Yetis, Ice Warriors, Cybermen & Zygons ...

Hi All,

First of all ...

For those of you watching the latest series of Doctor Who on Prime TV in New Zealand (or anyone else that has not seen all the episodes that have been aired in the UK/US - "Hide" being the latest), the following entry may contain SPOILERS!!!


Trying to juggle a bit of stuff at the moment. As it is no doubt apparent I am not posting in depth analysis/reviews of each new episode as it screens on this blog - there are plenty of other places on the web that these can be found.

I am aware that some "Whovians" can have some pretty strong opinions on certain Doctor Who-related issues/personalities. Steven Moffat (the current head writer/executive producer) is one such personality that tends to attract the ire of many long time fans of the show. Matt Smith is another. I suspect to a certain degree the anti-Smith sentiment is particularly the case with fans of the show who are only really familiar with post-2005 Doctor Who. Christopher Eccleston was great in the role (in my opinion) but sadly - for reasons I don't really want to get into here - decided to leave after one season in 2005. David Tennant took over at the end of that season and remained in the role until The End of Time part 2 in January 2010. Now, Tennant was superb in the role and by the time he decided to leave had endeared himself to a new generation of fans for whom he was the first Doctor they knew. For others, who had watched Eccleston's Doctor regenerate and become Tennant's Doctor in 2005, this time around they were losing someone they had been watching long enough to develop a real affection for. It probably didn't help either that Tennant's last words were a tearful "I don't want to go!" Introducing a different actor to play the same character in a series is actually a very radical concept in television when you think about it. For those who were familiar with the show pre-2005, regeneration was an old hat - after all, the Doctor had done it eight times previously (once not seen on screen) when Eccleston first appeared on our screens. And in case you've missed any of them:

I'm going to put my cards on the table (so to speak) by stating that I have enjoyed the latest series up to now and Matt Smith's performances in the title role have been as vibrant as ever.


Right, if you haven't stopped reading in disgust ... I'll continue.

As a long time fan, one aspect of this series that I have enjoyed in particular are the references to the show's history. This is rather appropriate, to say the least, as 2013 is Doctor Who's 50th anniversary year.

In case you have missed any:

The 2012 Christmas Special, The Snowmen, and Series Seven, episode 6, The Bells of Saint John, saw the return of The Great Intelligence - previously a controller of the Robot Yeti in The Abominable Snowmen (1967) and The Web of Fear (1968):

It may look like a big cuddly Teddy Bear, but beware the Robot Yeti!!! (The Abominable Snowmen, 1967)

Series 7, Episode 8 saw the return of another monster first introduced during the "Troughton Years", the Ice Warriors. Previous TV appearances (not including "flashbacks") are The Ice Warriors (1967), The Seeds of Death (1969), The Curse of Peladon (1972) and The Monster of Peladon (1974).

The Doctor and an Ice Warrior (The Ice Warriors, 1967)

Incidentally, it was announced earlier this month that The Ice Warriors (of which two of the original six episodes are currently missing from the BBC archives) will be released on DVD later this year (August release in the UK) with the two missing episodes reconstructed using animation and the original soundtracks. Here is a brief animation preview that has been released by BBC Worldwide:

Here is a comparison of an animation still from one of the reconstructed episodes with an existing telesnap:

Source of Image: www.doctorwhonews.net

In Episode 7, The Rings of Akhaten, the Doctor mentions to Clara that he has visited Akhaten previously with his granddaughter. This of course refers back to the very beginning of Doctor Who, and the Doctor's original traveling companion, a girl called Susan who refers to the Doctor as "grandfather".


In Episode 9, Hide, Doctor uses a crystal from the planet Metebelis III to boost the natural psychic abilities of Emma Grayling and to create and sustain a wormhole to the pocket universe where Hila Tacorien was trapped. Metebelis III, located in the Acteon Cluster, is one of the more famous alien worlds of the classic run of Doctor Who, referred to on a number of occasions in particular by the third Doctor, played by Jon Pertwee. It has been established that the blue crystals of Metebelis III can break hypnotic spells and mind control and enhance psychic powers. In this episode the Doctor also utilised a "subset of the Eye of Harmony" to enter the pocket universe by running cables from the TARDIS. The Eye of Harmony is generally considered the source of the power of the Doctor's people, the Time Lords.

And of course, more monsters from the Classic series of Doctor Who will be returning to our screens this year - Episode 12, Nightmare in Silver, written by Neil Gaiman, see the return of the Cybermen, after the Daleks surely the most iconic of the Doctor's enemies?:

And, in case you missed the news, it has been announced that the Zygons, who have only appeared on screen in one story, The Terror of the Zygons (1975), but have been referred to on more than one occasion subsequently, will appear in the 50th Anniversary Special. Also returning are David Tennant and Billie Piper (Rose Tyler). Personally I'm most excited by the return of the Zygons, but it will be good to see David and Billie back too! :) Incidentally, the Terror of the Zygons will be the last complete classic Doctor Who adventure to be released on DVD - due for release later this year. In my opinion this is as good a case as any of saving the best till last ...

A revamped Zygon.

Bye for now,

Nick.