Doctor Who Script Series 4b

New Series 2 Title!

2011-05-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

Is...

Kapp's story

Obviously all titles should still be considered working titles, but this is one I'm quite happy with. It's also quite a weird story, and inspired by the works of Samuel Beckett (sorry, it's got a real Doctor Who plot in as well, promise!)

Sarah Jane

2011-04-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Today I heard the tragic news, that Elisabeth Sladen has passed away.

This is terrible news, and she'll never be forgotten.

Thanks for all her fantastic work on the show.

Well....

2011-04-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

(Dont worry, I'm not closing the blog down!) So we've come a long way together. A year, and three months, one series, seven stories. But, recently, as you can tell by long breaks and hiatuses, I've been struggling, with work, real life, and finding inspiration to write. But! A new series of doctor who on television, and summer weather, and I feel good. So the series is most defintely back on. We might have to shake it up a bit, I guess some of our old guest writers will pull out, and I might scrap tonnes of what I've written.... This blog started out as a doctor who fan fic blog, and if you read recent efforts they've been emotional, doctorless, vaguely science-fictiony drama stories. People are here to read doctor who, so that's what they'll get. I'm rambling, but basically, we're gonna go back to fun, frothy, shorter, 45 page-ish doctor who stories, like palimpsest, our debut- and that's one story I'm still very proud of, written in three days, and I love it. So stay tuned, and if you wanna write for us, email us!:)

Death of Celeste....

2011-03-05T16:28:00.001-08:00

When Celeste wakes up, she seems to repeating five words "From out of the Darkness". The Doctor hears his companion say those five words and for him it brings back a deep dark memory, a memory that is meant to be forgotten. As the Doctor and Celeste investigate the TARDIS takes them to "The Laplands", with this the Doctor is fearing the worst, but is his thoughts wrong? And is his worst nightmares about to become true???

Thoughts on this teaser, courtesy of the doctor who times!

Meet.... Simon!

2011-01-29T04:13:00.000-08:00

I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since before I could walk because my Dad made me watch it while I was tied to a chair. It was a high-chair and there were food bribes involved, but that doesn’t stop it being abuse. Especially in the eyes of the law, because the story he made me watch was Underworld. Luckily I wasn’t too mentally scarred and I grew up quite liking Tom Baker. (This is not a true story, (I am a fiction writer for goodness sake!) I just wanted to stick the boot into Underworld) In fact, I love all the Doctors, but my favourite must be Sylvester McCoy, because of the stories written for him and the New Adventures.Seasons 27 to 31 are pretty good too, and Tennant was absolutely superb. Of the new stories I’d say Girl in the Fireplace, Blink and Amy’s Choice must rank among the best. I’ve been writing rubbish for years in various places around the interwebs and in real life, I write stuff for people who even occasionally pay me. My biggest influences as a writer are Alan Garner, Kevin Brooks, James Herbert, Shakespeare, Ted Hughes and Terrance Dicks (natch). I’m very excited about writing Formation. But I haven’t wet the paper.

We're really excited about this story!

Meet.... Rob Christie!

2011-01-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

This is the writer of the mysterious episode, state of mind, of which few details have been disclosed!

My name is Rob, and I'm a self confessed Who addict. I love watching the show, reading about it, and obviously writing it. I started watching Doctor Who back in late 2005, where I caught re-runs of Christopher Eccleston, and then became an avid reviewer at the start of David Tennant's reign. Tennant was as great Doctor, but I must admit my favourite Doctor has to be Peter Davison, and my favourite story of his has to be the wonderful Kinda. Well, I loved Blink as soon as I watched it, and was inspired to write my own stories. I'm not afraid to admit that my first attempts were woeful, but hopefully my writing has improved. And I'm very pleased to be penning an episode of Doctor Who series 4b, and I hope you enjoy it!

Series 4b... coming soon, in 2011!

2011-01-22T12:08:00.001-08:00

Magnificent! Thanks to the doctor who times! There's lots in store for 2011!

Review- Christel Films Christmas special!

2011-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

"How the doctor stole christmas"

First of all, what a great, atmospheric title for the episode that is! That is a great indicator of how CaptinFranko's well writter, labor of love series can go places the TV series just cant, and posits the story with the doctor as the bad guy!

It takes a major risk, but works better for it, and it allows the doctor to really shine, confronting the eventual villain of the piece, (the rather fabulous, shape shifting Dendrovite), and in general getting some great lines and a great story.

Also, Tabitha gets a chance to shine, now as the single companion, and she continues to develop. Intially she was in Timothy's shade as a more generic companion, but now she's finding a life of her own! Also, we here again see how different this alternate doctor is to any other's we have seen on tv; rather than an attractive, likeable young man, to appeal to all the potential viewers, we're here closest to the earlier doctors, perhaps the first or third, with an older man.

Indeed, possible allusions to the third doctor's era are signalled by the presence of UNIT, who are back here, and more ambiguous than ever! A corrupt UNIT member, an alien in disguise, is nothing new, but the links are refreshing, in what is overall a very different, yet recognisable vision of doctor who.

Indeed, talking of recognisable doctor who, what about that spine tingling final scene? Beware, spoilers follow, but we see the tenth and eleventh doctors from tv appear! The ending of the piece is mysterious and sinister, and they appear to have been following, to have been watching this adventure, and indeed all the adventures of this alternate eleventh doctor, and doom-laden talk of his future, that he 'needs more time,' means this is a scary proposition for fans of this doctor... there seems to be a great danger awaiting him!

For all this doctor's fans, such as myself, this is a chilling prospect, and we have to hope, and trust in the skillfull head writer, that the doctor will survive what promise to be dangerous days ahead! This series arc, and upcoming series look intriguing, and I advise you all to check it out on his blog, where you can see the christmas special! This was a brilliant, exciting romp, written with real humour (the father christmas joke), and the trailer for the next series looked better still! 10/10, great job!

Coming soon, on doctor who 4b....

2011-01-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

A new story...

By a new author....
By Doctor Who Times...

'The darkness'

The book of the world- a great review!

2011-01-21T11:48:00.001-08:00

http://pekinghomunculus.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/some-words-on-lawrence-miles-and-the-book-of-the-world/

Check out this review of 'The book of the world' by Lawrence Miles, it's a great blog! And if you still haven't read the script thats now unavailable.... *cough* email me?

New story! New writer!

2011-01-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

Well, here's another one of blink's fabulous posters!

This is for the story 'state of mind,' a pretty exciting looking story by brand new writer, Rob Christie, whose a talented cat and no mistake!#

Soon we've got more posters, more writer announcements, and a review of Christel Film's christmas special- long overdue!

One year old!

2011-01-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

It's exactly one year today since our blog's very first post! Then we were quite a small, unambitious fanfic series heading for our first series.

Since then, we've moved on, and upwards, got a few fans, and more ambitious. It's quite an achievement to last a year- albeit one with a two month hiatus!

Anyway, a year on and we're in the planning process again, pretty much as we were. A few scripts written, a few in the planning stages that might never get made, and now some great scripts by great guest writers.

In fact, in that memory, I'd like to reveal the poster for 'Formation,' by one of our upcoming guest writers.

That was created by Blink, and once again I'd like to thank him in particular for all his support over the last year! Also thanks to all our other supporters, especially CaptinFranko! Thanks everyone, have a great 2011!

New episode!

2011-01-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

And here we go again!
This stories in the works for series two, and it's going to be written by another new writer, called Rob! The working title is State of Mind! It's gonna be great!
Check out the series line up page!

New Stories for series two!

2011-01-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

I'm discussing a variety of really exciting stories with some really great guest writers at the moment! I don't want to annouce too much, in case it all falls through, but I'm going to announce the first story now; it's called 'formation,' written by a great guest writer called Simon! We've been discussing the story for a few weeks now, and he really impressed me with a couple of scripts, one for the sixth doctor, and the other in the style of Joss Whedon! I'm really excited about this story! It features dragons, lava, and planes!

Tidbits- Replay!

2011-01-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

At the moment, there's a few working titles for this one; Replay, The General, and One Foot in Heaven. Anyway, here are 10 tidbits- one false, nine true! Happy guessing! I'm working on this story at the moment, and it's been on-off since before Silence Fell on the blog! As such it's really changed emphasis over that time, which makes it interesting....

1. It's based on American 'therapist' tv shows, like InTreatment.
2. It's based on Shakespeare's King Lear.
3. One character has some of his key lines written in Iambic Pentameter as a tribute to Shakespeare.
4. The doctor has a 'Sherlock' moment.
5. Someone wears big Yellow Stripey Socks!
6. It's based on Groundhog day
7. The body art/tattoo shops must be pretty big in The City.
8. Whose the Joker?
9. The Doctor KNEW he could smell honey.
10. There's a Unicorn in the story.

The eleventh hour- the script!

2011-01-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Some of the actors and the writer himself talk us through a few pages of the eleventh hour! If you haven't read this you really should!

DW4B

2010-12-28T14:21:00.000-08:00

Well we've always had an aesthetic, and stories, inspired by the Sylvester McCoy era.

And now, just like the DW on tv, we have an 'insignia', a 'badge', rendered in glorious, tasteless, 80's style! (Created by Morpheus of Rassilon, on Gallifrey Base)!

Interview: Andrew Wyllie!

2010-12-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Now, I know that technically, this is my 100th post, and so I should do some kind of celebration, I'm gonna leave that till January 11th, which will mark the First Anniversary of this blog- quite an achievement. But let's save the champagne till then, as we have our third interview!

Another big figure within the fanfiction world being interviewed today! This is Andrew Wyllie, the showrunner of the longest running script series of DW on the internet (I believe) that is in the writing stage of it's sixth series at the moment! In a time where getting comments, and getting read, is so hard, this is a remarkable achievement. The series is really brilliant, and I can thoroughly recommend it! Just head to Gallifrey Base, the Land of Fiction, and it's called the tenth doctor fan fic series. I caught up with him today to ask a bit about the series. This series really is interesting, as it's had quite a few personnel changes behind the scenes, which are still unclear to this day....
DH: Hi, thanks for agreeing to do this interivew.
You're the showrunner of the tenth doctor fanfic series on gallifrey base, which is perhaps the biggest script series on the forum. Amazingly for a fanfic series, you're actually reached your sixth series, which is being written as we speak.
You took over as showrunner after the end of series four, from Nathan [Tyson, fan fic writer], who was one of the more popular fanfic writers around, in what was quite an unusual move, of continuing a series with a new head writer. How difficult was it taking over, and putting your own stamp on something that already had been going a fair while? How different do you think your writing styles are?
AW: It was very difficult...but all that stuff came a bit later on. Nathan asked me to continue the series, and I was obviously flattered, I think in all I took about fifthteen minutes to decide between e-mails, I suppose it's a no brainer really, it was popular, people bothered to read and comment on the scripts, of course I wanted that! One of the biggest reasons for changing companion was, to be fair, my way of taking the marker pen and saying 'new era' whilst hopefully still be respectful to the one that came before. I think Nathan and I do write differantly, but surely a change in style is fresh and hopefully innovative.

DH: What exactly happened that prompted Nathan to give up, when he'd been really into it, and apparently was so enthusiastic to become a professional? Is there anything you can tell us about that?
AW: It was never made completely clear to me why Nathan had decided to call it a day completely. I had been made aware during the planning of what would have been Nathan's series five, that it would be the last either way, followed by specials, that would bring the whole thing to an end. Then Nathan disappeared, I contacted him, and he told me he wasn't into the writing anymore as a whole and that he wouldn't be returning. That's when the offer of taking over came around.

DH: I don't know about you, but torwards the end of Nathan's time, I felt that maybe the series was begginning to feel a little tired, and I think 4.13 retrospectively was quite a dissapointing way to end such a strong era of fan fiction. In a way, I think the break helped the series, and of course when you returned it was a fantastic sucess ith series 5, but it was quite a gamble, as the series really had been Nathan's baby. Why did you feel it was a better idea to carry on with a series 5, rather than the ever-popular 'reboot' or even a new series with the same writers?
AW: The series probably was tired. It'd churned out four over the course of two years and that takes its tole...clearly, so yeah I think it probably was, and with respect, series four was weak...but I think it would always have gone that way, after all series three was a runaway success, people genuinly loved the stories. It was something else! I don't know if how series four went affected Nathan in anyway, in the early stages of planning I'd have said no, now however I'm not sure...Thank you for the series five compliment, very kind. The break probably did help, because I think people did miss it, they felt like they where missing out, it'd pretty much been a constant fixture on the board and suddenly it slipped away and became a thing that was almost forgotten in a sense. I was pleased to be able to bring it back. All I could do with the series was treat it as my own, treat it with a bit of love and work hard, and hopefully see that pay off. I hope it did. I hear what you say about 'rebooting' the series, but for me that never felt like an option. It's still the same series, and with all the vanity in the world...we had guaranteed readers, which isn't something new series often get...that was a pull factor, I could lie and say it wasn't, but it was a huge crying call!!! The writers loved it too...

DH: Your series features the tenth doctor, who is perhaps the doctor featured in the most fanfic. How do you feel about writing for him, and how does he compare to the other doctors? Why did you make the decision to carry on with the tenth doctor, even when Matt Smith became the 'current' doctor.
AW: I think the Tenth Doctor is the most featured at the moment, because he was the latest current Doctor, and a highly popular one at that. He has his own way of doing things, a very particular dialouge and mannerisms, so he is differant to some of the classic Doctor's in that respect. It's the Tenth Doctor Series, says it all really, it'd be a cheat to move on from him, and by the time I'd gotten my hands on the series the Eleventh Doctor Series was already cropping it's head up. That was there place, not ours. We loved our Doctor and stuck by him, I'm glad that decision stuck. Felt right, still does!

DH: Your series features a fairly regular group of returning guest writers, who have to work out their stories with you, to fit them in with the series arc, etc. Do you prefer writing stories, or overseeing and mapping out a whole series? Is it the 'head' of the 'writer' part of the job description that you enjoy most? :D
AW: I enjoy both parts of the series really. I love writting the episodes, and hearing the latest ideas and how everything is going to come together is hugely exiciting too! To me they are both fun to do, and I genuinly enjoy both. All though, I often find writting to be the harder of the two!

DH: As a showrunner, you now write the first and last episodes of a series. How hard do you find that, and do you enjoy writing the 'event' episodes more than a 'regular' episode, if there is such a thing as a regular episode of doctor who?
AW: I enjoy writting openers. They are fun usually with a laugh or two, but I don't think any episode of Doctor Who should be treated as 'regular' cos they are all special and barmy. Writting finales are hard...easy to plan, hard to write, I guess you want to hit the spot with what people want and look for, so there are a lot of pressures when you write those. I don't think anyone would disagree. Still it is fun though!

DH: In terms of series arcs, when your planning a series, what comes first? The series arc, or ideas about stories you might like? Can you take us through the process of planning a series?
AW: I usually think...what do I want from this series, and I pick a foe for the finale, and everything almost sort of comes together after that. It's hard top explain...I guess it's waiting in my head, ready to be mined. I usually get a whiff of inspiration for a story, and go, oh I'd like that, and usually follow it through.

DH: In a series that's on it's sixth series, you still seem to be coming up with fresh plots, characters and ideas with ease. So, to ask the quinessential question- where do you get your ideas from? What inspires you to write a new story?
AW: Wow, tough question, lots of things...I just get blasts sometimes and it makes sense. It's a bizzare thing to talk about I suppose, it's probably daft to say, but it's just...there I guess. Like I said, waiting to be picked up. I'm glad we still come across as fresh though, that's brilliant!!!

DH: This series seems to herald a format change for you, as there seems to be an old-school four-parter, and 15 episodes, plus a christmas special! Can you tell us anything about that?
AW: That was a creative decision, the finale needs those extra episodes in a sense, so it made sense to go with a four parter, but I didn't want to lose the other episodes that people might write...essentially I wanted to have my cake and eat it. Plus I think two series a year wears people out, so we're commited to one a year...so we thought it'd be nice to chuck in some extra episodes, and a few surprised. Hopefully longer breaks will do us good. I can only hope.

DH: Generally, why do you write fanfiction, which will never actually get made, and why write it in script format? What differences do you find between writing script and prose, and which do you prefer? And why doctor who- what makes DW so special?
AW: I love writting, and I love this show, it really is as simple and daft as that. I love doing it, even though it will never get made, it doesn't matter.

DH: What do you like most, and like least, about your own writing, and what other writers, either of fanfic, or actual scriptwriters, doctor who or not, do you admire most?
AW: I hate everything about my writing! Nah not really, but I think it's hard to like your own writing in a sense, the biggest form of love you can have for your own work is when people themselves enjoy it. That sounds vain...But yeah, it's hard to say you love it...dunno....

DH: If you could choose one script, in history, to have written yourself, what would it have been?
AW: That's the hardest question you've asked. Not a clue, there is so many beautiful and striking scripts out there, to choose one would be a crime.

DH: For me, like many I expect, the trigger in starting to script write was the writers tale, but what started you on the slippery slope to fanfic? Also, have you read the writers tale, snd what did you think? The market is flooded with 'how to' books of scriptwriting, dialogue writing, and much more, many written by those with no experience of writing for tv themselves! Are there any books on writing that you've got that you could recommend, that helped?
AW: I started writting in 2007 (in script form) albeit badly...but I found the biggest help and form of improvement was to read scripts...whether that be Doctor Who, films, or other series...those helped more I think than any self help books. I've never read any. The Writer's Tale was a huge help...such an insight, it almost doesn't make you feel as daft for the way you sometimes feel when you have a guy like that doing it himself. It was brilliant though, a great book.

DH: Finally, what do we have to look forward to in the next series? Any teasers or titles you can reveal?
AW: The Little Planet That Outlived the Universe. I won't say where it comes or anything else, but there you go. It's going to be a brilliant ride filled with new new monsters. I'm excited!

And so are we! Thanks so much for doing this!
So there we go! Some interesting insights there, and some cryptic clues for next year! The Tenth Doctor fan fic series resumes with their christmas special, on the 23rd of December, provisionally titled 'A Story Of Christmas Time.' What I love is his comment, that he threw in the extra episodes cos he thought it might be fun. To many fanfic series rigidly follow the TV series, rather than taking advantage of the differences!

Joss Whedon's writing tips! Steven Moffatt! RTD!

2010-12-17T09:33:00.002-08:00

Well, a few months late, but I've finally uploaded the scans of the SFX magazine, issue 200- it features lots of DW interviews, and lots of writing tips, in a feature called '200 secrets of science-fiction.!'

INTERVIEW- BLINK

2010-12-15T10:21:00.001-08:00

A great interview here, with my long term friend and supporter, Blink. As always, check out his blog, and thanks to him for doing the interview, and sorry about the three month delay in posting it!

DH: How long have you been a DW fan, and what makes it special?

B: I first watched the show when it returned in 2005, and was hooked from the moment the dramatic theme tune kicked in. Christopher Eccleston was a perfect Doctor to introduce a new generation like myself to the programme, as his mixture of energy, comic timing and mysteriousness made his character unpredictable, and very different from anything I’d seen before. The thing which appealed to me was the variety of stories as the series went on, and the magical concept of a man being able to travel anywhere and everywhere he liked. Space travel had always fascinated me, so the idea of being able to see new worlds every week was very exciting. In a way, the Doctor was a role model to me, and I wanted to live his magical life.

DH: CE you say hooked you as a Doctor... is he still your favourite? Having started off as a fan of the new series, how did you explore and get to know the back story, and the older doctors?

B: When it comes to choosing my favourite Doctor, I find it a very hard question to answer. Christopher Eccleston will always be special to me as my first Doctor, however I have grown to love each of the actors for their own uniqueness and take on the character. My uncle had been a huge fan of the show when I started watching, and was keen for me to learn more about the classic side of the show. He kindly lent me the DVD of ‘Earthshock’, which was a brilliant story to get me started on the classic series. If I had to choose a favourite Doctor, it would probably be Peter Davison, as his young and innocent portrayal of the role was something I could relate to.

DH: So, anyway, which is your favourite classical Who episode?

B: I again find it hard to pinpoint a single favourite story, as there are so many gems throughout the series’ history, however there are a small number of stories which stand out above the rest for me. As I previously mentioned, ‘Earthshock’ was the first classic story that I was introduced to, and as a result I would regard it as one of my top favourites. Other stories which I am fond of include ‘The Tomb of the Cybermen’, which is a perfect combination of horror and mystery, and ‘City of Death’, a beautiful story full of wit, action, and ageing chickens!

DH: Outside Doctor Who for a minute, because the blog is meant to cover writing as well... what other sci-fi shows, books or films do you enjoy?

B: In terms of other science fiction programmes, it may surprise you to know that I hardly watch any others apart from Doctor Who. The main reason for this is that many other sci-fi shows (let’s take Star Trek for example) don’t have anything that I can personally relate to, and after a while they get a bit bland. The great thing about Doctor Who is that the stories are so different every week, and the characters are very believable, unlike Mr Spock! I suppose my views of books and films are similar; the stories are nothing without good characters. ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B. Priestley is a brilliant play, and the mystery surrounding the Inspector and the Birling family creates some very tense and dark scenes, which I absolutely love! ‘Sweeney Todd’ is another personal favourite, again for the really dark themes combined with an emotional story.

DH: That’s really interesting, and I feel much the same... I find that Doctor Who, with it’s emotional stories is half way between sci-fi and a drama... it’s a bit more ‘meaty’ than, say, Merlin or Primeval, some of it’s rivals. The best similarly targeted show for my money is Ashes to Ashes/Life on Mars, which combined Doctor Who style great plots with characterisation and drama. Anyway, what motivated you to start blogging about Doctor Who, making the move from classic fan to blogger, and commentator? What did you think your blog could offer fans?

B: I had been visiting other Doctor Who forums and blogs for a few months beforehand, and had got to know quite a few fellow Whovians along the way. I’d just seen a friend open their brand new blog, which looked absolutely incredible, when I suddenly realised that I’d be quite good at being a Doctor Who blogger myself. I was good at using computers, quick to spot the latest news, and certainly dedicated to the programme. I also felt that many new fans of the show were not aware of the programme’s history, which I knew a lot about and could talk about it in my posts, in particular the daily ‘A Matter of Time’ posts. The positive community feel you find on Doctor Who blogs was another factor which inspired me to start blogging, so that I could meet even more people who love the show as much as myself.

DH: That’s true. Your blog seems to be really dedicated to the history of the show, keen to perhaps show newer fans some of the older stories, which I think personally is fantastic as a long-term fan. Can you talk us through what we can expect to see on the blog in the future?

B: I can exclusively reveal that there are some more exciting projects lined up for the next few months, which will again mix the classic series with some modern ideas. At the moment I’m writing a short Halloween story entitled ‘Whispers in the Attic Room’ for the end of October, as well as planning a large advent calendar project which will have daily treats during the Christmas season. I am also currently writing a script for CaptinFranko’s brilliant Christel Films series, entitled ‘Death on the Line’, which I hope to be posting about in the upcoming weeks. However, there is a much larger project that I’m working on at the moment with TheRedDalek, which will hopefully be released sometime later this year.

DH: Now, you mentioned that you’re writing for CaptinFranko. We’re seeing you moving into writing some fanfic. Have you had previous experience of fanfic? What are your previous writing experiences, if any, and how are you enjoying writing the script?

B: It’s a very fun project to be involved with, and an absolute privilege to be writing for a genius like CaptinFranko. I had previously written a few Doctor Who short stories for other friends, but nothing as big as this. Having said this, I have always loved writing scripts, and do consider myself to be a fairly good writer when the wind’s in the right direction! Personally I wouldn’t think of the recent ‘Patient Pluto’ games series as an example of my fanfic, as the story had to be kept fairly simple to link the animated sections with the games, and the videos were pretty short. Christel Films is a much bigger project, with a much bigger storytelling time, so I am able to expand on more subplots and write characters with detailed backgrounds, which you simply can’t achieve within a short game.

DH: Can you drop us any spoilers/hints about what your project is? How can we keep up to date with it?

B: The special project that I’m working on has just finished the planning stages, and I hope to begin writing the content for the project in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately I can’t reveal too much about the project, mainly because it would be unfair on TheRedDalek who is also working hard on it, however I will give you some small thoughts to ponder on! It will be a fanfic series (which will hopefully give readers a first insight into my writing style), and the location of the story was previously used in a classic story. I’m trying to keep the plot very vague at the moment, but there will be posts about the project nearer the time on my blog, and I can promise some exciting surprises in store!

DH: Now, we all have our least favourite moments of DW, continuity errors, whatever... So, IF you had a pet crack in time and space, what Doctor Who moment or scene would it erase forever?

B: There really is only one possible answer to this question, and it’s a scene from my least favourite story in the entire history of Doctor Who, ‘The Creature from the Pit’. The monster Erato in that story is famously bad, and the worst moment of the lot comes when it’s huge “tentacle” emerges from around a corner, waggling itself in the Doctor’s face, only for Tom Baker to place his mouth on it. Never has there been such disgusting innuendo in Doctor Who, and it makes me cringe every time I watch it. It’s hard to describe the scene without sounding crude, but it really is one of those instances where you have to watch it to appreciate just how penis-like the tentacle looks! (Am I allowed to say that?) It makes ‘The Twin Dilemma’ look like a work of masterpiece, and is certainly a scene I find embarrassing to watch with others!

DH: Brilliant, and, er... eew! So, final question.... if you could, to paraphrase Vincent and the Doctor, sum up Doctor Who and what it means to you, in 100 words, how would you?

B: Doctor Who is a show that is unlike anything else, mixing so many varied elements to make the programme stand out above the rest and continue to be loved by new generations. There’s the elegance and charm from the sixties, the horror and wit from the seventies, the energy and tension from the eighties, the emotion and slickness of the naughties. Every era has been unique, and every era has been special. No matter how stressful my day has been, or how grumpy the bus driver was, I know that I can sit down and relax with a good old episode of my favourite show. The stories are fun and engaging, and full of fresh ideas every week which give me something new to enjoy about the programme. (Blimey, this is going way over 100 words!) It’s a great life being a Whovian, getting to meet creative people like yourself who value the show as highly as me, and one that I wouldn’t change for anything else! DH: Thanks for being so helpful, and for a great interview! B: It’s my pleasure. Great questions!

BACK

2010-12-15T10:18:00.001-08:00

We're BACK!!!!

Just in time for christmas!

Reviews!

2010-09-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

Well over on Gallifrey Base Palimpsest has been read by quite a few people this week, as part of the reading club, and I'm happy to say there have been some positive reviews...

Very good. Lots of action, a pitch perfect Tenth Doctor and a great new companion in Florence. The Enigma..erm...enigma is also very intriguing. Great stuff!
This... was awesome. Ten was so right, and Florence was the perfect foil for him. I can't wait to see where else this goes with Enigma, so I guess this means I'll going to have to find and read the rest of the series!
Good script, good story. I must admit, I found it a little confusing towards the end, but then I was speed reading to get the review in, so a second read will undoubtedly make up for that. And I certainly shall give it a second read, because it's very enjoyable.

Characterisation of the Doctor, and dialogue in general, is very good. I like Florence, although I wonder if her conversion from suicidal disenfranchised lost soul to wisecracking sidekick came a little quickly. I like Enigma - though I'm not sure why he was so keen to let the Doc and Flo escape first time they met him. But I'm hoping that's intentional, and will come out later - I look forward to reading more of this series and finding him returning.

I love frume. (I used something like frume in a short story I wrote years ago: 'The aliens brought with them wonderful gifts: an everlasting power source; a colour never before experienced by the human eye; a revolutionary new tin opener.' Wish I'd named it frume.)

Top stuff. 4/5, but only because I think there is better to come. 9/10 certainly.

Now, apart from the whole vanity thing, there is actually I reprinted those reviews (stay with me)... The last review wondered about Enigma, and his story.

It was intended that he was, like river song, meeting the doctor out of sync, 'back to front.' That doesnt really matter, but he was purely meant to be an enigmatic time travelling rival. But Robert Theggers and I discussed it at length, and we know. We've got his backstory mapped out (it's good!) and you were originally going to see his genesis in series one, in an episode called 'the mirror of erithseya.' Well, you still will..... In series 3, in the fall of 2011. But, after his VDONSTASC appearance showed, the character has plenty of mileage. Actually, in the early drafts of VDONSTASC he was just called 'tall figure', and was unnamed in the script; recognised by the characters, but unseen to us. Until I realised, it made more sense for him to be Engima. And in that script, I'd given him, while in the anonymous guise of tall figure, quite a clear background. He was supposed to be death, the figure of death (yeah, sounds rubbish now), and we said as much:

And that... What I just saw...
that’s you. Defined by evil. Shaped
by years of cruelty. Built out of
suffering. Death.

Anyway, coming later today: a review of christel films: series 1, a post on the retitled story 'Replay' (now called The General) and a special review of SFX 200, with scans of all the relevant pages! Exclusive to Doctor Who 4b!

Interview- Jake Reynolds!

2010-09-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

The first in a brand new series, of infrequent interviews with important, interesting or contreversial figures in the who-fandom world. Each interview will have a different focus, but, appropriately, this interview concerns doctor who, doctor who scriptwriting, and writing for doctor who. It's a great, meaty interview, with a lot to learn from...

Jake Reynolds is the showrunner of the largest and most popular fan fiction series on Gallifrey Base, and possibly anywhere on the 'net. Started, and conceived before the eleventh doctor's screen debut, it's been well recieved by the fans, with a series of amazing stories. Jake is the writer of many episodes, including the opener, and the finale, and was tasked with creating guidelines on the doctor and amy for the writers before they'd seen how he would act. We caught up with him to discuss the series, and more....

DH: Now, you're showrunner of the biggest fan fiction series on Gallifrey Base, so first of all- why do you write doctor who fan fiction? It's not going to get published or made, so what's the attraction, and why doctor who over other sci-fi shows?

