Review: Doctor Who - Deep Breath

And breathe out - Peter Capaldi's first episode has aired! But how did the new Doctor measure up? 

'I'm the Doctor. I've lived for over 2000 years. Not all of them good. I've made many mistakes. And it's about time I did something about that.'

Has any other actor been the Doctor so immediately as Peter Capaldi? Usually when a new Doctor is announced there's months of trepidation on the fans' part, worrying 'will this new guy fit the bill?' But it felt different this time. As soon as Peter Capaldi was announced to the world, walking out of the smoke holding his lapels, he was the Doctor. Then when we got to see a glimpse of him in 'The Day of the Doctor' - those were the Doctor's eyebrows. It was simply a fact that the Doctor's future was in safe hands. So, a whole year after he was announced as the Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi last night made his début in the role. And how like Doctor Who to give us a change we've already accepted and then rip the rug from under our feet. Make no mistake, 'Deep Breath' marked a regeneration, not just of its leading man, but of the whole show, hurtling us into a brave, moodier reincarnation of Doctor Who. 

After one of the daftest (for daft, read brilliant) pre-titles sequences to ever grace the series - not only is there a T-Rex in Victorian London but it also coughs up the TARDIS! - 'Deep Breath' proves to be a more low-key affair than other opening episodes. Instead of a large-scale alien invasion we have a pseudo-sequel to 'The Girl in the Fireplace' with a troupe of Clockwork robots rebuilding themselves with bits of people - with some clever parallels drawn with the eerie Half-Face Man and the Doctor (both have changed their body parts so many times they can't tell if they are the same person underneath any more). And, of course, the Paternoster Gang return with the now customary comedy Sontaran antics of Strax. However, this was just window dressing as the main thrust of the story was the idea of changing perceptions and age. In all, then, the plot was a familiar one but it was how it was told and the moments hanging on it that set the different tone. Quite fitting for an episode about patchwork monsters, really. 

Perhaps this episode's biggest surprise, however, was how it is really Clara who steals the episode. Some have said that the character served as a plot device throughout Series Seven rather than a proper person but here we are unequivocally on Clara's side as we both adjust to the new Doctor. Jenna Coleman delivers her best performance yet, imbuing Clara with facets to her character - fear, anger, grief - that we have never seen before. The spark that she shares with Peter Capaldi is incredibly fresh and feels like none of the other Doctor/companion pairings we seen so far in the revived series. These two have real promise to grow into one of the great TARDIS teams.

Invasion of the Dinosaur: A T-Rex visits Victorian London.

But the most important question is -  yes, all right, I shan't keep you waiting any longer (blimey, put down that pitch fork) - how was Peter Capaldi? Well, over the course of the adventure there are hints of Christopher Eccleston ('I'm stuck on the planet of the pudding-brains!'), Tom Baker (there's much wide eyes and eyebrows - plus a mention of long scarves) and Jon Pertwee (the more autocratic attitude and the dress sense) but really Capaldi carves out a Doctor who is all his own. He's in turn mirthful and mournful, crazed and calm, not-your-boyfriend and, oh, so very Scottish. Deep Breath was a wonderful taster, showing us all that this new Doctor is capable of, but he is still a newborn. We'll have to wait until next week to see him on an ordinary day. Because travelling inside a Dalek is just another Saturday to the Doctor.

Complete with a thrilling title sequence (still not sure of the shrill new theme though) and a new mood and tone, this new series could literally go anywhere but there is someone to hold our hand along the way. Irascible yet irreplaceable, Peter Capaldi is the perfect man to helm this brand-new version of the show. The old Doctor Who is gone. Long live the new Doctor!


P.S. As we're on the subject of old Doctor Whos... While it's sure to prove a controversial moment, I for one thought Matt Smith's cameo as the Eleventh Doctor was a stroke of genius. It could have come across as fandering (that's a contraction of fan-pandering - do you like it?) but instead marked a special moment of Clara's - and our - acceptance of the new Doctor. This moment tells us that beneath the volatile and a little unknowable Twelfth Doctor, the more amiable, human characteristics of the Doctor - that Matt Smith embodies - are still there. Also, more Matt Smith is always a good thing.  

Doctor Who: Step Back in Time - Series Seven

The Time of Capaldi is almost upon us, with just a over two weeks left until his feature-length début (how spoiled are we?) is broadcast across television and cinema screens alike. So its time for Eleven to take one last bow as we cast a look back at the most recent series of Doctor Who: Series Seven. Though it's sort of two series that can either exist apart or as one. Like a worm. Ladies and gentleman, I give you Series Worm...

