The BBC’s official website has announced a return date of Saturday April 5th for our favourite Time Lord. Along with “The Runaway Bride” herself, Catherine “Donna” Tate, expect a rather packed TARDIS for the fourth series. Fresh from her brief visit to “Torchwood”, Martha will be re-joining her Doctor later in the run, while some familiar faces from earlier years will also be returning. As expected, fans are split on the nature and number of these “guests” with debate raging on discussion boards.

If the fourth series maintains the level of quality set by previous years we can expect an entertaining romp through time and space. For me personally, I want and expect nothing more from “Doctor Who”.

The rumours have been flying ’round the interweb for weeks and now finally we have confirmation.

Here’s the schedule:

2007 Christmas – “Voyage of The Damned”

2008 April – Series four begins airing

2008 Christmas – Special airs

NO SERIES FOR 2009………….However, throughout ’09 we will have THREE separate specials, in lieu of an actual thriteen episode series. Speculation is that this gives David Tennant time to pursue some stage work(Shakespeare)and perhaps some other film work. Additional rumours circulating is this could be the time needed for the proposed changes behind the scenes to take place. Show runner Russell T Davies may be leaving(well, he WILL at some point)and this gives the new team time to plot a new course.

The show will return for its fifth series in 2010, at which point we have ZERO idea who will be in front of OR behind the camera. All we DO know is that George Bush WILL NOT be president.

And that’s a good thing.

Everything you’ve read is true. I guess, in hindsight, JMS was facing a “lose/lose” scenario here. Which makes one wonder why he even bothered. Two of the show’s main cast have shuffled off their mortal coil(“Gone beyond the Rim”, as the show eloquently puts it), the budget he was allotted looks like it might have covered lunch on a weekday shoot of the original show and Straczynski himself seems to be under his perpetual “I am currently working on eight projects at the moment”/none of which receive his full attention, thus making for a middling end product that could have used a good editor……or at least another bit of firm guidance from Harlan Ellison.

The first story involves(now)Colonel Elizabeth Lochley who must face a paranormal(aren’t they all nowadays?)threat to the staion. She does the sensible thing(read sarcasm here)and brings in a priest to Linda Blair the guy. A more talky and awkward piece you are going to have a hard time finding. Note to JMS: Joe, after your audience has waited almost ten years for new B5, it probably wasn’t the best idea to start this new project with your Ivanova replacement, whom hardly anybody cared about anyway.

The second story features President John Sheridan returning to the staion for the alliance’s tenth anniversary shindig. He gets to babysit a young(and heretofore never mentioned)Centauri prince(whom we learn is actually the son of mad former Emperor Cartagia…….surprising since he appeared as camp as John Inman). The young prince’s dream is to pilot a starfury. I’d say you need to dream bigger, kid. This is all nice and fortuitous since technomage Galen turns up and tells Brucey boy that the prince needs to be assassinated. Apparently, at some time in the future he will cause the decimation of Earth…….or so another one of Galen’s post-Apocalyptic visions appear to Sheridan. By the way, this is the second time Galen has showed up with portents of doom. I bet this guy is lots of fun at parties.

The whole deal feels half baked. The stories don’t really amount to much, largely because they CANNOT amount to much. JMS created one of the GREATEST science fiction series of all time with “Babylon 5”. The show is fully self-contained with a beginning, exposition, rising action, complication, middle, climax, resolution and perhaps one of the greatest codas in television history. He achieved all he set out to and in his own words, B5 said everything he felt he needed to say in television. It is no wonder then that everything that has come forth from him since, set in the B5 universe has felt like poorly made fan films. From the appalling “River of Souls” and “Legend of The Rangers” to the middling “Crusade”(and yes, I am aware of the terrible interference on behalf of the network in regards to this series). It is telling that THE BEST B5 product to come out since the show finished were the brilliant tie-in novels, in particular the three trilogies.

All in all, after many years of promises, leaked potential movie ideas and new book series that amounted to nothing, I’d say, ironically this new B5 production is the final nail in the coffin for any future tales in the universe. Oh, I am sure there will be more “Lost Tales”. What I mean, however, is that for many of us, the universe is finally closed. Personally, I’d rather have no more “Babylon 5” than more of this middling by-product. “The Lost Tales” should have stayed exactly that.

William Shatner has confirmed that he will not be appearing in any way in the new Star Trek film, due out Boxing Day ’08. He has revealled that Leonard Nimoy will be appearing in some manner as Spock. The film is currently touted as a “re-imagining” of the early days of Kirk’s Enterprise and set some time before the now legendary five year mission. Casting details are apparently soon to be finalized.

Doctor Who

3.11

“Utopia”

Written by Russell T. Davies
Directed by Graeme Harper

It’s fitting that series three’s final story begins at the end of time and space. Forget the ridiculous number of years the TARDIS jumps ahead; forget that the only difference to humans in this far flung future is a “Mad Max” makeover. This is part one of an epic three-parter that, along with the previous week’s stellar episode will see “Doctor Who” take its place amongst the grander examples of tv scifi. I must digress for a moment and take you back to April, 2005. One of the outstanding features of the new Who, for me, was the series’ conveying of a great sense of cosmic wonder. There is a line of dialogue uttered by the Doctor upon first meeting Rose Tyler. He ponders actually being able to feel the Earth moving through the ocean of time and space. Along with the beautiful music, I remember tearing up, feeling that FINALLY, here was a science fiction series that may understand why so many of us love the genre.

It is that sense of cosmic adventure and timeless wonder one can only experience in science fiction. “Utopia”, along with so many other things, continues to deliver such experiences.

As is typical of Davies’ shepherding of this show’s former series, “Utopia” begins to draw together plot elements from previous episodes, thus validating the existence of some of the better AND weaker plotlines of this third year. That in itself is a major achievement. In the grand storytelling technique of foreshadowing, suddenly the viewer has to *gasp* actually remember former plot strands and arcs. Wonderful, heady stuff.

Again, I will not spoil the episode for the few unfortunate souls yet to experience it. Indeed, there are twists and doublecrosses here that deserve to be seen untainted. The crux of the matter is thus: The Doctor and team(now joined by Captain Jack Harkness)arrive at the end of the universe where humanity has been reduced to a paltry band, some reverting to cannibalistic savages. The enigmatic, almost vaguely familiar Professor Yana is working on a rocket that will transport the few survivors to a remote location, Utopia, where life will, supposedly be free of worry and care. Yana(in a “dream come true” turn by revered acting veteran Sir Derek Jacobi)is a kindly old man, yet seems tormented and increasingly erratic, especially when his vintage fobwatch begins talking to him(!!!). It is probably not spoiling much by now to reveal The Master returns at the conclusion of this episode. His return brings about a heartbreaking performance by Jacobi which is then completely turned around by the maniacal comic performance of John Simm. The episode ends with our gang trapped at the end of the universe and a crazed, reborn Timelord on the loose.

Along the way we get more answers about Captain Jack than were delivered in the whole of the first muddled and wanting series of “Torchwood” and we learn why the Doctor left Jack behind in the first place. One can only hope it is this more jovial and bouncy Jack that eventually returns to the dank sociopath-inhabited, borderline mental deficient staffed confines of Torchwood CSI:Cardiff(But I shall save my “Torchwood” rant for another day!).

“Utopia” sets the stage for a confrontation that, I have my suspicions, will change this series forever. It is epic storytelling of a kind that can only be found in science fiction. Further it is the kind of rollicking, fun(do you remember that word Ronald D. Moore?)adventure story it seems only “Doctor Who” can produce these days. There is a clearly visible tongue planted firmly in its cheek, while providing enough continuing narrative/character arc and a perpetuation of the show’s mythos for fans to chew on and digest. Whether you’re looking for an entertaining romp or the beginning of an epic battle between good and evil, you will definitely find it in “Utopia”.

indianajones.com has reported that Steven Spielberg has commenced principal photography on the fourth in the series.

