Get ready for the most adorable video ever. Believe it or not, this is an actual product — an inflatable, talking Dalek that a kid can actually drive around. Honestly, who needs Power Wheels when you can ride around threatening to exterminate people? Don’t bother trying to answer, it’s rhetorical. If I had a kid, this would be purchased immediately, despite the fact that you need a European power outlet or adapter to charge the sucker. I probably won’t have a niece or nephew old enough to drive one of these around for a few more years, I’m actually a little giddy at the thought. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever see an adult-sized model, but if anyone wants to build one for Halloween next year, that would be really cool. If you do, take pictures or shoot a video for us please. If, on the other hand, you want to pick one of these up, you can actually import one, just keep in mind my note about the power adapter. The Ride-in Dalek retails for a hefty $299.99 and ThinkGeek will toss in an optional adapter for an additional $20. Read more…
Seeing as the next Doctor Who Christmas special is just a month away, now’s a great time to get into the spirit of things with this ridiculously cool Snow-lek shirt. I never really thought of building a Dalek snowman, but after seeing this, I kind of want to try. Of course, I’m sure nobody else will get the reference unless they’re fans, but I guess that’d be the point of doing it in the first place. The shirt, designed by artist Malcassairo, is currently being sold at TeeFury, and like every other design they print, will only be available for the next 24 hours. Their shirts are usually decent quality, and should only cost you $10 + shipping, but if you’d rather pass, there’s always a chance the shirt could pop up on a site like RedBubble, though it would be significantly more expensive to order it from there. If you’d rather just see more of Malcassairo’s work, a larger portfolio is available at their Deviant Art page.
Sony likes to joke that their PS3 can do everything. Clearly, they’ve never seen a Sonic Screwdriver. I always thought the Doctor seemed a little too quick to pull one out, but after sitting through this hilarious short, maybe I should give him more credit. After all, if he were to just “sonic” everything in sight, Doctor Who would become the least climatic show on television. You may as well just watch paint dry. Still, the video makes a good point, even if they never really intended to — Sonic Screwdrivers are awesome, and science needs to make them happen, ASAP. Read more…
The other day I mentioned that several videos from the Davies & Tennant Doctor Who wrap party recently hit the net, one of which featured a quirky little musical number by series stars David Tennant, Catherine Tate, and John Barrowman. I thought to save the second video for later, as the first was pretty lengthy and you have to admit that it’s kinda hard to top Barrowman’s freakishly good voice. This second video is also musical in nature as it features the cast and crew dancing and lip-syncing to the 80’s hit “I’m gonna be (500 miles” by the Proclaimers. Some of you may have caught the episode of Graham Norton — he’s sort of like a British Conan O’Brien, albeit a tad cruder — where Tennant met the band for the first time. Being a huge fan, Tennant had jumped when asked by their producers to star in one of the band’s music videos, only to discover they weren’t present during his shoot. After meeting them during the filming of Norton’s talk show, I imagine they must have hit it off, otherwise I’m sure they wouldn’t have been part of the video above. Pretty neat how it everything worked out.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 3, 2011 in Dr. Who, Fandom
I’m sure by now you’ve all come across Nyan Cat while browsing through one or more of your favorite net-haunts. For whatever reason its just one of those polarizing subjects where people either find it incredibly annoying or incredibly adorable with nobody falling in between. If you’re one of the latter, you’ll probably dig this awesome Doctor Who x Nyan Cat crossover shirt recently featured on Ript Apparel. Seeing as Ript designs are only available for a day before they’re taken down, you might think you’ve missed your chance to pick one up, but fear not! Brenda, the lovely artist responsible, also sells some of these designs as shirts through RedBubble. Sure it costs a bit more at $24 a pop, but at least you won’t have to worry about missing out. She also has some nifty Supernatural-inspired designs available for order. If you want to see more of her work, check out her Tumblr, or check out her Etsy store for anything else she might have on sale.