JR: Firstly, Doctor Who is the best television show in the history of ever. It has such a wide scope for writing, and a workable (I say workable..) series format that's good for attracting writers who share the love for the show. I also love writing, so combine the two together and who cares if it's not being made/published? It's good to get the thing started, to achieve it, to wind in your own arcs and characters and plotlines until you have a fully rounded, fully finished product. It's brilliant.

DH: In your series you're writing for the eleventh doctor. How hard do you find writing for him, compared with other doctors? I've found, especially with his short screen time compared to the tenth doctor, he's quite hard to get right. How do you write him? Or do you write all the doctors essentially the same?

JR: I love writing for the Eleventh Doctor. Much more than any other, and I like to think he is the Doctor I write the best. You just have to observe and think as you write - would he say that? Could this be said differently? Is this too wordy? Not wordy enough? Too casual? Too formal? It's hard to reach a happy medium but thankfully Matt Smith has given such a unique Doctor I can write him with relative ease. You have to think through it all, every line, and imagine him saying it. Quick or slow, with little 'ah's and 'hmm's added in, just to make it as close as you can get - and I hope it works!

DH: When you're writing fanfic, do you enjoy the increased freedom in writing stories, with no restrictions on returning characters, monsters, and the freedom to do the most 'out-there' kind of stories, or do you try and 'train' yourself to write stories that could be made, with your scripts, and make them basically similar to what you might see on televison?

JR: In some respects it's always good when you get an idea and realise this can be written - the possibilities are endless! But mostly I stick to relatively (I say relatively) realistic and manageable stories, not to train myself but because I'm more used to them thanks to the actual series and feel more comfortable writing them. Of course you can imagine writing an episode set in on a flying dragon with lemonade fountains in its back through silver forests with yellow skies is never going to work, because you just can't imagine it. However when I do think of something that would be hard to pull off in reality, but works, I'll stick it in.

DH: As a writer predominantly, it seems, of scripts, what do you find the difference between scripts and prose? Which do you prefer?

JR: Billions of differences! I think so, anyway. However to put it as simply as I can to save waffling, I'd say the main difference is about how you show emotion. Prose tells you the character's thoughts, everything they think, wonder and contemplate, whereas scripts rely on the dialogue. How could this person be feeling? It's a lot more subtle, mostly because it's designed for actors to work with, and make their own, and to make you think about the dialogue itself. My preference would have to be script, writing wise. Reading wise, I'd go for prose.

DH: Which writers, of scripts or prose, do you take most inspiration from, and admire?

JR: In a long list, off the top of my head, I'd go for (in Doctor Who terms) Paul Cornell, Steven Moffat, Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts. Otherwise it's hard to say, and I don't want to waffle on about other scripts I do. Prose writers, again off the top of my head, Phillip Pullman, William Golding, Bill Bryson, and even though it's neither, I take inspiration from Charlie Brooker and David Mitchell, with regards to their columns, articles etc.

DH: Obviously, for writers, 'finding your voice' is always talked about, and discussed. From the first beginning of writing scripts, how would you say your writing has developed, and improved, and how do you improve? How do you find 'your voice?'

JR: All you can do is write, write, and write again. My first script was dreadful! Really bad. But if you write and write, and read and read, you adapt. You think, is this right? Does this work? Hopefully then you get into your flow, your 'voice', and from then you're consistent. My first script is a thing of the past, and I'd like it to be erased from my memory - but at the time I thought 'this is okay' - but you know you're in your flow when okay becomes good, or something you can really be proud of.

DH: For me, like many I expect, the trigger was the writers tale, but that could lead to lots of 'RTD style scripts' using the same quirks, formatting and styles as RTD, so where else do you go for inspiration? The market is flooded with 'how to' books of scriptwriting, dialogue writing, and much more, many written by those with no experience of writing for tv themselves! Are there any books on writing that you've got that you could recommend, that helped?

JR: I've read The Writer's Tale, and it's a great book, but I don't take inspiration from it and haven't read any other scriptwriting books or writing guides, because I feel when you're told how to write, or why this isn't so good, it takes the fun away. They're mistakes you're going to make. I watched an interview with Graham Linehan a while ago who said the best thing to do is to buy a book on how not to scriptwrite. Then you know the stupid mistakes, and the rest is yours to explore.

DH: As showrunner of a fanfic series, how do you find that, and those responsibilities? Do you prefer writing, or the editing of others, the process of plotting a season from scratch, and assembling your writers?

JR: I love writing. However when you do it at the time it can get horribly difficult when you get stuck, but when you know exactly where you're heading, and your fingers are typing a million words per second, it's a great feeling. However I also adore assembling a series. Naming my scripts (absolutely love thinking of titles) and getting other names from other writers - reading their scripts, adding arcs in, getting it to flow. Plotting a season from scratch can take a very long time, but when you've got it, everything clicks into place, and then it's great fun (most of the time).

DH: One of the strengths of your work it seems to me, from reading a few of your scripts, is convincing dialogue. How do you go about writing dialogue, and editing it, to make it sound 'real'? Do you have any writing tips for any of our readers?

JR: Thank you! I'm pleased you like the dialogue, because it's the bit I spend the most time on. If things feel clunky, you can't possibly leave them in there. I've already explained how I write for the Doctor, and it's the same with Amy and other recurring characters - you just observe closely because these characters have already been invented. For your own characters, you need to look at people. Realise how people work, even if you don't really understand it yourself, and model them with characteristics and personality traits that lock into a place a character, whether they're modest or boastful, funny or dull, humble or mean, and the list goes on. If you don't treat each character you make as their own, they'll all sound the same, and you've lost your individuality. It's not the Doctor and a bunch of other humans, or a bunch of other aliens, it's the Doctor and a bunch of other people, who think and act differently that you need to communicate as best as you can.

DH: Your series, and series arc, is ongoing, so can you offer us any teasers of what's coming up, in the next one and a half series, any spoilers, or teasers?

JR: For series one? Arc-wise...there is a much bigger arc in series one than series two, because the series two arc is very subtle. But for series one I'd say just watch out for the Red Man. And a specific four-digit number, too. And then there's even another separate little bit that all links in, like how did the Sycorax arrive in 1066 Hastings in The Swords of Hastings? They slipped through empty co-ordinates...? It all ties in. As for series two, I really can't say much, except that 1.6 is pivotal in the series two finale. The series two finale is such a huge cliffhanger I don't know how I can top it. It's huge! But you're in for a treat with regards to other writers and their upcoming stories. I promise. And I hope you're enjoying the series as much as I am writing and assembling it!

Thanks to Jake for taking the time to do this, and for giving us such a great series! The latest episode is available here, or go to the 'land of fiction' section on Gallifrey Base!

Famous Writing Tip #3

2010-08-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/features/essays/talking-heads

Just, the whole thing. A brilliant article.

Review- the book of the world, lawrence miles

2010-08-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

Now Lawrence Miles is one of the most controversial writers in the doctor who universe. A harsh critic of much of New Who on television, he has ripped into many of his fellow writers, from Paul Cornell (sexist) to Gary Russell (lots, and lots, and lots, of bad words. And a liar), and so has approximately, um, one friend who writes for doctor who left. And he doesn't rate him either, but that's a secret. He uses his blog to rip into doctor who, and its luminaries, and voice his views.

Not surprisingly, much of fandom hates him. However, many sympathise, and, there is no disputing the fact that he is perhaps the most talented writer ever to have worked on doctor who, with his works, like Alien Bodies, seminal texts, redefining what doctor who can do, and setting his stall on what the Whoniverse should be like.

So a few years ago, it was surprise when he said that he was harsh to criticise doctor who tv writers, when he'd never written a script in his life, and it was silly to criticise without offering alternatives.

So he wrote a doctor who scripts, then after a week, took it down. A full length doctor who screenplay, his alternative to 'Rose', rebooting the DW universe how he would have done it. And, what can I say. It wouldn't have worked on TV, it's too continuity obsessed, to sci-fi, too unreal. It doesn't really read like a screenplay either, just a novel formatted differently.

And it's ****ing amazing. Seriously, its a space library story better than continuity errors, better than silence in the libarary. This man is seriously talented.

Now, it's not on the internet to read anymore, (if you wanna read it, you know my email address, *wink, wink*) but it's amazing. The dialogue, the description, the plot, all amazing. It wouldn't work as a pilot, but writing a one-off episode? Yes please!

Review 4/5

Just a heads up!

2010-08-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I noticed recently that the 2ooth issue of SFX magazine was coming out! Now, although I don't normally read it, I believe it's one of the better sci-fi magazines, and quite a big fan of doctor who as well! But, in their 2ooth issue, there are 'Joss Whedon's five part guide to the secret of great dialogue' For those who aren't familiar with his works, he's the sci-fi legend of Firefly, Angel, Buffy, and director of the forthcoming 'the avengers' movie, amongst much else. His trademark is brilliant, funny, believable, witty, and true dialogue. So, safe to say, I'm going to buy this issue- hopefully I'll put up some scans of the relevant page(s), or get the nubs of his points up, for anyone interested- this looks pretty useful!

Review- writing for television in the 70s, Malcolm Hulke

2010-08-18T15:06:00.001-07:00

'Writing For Television in the 70s' is the book written by one of Doctor Who's greatest writers, Malcolm Hulke, creator of the Silurian race that recently returned in Chris Chibnall's two-parter.

Don't expect something like the writer's tale. Rather than the personal, approachable, informal style adapted by that book, this instead takes a more schoolbook, textbook style, and the author's voice rarely interupts. This became something of the industry bible for a number of years, and thus is an informed, educated read.

Suprising then, that it's actually both easy to read, and suprisingly enjoyable. On buying my copy, I dipped in, and found it intimidatingly dry- there are no pictures, no drawings, no throwaway gags, all of which broke up the writer's tale. In fact, however, we can enjoy the company of one of Who's greatest writers, in the vein of RTD and the Moff. With a dry, insightful sense of humour, and a direct style, it's easy to read, and suprisingly helpful- even if you don't take away much of the techincal information, the formatting, his simple, direct advice on dialogue and characterisation is unmissable and useful.

One thing to bear in mind about this book is it was written for a different age, and so certain bits of advice and guidance are irrelevant, even if you buy the updated, 80s version. (This book contains 8 page extracts from a number of scripts, with descriptions by the author, including Robert Holmes' carnival of monsters script for Pertwee). However, despite this, for those looking to break into the industry, this book is fantastic! It's available for under a pound, second hand, on amazon, and is really useful.

9/10

2010-08-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Doctor Who 4b soundtrack, with all the songs we had in the scripts!

Another post!

I dont wanna miss a thing!

2010-08-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

The song for Florence! This would have been played over the ending to episode 7!

Beautiful song... would have been so sad! Hehe!

EDIT: Yes, this IS a blatant attempt to increase my number of posts... what of it?!

Valentines Day or No Such Thing As Second Chances- Review!

2010-08-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, Blink has written a brilliant, and superb review of Valentines Day Or..... oh, dear, you get the idea! Anyway, check out his fantastic blog, or the wonderful review!

Also, I'd just like to take this opportunity to say thanks to all our brilliant readers, we couldn't have done it without them! Special thanks to Blink, for his continuing promotion, reviews, and posters, and CaptinFranko for his genius collaborations, crossovers, and positive comments! Also thanksfor reading to Patar, Square Eyes, Vortex and Luke! If I've missed you out drop me a message in the CBOX!

Thanks guys!

Series 3 companion!

2010-08-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

Well it seems a bit early, especially since we've only just announced our companion for the rest of series one, and not mentioned our series two companion(s!), but here she is! She's guesting in CaptinFranko's fantastic fanfic series as well! In the next episode!

She's called Diane Malsaint, and she's a ruthless warrior woman, who hunts down enemies of the tyrannic, diabolical human empire in the year 3000, the setting of quite a few of our stories, including our first ever story!

Here's what captinfranko has to say about her....!

And her name? Malsaint is a variation of the word Malsain, which means twisted, or bitter, but MalsainT is Mal -- Saint, or Evil/bad -- saint, which definately is related to her development...

Series 3!

2010-08-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

So we've brought you news of series 2, showrun by Robert Theggers. We've got spaces for new writers there, and that's a change of format, an old style multi-part series. Developed concurrently, series 3 is something of an epic! Trying a third format, this is a 'trial of a time lord' style huge episode, of 12 parts.

The story is a complex tale, and it's going to be told all timey-wimey, out of order. It's actually based around a full length science fiction novel I worked on some time ago. One of the companions is Diana Malsaint, and it features heavy use of the year 3000, her home era, a location we've returned to many times. On the prison planet Karistalsis, there are gods rising, and Diane, 'executioner-general' of the tyranical and opressive empire has to stop it. But she herself is a misguided, and bigoted!

I can confirm a return for Enigma, the mysterious villain in our first episode, who featured again in Florence's final episode. But if you thought there were questions over Florence's backstory, and Enigma, it will all be explained. Also appearing are the Dagda, Kaityr, and more to be confirmed!

The titles will all be short, one-word names, to simplify the 'VDoNSTaSC problem'! So far we're looking at Grace, Bliss, Dead, Alive, Night, Life, Endings, Genesis, Blood, Moment, Peace, Eye.

Replay- original short story!

2010-08-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

The following is being adapted for 4b.11, with Mark the mysterious narrator, in treatment, therapy, counselling, with the doctor...

Replay

Mark wasn’t real. He knew that. But sometimes it was hard to remember it, when you walked out your house, like you always had done, said hello to Samit at the corner shop, bought the telegraph, like you always had done, and then shared a pot of tea with Lisa, from telegraph road, and then went home. Like he thought he always had done.

But of course, Mark wasn’t real. In fact, when he walked out of what looked like his house, concentrating on hard on not falling through the pavement into….whatever was below, and said hello to what looked like the man from the corner shop, and well… Lisa wasn’t real either. But he wanted them all to be real so much, sometimes he almost believed it. But they weren’t real. None of them were.

He checked what looked like his old watch, and saw it was 5 o’clock. Nearly time for the city to close, to shut, to start again, to go back to the beginning. Reset.. He would wake up with no memory, yet again, be given a whole fresh set of memories of different people and places and times and laughter and friends and fun. Most of them didn’t realise this, but he did. He was the cursed one, the one who remembered, just fragments of whole lives, years of accumulated memories that had never happened. He was just a memory himself, a scar, a fracture, created when a person like him, maybe called Mark had died, Died so quickly and cruelly and harshly that someone, somewhere had remembered. And because of that he was destined to forever live this torturous, twisted existence. In a few minutes he would be waking up, having forgotten all of this, starting again, a new day, and a new life. A new person.

He took a sepia photo out of his pocket, a picture of someone who looked like him, but who didn’t. And someone else. A person who had her arm around his waist. Emily. A single tear dropped onto the picture. He would soon have forgotten her. Or he might be unlucky. He might remember. Then the lights went out.

Replay!

2010-08-06T03:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we mentioned a while back our series 2 plans, with Robert Theggers, and that there would be four big three parters; the opener is the sea of dreams, and there were three (potentially five) 'vignettes', short one-shot stories, that were format-bending type stuff. Well we said one would be written by me Replay. Well we discussed that, and that those 'vignette' stories should be left to new writers. We also discussed the story 'Ballad' which isn't coming along very quickly- we don't want that to become an 'unearthly powers' story, which was delayed, delayed, then shelved by us. So, we're going all out on this one. It'll become the second three parter, and will be written by all of us. Daniel Harma, Robert Theggers, Damian Laharistar, and Rosalene Burtor, and the original writer, Troy Wood. We'll all suggest big 'set piece ideas', chunks of dialogue, and build up the Sidhe, and the William Yeats storyline. Taking it's place will be the vignette from series 2 that I had planned, 'Replay', based on a short story I wrote... More info to follow!

The Angel- our new companion!

2010-08-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

The New Companion for the second half of series 4b (and maybe beyond, unless Robert Theggers has other ideas) is a new, interesting, mysterious one... Check out the page called 'the companions' for info!

She's replacing the popular and effervescent Florence- here's a quite from Dan (yep, thats me!)

"Florence wasn't really the focus of the first episodes; she was created as a generic companion. We fleshed her out with a bit of backstory, a bit of emotion. But now we've got a few readers, a bit of headway, we're doing something different, like Majenta in DWM, a companion you might not get away with on television. This is 'the angel', and she'll make up part of the story arc, to her true identity! So now the doctor ends up travelling with an angel, certainly not a human."

Remembrances- Review!

2010-08-05T13:04:00.001-07:00

Well Blink has written a brilliant review of Remembrances, here it is! Thanks!

This review touches on the fact that this story resolves the ongoing questions over Florence and The Doctor's relationship, bringing them together after their argument in WtFCP... This suggests perhaps an alternate running order for the series, which perhaps makes more sense....

4b.1 Palimpsest
4b.2 Mortal Eclipsed
4b.3 I am a Clone
Gives us more info/background on Florence, gives her a chance to take the limelight, and some much needed character development. Oh, and a dandylion speech.
>4b.4 Where the Freakish Creatures Play
The 'angsty arguments' come a little later in their relationship, after we've seen the strength of their friendship, and the time passed in IAAC hints at a long series of travels off-screen together. Perhaps a cliffhanger-ending added to lead into Remembraces? I might add that... remember, these scripts are W.I.P, and constantly being updated, so check back!
>4b.5 Remembrances
Resolves these problems, shows that the Doctor needs Florence just as much as she needs him, and brings their relationship to a new, confortable position; ready to strike out to infinity! (Just as it's about to crumble!
4b.6 Shrapnel Wounds
Shows the power, dark nature of the doctor, shows Florence just how scary he is, and shows a little snippet of their majesty, and their long time travelling together!
4b.7 Valentine's Day or No Such Thing As Second Chances
A semi-sequel to Remembrances, returning to it's locations and characters, and tearing the doctor and Florence apart!

Poster!

2010-07-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

by Blink! Thanks!

The 'guest cast'- episode 5

2010-07-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

So, bit of fun, for each episode now we'll put up a 'guest cast' list of actors who might star in the episodes, were they made on television. And let's start with I am a Clone...

Manhole man: Ben Mansfield

Youth Clone: Harry Lloyd

Husband: Billy Murray

Housewife: Saskia Reeves

Important Scientist: Jonjo O'Neill

Doctor Plagurise

2010-07-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, a new fan fic script series has popped up. That's fine, I love competition, crossovers, as you can see with the partnerships between my blog, Captin Franko's and Gregs. But this new blog looks rather similar to mine. Let's take a look:

The header:

Mine has a page on the idea behind the series, a page on the episode guide, a page on the companion, and one with writing guidelines. So does his. Literally, every page he has comes from mine. And let's look at those submission guidelines?....

Submission Guidelines

Well, we have an unusual policy:

Try not to use old characters, monsters or villains, it's much more
interesting with your own. That doesn't mean we won't look at your submissions,
and there are great, new, ways of using these, just be careful... We'd rather
read the genesis of the maherrlians than the regurgitation of the daleks!
We're trying to be an imaginative series, we're most interested in the
quirky, fantastical episodes, rather than run of the mill 'Doctor Who in Mines
with Aliens involved'. To use a recent example, we'd rather the sort of stories
like Amy's choice, The Beast Below, Midnight, Turn Left or Blink. More
experimental, 'out there' stuff- push the boundaries!

Wait a minute- so does he!

We're interested in hearing new things. We want to put things like Blink,
Midnight, Amy's Choice, Vincent and the Doctor, The Girl in the Fireplace up
here. We'd still read Extermination of the Daleks or Deletion of the Cybermen,
but it may not be what we're looking for, so select your antagonist wisely.

Quite a coincedence. Now, we're the ONLY fanfic series I know who re-write scripts in the style of RTD, all others allow their writers to do what they want:

Then it will be passed over to one of our two lead writers, Dan Harma or
Robert Theggers. They'll, where necessary, re-write the story, mostly in small
ways to make the companions character more consistent, to add in the series arc,
for example. Occasionally this will be a more heavy re-write, which is no
reflection on your writing, simply on our 'vision' for the show- this is not a
personal affront, and if you disagree with your changes, feel free to have a
shout at us- you'll be given our email

Wait a sec!

... so that we can revise parts of your script slightly to keep
companion consistency and add in the Story Arc - don't worry, the story you send
us will not change! If a more heavy revision is required, please don't consider
it a personal affront on your writing. It is merely an edit to make the story
consistent with recurring characters and our overall "vision" for the
series.

Pardon! (us)

on our 'vision' for the show

Them...

our overall "vision" for the series

Us...

more heavy re-write

Them...

If a more heavy revision is required

Us...

not a personal affront

Them...

don't consider it a personal affront

Now you're just taking the piss

Your [pen]name

And them....

your (pen)name.

Well, at least they changed the brackets. Seriously, I've made a complaint to him, I consider this plagurism, he's not even credited me! Please, boycott the blog, or protest- this is not cool, it's fanfic! The blog is: http://parallel-doctorwho.blogspot.com/

Coming Soon

2010-07-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Doctor Who 4b returns in September

With "If The Never Whens"

A brand new story from Dan Harma and Rob Theggers

If the never-whens were never-weres/And the never-weres weren't/As in the never-wheres, I immerse/For a never-while? I learnt/That it was never-cold, Never-warm/Never-nothing, Never-something/Never-tangible, I was unborn/Reborn, never-born, Not a lord, nor king/Or time and space, in never-space/Amongst the never-creatures, never-beasts/In fanged nightmares’ corporeal embrace/Yet of your terrors, they are the least.

The doctor is alone, again. He's lost everyone, and now he's lost the TARDIS. He's drifting, alone, and powerless through space, with just thirty minutes of oxygen left...

And he's a time lord... he's falling and drifting across time zones, and now he's crossed into Neverspace!

Series 2!

2010-07-19T05:07:00.001-07:00

Starting soon(well, soon-ish. Sometime!) , we're going to have the second half of series 4b, with a brand new companion replacing the lost Florence, with Robert Theggers writing two stories, including Till We Have Built Jerusalem, and The Never Whens, as well as a CaptinFranko story we're very excited by at Doctor Who 4b Towers. Or we would be, if we had towers. Or a castle, that would be good too. Also in 4b coming up is a 'celebrity historical' and of course the overall series finale, which features a little suprise... But Rob and I were talking, on the phone, about the series' future yesterday, and series 2! and series 3! So, with him as showrunner, we're focussing on the development of series 2, and me working on 3, simultaneously, until we can compile a list of all the stories in the next two series, and then allocate them, and work on writers....

And series 2 looks a little different to this one; an old school DW fan, Rob has changed the structure a little bit, to a clasical who format (-ish): there's going to be 4 x 3 parter episodes, with the general forumla being
episode 1: set up scenario,
episode 2: doctor + companion arrive, investigate, etc, before finding out truth/threatened with death and a good cliffhanger, then
episode 3: solve it!
each episode will be a little shorter, maybe 30 pages long though. AND there's going to be 3 'one-shot', single episode stories, around 40-50 pages, the same as current length. These will be more experimental, oddball stories, in the style of Amy's choice/midnight/turn left. These are also the ideal place for new, guest writers (if necessary there could be two extra one shot stories bookending the series, if there's an unlikely demand for places!) The three parters will be probably be taken by our experience writers, who can nail the format!

So, if you want to write for us, or in the past we've expressed an interest in getting a story from you, have a crack at it! Either look at the ridiculously self-important writers guidelines, or just email a proposal to doctorwho4bcompetition[at]hotmail.co.uk! We'd love you to!

Series 2:
> Sea of Dreams Part 1 by Robert Theggers
> Sea of Dreams Part 2 by Robert Theggers
> Sea of Dreams Part 3 by Robert Theggers
Replay by Dan Harma [adapted from short story]
> Episode 3 Part 1 tba
> Episode 3 Part 2 tba
> Episode 3 Part 3 tba
Episode 4 (One-off episode)
> Episode 5 Part 1 tba
> Episode 5 Part 2 tba
> Episode 5 Part 3 tba
Episode 6 (One-off episode)
> Episode 7 Part 1 tba
> Episode 7 Part 2 tba
> Episode 7 Part 3 tba

Although the series is structured like a classic series, it will still be very much written in the form of New Who with a big season cliffhanger, etc.... Series 3 news to follow!

I am a Clone- EDA style cover!

2010-07-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, fantastic cover from gallifrey base!

Undercover: I am a Clone

2010-07-07T04:21:00.000-07:00

Before we begin, one thing- this was NOT a remake, re-invention or in any way based on the film 'Moon': I only saw Moon a few days ago, long after writing this- this has been in process for a long time now. The similarities in their plot though, are incredible.

Title: I am a clone. This came from the short story I wrote of the same name, which dealt with clones, on the same planet, (probably, but unspecifie), and their understanding of self, their inferiority complex, their acceptance of their situation.

Roots: Le delicatessen ('manhole men') Journey into Space (Florence's metaphorical voiceover, page 32), Brazil (the dowdy, suburban family), Moon (I suppose I have to put it), the Greatest Show in the galaxy (husband, housewife), Remembrance of the Daleks ('restaurant scene' is a homage to the great 'cafe scene'), many apartheid memoirs, The Wall (fascist state), 'Shakespeare/Romeo and Juliet for Florence's 'dandeylion speech'. The fact this in fact invokes Pip & Jane more than Shakespeare is probably accidental.

Future History: The year is 2270, during the human empire. The planet has connections, via trade, to other planets, which sustain it's economy, but it is independant in it's practices. The planet's inhabitants are presumably human. The human empire is at this point still growing and expanding, rather than in decline [we try as much as possible to fit this series, with it's large use of future history, into the continuity established by the virgin new adventures, see details here, but we can't be 100% accurate- Ed.] The planet, Nolita, is very advanced: with monorails that an stop instantly, based on high technology, and every person on the planet has a clone, who is a doner for organs, blood, etc. The planet looks more like an academic town, Oxford perhaps, with red brick, and nice architecture. After Florence-Clone's actions, the planet's economy collapsed, and the planet fell into disrepair.

Continuity: Florence's first boyfriend was called Brian. Florence's grandad died when she was young, but she couldn't cry. Florence studied Geography at school, and had a macabre fascination with the large scale disasters, that they did in case studies. The Doctor gets called a geek. The doctor finds the sewage systems on Nolita very interesting. The Doctor has head of Mad Max. There's an implication that the Florence that the doctor leaves with at the end, off-screen, is in fact a clone, and she has been switched. The doctor and Florence visit Nolita twice, both times mainly off-screen.

Goofs: A lot. The amount of plot-holes is quite extraordinary.

Bottom Line: "Who am I?" This whole story is one study of what makes us who we are, what defines us. Every character in the story is challenging or discovering their perception of self. Manhole Man says 'We are the clones, that's all we have, all we know. We're defined by our genes, our parents, the 'real' us...', introducing us to the theme of nature versus nurture in this story. 'Husband' again mentions it; 'I could make a thousand more [clones] with the click of one thumb, but you can never quite predict how they'll come out. The way they're brought up, I suppose, or just in their genes? Slight variation?' Florence even questions her own identity in the infamous 'dandeylion speech'. Although again dripping with unnecessary emotion, and angst, in this story it actually has a place, and is justified, in that it fits with the themes. While Florence pouring out her life story in scene 9, is still cringemaking, some of the play is genuinely affecting. One of the strongest stories.

Review: Script Doctor

2010-07-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

So this book is the closest we get to the writers tale about the classic series. It's a really detailed look at the production of the final three seasons of classic who, 24,25,26. The latter two are certainly regarded now as a return to form for the series, and some of it's best, and most consistent seasons since the mid-Tom Baker years, or earlier, with classics like Remembrance of the Daleks, Ghostlight, Survival, The Curse of Fenric, The greatest show in the galaxy, and the Happiness Patrol (the last ones doubtful). It's also perhaps my favourite doctor who, period.

The book is written by Andrew Cartmel, the script editor for these seasons. He was young when appointed, and it was his first big television job. Although perhaps young, some would say naive, on the production/budgetary side of the series, as a creative writer and editor, he was brilliant. Most of the Colin Baker run was '[poor quality] thrillers, with arbitary sci-fi detail,' as he says in his book. However Cartmel was first and formost a science fiction fan, and this shows, with a return to proper science fiction plots and stories in his era. He also had intentions to make the doctor 'more than just a time lord', to return some mystery to the character, with RTD also did when bringing the show back, by removing Gallifrey and the Time Lords.

Under Cartmel, instead of Pip and Jane scripts, with strange plots, no grasp for science fiction, and dreadful dialogue, he brought in some brilliant young writers, like Aaronvitch, Platt, Munro, Briggs and Wyatt, and the series became dramatically better.

This book focusses chapter by chapter on a story; the first half of the book gives a lot of detail on the production, but as he became more detached, a little disillusioned by the failings of the production after such great scripts, the chapters become shorter, focussing on the writing of each story. A brilliant and engrossing read, highly recommended.

Famous Writing Tip #2

2010-07-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

To only write characters you know examples of in real life; characters are the focal point of your story and script.... give them priority

[Malcolm Hulke, writing for television in the '70s][paraphrased]

Showrunner #2

2010-07-03T11:58:00.001-07:00

Oh dear.

Like all dictators, clinging to power with increasing desperation, I'm descending into paranoia. Because, this series is in a very good way right now- Robert Theggers is doing amazingly, and brilliantly, with his own baby, Til we Have built Jerusalem, (His 4b.1/4b.2 stories were from ideas by me), and it looks marvelous. Troy Wood has got a celebrity historical lined up, and I've got to somehow compete with his ideas, and then match them, raise them, and get it all down, up to his standards, and now today, I saw a little tease of the Captin Franko story. Oh my days, it's good, very good, and you are all in for a treat.

And I'm sitting here sulking, because everyones stories are better than mine. It's not fair.

But no, actually, the best thing I can do as showrunner, is bring in all the best writers, while I sit writing the 9th draft of I am a clone (yep, the blog/scribd one is updated most days now, check it out!), and cry myself to sleep. Naaa, not really. I don't cry myself to sleep. I'm so depressed I can't sleep. Ha ha.