Starring: Matt Smith (the Doctor), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara Oswald) with Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Catrin Stewart (Jenny Flint), Dan Starkey (Strax) and Alex Kingston (River Song)

Produced by: Marcus Wilson and Denise Paul

Executive Produced by: Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner

Best Episodes

Asylum of the Daleks by Steven Moffat

What better way to open a series than a visit to a planet full of insane Daleks? 'Asylum' is a true thriller of an episode, starting the year of the 'Movie-of-the-week' perfectly. Alongside the aforementioned sanity-impaired Skarosians is a subplot involving the Doctor trying to save Amy and Rory's marriage and a surprise appearance from companion-to-be Clara (well, sort of) with Jenna proving herself to be a terrific actress. It turned out these episodes wouldn't just be any old movies-of-the-week, they would be blockbusters. 

The Rings of Akhaten by Neil Cross

Once in a while, a Doctor Who episode is unlucky enough to find itself on the receiving end of a barrage of criticism. So while many don't care for Neil Cross' début Who I, for one, think it's hugely enjoyable. The story may be slight but that only means it's going for atmosphere and heart more than complex plot. This also gives the other areas of production more chance to shine then usual, in particular costume design and Murray Gold's soaring score. 'Rings' is a magical sci-fi tale. Good enough, in fact, to feed Akhaten himself. 

The Crimson Horror by Mark Gatiss

With 'Cold War', Gatiss provided his best Who so far but his second of this series was somehow even better. A wonderful hodge-podge of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Gatiss' very own Lucifer Box novels, 'Crimson' is a horror-tinged adventure with some great innovative storytelling. The finest example so far of how a Paternoster Gang spin-off show would work. The answer? Get Mark Gatiss to write it.

To read my reviews of all episodes of Series Seven click here. 

 TARDIS Team(s)

Series Seven is the first to employ the idea that the Doctor's companions do not have to runaway with the Doctor full-time. After formally leaving the TARDIS during the previous series, Amy and Rory Pond are unique in that the Doctor continues to come back for them, taking them on one-off trips across time and space before returning them to the normal lives. In fact, this arrangement went on for years, with the Ponds ageing from twentysomething to middle-age - however, though the Doctor does try, you can't hold off growing up forever. In the end, it took an invasion of New York by Weeping Angels to force the travels of the undisputed longest-running companions of the revived series to come to an end. 

The Doctor's next companion, Clara, was a true anomaly. Not only did she appear before she joined the Doctor on his travels, she also died - twice. When 21st century Clara (as opposed to Victorian and Dalek Clara) finally travelled in the TARDIS (with a similar arrangement to the Ponds) it made for a unique Doctor-companion dynamic. For the first time, the audience did not see through the companion's eyes to crack the mystery of the Doctor but quite the reverse. 

As well as his core companions, Series Seven also gives the Doctor a number of go-to allies. Reintroduced after their popular début in Series Six, Victorian detectives Madame Vastra and Jenny, now joined by the reformed Sontaran Strax, the Paternoster Gang notched up three appearances, including the series finale. This same finale also found time to wrap up the story of the Doctor's wife, River Song, literally laying her (data) ghost to rest. Out with the old and in with the new, it seemed the series was preparing for a change. A regeneration, you might say...

Story Arc

In a series full of firsts, Series Seven takes a new take on the issue of story arcs. Whereas its immediate predecessors were almost serials in their attitude to ongoing storylines, this series took a much looser approach. This was a series that was proud to be a different show every week, made up entirely of single-episode stories. Defined by featuring two different sets of companions, the two halves of the series are really two shorter runs bolted together and so have their own stories to tell.
The first five, or Series Pond, were the softer of the two on story arc, being almost devoid of overarching narrative, with the exception of some thematic foreshadowing of the Pond's exit. The second, or rather Series Clara, brings things to the boil somewhat more with the mystery of Clara, 'the Impossible Girl' being referenced in most stories before being revealed in the finale.
However, there was something that dripped through both Series Pond and Clara, as with 'Bad Wolf' or 'Torchwood' it was just a phrase that had a larger meaning. In fact, it was a question. The oldest in the universe. The question that the Doctor had been running from all his lives was coming back to haunt him. And that question was: 'Doctor Who?' The answer, apparently, lay on Trenzalore.
Combined with the 50th anniversary outing and Christmas special that followed it, Series Seven combined lively stories with friends and enemies, new and old, to send the Eleventh Doctor off in style. What's more, with its big-screen ambitions, Series Seven is the reason Doctor Who is currently enjoying a semi-regular home at cinemas worldwide. Thanks to Series Seven, the Doctor, rather than the Daleks or the Cybermen, is taking over the world.