This is shaping up to be a good week for fans of Davies’ Whoneverse. In addition to the hilarious wrap party videos that recent hit the net, Weta Workshop has decided to discount several pieces from their Doctor Who product line. The first is this killer replica of a Dalek as originally designed for the series one episode “Dalek,” featuring Christopher Eccleston. While Christopher’s time as the Doctor was short lived, that episode remains memorable as the first appearance of the Daleks since Davies had revived the series and paved the way for their eventual return in future seasons. The prop measures roughly a foot in height and normally retails for $225. If you order from Weta’s online shop before November 4th, you can save 50% and pick one up for only $112.50. Not too bad if you ask me.
There are times I just miss David Tennant. His time on Doctor Who just never seemed long enough, and while I like Matt Smith just fine, he’s still not the Doctor many of us grew to love. Here’s one of the recently released videos from the Tennant & Davies wrap party a few years back. It’s a cute little musical number about former show-runners Davies and Gardner, featuring John Barrowman, Cathrine Tate and David Tennant. If you’ve never heard Barrowman sing, you’re in for a bit of a treat. David’s immaculate as always, but personally, I could do without Cathrine Tate. Then again, I think that was the whole point of her being on the show in the first place. Regardless, it was a fantastic way to say thank for everything Davies and Gardner did for the series, don’t you think?
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Oct 25, 2011 in Dr. Who, Fandom
It’s true. Recently, ThinkGeek updated their catalog with a few Doctor Who cosplay goodies — officially licensed replicas of both Tennant’s overcoat and Smith’s pleated plaid jacket. It wasn’t long before both items sold out completely, and while you can still put an order with them, you can forget about getting it in time for Halloween. Fortunately, there’s still a chance. You can order the items directly from the manufacturer, instead. Abbyshot.com not only carries the Coat and Jacket, but will even throw in a free bow tie for ordering it directly. Read more…
Though he appears not to have managed to regenerate eyebrows in his latest incarnation, the storied Doctor, as played by Matt Smith, has proven more popular than ever in his most recent season on BBC. No Doctor lasts forever, though, and the date of Smith’s departure from the role has been the subject of much speculation. Smith appeared to indicate that he’d only have one more year of Doctor Who in a recent interview, saying that after “another year” as the Doctor, he’d like to come to LA and do some acting work there. Does it mean anything? I bet we’d know if we had some sort of superscientific time-travel device. Anyone know someone who has one? Read more…
I love crossover art, especially when it combines two things I love, such as Doctor Who and video games — and in this case, Valve’s Portal 2. The piece was designed by an Australian outlet known as Lost Hero Creative. While the reference is pretty straight forward, the T.A.R.D.I.S. being a device capable of traveling through time via portals, the image actually reminds me of that recent two part special, Time, in which the blue box decided to materialize within itself. If you feel like sporting it, TeeFury has the design available for the next 24 hours. As usual, the shirt should only cost you $10 + shipping.
Last month, the BBC announced plans to cancel Doctor Who Confidential. The series had given fans a behind-the-scenes look at the Doctor and his companions since the show relaunched in 2005. Despite being a huge fan of Doctor Who, I never managed to catch a single episode of the documentary myself. I suppose if they had actually aired it on television here in the States, I might have, but for whatever reason the BBC decided against it. Instead, they opted to air shot clips of the show via their website. Despite that, there seems to be quite a bit of outcry from fans both in England and abroad regarding the cancellation. There’s currently an online petition asking BBC to reconsider their decision to axe the show — it’s already gained nearly 40,000 signatures.
Feast your eyes on Big Chief’s Doctor Who Limited Edition Eleventh Doctor collectible figure. From the sculpt itself to the accessories, it’s about as high-end as it gets — I’d even say it’s almost on par with some of the Hot Toys figures we’ve been seeing recently. Of course, it’ll cost you about as much as one too. A special signature edition of the 1:6th scale figure retails for roughly $265 without shipping, while the less expensive limited edition will run for only $233. Both of them should be hitting the market around December or early January. To make up for that asking price, the signature edition includes a plaque hand-signed by Smith, while both figures will come with several interchangeable hands, and numerous accessories like the Doctor’s invitation to Lake Silencio, a sonic screwdriver, and more — sorry, no fez or stetson. The signature edition will be incredibly limited in supply as only 250 units are being produced. Ironically, the limited edition may not be so limited in number. If you want to get yours hands on one, head over to the official Big Chief website and sign up to pre-order yours today. Read more…
Check out this slick replica of the Master’s watch from the Doctor Who series 3 episode Utopia. Don’t worry, contrary to what Professor Yana might tell you, it works just fine. In fact, it actually lights up and comes made of a durable but light zinc alloy so it won’t weigh you down. Fortunately, it shouldn’t contain the hidden essence of a Time Lord either — just don’t blame me if you start hearing the sound of drums on occasion. You can head to ThinkGeek and pick up yours for only $49.99. All things considered, that’s probably a bargain. I can’t imagine what it’d cost on Gallifrey. Besides, pocket watches are cool.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 26, 2011 in Dr. Who, Fandom
Fans never cease to amaze me. For those of you who are scratching your head, you’re looking at a poster mock-up for the fictional 1960s British television series Inspector Spacetime, seen in last weeks episode of Community. Upon witnessing the terrible acting and low-budget special effects, Abed proclaims it to be the best thing he’s ever seen — which, ironically, is the exact same reaction I had the first time I watched Doctor Who. So, the series supposedly follows the Inspector as he travels through time and space in his red DARSIT, while saving the universe from creatures like the dreaded Blogons, or Digifleet. Within a week, the series already has its own TVtropes page, cosplayers, and fan-made merchandise. As a friend pointed out, the joke was clearly meant to parody the Doctor’s fans more than his series, but I suppose that’s what makes it so great. There’s multiple layers to the humor. Let’s just hope the producers keep the joke running through out the season.
My Little Pony is miraculously en vogue again. It’s almost like we’ve … traveled back in time, much like Amy and the Doctor routinely do! Clearly DeviantArt user EatToast has the right idea on how to celebrate such an amazing coincidence — by converting My Little Pony toys to horrific recreations of Doctor Who villains. This particular model is an Ood-pony, an ungulate version of the creepy aliens from that weird space-Hell episode from the tenth doctor’s run. He’s done a few more, too, including a Cyberman-pony and a Silence-pony. You know, come to think of it, doesn’t “brony” sound like the name of an alien race? Read more…
Not even the Doctor’s too old for Legos. Thanks to the guys at Entertainment Earth, even you can your favorite Timelord to the set of your choice. While its not an official Lego product, these Doctor Who minifigures are fully compatible and come ready to join any set right out of the box. In addition to bearing the likeness of all eleven doctors, each comes with their own unique sonic screwdriver to match. Pretty sweet, right? On top of that, the box itself comes shaped like a Tardis, making it that much harder to throw away. I have a bad habit of keeping a boxes, but I imagine if every toy I came across were like that, I’d practically horde them. The Doctor Who Eleven Doctors mini-figure box set retails for $39.99 and is currently in stock, so go ahead and pick yours up today.
I’ve been wanting my own sonic screwdriver for awhile but I’ve been having trouble deciding on which model to go with. While I love slick silver design of Eccleston and Tennant’s model, it lacks the nifty little claw grip. On the other hand, Smith’s has a bit too much bronze for me. I suppose I could have just bought the interchangeable model that Michael mentioned the other month, but then it dawned it on me — what good is a sonic screwdriver if it doesn’t actually work? It won’t stop a Christmas tree from spinning out of control, or open a locked door at the touch of a button, but this sonic screwdriver screwdriver might do the trick! In addition to being a perfect replica of the Eleventh Doctor’s screwdriver, it comes with an interchangeable phillips and flat-head attachments, allowing you to actually use it to fix things. Brilliant, right? The best part, is that it only retails for $30, that’s only $5 more than the standard replica. Better yet, it still lights up and buzzes. Head over to ThinkGeek to order yours today.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 25, 2011 in Anime, Dr. Who
It doesn’t feature Matt Smith, and might lack in the production department, but this fan-made 80’s style Doctor Who anime has its moments. The artist responsible for the video also noted that if you’re the least bit confused about the Cybermen and their use of the word “excellent” or The Doctor’s martial arts, then you’ve been missing out on the classics. Of course, they also insist that sitting though those classics will instantly make you more handsome, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing handsome about sticky celery or poorly knit scarves. Nevertheless, the video’s a nifty idea. Now, if only Japan would make a proper Doctor Who anime. That’d be awesome.
Doctor Who — a worldwide phenomenon. A genre classic. A pop culture treasure. It only makes sense that, eventually, someone would convert all of the series main characters to cats. I think it’s some kind of fandom law nowadays. These particular cats come from artist Jenny Parks, who’s recreated all of the eleven Doctors in eerily accurate feline form. The Tom Baker Cat is particularly spot-on, I think. I think I’ve met that cat. And the Christopher Eccleston one is, of course, the black … er, cat of the family. Read more…
It’s a scary prospect for fans, but it looks as though Torchwood may be coming to an end sooner than we thought. No, the fate of the show won’t be determined by its ratings, or contractual disputes, but rather the whim of series creator Russell T. Davies. Recently, Starz CEO Chris Albrecht stated that their development deal wouldn’t guarantee a fifth season and that ultimately it would be up to Davies himself as to whether he intends to continue with production after Miracle Day concludes later this year. Davies has previously stated that he may move on having recently grown tired of Science Fiction in general. While I feel its safe to say that Doctor Who will continue regardless of his involvement, the same can’t be said of Torchwood — a property that he himself created. I had really hoped that moving production of the series stateside would lead to great things, but I have to admit that as a recent fan of the show, it feels as though the carpet is being pulled out from under my feet. I would hope that many of you feel the same way, and thankfully this isn’t set in stone. The fate of the series remains to be seen. If the end is near, at least we’ll see it coming.
Posted by Michael Sacco on Jun 19, 2011 in Dr. Who
Artist Larry Wentzel has a whole bunch of Peanuts-themed Doctor Who art on his Flickr page, but I think this one is probably my favorite. Wentzel says “I imagine after the 11th Doctor was put in the Pandorica, the villains broke out into a little celebratory dance.” I bet they did, too, or at least I hope they did after seeing this picture. Seriously, these guys are just getting down. I didn’t know Daleks could bend that way, much less play piano. Maybe that one’s a special model. Vince Guardalek?
Michael Sacco is a freelance editor and writer, currently working as senior editor at WoW Insider.
The latest incarnation (literally) of Doctor Who has been its most successful yet, with Matt Smith proving a popular Doctor and his lovely companion Amy Pond acting as his impulsive foil. It looks like their duo (now trio, with husband Rory) may be coming to an end, though — actress Karen Gillan, who plays Amy, has signed on for a role in BBC’s drama We’ll Take Manhattan, and its filming schedule conflicts with Who‘s. Arthur Darville, the man behind Rory, also signed on to play Mephistopheles in Dr. Faustus, which runs throughout the summer and fall. Where does that leave the Doctor and his companion? Well, it’s not the first time he’s picked up a new companion in his travels. But somehow I feel a little more attached to Amy than others we’ve met. Read more…
Cosplay isn’t a new phenomenon — for pretty much as long as there’s been fandom, there’s been cosplay. These retro cosplay photos, posted on 4chan’s cosplay board, prove it! We’ve compiled the best here for your perusal, from events ranging from WonderCon to WorldCon from the 70s to the 80s. You’ll notice some patterns — Red Sonja was a very popular cosplay choice for ladies back then, and Vulcans and Elric of Melnibone were popular for men. You can even see cosplay mainstays like Orion slave girls. It’s almost comforting to know that people have been dressing themselves up like fantasy and scifi characters for this long — it means that there have always been incredibly nerdy people in the world. Read more…
Fans of Doctor Who may be quite pleased to hear that a free-to-play MMO based on the Doctor’s exploits is in development! Called Words in Time, it’s set to be a “fun and easy” online game for fans of all ages in which you assist you the Time Lord himself, going on missions and vanquishing classic foes. Those with software engineering skills may be even more interested in the game, because its developer, Three Rings, is hiring! The catch is that you have to live in Madison, Wisconsin. Maybe it’s not as bad as it sounds, though — their office is pretty darn cool. Read more…
