Nabil Shaban - The Blue Wolf is His Favorite Animal, Apparently

When I am not earning a living.... I investigate UFOs, Ghosts and other Paranormal Phenomena.

So says Nabil on his homepage. But is he going to make a lot of money by returning to Dr Who or will he spend many a night searching instead for things that don't exist (on the whole... as far as anyone knows)???

Well, it seems that Nabil hasn't been lazy since I last saw him act back in 1985 or some such. In fact he's like a whirlwind of ideas - poetry, politics, acting; he'll attempt them all. According to his site he's the man with the ideas when it comes to getting back into Dr Who for some more Sil action. Let's take a look at his ideas:

I wrote to Russell T. Davies on the 5th of May 2006 with some story ideas

One idea I proposed was if Sil after being thwarted yet again by the Doctor, is punished by the Rulers of the Universe by being forced to reluctant companion of his erstwhile enemy, grudgingly helping in the battle against evil. I think it would be very amusing and the fans would love it.

Another idea I have is of a story that brings back Carol Ann Ford as the Doctor's grand-daughter but who now is a grandmother herself. Basically, what has happened is that Sil has kidnapped Susan's own grand-daughter, in the hope of extracting Time-Lord genes for his own evil purposes. Susan sends out an S.O.S. message to her "grandfather" who, of course, now looks more like he should be her grandson. I can imagine a complication occurring where Susan's grand-daughter doesn't realise the blood relationship of the Doctor and has fallen in love with him. Perhaps, at first, even the Doctor doesn't realise the young woman he is trying to rescue is his great great grand-daughter...and he is falling in love with her!!!

I received a response from Simon Winstone, Script editor of Doctor Who, saying that they can't consider any unsolicited story suggestions, as they must avoid any confusion over copyright issues...and claims that it is entirely possible for people to have the same great idea independently of each other, and so, to avoid any potential misunderstanding, the BBC cannot read story ideas that are sent in.

Well, I don't see any confusion over the copyright issue concerning my Doctor Who ideas as described above because unless the BBC can prove that anyone working for Doctor Who Production writing scripts containing the same ideas as mine, which predate my sending in my ideas i.e. (05/05/06), I clearly have a priori evidence of owning the copyright. So if my story is produced, you, DW Fans, will know you first read about it here from me.

[posted on http://www.drwho-online.co.uk on 19th May 2006 ]

Good luck, Nabil.
Oh and no copyright infringement intended!

PREVIEW: Gridlock - SPOILERS AHEAD

Written by Piggy Fizz

In which RTD does what he does best - take a strikingly off-beat idea, riff on it, and run the whole thing through with plenty of action and enough self-depreciating lines to show that we'd be daft to treat this too seriously. Yes, the resolution is necessarily a bit simple, but by then the story’s done what it’s supposed to do; namely be imaginative and exciting. I’ll save my ranting defense of RTD’s scripts for another time, but basically this once again shows that our man understands the appeal in the series' format and knows how to transfer that enthusiasm to a wider public who don’t squander their time listening to audio recordings of lost Troughton stories.

This week’s zany notion is a downward-spiral future where the population has become happy enough to spend huge chunks of their lives stuck in endless traffic jams in the vague hope of reaching some eventual reward for all their waiting. Regardless of whether you interpret this as a satire on lousy town-planning, blind trust in authority or a wider swipe at religion, the script extrapolates a whole world and philosophy from its set-up, leaving space enough for viewers to either find their own meaning in it or just enjoy the sight of Tennant breathlessly racing the rescue.

While this story finally sees Martha in peril, she’s no damsel in distress, swiftly getting a handle on her situation and persuading her captors to start questioning what they’re doing. With no disrespect to Billie Piper, I’m really enjoying Freema’s less showy approach and more subtle character.

The usually gurning Tennant is restrained and we get a Doctor doubtful of his approach and attitude. Of course he wins through, but this leads to a smashing and surprisingly well-acted coda which works beautifully in itself though one imagines it’s also paving the way for events later in the series.

So then, fun, funny and thrilling. What else do you want?

Sorry? Final message? Possible returning monsters? No idea what you’re talking about.

Dr Who Ratings Poll

Well, you're a cocksure bunch, so I've heard. Nearly 96% of think that Dr Who won't be beaten in the ratings by ITV1 during series 3 (and I suspect that Mr 4% was taking the piss - probably a rogue element of fandom skulking around the web just to cause a paradox).

The Lost Dr. Who Epics (...of PiggyFizz)

Written by Piggy Fizz

Okay, so I didn’t enter the Big Finish short story contest earlier this year, though I did sort of think about it. However, during the whole sort of thinking about it process, my brain dislodged several youthful and rather unpolished efforts at WHO story-writing, now offered here in a public arena that would have been a mad-man’s nightmare when I originally crafted them, many years ago.

HOW DOCTOR WHO STARTED (LATE 70’S)

I had the Tom Baker doll - I loved Dr. Who but I had no idea what the back-story was. My brothers had an annual with Jon Pertwee wandering over some rocks on the cover but I assumed this represented a form of Dr. Who that didn’t really count. Filling the gap myself, the very first story - acted out with my Baker doll - had Dr. Who as a normal physician from the olden days working in the Wild West but without his scarf! Someone phones him up to go and cure them. On the way he finds a blue box next to a post with some tethered horses. Dr. Who goes in to have a look about and is spirited away by the mysterious craft. The Doctor quickly gets to grips with flying this baffling new time/space machine and when he feels confident enough, starts wearing a scarf. And meets Leela.

DUGGAN’S INVITATION (1980)

I don’t think I got too far with this one. In real life Tom Baker and Lalla Ward were getting married so I imagined this would carry on through to the actual series. The Doctor and Romana decide to tie the knot and agree to invite their best Earth friend, Duggan from that one with the seaweed head man that was on telly last year. As they are space people, Duggan’s invite comes in the form of a small, message-bearing meteorite (something the TARDIS is obviously capable of knocking up), jettisoned at high-speed from the time machine and landing down the chimney of Duggan’s house. The tough-talking private-eye is not too impressed when this results in his face being covered in soot.

AN WEREWOLF (1980)

Having turned eight, this was a far more substantial work. I was aware that a new young companion called Adric was on his way and had read in, I think, the John Craven’s Back Page of Radio Times that the new producer wanted to do a werewolf story at some point. All I can remember of this was a cliffhanger; the Doctor, Romana and Adric were trapped at the end of corridor with a werewolf approaching. This was resolved when Adric noticed a big stained glass window above them and threw a stone at it. The trio made good their escape.

DOWN THE MINES (1980)

Romana’s gone but the Doctor and Adric are still travelling about, running into trouble immediately when they turn up on a world where people are made to work down the mines, mining radioactive things for the people in charge. The Doctor is captured and put under a machine like an upside down copper bath tub that makes him better at working in a radiation mine. When the huge metal bath rises, the Doctor has a green face, no mouth and a red jump suit! Adric makes him better before the end though.

TRUCKER (1981)

Davison had been cast but wasn’t on telly yet. This may explain his unusual character in these tales. Going for a more urban, gritty feel that wouldn’t appear on screen till the McCoy era, this story had Davison, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric coming to Earth for the funeral of a UNIT soldier (you can tell I’d done some research by this point). Landing outside a greasy-spoon cafe, the group inadvertently annoy a muscular truck driver who wants to punch the Doctor. The Doctor panics, activates his sonic screwdriver and makes the sign above the café fall down. This worries the trucker, who decides to call it a day. A few years later it occurred me that in a time-travel show it would be ludicrous for the Doctor to start attending funerals as he’d have to be doing it permanently. Then came Revelation of the Daleks.

THE DESERT (1981)

The Doctor lands in the desert but not close enough to where he was supposed to be, so for comic effect he forces his three companions to push the TARDIS through the sand to the location in question. He then meets the people he was hoping to meet, taking Nyssa and Tegan with him while leaving Adric to cover the TARDIS in sand so it won’t be spotted by anyone evil. By now I didn’t actually hate Adric, but was envious that he was in the show while I wasn’t. I was planning to do stories boasting an expanded cast of Davison, Nyssa, Tegan, Adric and Prince Sebastian; young space royalty who rode around on a motorbike. He would have been played by me. I would be useful as I was small enough get through air vents and things.

NEXT TIME- The ‘lost’ Colin Baker adventures!

PREVIEWS: The Shakespeare Code - SPOILERS AHEAD

Preview #1 Written by Piggy Fizz

The TARDIS lands in a scenic chunk of the past just as some alien threat in an appropriately contemporary guise makes life hell for the locals. Yep, it could be ‘The Idiot’s Lantern’ or indeed several other more enjoyable WHO stories. It certainly describes ‘The Shakespeare Code’, though Gareth Robert’s script has manners enough to provide its villains with some motive and plan beyond merely being ‘hungry’ and thankfully the resolution doesn’t boil down to the Doctor lashing together an anti-alien device.

As a character, Shakespeare is here crucial to the plot rather than being just a random cameo from some historical figure, but that’s enough Mark Gattis-baiting for one review. The central theme of the potency of words and literacy is extremely welcome even if the episode still can’t bear to end without a shed-load of CGI visuals to keep modern telly viewers happy, though admittedly ‘The Mind Robber’ could have benefited from such sound and fury.

On the downside, the witches’ make-up design is extremely traditional, deliberately so I’m sure, but it jars weirdly with the rest of this rich-looking tale, as if they ran out time and bunged in Zelda from ‘Terrahawks’.

And okay, so the script can’t resist the obvious trick of throwing in the famous and not so famous Bard quotes, but any story with a running gag referencing ‘Duck Soup’ is okay by me.