Coming Soon: It's not just his kidneys that have changed. The new Doctor lands 23rd August. 

Doctor Who: A Look into Darkness - Series Eight Trailer Breakdown

The clock really is striking Twelve as the début of Peter Capaldi's Doctor is right around the corner, with more and more stuff coming out about this series (both officially and, ahem, illicitly). Yesterday, Who fans everywhere brought the internet down when the first full-length trailer for Series Eight was released (what do you mean there was some sort of big sporting event happening too?). So, in grand Scribble Creatures tradition, I'm here to breakdown the trailer to see what is in store for the new man...

Oh, but first, you might want to see it.

So, now that you know what I'm talking about, let's shed some light into this darkness... 

'Life Returns... Life Prevails!'

The most recent mini-trailer, which featured a Dalek voice talking about souls and beauty, started rumours that the Daleks' creator Davros could return. While I personally don't agree with said theory, we had more evidence for the new series featuring a more eloquent Dalek (or maybe a whole bunch of them) in the first dialogue heard in this trailer - 'LIFE RETURNS... LIFE PREVAILS!' went the Dalek voice with a more nuanced delivery and certainly a wider vocabulary than usual. Only time will tell what this means...

The trailer also offers us a glimpse at a revamped TARDIS interior. Unlike the transition from David Tennant to Matt Smith and then later Matt Smith to, um, Matt Smith, the console room hasn't completely regenerated but it is subtly different. The green glow of the Time Rotor has been replaced by an orange one and it can be seen that more home-y additions have been implemented such as bookshelves, suggesting the feel of Matt Smith's first TARDIS.

Plus, it's going to be on fire at one point. I hope they've added a fire extinguisher. 

Old Friends, New Foes

The only episode we know anything concrete about (and if you're someone who's sought out the episode online - everything about) is the series opener. Titled 'Deep Breath', it sees the newly-regenerated Doctor and Clara return to Victorian London and to their old pals the Paternoster Gang. Fun fact: in her one line in the trailer, Vastra says 'here we go again...' This is exactly what the Brigadier said upon the moment of the Third Doctor's regeneration into the Fourth. Yes, I do know too much about Doctor Who. But you're reading me meticulously picking apart a minute-long trailer so really you're just indulging me and it's all your fault.

Moving on. What would a new Doctor Who series be without new monsters? Nothing that's what. So let's take a look at the latest monstrous villains and alien enemies that the Doctor will face.

This cyborg (or perhaps robot covered in human skin) presumably appears in the opener alongside Vastra, Jenny and Strax going by their visibly Victorian clothing. They're the first of what appears to be a very cybernetic collection of monsters (more later). But this one has what looks to be a flame thrower for an arm so he might just pip the rest. Flame throwers are cool, as ol' Eleven would say! Oh, what did I go and do that for. I need a moment...

Robot number two here seems to be a fan of top Who monsters, the Cybermen and the Daleks, as its metal skin slightly resembles the Cybus Industries Cybermen while its striking blue eyes are the colour of a Dalek's eyestalk. You know, whimsicality aside, a monster that takes parts from the Doctor's other deadliest foes is quite an idea. Hmm, Steven Moffat, if you're reading this and something similar appears in the next series I want to be made co-Executive Producer. And be given a BAFTA. And perhaps a yacht.

This handsome fella is the only alien alien seen in the trailer and he seems to be rather a treat, with his eyes on stalks (but not in the Dalek way). In fact, it looks like the Doctor is giving it a staring contest. Expect that episode to be a tense forty-five minutes. Don't blink, indeed.

Say hello Robot Number Three! Going by the background, perhaps a castle or a monastery, it looks like this robotic ragamuffin has shacked up in a historical location, possibly the medieval setting said to feature in the Mark Gatiss written episode this year. Interestingly, the robot's helmet and prominent cross resembles the look of English Knights from the Crusades that went on in that period.

