"Empress of Mars" Clips

The BBC has released a clip and introduction from this week's Doctor Who.

"Empress of Mars" Promo Pics

The BBC has released a bunch of images from Saturday's Doctor Who story. I've put them behind a "read more" link because there's so many.

Ice Warriors Returning

BBC America has announced that the Ice Warriors are returning to Doctor Who. They will appear in episode 10, written by Mark Gatiss.

Cold War Review

I'm really starting to like the character of Clara. She still has the essence of new companion: not knowing about the TARDIS translation matrix, about history being in flux, and all that good stuff. You really start to get into the most magical part of Doctor Who, when everything is new and amazing again. She's also a really strong companion, delivering the solution to the episode for the fourth time. Out of only five episodes, she solved all but one of them (one of them she solved by dying!). This time around, she managed to talk Skaldak out of destroying the Earth by mentioning his daughter.

As for the Ice Warriors, it's nice not to have a major redesign. Both the Silurians and the Cybermen got a complete redesign when they were introduced. The Cybermen mostly stayed true to the original, but the Silurians were much closer to human. They're ancient reptiles, they shouldn't look like humans with scales. The Ice Warriors on the other hand, look just as they did 40 years ago. I guess that's because Gatiss was introducing new aspects of them, and that's not really possible if the audience is immediately faced with a redesign. They don't connect with the Ice Warriors in the same way. This was the first time we had seen an Ice Warrior without the suit and I'm pretty sure it's also the first time we've seen one of their ships. I haven't watched any of the Patrick Troughton episodes, but I think the special effects team was working completely from scratch here. The ship does look slightly familiar (I might have seen it in a movie somewhere), but then again, I think a lot of things are familiar that I've never seen before.

I do like the reference to the HADS (Hostile Action Displacement System) I've heard it referenced in a couple of books, but this is the first time it was mentioned in the revived series. I saw a gif on Tumblr stating that the HADS was around in the time of the 2nd Doctor, so I guess the writers of the show were finally willing to bring it back.

We finally got another pockets scene with the Doctor. I loved those in the Tom Baker era. The Doctor would be forced to empty the contents of his jacket pockets and he would produce a never-ending supply of random odds and ends, some which would be completely alien to the people who were searching him. I do wish there was more than just the screwdriver, a Barbie doll, and a bit of twine. They wasted an excellent opportunity for humor there.

Last but not least, the red settings. Why, oh why, did the Doctor go and put those on the screwdriver? He knows the invention of those is just one step closer to seeing River for the last time. I guess the only reason he would go and do that is if he knew he would absolutely need them and that they would save his and Clara's life. That would seem to suggest that he knows something about his future and that he knows he's going to need them. The other explanation is that they will allow him to scan Clara in a way that wasn't possible with the old sonic. He's desperate to find out who or what she is, and he's willing to risk River's life to find out.

33 New Pics from Cold War

There's 33 brand-new images out from this week's episode, Cold War. That's right, 33 of 'em!

First Good Look at the Ice Warriors

SFX has gotten their hands on the first complete picture of the Ice Warriors of the new series. They first show in the third episode of Series 7, Part 2, rumored to be titled The Cold War.

New Series 7, Part 2 Pics

The BBC have just released four new promo pics from this spring's series! They have also confirmed that the first episode is indeed titled The Bells of St. John and that the Ice Warriors will be returning in episode 3.

UPDATE: Official synopsis for The Bells of St. John

Set in London against the backdrop of new and old iconic landmarks, The Shard and Westminster Bridge, ‘The Bells of St John’ will also establish a new nemesis, the Spoonheads, who will battle the Doctor as he discovers something sinister is lurking in the Wi-Fi.

 

 

Ice Warriors to Return

In an interview with SFX magazine, executive producer Caroline Skinner has revealed that the Ice Warriors will be returning in Series 7, Part 2. Last seen in Jon Pertwee's 1974 penultimate episode, The Monster of Peladon, the Ice Warriors have been rumored to return for quite some time now. Last June, Matt Smith hinted at their return and they got a mention in David Tennant's story The Waters of Mars.

The Martians will appear in third episode of the second part of the series. The episode should air on April 13th. It is rumored to be titled, The Cold War.

Things I'd Like to See in Series 7.2/8

Here are some things I'd like to see in the next season and a half

• Captain Jack and the Torchwood team
• The Master
• A Sherlock crossover (could actually happen in Series 3 of that show)
• The Ice Warriors (they'd be good to see with modern special effects)
• K-9
• A meta-reference/breaking the fourth wall
• More story arcs (I for one, actually enjoy them)
• An explanation for why the TARDIS exploded in Series 5
• Doctor/Master scene (straight or lesbian versions only, though)
• An entire episode taking place inside the TARDIS
• The TARDIS kitchen (that is the room I seriously want to see the most)
• Jelly babies (the Doctor discovers his stash that got lost when the TARDIS rearranged itself sometime prior to Series 1)
• Trenzalore (I don't want to wait any longer than Series 8 for this whole story arc to end)
• Clara doesn't fall for the Doctor because she's lesbian (we need a companion who doesn't love the Doctor for that reason) 
• Donna gets her memories back

NOTE: This does not include the 50th Anniversary Special(s)

Classic Series Villains

So far, each season of the new series (except Season 6) has seen the return of at least one classic series villain. Season 1 saw the return of the Autons and the Daleks. Season 2 saw the return of the Cybermen. Season 3 saw the return of the Master. Season 4 brought back the Sontarans. Season 5 brought back the Silurians.

What will this season see? Who knows. Rumor has it the Ice Warriors will return, but only time will tell.