So, I've come to a decision.... Robert Theggers is going to be showrunner for series 2! Now, before you cry (la-la-la, I can't hear you, of course you were going to cry)- I'll explain. Not forever, it's just a long-term plan, to keep the series fresh... Every series, we alternate, to stop it going stale. So series 2 is going to Robert Theggers-ish, with his story arcs and characters, although I'll probably write most the stories still. We could even have a cycle, with maybe a few others taking their turn in the showrunner chair- Damian laharistar, Rosalene Burtor.

So, series 2, next year, I'm making plans for stories (and preparing an email, asking Robert Theggers if he accepts. Cos I haven't actualllyyyyyyyy asked him yet).

But apart from that, it's all good. Series 1 will resume in The Fall, with a marvellous little story, we're calling Unshriven at the moment, and it's got a re-working of Romeo and Juliet, in space, a massive space monster threatening people, CERN, a famous poet, the sidhe, the architects, and a big revelation for the doctor.

Now, question is- and heres some warning- will Rob Theggers try and fit a star wars crossover into series 2. Hmmm....

BTW new writers wanted for series 2, just put your name forward to my email, or use the submissions page for guidelines (Cor, they sound posh!)

Doctor Who The Shooting Scripts Review

2010-07-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

So, before the writer's tale, there were the shooting scripts. We've all heard how much I liked the writer's tale, so how does this book stack-up?

Well, it's big as well, a massive hard back book. Inside are the shooting scripts, pretty similar to what we saw on screen, bar edits, and additional dialogue, plus some cuts. Also each script has an introduction by the author- The Moff writes a hilarious introduction- and there's a foreword by RTD, and Helen Raynor. Now, this book is sort of useful, for simultaneously reading/watching the episodes. But really, apart from that, it's a bit pointless.

Unlike the writer's tale, there isn't any discussion of the story, how it came to pass, different drafts, the actual writing process, except for maybe in the introduction, and the scripts are free of the photos and drawings that made the writer's tale so interesting, just a load of generic screenshots.

This means it's essentially a series of rather dry transcripts of the dialogue, with scene directions. The book really comes alive when RTD talks in his introduction, written in script form, about how he brought the show back ("with love"), and in some of the better introductions, such as those of the Moff, or of Mark Gatiss. Paul Cornell, in his father's day introduction aims for poignancy, but it's rather muddled, and seems a bit misplaced. If you're a completist, and want it for your collection, or you want a brief dictionary of technical vocabulary (If CU is close up, then BCU is...), or to check out some hurried dialogue, then fine, go for it, but if you want to learn more about writing, about how they were written, or about different stories considered, give it a miss.

Famous Writing Tip #1

2010-07-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

"The imagination is a muscle"
[The more you use it, the stronger it becomes]
Andrew Cartmel's Script Doctor Book, quote from Kevin Clarke.

Undercover: Palimpsest

2010-07-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

A new feature, in the style of the discontinuity guide we examine roots, continuity and the future history of episodes, along with goofs and plot holes, with background information and ideation process, as well as critical evalutaion....

Titles (Working Titles): Palimpsest (His story, her story)(L'anniversaire morbide)
Roots: James Bond, thriller style films, sci-fi B movies, David Bowie. Star wars (Mos Eisely cantina), Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock/Watson gags)
Future History: It's the year 3000; there's a royal navy ("but that means spaceships"); they have flying cars; it's the New Human Empire; Sydney harbour bridge is still standing; there's a lot of pollution; there was a world wide vacination against 'susporco virus'- later revealed to be a fake; Mutants are treated badly, sideline by society; Sydney has a president; His name is Jon Visagelux (clear, light -- face (-latin))
Continuity: The Doctor claims to be a 'bridge maintenance man'; Enigma has met him before, in his future, but Enigma's past. The Cult of shadows want to mutate the population, so they are no longer outcasts. Florence is from the 1980's, and was an actress in sci-fi films. At the beginning she's considering suicide. The Doctor was already investigating. The doctor has a special fondess for earth. There's a great colour that humans have never seen, called Frume (Doctor Who storybook). He loves the anvil of galaxies. The doctor isn't used to saving the world without a fight. Florence and The Doctor both hate Abba. The ABBA LP is worth a fortune. The Doctor has a variety of money, and alien coins, to Florence's surpise. The Doctor lost his planet, in a day that was "terrible for pen pushers everywhere"
Goofs: If any transmitted signal will cancel out the mutation signal, what about all the radio signals that must be broadcasting? The Doctor himself realises there will be radio signals broadcasting
Also, if he's broadcasting the signal of the video cassette, why can they hear it? You can't hear every radio signal being broadcast, just walking along!
Bottom Line: 'And the jester made his escape, and was confident he had done enough' Already growing on me with age, nostaligically I love this episode; it was well received, well read, and the start of the series, one of the few with an ending that made sense, and was foreshadowed. In reality, much of the plot is trite, senseless and cheesy, but the characterisation is fairly strong, with a light-hearted series 2 tenth doctor, and an interesting new companion, while the dialogue is banterous, about as close as we got to an all out 'funny episode', and the doctor companion dynamic is free from the angst and emo-feelings that crept in later.

Review: The writer's tale

2010-06-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

The first thing to say, is this is a very odd book. It's sort of about doctor who, but it covers way more, and appeals to way more than doctor who fans. Is it a 'how to write book'? Well, it touches on that, and is certainly helpful, (especially in inspiring you to write), but it's way too sprawling, general, for that. Is it a biography, of RTD? Well, sort of.

But once you've got past that, it's just a damn good book. At times it's laugh out loud funny, written by two intelligent, witty writers, with a banterous, tongue-in-cheek tone. At other's, it's dealing with serious stuff, Davies' own doubts, his inability to start scripts, his fear.

This book shows you genuinely what a hard career RTD choose, and doesn't shy away from his vulnerability, the doubts....

This book is absolutely essential powerful, brilliant stuff- chock full of Davies' own artwork, drawings, and draft scripts, it's compelling stuff, and despite being such a huge book, I finished it within two days- essential for fans of Davies, Doctor Who, wannabe-writers, or just people looking for a bloody good (and big!) summer read!

NB: A new, revised edition is out, covering the specials year, and a look back at the whole making of DW. Although this is great reading as well, it feels, ironically, less 'special', less of an event book- it drops the artwork and long script extracts for more emails, as well as loosing many behind the scene photos. If you're going to get one, get the first one, cos that is a genuinely special brilliant book.

The Future

2010-06-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

So, the future... We've had the first half of the series, (mostly) on-time (hopefully) enjoyable! What now?

First, of, a special suprise- 4b.S Giganticus
A summer special episode, released late July/Early August.... It's a big, blousy, fun story, featurung great big set-pieces, and monsters! (For once, cos if you're counting, so far we've only had one alien race, and they were friendly!

Then, the series starts proper again in the Fall, around September, October time- the series carries on with 4b.8 Angel, a small, reflective episode, that re-unites Dan Harma and Robert Theggers in another story- small, intimate, and dealing with the doctor's feelings over loosing Florence....

Then, the one we're focussing on at the moment, that's really exciting us is Till we have built Jerusalem, and it features a space-station (I'm pressing for a great big space ship) called Jerusalem (I'm pressing for The Jerusalem), quite big, philisophical stuff about hedonism, desire, vs stoicism and virtue (If Rob Theggers agrees!), with characters called Caligula, Dionysus, and the reveller-king (Again, if RT agrees...)- basically, with the virtue of time, we're experimenting, playing around with options and just thinking what works- this is hopefully a Robert Theggers sole story- yep, you're gonna see a story where he wrote the final draft now, (before I wrote the final draft of the stories)- this one is his baby.

Also, we've got a co-write with Troy Wood, featuring a 'celebrity historical guest star,' and of course the most anticipated story, the CaptinFranko story, based around CERN!! This should be good!

Also, we're going to start reviewing books related to Doctor who and/or how to write (starting with the writers tale) we're going to have a 'doctor who confidential' background post, and also a post dedicated to Florence, and her incredible journey!

Meanwhile, I'll be updating and uploading new versions of all the series one scripts, and new drafts- cos they're never finished, always work in progress- to the series line up page, or in new posts, or over at dropincounselling.webs.com, so check that out!

I am a clone- review!!

2010-06-19T05:48:00.000-07:00

Blink has written a fabulous review of I am a Clone, and in it he also discusses the message, and the parallels in the story with a whole variety of influences, and the 'messages'- all of which are exactly how I wrote them! A great review then! Blink is also responsible for our amazing episode posters! Check out his great blog!

The fifth story of the online Doctor Who series, ‘I Am a Clone’, sees the Doctor’s companion Florence wake up in a mysterious world of clones, where they are abused by the human race to help advance their planet. This is yet another powerful story by Daniel Harma, with a deep message at the core of the tale which everyone can relate to, especially in our modern society which is broken.The terrible treatment of the clones in this story is an excellent parallel to the treatment of many black people who were enslaved by rich men of America and Britain, and tried to break free from their torture by standing up to their supposed ‘owners’. This was clearly shown in the scene when a clone attempts to board a train, trying to prove that he has just as many rights as the other passengers, but is murdered by the ‘superior’ humans who can’t face the truth.As the story progresses, we learn many emotional facts about this world of both humans and clones, and how there may not be as much difference between them as we were led to believe. The greatest moment of the episode came when it was revealed that this Florence is really a clone, as is every other member of the planet, who all lives in denial. Once again a tear jerking script, with beautiful characterisation and a powerful message.

I am a Clone- new version!!

2010-06-19T04:20:00.001-07:00

The best episode of the series, re-released, new version, even better- I hope! New scenes 9 and 27 especially, small changes throughout!
Btw, is this new way of showing episodes better? Should I upload the whole series?

4b.5 I am a clone

Released- Valentines Day!

2010-06-19T03:52:00.001-07:00

I'm re-releasing last weeks Remembraces-technical difficlties spoiled it last week! And releasing the part 2, this weeks episode- valentines day or no such thing as second chanes?

DOWNLOAD PDFS:
Remembrances
Valetines day or not such thing as second chances?

Florence is lonely, missing her home, family and friends, and so takes a trip home, to see her boyfriend, John, an astronaut in the Royal Navy, and she finds a whole new world of terrors, and the Doctor realises what must be done. Then, in the aftermath... Valentine’s Day. The day Florence first met John. A day she had always shared with him. Till now. She’s lost. And then, out of nothing, she’s offered a choice. The most terrible choice in the world, the hardest decision she’s had to make. Both her, and The Doctor, will be have to face the consequences...

This is the last episode release for a while now! Enjoy it! And, below, releasing in a new way! Any good?

Valentines day or no such thing as second chances

Work...

2010-06-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I was feeling pleased.... I'd got a few awesome guest writers in for series 4b, part two, like Robert Theggers, Troy Wood, Captin Franko, which meant a slightly less intensive work load! So, I couldn't help myself... went and signed up to write for quite a few series... which means around a month to bang out the first drafts/hand in the final drafts of eleven new scripts!! I mean, that's insane. In case anyone is interested, here's my list....

Square Eye's series- 1.8/1.9 (The mask; peripheral vision)
CaptinFranko's series- TBA (single episode?)
Tomatlcm's series- 1.4/1.5/1.11 (the mirage-queen; the army of mirrors; I am a Clone)
The Wanderer's 9th doctor series- 1.11
And this series: 4b.08/4b.11/4b.12/4b13

Mmm..... It's my own fault, I know, but really.... eleven scripts to write/finish in around a month!? That's like a whole series... and I've already written half a series. It'll kill me... The worst thing is I don't even get to put them on my blog, and talk about them... hell, I don't even know what the series arcs are! And, just writing for Amy, and Florence, and the Angel, and Celeste, and Rose, and Martina, and Tim, and Tabitha, and introducing a new companion....

The good thing is that most of this is guest writing, cos series 4b is taking care of itself a bit more, the first half was a real slog, and it was blood and tears, but next series I've got the most brilliant team of guest writers, helping me out! Troy Wood, (check him out on the 'doctor who 4b' page on this blog), CaptinFranko (whose story is going to be fantastic, from what we've discussed, just you wait!) and Robert Theggers stepping up to write his first full episode, should be great, hedonism, jerusalem... the works! I'm a lucky showrunner!

I'm hoping I might begin to get noticed on Gallifrey Base after this, cos I don't get read much over there... after this they've got to notice me?! I mean, even if it's just cos I get them in the paper.

(Cos I'm dead)

Happy thoughts.

Aliens....

2010-06-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

the mirage-queen,
the army of mirrors,
the Sidhé,
the mask,
the angel,
the Architects,
Enigma,
The hertanz-murjanon.

You thought you'd seen it all? You thought the threats facing the doctor couldn't get any worse? Think again.

A brand new line-up of amazing new aliens, created for doctor who 4b. Penned by guest writers like Robert Theggers and Troy Wood.

The fall of 2010.

Be here.

Michael Moorcock!

2010-06-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

DOCTOR WHO THE COMING OF THE TERRAPHILES
MICHAEL MOORCOCK
Published by BBC Books, 28 October 2010, £16.99 '

There are dark tides running through the universe.Miggea - a star on the very edge of reality. The cusp between this universe and the next. A point where space-time has worn thin, and is in danger of colapsing...

And the venue for the grand finals of the competition to win the fabled Arrow of Law. The Doctor and Amy have joined the Terraphiles - a group obsessed with all aspects of Earth's history, and dedicated to re-enacting ancient sporting events. They are determined to win the Arrow. But just getting to Miggea proves tricky. Reality is collapsing, ships are disappearing, and Captain Cornelius and his pirates are looking for easy pickings. Even when they arrive, the Doctor and Amy's troubles won't be over. They have to find out who is so desperate to get the Arrow of Law that they will kill for it. And uncover the traior on their own team. And win the contest fair and sqaure. And, of course, they need to save the universe from total destruction.

A thrilling, all-new adventure featuring the Doctor and Amy, as played by Matt Smith and Karen Gilan in the spectacular hit series from BBC Television.

Famous sci-fi author pens a new WHO novel! It's going to me more expensive than the normal novels, and 100 pages longer- from what I here, it's going to be promoted as a 'proper', literary book, and reviewed on the review programmes on TV, and even going to feature at the Cheltenham literary festival!

4b.6: Remembrances- available now!!

2010-06-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

Available HERE

My least favourite story of the series, probably the weakes, but it's the first part of the two parter, and part two is my favourite of the series, I think!

In terms of the two parter, this doesn't end on a cliffhanger, more it sets up the finale, introducing characters and locations needed for the finale!

Series 4b enters it's thrilling climax, with this mid-season two parter, that threatens to tear apart the brilliant partnership between the Doctor and Florence!

Available HERE!!