And finally, we have... dinosaurs! For such a popular extinct race of creatures, they're a surprisingly rare thing to find on Doctor Who. For instance, the last time they appeared was... last series. Ahem, yes.

Ah, I hear you cry (I mean, I imagine that you cry. Don't check behind that vase. I promise there is not a bug hidden there) those Dinosaurs were on a spaceship, this adorable little predator is trampling through the streets of London. That's never been done before.

To this, I have to awkwardly look away and mumble that you are mistaken. Third Doctor story 'Invasion of the Dinosaurs' featured... Dinosaurs in London. Unlike that story, however, it seems Mr. T. Rex here will appear in Victorian London in 'Deep Breath', with the cyborg man and the Paternoster Gang (alongside Capaldi's first full appearance, this is turning out to be a packed episode!), going by the steam and hat seen in the image above. Also, there's this shot in the trailer of the skyline of a Victorian-looking London. Look close enough, and you may find something out of sorts...

'Into Darkness...' 

But you don't want to know about all this. The only question on your lips (apart from 'how did he get that bug in here?) is: what will Peter Capaldi be like as the new Doctor? The trailer, though only short, does give some hints. True to the rumours and scant comments we've had so far, he looks set to be a very different Doctor from the last two. A darker, more sombre Time Lord, who, rather than despair over the losses of his past, seems to actively want to atone for them. The heart of the trailer, and more tantalising than any of the clips of monsters and the new TARDIS (as fun as they are), is the short speech the Doctor gives Clara in the TARDIS - handily presented on this dinky photo for your pleasure. 

In dialogue presumably taken from the first episode or one of the first, even the Doctor seems unsure of his new nature asking Clara,'Tell me, am I a good man?' 

So while everything is still bathed in mystery until 23rd August (well, for most of us), only one thing is certain...

Capaldi is coming...

Monthly Mini-Reviews: June

Welcome to another line-up of mini-reviews for your reading pleasure! First up, stretching the definition of what this monthly feature is for, here's a look at something I attended recently...


Return to the Eleventh Hour

Over the weekend I went to my second Doctor Who convention and am pleased to say it was as enjoyable as the first. Whereas the previous one I went to was a celebration of Russel T Davies' Who, featuring guests such as David Tennant and Billie Piper, Eve Myles and Gareth David-Lloyd from Torchwood and Anjli Mohindra from the Sarah Jane Adventures this one was largely dedicated to the Matt Smith era - with two of the headline guests being Madame Vastra and Jenny themselves, Neve Mcintosh and Catrin Stewart. Plus, it seems just because the organisers could, Catherine Tate was also there!
The guests (of which these names are just a selection) were all extremely nice, funny people and my fellow conventioners were also very friendly, coming from a variety of places from across the world. At one point, Karen Gillan was attached to appear at the convention and while I can't deny, as a big Amy Pond fan, that her attendance would have been brilliant, Catherine Tate stole the show all on her own, being incredibly warm and inviting  - and hilarious. Her Q and A session that wrapped up the weekend must be the highlight of the convention. However, close in second place must be the unexpected surprise of Simon Fisher Becker, who played the wily and blue Dorium Maldovar in a string of appearance in the show recently, slipping into character at the event's closing ceremony - as a life-long Doctor Who obsessive himself, he knows what the fans like.

The Dark Knight Returns

For the third year of my Creative Writing degree, I'm studying graphic novels (I know, university's a grueling thing, really) and so in preparation I decided to read that bastion of comic book greats, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns which sees an old Bruce Wayne come out of retirement to clear up Gotham City once and for all. As a fan of the bat from mainly his many forays onto the small and silver screens, it's interesting to read the comic from which both Tim Burton's and Christopher Nolan's film adaptations were inspired. However, none of the films have gone as far as this in its depiction of violence and a very amoral Dark Knight. Personally, I prefer my Batman a little more heroic and the story's primary villains, the Mutants, have none of the show and iconography of many of Batman's other enemies. Having said that, you have to admire Miller's ambition and confidence to take Batman's world and make it his own.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 
While it is not a superb film, I was left rather fond of this unusual genre-bending sort-of romcom when I saw it for the first time this month. An asteroid is set to hit Earth and while the rest of the world lives it's way to oblivion, Steve Carrel is sitting around, moping after his wife has left him  - until quirky Keira Knightley drops into his life and the pair end up on a road trip to tie up loose threads before the end of the world. It's an intriguing spin on both romantic comedies in general and the usual presentation of the apocalypse; the film explores just how different people really would react if the end was nigh. Although I am not totally convinced by the film's climax, it's lightly funny and occasionally touching and I would recommend a watch, though it might not be good enough to feature on one of those 'films to watch before the world ends'-type of lists.

