Author Archives: Ed Watkinson

Though they are commonplace in the revived post 2005 series, the “classic” series didn’t really do “blockbusters”. I mean they did, but they were very few and far between. The thing is the set up of the series was different … Continue reading →

One of the most affectionately remembered groupings from “classic” Doctor Who was the UNIT “family”: The Doctor, Jo Grant, The Brigadier, Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton – they had a real camaraderie – likeable believable characters fighting off the unlikeable, … Continue reading →

When is a crossover not a crossover? When it features characters that originated in the same series. Confused? You will be…. Crossovers are the holy grail of geekdom – Batman meeting Superman, the Avengers Assemble, Simpsons meets Family Guy, Coronation … Continue reading →

Made in Wales, set in Wales, with a cast including many Welsh actors. As a Welshman I was over the moon. A Welsh genre fantasy show?  This sort of thing never happened. But in 2006 Russell T Davies made it … Continue reading →

As the mighty Tom Baker once boomed out “Britain, Britain, Britain” But what is Britain? Well apart from the obvious answer, to me Britain is a collection of many nations (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Cornwall, Manx); an alliance bound … Continue reading →

Is it October already? Certainly is and that means that it’s time for the second release this year of the bi-annual box set of brilliance – the CD’s of surreptitious superiority… the downloads of diabolical deftness… the arrival of astronomical … Continue reading →

If there is one thing that the Doctor stands for (and there are many) it is finding another way, looking for the peaceful diplomatic solution rather than the military solution, avoiding violence at all costs unless there really is no … Continue reading →

Rarely does a character become more than the show that they were in. Even more rare when that character isn’t the lead, but part of an ensemble. When Ianto Jones died during Torchwood – Children Of Earth back on 2009, … Continue reading →

One of the many things I love about Doctor Who is how seemingly small throwaway lines of dialogue can fire the imagination – a mention of The Terrible Zodin here, a reference to Planet 14 there, a mention of a … Continue reading →

“Bless em all bless em all bless em all, the long and the short an the tall…” ah memories English Literature GCSE with Mr Hughes in about 1987, we studied a play called The Long and the Short & The … Continue reading →

“Doctor Who is rightly famous for its monsters. “Daleks… Sontarans… Cybermen!” as Colin Baker once proclaimed from the dock. Ask a non-fan about Doctor Who and they will probably mention a scarf or say “EX-TER-MIN-ATE!”,  such is the impact of … Continue reading →

Oddball. Now there is a word. Oddball – What is an Oddball story? To my mind it encompasses everything that isn’t normal in Doctor Who storytelling, be it The Web Planet, The Celestial Toymaker, The Macra Terror, Kinda, Paradise Towers, … Continue reading →

There is a old saying that all power corrupts, but that absolute power corrupts absolutely. There is another saying regarding the road to hell being paved with good intentions. Both are very relevant in this months release, the first in … Continue reading →

Some stories have a particular purpose – Deep Breath needs to introduce a New Doctor and set up a story arc, The Time Warrior is there to introduce us to Sarah Jane Smith. Most beginnings and endings are usually there … Continue reading →

What’s in a name? Good question. In Doctor Who they fall in to two categories, the “does what it says on the tin”, names like Genesis of the Daleks and Tomb of the Cybermen, and more experimental names like Kinda … Continue reading →