is beautifully shot, but the pacing is slow and you find yourself switching off after about 10 minutes.

Any dramatic tension that could have been built up over the course of the movie is lost on beautifully stunning, but out of place shots of a beach.

Episode 64: Cat Flap Fever

The Bad Wilf posse gather outside a pub to discuss the final ‘classic’ serial, ‘Survival.’ Gerrod has watched the first episode, Martyn has a cold and with guest appearances from members of the Who’s He, Nights at the round table and Pharos Project podcasts, what can possibly go wrong?

Trust me Midge, trust me.

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Episode 63: Upsetting the Status Quo

In which Pete and Ash go rogue and record outside a pub and next to a building site. Can the ambience and the alcohol add to a review of the new novelisation of Doctor Who’s lost story ‘Shada’?

Check out Ash’s other podcasts Nights at the round table and Hammered Horror.