Martha Jones is already emerging as a very likeable character, nicely played by Freema Agyeman as bright and somewhat less bolshy than her predecessor, whom I won’t name here since the Doctor himself seems more than happy to carry on gabbing about his old chum. I can appreciate that the show’s makers might want to portray the Doctor as a more human character, treating the departure of travelling pals with more than a curt, "I’ll miss you too, savage", but this is the third episode running where the Doctor bleats on about someone who has now been more than adequately replaced. Any more, and the name Rose Tyler is in danger of becoming the new Cloister Bell.

A fun if unambitious story then, though it can’t be faulted on its visually impressive execution. Watch out for some nice cameos from Matt King (Super Hans from ‘Peep Show’) and Donald Pleasance’s now not-so-little girl in a cracking final scene.

Preview #2 Written by me

From the moment The Shakespeare Code begins you realise that you're in for some very good quality drama and some stunning visuals. The recreation of 16th century Bankside looks great and you realise that the rumours about the CGI stepping up a gear is undoubtedly true.

There are some truly edgy moments in this episode: From some scary jumps for the kids, some gruesome deaths such as the chap that drowns and an intimate scene for our two main characters this isn't an episode that lets you relax for a second but with each twist and turn the plot moves forward and it keeps you hooked.

The witches are indeed archetypal stereotype 16th century hags but they still look great and they are led by one hell of a foxy witch in disguise. Worth drowning for anyway. If there's any character that feels like a let down it's the Bard himself. He's a boring genius, I'll give him that but he is central to the plot itself rather than being overwhelmed by it like Charles Dickens a couple of years back.

The plot is great and the message is a useful one, especially for kids to get their heads around. The only problem is that it's resolved loudly and it hurts the eyes. I haven't a clue how it was sorted in the end but it looked achingly great!

This is a good solid episode allowing Martha as a character to settle in and I have to say that with each passing moment I wanted to see more of her. She's a good replacement and Freema is doing extremely well. With episodes like this I expect the show to continue to do very well in the ratings.

Doctor Who and the Blue Rinse Brigade

Well, I'm sure you woke up feeling scared, insecure and utterly terrified for the future of Doctor Who. After an episode that did exactly what everyone expected the newspaper critics have turned on the show in what could be the beginning of the end of the programme's love affair with the tabloids. Some called it 'tired', 'lazy' and 'lame'. Others criticised the lead actor.

Now if this is going to be the beginning of the end then it has to be followed up with a loss in viewers but this has not materialised - yet. Smith and Jones has done very well in the ratings but it will be interesting the follow this and the critic's assessments over the next 3 months.

Meanwhile down in Croydon, I awoke with a headache. Yesterday involved me going to watch the series launch with 350 other nutters at The Printworks pub in Farringdon - which at times resembled one giant day care centre, I swear at one point a member of staff went around wiping the tables and then accidentally some of the mucky chops faces sat at them. I know that the Government would like to get more private sector provision into social services but I didn't expect it to extend to JD Wetherspoons.

I went to a few pubs before and after going to the launch so decided the best approach for today would be to head into Addiscombe for a fry up. I was warm by the time I arrived and nearly took my jumper off but then remembered I had a WHO t-shirt on underneath. Slightly embarrassed I opted to sweat it out rather than show my sad fan qualities.

After a while two old ladies of about late 60s / early 70s came in and ordered today's special - Roast beef, potatoes + 3 veg. They chatted about old ladies stuff and then I thought I heard one of them mention 'Doctor Who'. I thought I must be just obsessively hearing things so ignored it. Then I heard her say 'hospital' and 'Moon' and figured she probably was referring to that lame and lazy tat from last night.

They had a nice long chat about it:
"Did you see Anne Reid? From Coronation Street? And Dinnerladies?"
"Yes, she was very good"
"I don't think they've had a black companion before"
"No dear"
"I'm really looking forward to the new series of Torchwood now"
"Oh I don't think that'll be on until the Autumn, dear"
"Oh well, it's Shakespeare next by the looks of things"

I should have gone over whipped my jumper off and got them down to The Keepers of Croydon - I'm telling you, they weren't good looking but they could be the most interesting women in fandom. Heck if they can get into London and find a seat they'd probably have a blast at the Tavern.

So if these old dudes can keep living and carry on watching I think the critics can say what they like - the public are talking about WHO today and they're talking positively. Well I say the public; I mean Doris and Frieda.

The Saxon Files: Two Hints On "Blink" - SPOILERS AHEAD

Written by Mr Saxon

Hint 1 - Imagine a monster that only moves when you have your eyes closed... You can't sleep. Hey you can't even...

Hint 2 - Try reading all about Sally Sparrow in the Series 1 Dr Who Annual. There's a short story, it's Doctor lite and it's by a chap called Steven Moffat.