An opportunity

2010-06-10T12:53:00.001-07:00

Just a quick one for all the wannabe writers out there, SFX magazine has a competition going...

a crotchety old man in a frock coat with long flowing white hair
baggy check trousers and a mop of untidy black hair
a shock of white hair, a hawk-like nose and an old/young face
a casual bohemian elegance
a slight, fair-haired figure with a pleasant, open face

Do you recognise these? If you do, your probably thirty years or older, and a big doctor who fan. Because they're the desciptions of doctors one through five from the wonderful target novelisations of classic doctor who stories. Uncle Terrance Dicks novelisations, as well as introducing us to new, big words, coined many famous doctor who phrases, like 'a wheezing, groaning sound" when the TARDIS materialises. And now, SFX's competition, judged by Uncle Terrance himself, asks you to coin a description of the eleventh doctor, which will be used in an eleventh doctor novel, sometime in December!

As the phrases need to be short and pithy, we’ve decided to run this competition through Twitter. So when you’ve composed you little snippet of literary genius, what you need to do is hop onto Twitter and message us @SFXmagazine with your entry – and be sure to include #SFXWHO at the end. That means you have 119 characters (unless you hate spaces) to compose your Terrance Dicks-style masterpiece of descriptive prose.

For full details, see here!

The Finale...

2010-06-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

Of the first half of the series (eps 6 and 7) is now finished! I delayed it from last week, cos otherwise I might leave the readers behind, so it gives people more time to catch up, and me, well.... going back to them, written six months ago, they felt... well, not great. So, a re-write, cos to be honest there was a reason they were in the bottom drawer of scripts... Remembrances still isn't great, but the ending of VDorSTaSC is soooo sad! I think, anyway! Wish I could show you it now! Wish I could tell you all about it, the words "Such a simple thing!", 'A narrow crack,'

FLORENCE: This is it?
THE DOCTOR: This is it.

The SKY is like hell, fire, and blood, and chaos;
the majesty of time

Words, like 'carousel,' 'pier,' 'gulls' and 'fairground' And the last words of the episode?? It's a dialogue voice-over...

"The doctor
and his best friend will always be
*******, hand in hand, into the
****** for the last time..."

EDIT: So Blink got *hand* in *hand* ....... and best friend!!

Soundtrack....

2010-06-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

So, the TV series of Doctor Who gets a nice soundtrack by Murray Gold, which adds to the emotion of all the episodes, so... heres the DOCTOR WHO 4B sountrack! All the songs specified in the scripts will be added to this youtube playlist, so you can easily find the songs you need while reading the scripts, or just to listen to to soak up that doctor-who-4b-ey mood!
(heres the direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtdjW7V-0oc&feature=PlayList&p=746FAA3FAF42460C&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1 )

The soundtrack to the popular script series of doctor who featuring tracks from such names as Guns n' Roses, Martina McBride, David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, rising stars like Rocco de Luca and David Ford, and orchestras such as the BBC orchestra and the Spaghetti Western Orchestra.... and many more!

Shrapnel Wounds Review

2010-06-05T06:06:00.001-07:00

Shrapnel Wounds was reviewed here, on Blink's awesome blog; what a great review! Thanks!

The fourth story of the online Doctor Who series, ‘Shrapnel Wounds’, sees an elderly woman called Helen settle down on a new planet, after her old civilisation was ruined by technology and advancements in robots. Her only hope lies with one man: The Doctor…The story opens in a very unique and engaging way, when we hear the charming notes of a nursery rhyme, and gaze upon a planet in a beautiful starlit sky. Then the story immediately cuts to the planet surface, where we see an old lady who tells the story of her lifetime, and how an ever technology-advancing planet has brought her nothing but misery.Daniel Harma once again manages to create a very believable character that the audience can connect with, which sets up the story for all the emotional and painful times that her character will have to experience. This is enhanced in the scene where she breaks down in the pub, realising that she has nothing left on her own planet, and desperately wants to find a new and better way of life on this one.Helen is soon introduced to a mysterious man who lives in a little cottage, known as the Doctor. However, this is not the same Doctor that we have grown to know and love. He is a very old man now, at the end of his life, and has been exiled to the planet to die a dull and lonely man. The two characters form a strong bond, and spend a lovely couple of years enjoying each other’s company.However, like all things in life, the happiness doesn’t last forever. A gang of assassins soon invade the planet, with only one intention; to kill the Doctor. The scene where the Doctor watches the planet burn from inside a prison cell is extremely emotional, which leads to his noble sacrifice in order to save the world and the people he loves. After the Doctor is shot by the assassins and left for dead, his last wish is to travel through eternity in the TARDIS, just like it all started. The revelation that the script was literally a script is a very clever plot twist, as we discover that the elderly Helen has been writing about the end of the Doctor’s life, and the pain that everyone on the planet endured once he was gone. We also learn that she is telling all of these events to the Tenth Doctor’s current companion, Florence, who listens to her tales of love and loss, knowing that her adventures with the Doctor won’t last forever. 5/5

Remebrances- press release!

2010-06-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Florence is lonely. She’s missing her home, her family and friends. And so she returns home, to meet her boyfriend, an astronaut in the Royal Navy, and finds a whole new world of terrors.Meanwhile the Doctor realises what must be done.

Our mini-series finale, a two parter, [episodes 6 and 7] had a strange genesis. I'll explain... I was aware we'd not had many alien races so far this series, and wanted to change that, and feature a nice, proper, alien civilisation, that was very different, and would be much too expensive for television- that was the Gnaecians. I wanted to make it sad, and give Florence a bit of development, and so it had John in, and was on Ravenna. Then, I liked the location so much I returned to it in Valentine's day or no such thing as second changes, and had another threat there, a return to Ravenna. Then, through endless line-up changes, they ended up running after each other, and I decided to link them as a very strange two part story- at the time it was going to be a seven episode series, the idea of making it a full 13 episode series came later.

Series 4b begins to build towards a mid season climax, and a culmination of Florence's journey, with remembrances, released this Saturday! Written by showrunner Daniel Harma!

The mirage-queen...

2010-06-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

"You know that sound, when your in bed at night? You hear the floorboard creaking, little noises all around? And your parents say it's nothing. Well it's not nothing. That's the sound of the march of the Mirage-Queen, and her Army of Mirrors..."

Shes coming...

I am a Clone- now available!

2010-05-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

Available here!

She awakes, on her own. With no idea how she got there, and no idea who she is. Then, slowly, she begins to remember. Fragments of memory. Splinters of her life. But, as the Clones begin to fightback, starting a revoloution, she's stuck in the middle of systematic genocide, and Terror.

This story is one I wanted to write, adapted from a short story- the idea came what if you had clones, 'fake people', who weren't real- how would it feel? Then I began to tie it in with the apartheid in south africa, segregation, and so I got the whole opressed society, and so the short story, about these 'grown' people who accept their inferior, got expanded- a doctor lite story, the companion has to, even without the doctor, be marvellous and magnificent, and try and save the clones! I even added in a sinister couple to make it a bit more... interesting? I just threw elements in there and hoped they'd resolve themselves

Series 4b enters the latter stages with a more experimental, radical story by showrunner Dan Harma, "I wanted to take the show out it's comfort zone- in case, and before, we ever find one!" with a story where the companion, Florence, [updated page with pictures and quotes] has to take center stage!

Now available HERE! Sorry for the delay this week!

wtFCP- Review!

2010-05-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Blink reviewed the story this evening, and first of all, Blink- thanks! It was a brilliant, fair, and balanced review. After reposting it, I'd like to adress his very vaild criticisms, all things I agree with entirely, from a writing perspective...

"The third story of the online Doctor Who series, ‘Where the Freakish Creatures Play’, sees the Doctor and Florence arrive on Finisterre, a distant desert planet, where one man and one child walk across the world, remembering when the Doctor destroyed their civilisation... Daniel Harma once again pulls off an amazing script in his series, full of unique plot twists and great character personalisation, which strongly add to the realism of the drama. The idea of the Doctor killing an entire planet, through no real fault of his own, is a very powerful one indeed, and allows his character to develop in this story as he faces some very tough decisions.The only disappointment in the script was the large argument between the Doctor and Florence at the end, which seemed unnecessary and spoilt the great chemistry that had been between the two characters. This could have been fine if there had been longer lasting consequences, but Florence seemed to go from hating the Doctor to forgiving him seconds later, without much regard for the terrible words he had said to her. However, the ingenious plot ideas and clever use of time travel made up for this small criticism, and overall this was another brilliant story, that could easily have appeared in David Tennant’s era of Doctor Who. Daniel Harma has created a wonderful series, with stories of the highest quality in terms of plot, action, emotion and humour, and for that he should be very proud. Rating: 4/5 stars"

As I said before the episode, I attempted to carry on the character development that saw the doctor loosing it, big time, in the waters of mars, which occurs before this series. Although, admittedly with only partial sucess, I thought it made some sort of narrative sense, but I simply lacked time to make it more logical, or understandable in the script, and the editing wasn't rigorous enough. The Doctor/Florence argument on the other hand, is a very fair criticism, and even when writing it I had niggling doubts... She's meant to feel betrayed, angry, at him and his treatment of her- she's not been a 'proper companion,' just some-one she can show off to. On the other hand, he feels incredibly guilty about the death and destruction he was responsible for on the planet, so they argue, and I thought that was a fairly natural, believable turn in the relationship- in all relationships, you argue, and then, mostly, forgive and forget and make-up. That's why they/she suddenly forgave him, but it was far too sudden, I agree- I wanted to get across her knowing all his anger wasn't with her, understanding him, and his guilt, perhaps feeling partly responsible herself, but that didn't come across, so in the end it did devalue their relationship. The only thing is in the next few episodes, that little incident isn't forgotten, and it adds, develops, and is tackled.

Anyway, my two pence worth- thanks for a great, and very positive review, Blink!

I am a Clone- press release!

2010-05-26T11:17:00.001-07:00

So, about time this goes up, especially cos we got a brand new banner for the episode from Blink (thanks!) (visit his blog, it's now one of the only two who blogs I visit for news, along with combom, and it's fantastic!)

She awakes, on her own. With no idea how she got there, and no idea who she is. Then, slowly, she begins to remember. Fragments of memory. Splinters of her life. But, as the Clones begin to fightback, starting a revoloution, she's stuck in the middle of systematic genocide, and Terror.

This story is one I wanted to write, adapted from a short story- the idea came what if you had clones, 'fake people', who weren't real- how would it feel? Then I began to tie it in with the apartheid in south africa, segregation, and so the short story, about these people who accept their inferior, got expanded- a doctor lite story, the companion has to, even without the doctor, be marvellous and magnificent, and try and save the clones!

Series 4b enters the latter stages with a more experimental, radical story by showrunner Dan Harma, "I wanted to take the show out it's comfort zone- in case, and before, we ever find one!" with a story where the companion, Florence, [updated page with pictures and quotes] has to take center stage! Released this weekend, Saturday!

Doctor Who Fansites Wiki

2010-05-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

Well, Combom mentioned it, so... here is a brand new wiki of doctor who fan sites and blogs, which bloggers are being encouraged to add their blog to! This will create a directory of useful links, hopefully! See it here, or the Doctor who 4b page here!

Series 4b...

2010-05-23T02:34:00.000-07:00

So, this blog started way back in January, when plans for the series were still tenative, and writing was under way, for a proposed 7 episode mini-series. As writing was completed, we upped it to a full length, 13 episode series, which is the way it is at the moment, although there's likely to be a mid-season break of about two weeks, after episode 7- we built in a cliffhanger, finale type structure into the mid-season two parter, before we knew there was gonna be a 'second half' of the series. So, a few things... I couldn't help it, I loved the idea of I am a Clone, so, just when the series up to the 4b.5/4b.6 finale was completed, I had to go and give myself more work: I started I am a Clone, I'm loving it, and it's going to be changed to 4b.05, giving the two parter a much more natural .6/.7 series position: right in the middle, then a break, then we'll resume with till we have built Jerusalem, and the first script I'm not involved in, at all- phew! I really shouldn't have, it's aload more work, but I love that story, and (possible spoilers here); I love writing for that team, Florence and The Doctor, and I wanted to shove in another story with them, cos it's no secret, that whatever happens in the two parter, as a sort of finale, there's gonna be changes to the Tardis line-up, so enjoy Florence while you can...!
EDIT: In fact, heed thy own advice. Such a good idea, more Florence! More the Doctor! So, the vague, 'maybe' of the series 2 opener, which still needs a lot more work has just come flying forward into the sixth slot, giving me a lot of last minute work: two scripts need to be done in one and a half weeks... Ouch. And I worry about the new episode 6; is it like the next doctor meets human nature, Jackson Lake versus John Smith? Hmmm. Maybe. Still, with a title like I killed a Man, and yes, that is the Doctor speaking, I couldn't resist.... Ah well...
And then, the series arc, I had it all worked out, with this post about it, there was the Enigma story, the Diane Malsaint story, all going to be tied up in the second half of the series, but then...
I went and watched the finale of Ashes to Ashes. I shouldn't off, I know, but... Wow! Unbelievable television. And then, it happened... I started getting ideas. Really, big ideas! So, unfortunately.... the whole Enigma, diane malsaint, all that stuff, thats going into series two. All that means I change is the finale, the other stories stay the same, but... Hmmm, now we need to see Enigma again, keep him fresh and scary... Just watch the finale. Could tall figure be Enigma, without too much trouble? Yes, that might work. And then, his prophecy, one of them will die? Hmm... So, check the snew series line-up, and if you want to write for us visit the submissions page!

Shrapnel Wounds- available now!

2010-05-22T04:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have, it must have been, what?, five or six years ago? I'd tagged along with a group from the Philosophers Guild- and I tell you, a more boring group of people you've never met- and we went by caravan, pulled by lethebeast, right up to the edge of their world; cos their world is flat!; and we stood on the edge, looking down over a drop of millions of miles, and tumbling down were stars, and flames, and planets, pulled down in a stream, of golds, and reds, and greens and silvers, and it was fantastic!

On a forgotten planet, in a lonely village, an old woman tells a story. A story of love, and death, and sacrifice. A story of one man, and his companion. A man called the Doctor. A story of how he died…The script series 4b continues with the story Shrapnel Wounds. Written by showrunner Daniel Harma, it's a multi-doctor story, with the doctor's final, mortal incarnation stranded and dying. Until, that is, he meets Helen, while for the tenth doctor it continues the character development seen in Waters of Mars and our very own wtFCP... Released at lunchtime, Saturday- available HERE!

Read, comment, tell us what your thought! Thanks!

Shrapnel Wounds 'Press Release'

2010-05-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have, it must have been, what?, five or six years ago? I'd tagged along with a group from the Philosophers Guild- and I tell you, a more boring group of people you've never met- and we went by caravan, pulled by lethebeast, right up to the edge of their world; cos their world is flat!; and we stood on the edge, looking down over a drop of millions of miles, and tumbling down were stars, and flames, and planets, pulled down in a stream, of golds, and reds, and greens and silvers, and it was fantastic!

