Rev's Up! - Starburst Magazine's Bluebox Podcast's discretionary e-mail contributor Hullo Porro brings us his review of Doctor Who - The Time of the Doctor -

 

"This was a long haul for the Doctor – the oft used Terrence Dicks style description that Matt is an Old man in a Young body was lived out here with the Doctor aging, allowing Matt smith to really show off the skills that have made him one of the most enigmatic Doctors to grace the TARDIS.  Jon Pertwee may have had a young old face, but Matt Smith had young old grace!."

To read the whole piece go over to The Hullo Porro Review

RIP Ripper Street?

The latest copy of "The Opinionation" is a heartfelt article about the BBC's stunning Victorian crime show Ripper Street which may have just screened it's last episode.  An online partition may well have lead to an online broadcaster protecting the show from it premature end. 

 

The Opinionation

BBC Cuts Hit Doctor Who - Time of the Doctor Effects Budget!

Last week we reported the use of a wooden cyberman costume in this years festive outing for the good Doctor.  It was originally reported that the so called "Timberman" was a tribute to the characterisation of 80's companion Adric.  Top Geek can now exclusively reveal that this was a thinly veiled cover up by the Moff as new photos from the episode reveal.

 

 

 

 

We can clearly see that the usual high quality monsters have been replaced by crude puppets, even the wig covering Matt Smith's Hollywood hair cut seems to be made from Paper Mache!

 

 

The second photo confirms that green screen rotor scoping has turned back the clock to show this range of vintage matte painted backdrops as seen in storage in Cardiff.

 

perhaps this is a result of budget cuts, or perhaps it's one Blue Peter competition too far! only Christmas Day will tell when we get to see the amazing Mr Smith's final outing as the Doctor at 7:30pm on BBC1 and BBC1 HD.

 

The Moff hides tribute to 80's Doctor Who Companion in 2013 Christmas Special

Stephen Moffat's 50th anniversary love letter to the Doctor ticked every box Who fans old and new could possibly want, with the taste buds nicely teased for this years Christmas special - The Time of the Doctor!

 

Fans can't have failed to notice the release of an official photo from the Beeb that shows a wooden Cyberman!.  Now given The Moffs love of 80's Doctor Who with references to Tegan and The Valyard in the most recent series, could it be that this "Timberman" is a tribute to both the race that lead to the  destruction of pixie toed maths genius Adric and the acting skills of 4th and 5th doctor TARDIS apprentice Matthew waterhouse?

 

 

This years Christmas special The Time of The Doctor airs on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 7:30pm

Matthew Waterhouse's autobiography Blue Box Boy is available on kindle at
Amazon
 

Bigger on the Inside is one thing, but is this an illusion too far Doctor?

With Time Lord physics generations away, we are starting to get our head around transcendental engineering and the fact that something can be bigger on the inside.  In fact the theory goes back to the very first episode.

DOCTOR: You don't understand, so you find excuses. Illusions, indeed? You say you can't fit an enormous building into one of your smaller sitting rooms.
IAN: No.
DOCTOR: But you've discovered television, haven't you?
IAN: Yes.
DOCTOR: Then by showing an enormous building on your television screen, you can do what seemed impossible, couldn't you?

However, as open as my mind is to the concept of bigger on the inside, imagine how I was confused by "bigger the further away"  If you examine the beautiful graphic created to celebrate the Doctor's 50th you will notice that as the Doctor's get further away their heads get bigger!

I can only assume that the Moff had one last trick up his sleeve and wanted us to feel like a companion feels on entering the TARDIS for the first time.  Thanks Moff!

ITV exclusive - Hogwarts School generates a generation of discontented wizards!

For the last two weeks ITV (The so called "light" channel) has broadcast a couple of fly on the wall documentaries following the education of a group of young wizards and witches with a specific focus on a pupil named Harry Potter.

 

by the end of the first documentary, serious doubts have come to light on the moralistic development of the young pupils in their inter-house award - an end of year contest which should be a great morale boost to engage even the most disinterested wizard. 

 

Slytherin are the clear winners with the rule breaking of Gryffindor in last place.  All of this is clearly stated by Principle Albous Dumbledor in front of senior management.  He then happily destroys the positive feeling of all three of the other houses by willy nilly handing out extra points meaning 4th place Gryffindor become first place Gryffindor!!! All this after what I am sure would be the official academic board meeting for the House Cup.  In one swoop Dumbledor destroys the positive attitude of three quarters of the school.

 

The second part of the documentary screened on ITV on 7.12.13 showed there to be a serious equality and diversity issue in Hogwarts with open bullying of "Mugbloods".  The biggest shock once again comes from Dumbledor where he happily cancels exams to which the pupils celebrate!

 

Firstly the school is a facilitator for exam boards with set dates for completion of exams and clear rules of grading and issuing results.  Secondly exams are a positive goal of any educational establishment and as such should not be  treated as a negative throwaway piece of flim flamery!

 

One can only hope that Hogwarts is due an Ofsted inspection. I look forward to future episodes with interest.

The documentary is set to continue next Saturday on ITV at 2:30pm with Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban