Doctor Who Game Episodes are Now Available Outside of the UK

Fans of the British sci-fi cult classic TV show Doctor Who can finally catch up to their UK counterparts and download two episodes of Doctor Who: The Adventure Game, a series of episodic adventures set during the recently aired fifth season that aired in the UK, and recently completed its run on BBC America.

Following the premier of the new season in the UK on April 3, the BBC announced that it would supplement the season with four “interactive episodes” that would be considered as canon to the show’s history. The episodes feature the voices of show stars Matt Smith as the Doctor and Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, both of whom are playable characters.

Due to BBC subsidies, the episodes have been free to download in the UK since June 5 and June 26 respectively, but they will require purchase everywhere else. Originally priced as $4.95 for the first two episodes, the bundle has dropped to a very reasonable $3.70. The second and third episodes will follow the same pattern, but no date or details have been released on either.

The first episode, “City of the Daleks,” sends the Doctor and Amy to an alternate 1963 where the Daleks have all but wiped out humanity. In order to correct the timeline and defeat the Daleks, the Doctor returns to Skarro, the home of the Daleks.

The second episode, “Blood of the Cybermen,” takes place in a remote arctic base under siege by an army of Cybermen that have been frozen under the ice for 10,000 years. The episode marks the return of the Cybermen of the original Doctor Who universe, although their design is nearly identical to the Cybus-designed alternate universe Cybermen that have been featured in the recent show.

Frazer Hines Battled Cancer

Frazer Hines recently revealed that he had been battling bowel cancer for eleven years. The Doctor Who actor said that he kept his illness secret in fear of finding that he would no longer be offered work. But he has been given the all clear and is promoting awareness of the illness through Cancer Research and the Bobby Moore Cancer Foundation.

Only close family were aware of his illness, which also didn't feature in his recently published his revised autobiography Hines Sight.
They said I had a 25 per cent chance of survival. The prognosis was terrifying. My brother Roy died of lung cancer aged 41, my dad of a heart attack at 62. I suddenly thought, The Hines arent going to live very long. It was like I was next in line to go.

When I got out of the hospital bed (after a bowel operation and chemotherapy treatment) I walked to the mirror and saw this grey face staring back. I told myself, "there's someone who's cheated death." After they discharged me I felt like I wanted to grab life by the horns. The first morning I was home, I went for a ride on my motorbike. Liz (Hobbs, Frazer's then wife) was furious and said I would rip my stitches out.

During the period Frazer continued to work in a panto in Grantham. I did the chemo in the morning then, with a catheter in place, I attended rehearsals and went back for chemo in the evening. I did 13 shows a week. I never told anyone in the cast. I never felt sick and was full of energy. My hair actually grew so much that I could put a bow in it by the last show. I had chemo for four months.

A scan later showed he was clear of cancer but doctors warned there was a risk it could return. For the next five years, I still didn't tell anybody and certainly didn't want it to become common knowledge in the showbiz world as I knew I would never work again. I thought if people in TV knew, they'd think "we can't have him, hes got cancer, too big a risk." I also didn't want fans to feel sorry for me and have everyone thinking I was at death's door. I wanted people to treat me like normal no matter what I was going through.

I stayed away from TV but did theatre. On stage you always have an understudy, so if I took a turn for the worse I wouldn't let anyone down. On TV you would and there would be no coming back from that.

I had six-monthly check-ups until this year when a colonoscopy confirmed I was in the clear. It felt I was finally free again. Now I can tell people and help inspire them.

Bowel cancer doesnt have to be a death sentence. You can survive. I did.

SDCC 2010 Dr Who Action Figures

from action figure insider: Underground Toys are pleased to announce the details of their 2010 San Diego Comic Con exclusive classic Doctor Who items – The 5^th Doctor in Regeneration Outfit and The 5^th Doctor & The Master from Planet of Fire

These items will be available for sale at Underground Toys’ booth # 3949 alongside the 11^th Doctor and Scientist Dalek contemporary exclusive item.