On a forgotten planet, in a lonely village, an old woman tells a story. A story of love, and death, and sacrifice. A story of one man, and his companion. A man called the Doctor. A story of how he died…

The script series 4b continues next weekend, on Saturday, with the story Shrapnel Wounds. Written by showrunner Daniel Harma, it's a multi-doctor story, with the doctor's final, mortal incarnation stranded and dying. Until, that is, he meets Helen, while for the tenth doctor it continues the character development seen in Waters of Mars and our very own wtFCP... Released at lunchtime, Saturday- be here!

Review: Christel Films

2010-05-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm reviewing Christel Films' story 'Flight of the Evangilists' for him, as a favour, cos I offered to. But this review will be unbiased, and fair. First of all, bit of background- his series is an animated Doctor Who fan series featuring an alternate Doctor. But what did I think of his latest offering, part one of a two parter? (I'll also review general aspects of the series here, for those who've never watched it before)...

The episode starts with a shot of a planet, hanging in space, before taking us right into a Jungle location. The sinister soundtrack creates an atmosphere of forboding, and in the pre-titles we're with astronauts, surveying the planet. Then we're quickly into the beautifully redesigned TARDIS, where the Doctor is talking with one of his companions, Tabitha, a standard 'doctor who feisty female companion.' Although it's been done before, it's still good, and nice and the Doctor clearly likes her; we first see him in this story explaining to her about Time Paradoxes, and the web of time. A more unusual companion Timothy in the TARDIS, on his own. This a companion who clearly also has a good relationship with the Doctor, recalling the Second Doctor and Jamie, and he has his own sonic screwdriver and can pilot the TARDIS to some degree. In this The Doctor is slightly sinister, clever, like the 7th or 1st Doctors, immediately knowing where they are- although it's hard to believe- and suspicious throughout. The plot is quirky and suprising, what JNT would call an 'oddball' story, and the presence of trees, animals and a log cabin on Mars are suprising and wonderful. The tension escalates throughout the story, and gradually the audience realise the suprising return of a previous alien (NOT who you might expect, but completely logical). The animation is also of a very high standard, certainly equal to that of Dreamland- at 5:49 there is a wonderful piece of work, that both amazed me and impressed me even on the second viewing, while writing this review. Although there are less stand out lines that the previous story, which had beautiful dialogue, this stories is still universally strong, despite it being more plot based to advance the story. There are only a couple of bad lines, which perhaps would have benefited from revision, but this is literally just two bad lines throughout (for the record, one being there's a tinny smell in the air... I can taste it, which could have been brilliant and sinister, but lacked slightly due to the whole smell/taste confusion, the other being Oh well, time to try out my new sonic screwdriver, which felt slightly too much like something from a comic, rather than something a Doctor would say on TV), however that's my being stingy, as in general the dialogue is another stand out. The final minutes, culminated in the cliffhanger, were brilliant, fast cuts with a strong soundtrack adding immensely to the tension! All in all, a brilliant first half- 9/10

Introduction- 4b.03- wtFCP

2010-05-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

A new feature, it will have all the author's of each story rambling about it. For this one, it's just me...
With "Dan Harma"

Concept: I got the idea from the film the road, which became the central idea... sort of. Then it got mixed with Zeitgeist by the late Craig Hinton, the portal through time of one planet's history.
And Then... It was in about the first blog post on here, I was writing it, and I got worried, that the idea of two people walking across a planet might be get slightly... dull? How was I going to get 40ish pages out of that? So in January I started it, titled Strangers Amongst... which I really hate now! So it gradually got left, and I wrote around it. And then, it really needed to be finished, like... last week. I tried making it wibbly-wobbley timey wimey, didn't work. Then, I thought... all along this series has been set after Waters of Mars, but we've not really tackled that, it's been mainly the more upbeat tenth doctor of series 2, before Doomsday we've written, light heared, took on a new companion, he invited her on board, so I thought... I enjoy writing dark, emotional stories, so- in suitably time paradox-y fashion, make him responsible for the whole disaster! Give him some pressure, watch him crack. I actually believe in the [long] dialogue at the end, the character wrote himself- he didn't want more companions, he's close to cracking, and he changed time in the Waters of Mars. So, we got to see the dark doctor, and that also allowed us to create a convincing reason for travelling with her
Overall: This is probably my least favourite of the series... It was started when I tended to longer 60 page scripts, finished in my slightly shorter 45 page scripts time, now, so the timing is very... off, and there's no aliens, no battle, no real resolotion, which makes it odd, and not my favourite kind of story. Also, I pretty much wrote this whole story myself, so there was a lot less 'idea bouncing', Damian Laharistar was more a re-writer or editor... Hopefully though, it's a very interesting story to read, even if you completely disagree with how I wrote the Doctor (and if you did, tell me!), and it sets off the next story, by far my favourite of the season, much more plausibly.

4b.03; Where the Freakish Creatures Play- Available now!

2010-05-16T05:56:00.000-07:00

And Episode 3, Where the Freakish Creatures Play, is available now, on my website or right here! Please read, review, comment!

The same image. Over and over again. One man, one child. Striding, unspeaking, across the planet. Walking and walking, and walking. Remembering the destruction, lucky to be alive. The only survivors. The only survivors of the time when the Doctor arrived, and when he destroyed their civilisation...

THE DOCTOR: I killed your mother. I killed all 21 billion people on this planet.

The Doctor Who Series 4b continues with this story, Florence's first trip into the future, to a time the doctor knows well, to a disaster, that soon takes a turn for the worse. Written by co-author of the acclaimed episodes 1 and 2, Dan Harma, and a debut story for new talent Damian Laharistar.

Ideas...

2010-05-16T02:30:00.001-07:00

Today I got thinking, had a few more ideas, that are going to written, probably. Maybe. One day. First of all I was reading a review of Stephen Hawking's Universe, the new TV programme, and there was a bit in it that got me thinking....

...time travel. It is possible to travel forwards, not backwards, through
time, he suggests, although the spaceship would have to be massive and have to
travel and around 650 million mph..
Hmmm. So straight away, I started having this idea. So you've got a spaceship, great big beast of a thing, that can travel at 650 million miles per hour. It's set a few hundred years in the near future, bunch of astronauts, about to launch the ship, all the men have women's names, all women have men's names, to make it a bit future-y, cos I can't stand names like Zargon, Zog, whatever. So anyway these astronauts are boarding- the story is called 650- and then, bammm, one of the astronauts is the Doctor! All on his own, no companion, first human time travel ship. And it works, they arrive in the future, to see... The human empire, in ruins! Not got much more than that, but the thought of travelling to the future, finding it dead, no life, no nothing, is fascinating. How would they react?

Then, another thought I was having. Trying to think of interesting, arty titles, and I think... the mirage-queen, queen of the mirage, the mirage-queen and her mirrored army, the mirage-queen and the army of glass, the army of glass, In the feasting halls of the mirage-queen, In the mirrored halls of the mirrage queen, At the table of the glass army, Echoes of the mirror queen, ripples of the glass army... and many more. And I started thinking- what's a mirage queen? Well, people in trouble, about to die, at the end of their lives, and their hallucinating, hyperventilating, and suddenly they summon the mirage-queen! She's not real, she can't exist in our world, until someone's close to death, about to die, and then they can see her, and interact with her, and it's a gateway to the world for her and her army of glass, terrifying soldiers. And then, make it scary.... When your a child, you always think I wish, to yourself, make wishes. And that's how the mirage-queen gets summoned... When someone says "I Wish". And BAMMMM she's here, and lethal, and dangerous. But you can only see her when your close to death. So when the Doctor starts being able to see her....!

Anyway, just ideas, might not write them, but I bet I will. Any comments? Any of them sound any good?

Series Arc

2010-05-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

+++CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR EPISODES 1 & 2+++

So, is there a series arc? Yep, and you've seen some of it. If there seem to be unanswered questions, things that don't make sense either it's part of the series arc, or it's bad writing. Of the top of my head I'd like to ask a few questions to readers of opening episodes, that will be answered in one of the series finales...

Why did Florence wake up in the year 3000? How did she get there?
What constituted the box of possesions she was found with? How did that get there then?
Engima: What, who, why??
The explosion that 'killed' Enigma... was that an accident?
'The spire': what happened to that? You can't just leave that lying in America...
How did 'the spire' get there?
The anvil of galaxies has been mentioned in both the opening episodes... will it reappear (Yes, episode 4!)

That's enough for now!

+++SPOILERS END+++

Review: Mortal Eclipsed

2010-05-15T13:58:00.000-07:00

Blink's excllent blog has published a brilliant (and positive!) review of mortal eclipsed. Find it here! Thanks!

The second episode of the online Doctor Who series, ‘Mortal Eclipsed’, features the Doctor and Florence arriving in Manhattan in 1953. However, they soon realise that not all is well, as this America is different to the one they know.It’s a country ruled by superheroes and terrorised by caped villains. It’s a country where the cold war never existed. It's a country with a deadly secret that could ruin society as we know it... ‘Mortal Eclipsed’ is another brilliant piece of work, which really demonstrates Daniel Harma’s excellent skill of being able to take a simple idea, and transform it into a complex storyline, full of wonderful friendships and painful heartbreaks. The world he creates is truly beautiful, and makes the reader wish that they were there, fighting the battles and living the excitement.This episode also sees the introduction of The Moth, whose heroic character is written so well that you can really empathise with him. The speech about life between him and The Doctor is very emotional, and shows how lucky we are to live in a beautiful world full of friendships, while at the same time explaining to The Moth that as long as we have love, we must also have hate. Another superb script! Read more: http://doctorwho-blink.blogspot.com/2010/05/blink-review-mortal-eclipsed.html

I was also thrilled by positive comments from (hope I'm not missing anyone out!); Vortex, Patar, CaptinFranko and Square Eyes! Thanks to all who read it!

Where the freakish creatures play 'Press release'

2010-05-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

String. Always useful string. 'Cept for the stringy bits on bananas, they're not useful, they're horrible, can't stand them, get stuck in your teeth, yuck! Not till the year three billion and two they get rid of them. Three billion and two! Or was it seven? Still, point is, all the science you got, can't even get rid of the stringy bits in bananas! I mean, that's the point of science!

The same image. Over and over again. One man, one child. Striding, unspeaking, across the planet. Walking and walking, and walking. Remembering the destruction, lucky to be alive. The only survivors. The only survivors of the time when the Doctor arrived, and when he destroyed their civilisation...

THE DOCTOR
I killed your mother. I killed all 21 billion people on this
planet.

4b.02: Mortal Eclipsed- Available now!

2010-05-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

And episode TWO is available now! On my website, or click here for episode two!
The Doctor and Florence arrive in Manhatten, in the 1950's, to find it a changed world... no longer threatened by nuclear war, the cold war is forgotten, and superheroes patrol the streets, keeping the peace. A better world, surely?
But the Doctor knows better: this world is wrong. This world has to die. Fighting to the peak of the spire, with the superheroes taking sides around them, they find the secret of the changed world...
The thrilling doctor who series 4b continues with the second episode, where Florence travels back in time for the first time. This script, written by Dan Harma from a Robert Theggers storyline, reuintes the writing team responsible for the acclaimed Palimpsest.

Series 2 Title...

2010-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to announce that I've been discussing some story ideas with the guvnor on Gallifrey Base Forum, after I saw a story idea of his that I really liked, that he was never going to write, so myself and Damian Laharistar will be adapting for series 2, all the way in consultation with him...

Ballad
By Dan Harma, Damian Laharistar & Troy Wood
In 1886, a budding poet named William Butler Yeats takes a stroll through the forest and is horrified to discover a mangled inhuman corpse. Fortunately, there appears to be a new Doctor in the village who takes one look at the body, and informs Yeats that he has accidentally stumbled upon the ancient hunting grounds of the sídhe, and they now have his scent...

Mortal Eclipsed 'Press Release'

2010-05-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

THE MOTH: A few years ago, we were threatened by Russia. There could have been war. Now there is world peace. The USSR and USA are trade partners. Nuclear weapons have been abandoned. The Kestral keeps peace in Moscow. How is that so wrong?

THE DOCTOR: Life isn't fair!

The Doctor and Florence arrive in Manhatten, in the 1950's, to find it a changed world... no longer threatened by nuclear war, the cold war is forgotten, and superheroes patrol the streets, keeping the peace. A better world, surely?

But the Doctor knows better: this world is wrong. This world has to die. Fighting to the peak of the spire, with the superheroes taking sides around them, they find the secret of the changed world...

The thrilling doctor who series 4b continues with the second episode, where Florence travels back in time for the first time. This script, written by Dan Harma from a Robert Theggers storyline, reuintes the writing team responsible for the acclaimed Palimpsest.

Featuring the Doctor, the Moth, The Vulture and Florence, as well as Bratty Teen!

Coming next Saturday!

Review: Palimpsest

2010-05-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

Blink's excellent blog (check it out!) reviewed episode one today, palimpsest! Check out the full review on his blog, and thanks to blink!

+++CONTAINS SPOILERS!+++

After months of anticipation building up since the pilot episode in October, last weekend saw the arrival of the first full series of scripts featuring the tenth Doctor, specially created by Daniel Harma.The first episode was written by Daniel Harma and Robert Theggers, and features the Doctor meeting Florence in the New Human Empire, where they must work together to defeat the League of Shadows’ plot. The strongest of relationships really can start anywhere; even on a balcony…‘Palimpsest’ is a perfect start to a new series, filled with an exciting and engaging storyline that contains all the emotions, and persuades the viewer to carry on reading. The characters are well realised in the story, with the tenth Doctor loving every minute of the danger that they endure, and often making humorous remarks, which really manages to capture his charming and witty character.Although the plot is fairly simple, in order to allow the introduction of the new characters, the script contains many clever techniques which link the smallest of details from the beginning of the episode to the dramatic climax at the end, in particular the video cassette of Florence which ends up being the key to saving the world. This is a gift that only the greatest writers can achieve, and shows that the tenth Doctor can live on in the safe hands of Daniel Harma.Read more: http://doctorwho-blink.blogspot.com/2010/05/blink-review-palimpsest.html

4B.01: Palimpsest- Available now!

2010-04-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

After months of work, from the pilot script we wrote in October, it's finally ready!

Thanks to Blink and CaptinFranko for their support....

Read, and comment please!

Please listen to it with the soundtrack, playing the songs specified in the script, it adds a lot to the enjoyment and mood of the piece!

Here's the script; Here's the sountrack (youtubeplaylist)

Thanks!

Series poster!

2010-04-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

Wow! Blink is a genius!

Thanks!

Mortal Eclipsed Poster

2010-04-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

Another new poster from the genius that is blink, here's a mortal eclipsed poster. Stunning.

Titles...