Confirmed to be onboard this time are John Hurt, Jim Broadbent and Shia LaBeouf. Shooting will continue through the Summer, followed by post-production with the film debuting for the traditional late May premiere, next year. Usual Indy alumni Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy join Lucas as execs.

What are your thoughts on this? Is this too late? Is another Indy adventure just what the world needs right now? Will this prove to be the dreaded “fourth in the trilogy”? I guess, just like archaeology itself, only time will tell.

Doctor Who

Episode 3.10

“Blink”

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Hettie MacDonald

Every few years you may have the lucky pleasure of seeing a truly great television episode. In the early 90’s it was ST:TNG’s “The Inner Light”. Cut ahead a few and we get to ST:DS9’s “The Visitor”, followed closely by B5’s “seccession” trilogy mid season 3. Just the other night, I happened to have the joy of watching the latest entry to the pantheon of truly great science fiction television.

On the surface “Blink” has all the makings of a “doesn’t matter if you skip this week” type of episode. It is what has now become the requisite “Doctor lite” episode, thus giving Tennant and Companion a few weeks off in the middle of a busy nine month shooting schedule. Indeed, last year’s version was ridiculed by some fans and split Who fandom clean down the centre. This year’s version, I am pleased to say, has had the exact opposite reaction.

The story is difficult to quantify in the “two sentences or less” Hollywood style, so I won’t bother. Besides wanting to avoid heavy spoilers for the sake of not ruining a truly great episode for new viewers, it would take too long to recount half the tale and your head would be spinning from the various temporal conundrums! Suffice to say, the story begins with plucky and perky young Sally Sparrow investigating an old abandoned house in some backwoods. In a deserted room she peels away at some loose wallpaper, only to find a timely message…….to herself. Further the message is signed “The Doctor 1969”. The message warns Sally to “Beware the weeping angels”, of which several are seen standing silent and stoic guard in the manor grounds. Sally returns the next day with her friend, Cathy, only to have the newcomer disappear, seemingly ripped from existence. Thus begins a tale so cosmically and temporally mind-bending you will find yourself exercising areas of your brain that haven’t seen use since you last watched the “Back to The Future” trilogy!

Added to the temporal mechanics are some moments of pure wrenching horror. Where the original series is now legendarily famous(infamous?)for raising a generation of behind the sofa dwelling tykes, this episode by itself will have children all over the Western world screaming in fear when they see a statue in a park. I have to admit a certain glee in that. A bit of fear in kids is a good thing and can only serve to fuel the imagination of the next generation of writers and directors. What is refreshingly novel about the scares in this episode is there is virtually not one single CGI pixel to be seen. Without giving the plot away too much, some of the most horrifying moments in this episode come from simple camera cuts, quick edits and a couple of particularly effective stoccatto black out moments during the climactic confrontation. Classic horror movie stuff that wasn’t new when F.W. Murnau was doing it, yet more frightening than a thousand pixelated battle droids marching toward camera.

Finally as has been the recurring strong point throughout this new series of “Who” it has to be said the heart of this story is the emotional journey undertaken by the characters. Writer Moffat, under the watchful gaze of show runner Russell T. Davies has ensured even the most peripheral character in this episode has very clear and true motivations for their actions. In a story involving time travel and all the temporal hoops people jump through, keeping the continuity of people’s motivations must have been a mind twisting feat. It is testament to a truly talented and committed writer that even a death scene involving a person we have known for barely five minutes elicits tears of empathy. At no point during this episode did any of these characters not feel real. Thus the final confrontation with the forces of evil was gripping, exciting and very, very scary!

The reality of the episode is it is sheer bloody BRILLIANT. After a few duds that constituted a bit of a sagging middle to series three, “Blink” lifts the game to a whole new level and sets a new benchmark for “Who” and SF TV in general.