THE FIFTH DOCTOR IN REGENERATION OUTFIT

CASTROVALVA

Following the events at the Pharos Project which caused his regeneration, the Fifth Doctor escapes with his companions back to the TARDIS. Suffering from post-regeneration trauma, he only narrowly manages to save the ship from destruction as it plunges back through time to Event One, the hydrogen in-rush that preceded the creation of the universe.

The Doctor then seeks sanctuary, with companions Tegan and Nyssa, in the peaceful domain of Castrovalva, only to discover that it is an illusory, dimensionally paradoxical trap set for the him by the Master, unwillingly aided by Adric, whom he has kidnapped. The Doctor eventually wins the day by enlisting the help of the Castrovalvan people who, although also part of the Master’s creation, are nevertheless able to exercise free will.

In this exclusive set from Underground Toys we present the Fifth Doctor as he appeared in ‘Castrovalva’. Newly regenerated from the Fourth Doctor, and still wearing his iconic burgundy outfit, the Fifth Doctor comes with a Sonic Screwdriver accessory.

THE FIFTH DOCTOR and THE MASTER from ‘PLANET OF FIRE’

THE FIFTH DOCTOR

His youthful appearance belied his wisdom and experience, but this Doctor still found it frustrating that so many people questioned his judgement, especially his companions. While on an alien planet he and his companion Peri contracted a disease and the Doctor gave Peri the only cure, necessitating another regeneration…

THE MASTER from ‘PLANET OF FIRE’

The Fifth Doctor and Turlough are on the island of Lanzarote because the TARDIS has detected a mysterious signal being transmitted from an unknown, recently salvaged artifact. They meet a young American botany student named Peri Brown, whose stepfather has been replaced with a shape changing robot as part of a plot by the Master. He plans to bring the TARDIS to the planet Sarn, so he can use that world’s revitalising Numismaton gas to restore his body, accidentally shrunken in an accident. The Master is apparently defeated when the stream of gas turns to a hot flame. The Doctor destroys the shape changing robot, Kamelion, at the robot’s own bidding as it has become completely unstable. Turlough leaves to return home, while Peri leaves with the Doctor.

In this exclusive set from Underground Toys we present the Master from ‘Planet of Fire’ and the Fifth Doctor. The Fifth Doctor includes his cream Panama hat and comes with a Sonic Screwdriver accessory.

2010 Christmas Special News

From the BBC: Production started Monday 12 July on the 2010 Doctor Who BBC One Christmas Special in which the thrilling adventures of the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and newlyweds Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) will continue in a fun-filled and heartfelt festive story.

In the grand tradition of Doctor Who Christmas specials, this year the show has once again attracted stellar guest stars as veteran actor Michael Gambon (Harry Potter, The Singing Detective) and opera diva Katherine Jenkins, in her first acting role, join the Time Lord for what might be his most Christmassy adventure yet!

Arriving on set for her first day of filming, Katherine Jenkins said: "I'm over the moon to be involved in the Doctor Who Christmas Special – I can't quite believe it as it's a part of the family tradition at the Jenkins household. I heard the news that I got the role on my 30th birthday and it was the best birthday present ever!"

About the series, lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, commented: "Oh, we're going for broke with this one. It's all your favourite Christmas movies at once, in an hour, with monsters and the Doctor and a honeymoon and – oh, you'll see. I've honestly never been so excited about writing anything. I was laughing madly as I typed along to Christmas songs in April. My neighbours loved it so much they all moved away and set up a website demanding my execution. But I'm fairly sure they did it ironically."

The Christmas special follows on from Matt Smith's first series as The Doctor, which attracted huge critical acclaim for Smith, his companion, Gillan, and lead writer Moffat, from press and legions of fans alike.

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning, said: "Matt Smith and Karen Gillan captivated audiences in their debut series and Doctor Who's clever twist on the much loved A Christmas Carol will thrill BBC One viewers this year with special guest stars Sir Michael Gambon and singing sensation Katherine Jenkins joining Amy and the Doctor for an unforgettable present!"

The series was co-commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning for BBC One, and Jay Hunt, Controller of BBC One. Steven Moffat is lead writer and executive producer with Piers Wenger and Beth Willis also executive producing.

Filming on the Christmas special will continue until August 2010.