2010-04-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Quite a few posts lately, I revealed the date of the series starting, I discussed the 'Lost story' of the series, the unused pilot script, I explained how bad I was at titles, and I released an exclusive extract of episode 1. Which up until this moment had been l'anniversaire morbide. Well, now that's gone, it's going to be renamed Palimpsest (fact fans, 4b.01 was called mortal eclipsed before that went to 4b.02) and 4b.o3, formerly stranger's amonst has become Where the freakish creatures play! And, 4b.04, which I explained had had a lot of titles has now, in a dramatic twist, been given a new title! Which was the final title I settled on... for the unused pilot script! So now that's made everything very confusing I'm sure... So, to explain.... the pilot script (once the deception, then the last dance) will be known as 4b.0 from now on, and will have no title (but if you click on various hyperlinked references to 4b.0, the pilot, it will still take you to the opening of that story, still titled the last dance. But that is actually 4b.o. Promise), the other episodes new titles will be updated down the side, but the extract of 4b.01 will still have the old title on the top, l'anniversaire morbide! Although, l'anniversaire morbide will almost certainly be a title in series 2/4b.c because I like it, 4b.13 at the moment. Oh, and Remembrances just became Shrapnel Wounds, on a whim. And (all these edits and updates to this post make it virtually A Live Feed From Inside My Head. Which is a very, very, scary thing) literally seconds later it's returned to remembrances. But, the last doctor/companion/dance/on a bleak midwinter/a midwinter tale has just become shrapnel wounds instead.

God this is confusing. Sorry.

Thanks

Release Date

2010-04-13T03:51:00.000-07:00

So recently I've discussed the release date and released an exclusive teaser of episode 1 (l'anniversaire morbide...), but there's not been much going on, apparently. However I've been working overtime on the series lately, so I can (sort-of) confirm the release date: Saturday the 24th April 2010!* I was looking through the file today on my computer, checking and revising things (For example titles... I'm not very good at those**) And updating drafts and titles of virtually all stories. I even found the 'pilot script' for the series saved there, which was used as a test for various characters and was sent as a demo to potentially interested writers as a guide for style, length etc. Actually, it wasn't bad (called the last dance and feautred Sycorax and Ice Warriors fighting each other and human soldiers in the Vietnam War!) At one point it was going to be in this series, but it got shelved. Now that will never be released (well...), it's just another lost story! Or if I'm badly behind schedule with another episode it might fill in!

*Unless that proves unmakeable in which case it's going to be Saturday 1st May instead.

** One story was the last doctor, then the last companion, then the final tale, then On a bleak midwinter... then A midwinter tale. Which, truth be told is the worst of all the titles I considered. Ah well, never mind... It's the best story. Anyone get any better ideas for the title of the story where the 13th regeneration of the doctor, mortal, dies after one last adventure with his last companion? Submissions on a postcard.

Series 4b: L'anniversaire morbide extract!

2010-04-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

I know that the series still hasn't started, so I thought today that I'd make a Teaser section from the first episode available! It's the opening section, leading up to the Doctor meeting his new companion to-be, Florence! It's available on my website here (the link will take you to the homepage, scroll down a bit and it's under the doctor who 4b section. Unsuprisingly.
Please take a look, then comment on this post, or in the Cbox.
(If you want a direct link to the extract then it's...
http://bit.ly/aLTIit )
Also, here's a link to the youtube playlist with the soundtrack for this episode on! Please listen to it with the soundtrack, or songs indicated by the author in the script, it adds a lot to the mood and feeling of the piece.

Thanks!

Release date?

2010-04-11T05:07:00.000-07:00

Quite a few people have been asking when the series starts... Most of the series and scripts are in position, and have been for quite some time, maybe a month now. BUT when the series starts I want it to flow, 'properly', one episode a week for six weeks, rather than bitty, on-off releases. That's the reason the series is delayed, I know its frustrating but we're getting closer... Robert Thegger's contributions (1 and 2) have slowed it down, through no fault of his but because of busy schedules and distance between us. However the VERY latest is say a month from now, so it will end roughly the same time as Doctor Who series 1 on TV at the moment.
But episode 1 is getting closer, so I'm going to give you the full synopsis for episode one; a 'press release'.

L'anniversaire morbide see's Florence, a woman from earth's past, thrown into the Sydney, in the year 3000 when she was still a young adult, still struggling to adapt to her new home era, lonely and missing her boyfriend. As she considers taking her own life, on Sydney harbour bridge, balanced on the edge, she notices something. Someone, clinging to the bottom, with a sonic screwdriver in his mouth, talking to himself. Together, she and the Doctor race through the city finding a plot stretching across every echelon of society, starting at the very top, and given only half an hour to save the entire New Human Empire from a criminal organisation; the cult of shadows, as well as the Prefect, and a mysterious being known only as the Timewright...

Preview: Valentine's day or no such thing as second chances?

2010-04-08T02:54:00.000-07:00

Series Position: Episode 6

About it: A sort of two parter with remembrances, with Marian thinking about what happened, missing her boyfriend, who is dead, and almost suicidal. Then, out of the blue, she is offered a choice. A way to get back her old life, and John...
Blurb: Valentine’s Day. The day Florence first met John. A day she had always shared with him. Till now. She’s lost. And then, out of nothing, she’s offered a choice. The most terrible choice in the world, the hardest decision she’s had to make. Both her, and The Doctor, will be have to face the consequences. And this time, they’re fatal…

Style: sad, series finale
Similar to: Faustian pact, devil pact story, Army of ghosts
Bonus: Picture; Tall figure may or may not be a returning character... Florence may or may not leave... Turn left type world gone wrong...

Series 2...

2010-03-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Work on the second series is getting underway...

So far we know the opener is a Robert Theggers story, 'till we have built jerusalem, there is the unamed story as yet, mentioned here and now, the third one by Dan Harma is I am a clone. It's an adaption of a non-who short story, which will go up on my fiction website soon, so check that out! Captin Franko, whose blog is linked to from this one (christel films) is hopefully going to write an episode as well! His idea is electric! Finally unearthly powers is going to be shunted back to series 2, to balance them out as a first series of six episodes, then a second of 7 stories, which will form an overall arc. Lets talk about the arc. Mainly centred around series 2 it focusses on the genesis of enigma, his rise to power, his creation of the censor, and the tragic events that unfold...

EDIT: I guess we got enough to put this up... Series numbering will carry on from the end of this series...

4b.7: Till we have built Jerusalem Theggers
4b.8: Ghosts in the Machine CaptinFranko
4b.9: I am a Clone Harma
4b. 10: TBC TBC
4b.11: The Mirror of Erithseaya Harma/Theggers/Burtor
4b.12: The Forever Hotel Harma
4b. 13: L'anniversaire morbide Harma

As you can see, the two series together make a single, full length series, so really 4b is a long series, but with a break halfway through. Hmmmm, can I work in a cliffhanger...?

The song never ends...

2010-03-20T11:07:00.001-07:00

Captinfranko at christel films has created another fantastic poster for us. Thanks!
Click on it for a full size view!

Preview: Remembrances

2010-03-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Series Position: Episode 5

About it: Revisits Marian's home era, the new human empire, which is corrupt, and cruel, mistreating its planets and peoples. The Tardis lands on ravenna which is a primitive alien settlement, basic shanty towns lacking advanced tehnology. Except looming over it, suspended on massive girders as wide as a house, and stretching beyond the clouds, is a whole new, second city, of steel and technology. That's where the humans live. And an ancient evil is rising...

Blurb: Florence is lonely. She’s missing her home, her family and friends. And so she returns home, to meet her boyfriend, an astronaut in the Royal Navy, and finds a whole new world of terrors.Meanwhile the Doctor realises what must be done, and the price he has to pay…Florence finds a world subsumed by her worst nightmares, her personal demons.
Style: Quatermass, Action-adventure; foriegn cultures

Similar to: Quatermass

Bonus: Picture; A line of men, end to end of the planet; death scene is very sad

Teaser: FLORENCE: A line of people, humanand Gnaecian, fighting together,finally, without racial prejudice.Together, as citizens of theuniverse, for a common cause. Aline of people, stretching aroundthe entire planet, hand in hand,across whole continents. Over the freezing ice caps, over the scorsching deserts...
It has the words 'olympus', 'theatre', 'arts correspondant', 'chess', 'food packages', 'spiritsinger' and.... 'slitheen'. Which are sort of in it.

Just to get you excited... (2)

2010-03-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

So two posters for episode 1, both equally brilliant, so I thought I'd put them together. The first one, created kindly by Blink. Sinister...

And the second, by CaptinFranko over at Christel Films (Doctor who animated series), a more melancholy portrayl, but equally appopriate, and also superb...

Preview: Shrapnel Wounds

2010-03-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

Series Position: Episode 4
About it: Set in a small snowy medieval style village, in the future, on some alien planet, it's a sort of melancholy, christmassy story, a gradual discovery, as we find this person, an old man whose dying, with a TARDIS in his garage, which is crippled and old, and his companion, the last companion, who wants to tell her story...
Blurb: On a forgotten planet, in a lonely village, an old woman tells a story. A story of love, and death, and sacrifice. A story of one man, and his companion. A man called the Doctor. A story of how he died…
Style: Melancholy, character based, multi-doctor
Similar to: The Next Doctor; Time Crash
Bonus: Bounty hunter army; viking burial; Just let me die..; Picture; Working titles included 'the last doctor' and 'the final companion' or even 'the end'
Teaser: There is a creature featured called a Jellywag; There is an outer space northen lights type thing called the anvil of galaxies (it's basically an outer space lava lamp!); It features the dialogue 'we went by caravan, pulled by lethebeast, right up to the edge of their world...' in Scene 3; The Doctor has a little cottage; It's the first Doctor-lite and companion-lite story

Thanks....

2010-03-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Today doctor who series 4b was mentioned on two blogs!Firstly, there was a great article on it on blink. For the full article head over to his blog now (really recommended, great blog!) or follow the link to the post. His blog is amazing, and you should all read it. Breaking news, and articles on old who stories, as well as polls and games...

A brand new series of Doctor Who starring Matt Smith is about to launch inApril, but before we look to the future of the show, what about its past?Nextmonth, another Doctor Who series shall be taking place online, starring DavidTennant as the tenth Doctor, in seven fabulously written scripts by Daniel Harma, Robert Thegers, Damian Laharistar, and Rosalene Bertor. The stories areset after the events of ‘The Waters of Mars’...

Also, CaptinFranko's excellent animated doctor who blog is now a partner of sorts to this; another doctor who fan series, we have agreed to submit stories for each other's series, and he's also responsible for the excellent posters for this series.Check it out now! The first episode, new beginnings, comes out April 17th!

Thanks to both of these bloggers!

Just to get you excited...

2010-03-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

This poster was created by CaptinFranko over at the Very Impressive doctor who animated series; I'm incredibly grateful to him...

EDIT: Click on the picture for the full size version!

Preview: Where the freakish creatures play

2010-03-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

Series Position: Episode 3
About it: A stripped down story, quite symbolic, quite a different kind of story to any others. Also a bit timey-wimey, a bit inspired by a decalog doctor who story, and quite bleak.

Blurb: The same image. Over and over again. One man, one child. Striding, unspeaking, across the planet. Walking and walking, and walking. Remembering the destruction, lucky to be alive. The only survivors. The only survivors of the time when the Doctor arrived, and when he destroyed their civilisation... Style: Timey-wimey; mystery; symbolic/biblical

Similar to: Waters of Mars/Blink/The Road

Working titles: 'Stranger's amongst...' 'Amist the maddening crowd' 'Finisterre'
Bonus: Picture; Man and Boy; What is the secret of Finisterre? What is Musk? What occured in Bio Dome 12? Who are Man and Boy? How did they survive the Great Plague? What on earth is a Time Vent?

Preview: Mortal Eclipsed

2010-03-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Series Position: Ep. 2

About it: It's set in America, in the 50's, in a big growing city. But America is different: there's no cold war, no fear of communism. Instead, straight from the pages of comic books, superheroes and supervillains patrol the streets. At the heart of it is a great big dilemma: This world is happy, no fear, a better world, all created through one big accident. Does the doctor have the right to destroy it?

Blurb: The Doctor and Florence arrive in America, in 1953. But it’s not the America they know. It’s a country policed at night by vigilantes and superheroes, a country terrorised by caped villains, and a country where the cold war doesn't exist...

Style: Satire/Superhero

Similar to: The Unicorn and The Wasp

Working titles: L'anniversaire morbide (cos I think EVERY story had that title at some point!)

Bonus: See the picture; comic-book-geek, psychic web.

Preview: Palimpsest

2010-03-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

Series Position: Episode 1

About it: Features the Doctor meeting Florence, in the new human empire. Together they discover a plot to destroy it, and together they have to stop the league of shadows' plot.
Blurb: The Doctor meets Florence, a woman whose life is written like a Palimpsest, endless trails of rewritting, deception and editing. A New Human Empire. A murder mystery. A terrorist plot, a bomb, a depressive, a bridge, a jumper, an obsession with perfection. The pieces are in position. The Doctor. Florence. His story. Her story. Two lives transformed
Style: Murder Mystery/ Comedy/ James Bond
Similar to: The Unicorn and The Wasp

Working titles: His story/her story, l'anniversaire morbide
Bonus: "Floating cities?" "Sydney?" "...An engineer on the golden gate bridge?" "David Bowie; life on mars..." "Sci-fi B-Movie" Enigma?

Doctor Who Script Series 4b

New Series 2 Title!

Sarah Jane

Well....

Death of Celeste....

Meet.... Simon!

Meet.... Rob Christie!

Series 4b... coming soon, in 2011!

Review- Christel Films Christmas special!

Coming soon, on doctor who 4b....

The book of the world- a great review!

New story! New writer!

One year old!

New episode!

New Stories for series two!

Tidbits- Replay!

The eleventh hour- the script!

DW4B

Interview: Andrew Wyllie!

Joss Whedon's writing tips! Steven Moffatt! RTD!

INTERVIEW- BLINK

BACK

Reviews!

Interview- Jake Reynolds!

Famous Writing Tip #3

Review- the book of the world, lawrence miles

Just a heads up!

Review- writing for television in the 70s, Malcolm Hulke

I dont wanna miss a thing!

Valentines Day or No Such Thing As Second Chances- Review!

Series 3 companion!

Series 3!

Replay- original short story!

Replay!

The Angel- our new companion!

Remembrances- Review!

Poster!

The 'guest cast'- episode 5

Doctor Plagurise

*Coming Soon*

Series 2!

I am a Clone- EDA style cover!

Undercover: I am a Clone

Review: Script Doctor

Famous Writing Tip #2

Showrunner #2

Doctor Who The Shooting Scripts Review

Famous Writing Tip #1

Undercover: Palimpsest

Review: The writer's tale

The Future

I am a clone- review!!

I am a Clone- new version!!

Released- Valentines Day!

Work...

Aliens....

Michael Moorcock!

4b.6: Remembrances- available now!!

An opportunity

The Finale...

Soundtrack....

Shrapnel Wounds Review

Remebrances- press release!

The mirage-queen...

I am a Clone- now available!

wtFCP- Review!

I am a Clone- press release!

Doctor Who Fansites Wiki

Series 4b...

Shrapnel Wounds- available now!

Shrapnel Wounds 'Press Release'

Review: Christel Films

Introduction- 4b.03- wtFCP

4b.03; Where the Freakish Creatures Play- Available now!

Ideas...

Series Arc

Review: Mortal Eclipsed

Where the freakish creatures play 'Press release'

4b.02: Mortal Eclipsed- Available now!

Series 2 Title...

Coming Soon