Review: Doctor Who - The Name of the Doctor

Prior to the highly-anticipated fiftieth anniversary special expected to celebrate the history of Doctor Who, the equally-highly-anticipated ‘The Name of the Doctor’ beats it to the punch, offering us a story that encompasses the Doctor’s entire life. And intervenes in it liberally. A mysterious conference call from Madame Vastra and the scheming of the Great Intelligence takes the Doctor and Clara to Trenzalore, the one place in the universe the Doctor must never go; to his grave. Where his greatest secret will be revealed…Or will it? As we expect from Moffat series finales, this episode actually raises more questions than it answers. In this case, though, this is entirely fitting, meaning ‘Name of the Doctor’ is a fantastic way to conclude the series.

The atmosphere is unique compared to other episodes of this series (think, the thrills of ‘The Crimson Horror’ and the whimsical ‘Nightmare in Silver’), being distinctly funereal. There are a few surprisingly hilarious lines sprinkled throughout– when isn't there when Strax is involved? – but largely it's full of doom and gloom which, conversely, really, keeps the momentum up, aided by Matt Smith’s masterful performance and Saul Metzstein’s skilful direction. The fabled Fields of Trenzalore – first mentioned in ‘The Wedding of River Song’ back in 2011 – are suitably imposing and properly deathly-looking, with its thunder-clapped sky and the gigantic TARDIS tombstone being particular highlights.

The supporting cast is well-used. Vastra, Jenny and Strax add to that feeling that the series has come together and River Song also gets a touching fleeting appearance here that might possibly be her last ever. On the monster side of things, the Great Intelligence’s silent henchman – really, they must be related in someway to Moffat’s bulbous-headed, suited-and-booted aliens – are an absolute treat. Though they are not an integral part of the episode there is enough of them on show to make them memorable villains. Their penchant for speaking in rhyme is another Moffat monster masterstroke – slightly moving on from his usual repeated phrase motif. Richard E Grant of course entertainingly hams it up as Mr. G. Intelligence, intent on getting revenge on his old enemy.  However, he’s far from the only link to the Doctor’s past on show…

Yes, if any Doctor Who episode has been written for fans it is this one. This is an episode that rightfully revels in the show’s long past and literally inserts itself amongst it. The mystery of Clara, the Doctor’s impossible girl, is solved in the only way that made, a strange sort of, sense and the show is kicked off in an all–new direction with a flabbergasting cliffhanger that will definitely keep fans gnawing at their fingernails until 23^rd November. It’s sure to be good.

This may have been more of a stream of praise than an actual review but that is because this episode does everything a finale should. Looking back to not only recent episodes but also the whole history of the series while also creating stepping stones to the future of Doctor Who. In all, ‘The Name of the Doctor’ is a triumph, concluding a short series of episodes of a great consistent standard. Fitting for this very special year for the show.

Review: Doctor Who - The Crimson Horror and Nightmare in Silver

The Paternoster Gang must be the most-widely loved Moffat creations for Doctor Who. While characters such as Amy, Rory and River Song have perhaps divided viewers, you’ll be hard pressed to find a Doctor Who­-viewing soul who dislikes either Madame Vastra, the ‘Lizard woman from the Dawn of Time’, her feisty cockney wife, Jenny Flint or their loveably dim Sontaran butler, Strax. It was a joy then to see the gang again in Mark Gatiss’ latest episode ‘The Crimson Horror.’ However, there was much more than just the terrific trio to love in this audacious, hilarious adventure.

The plot is wonderfully mercurial – I challenge you to guess what’s behind Ada’s secret door or indeed the identity of Mr Sweet. It also feels all there; the characters and the story are explored enough so we don’t leave feeling short-changed. That said, the episode’s worth of story could easily fill a novel, one of Mark Gatiss’ Lucifer Box novels, perhaps (which, on a side note, if you haven’t read but enjoyed this episode I heartily recommend). The two stars of the supporting cast also shine. Dianna Rigg gets the tone of the episode perfectly in her nutty-as-a-fruitcake performance as the scheming fascistic Mrs Gillyflower, who has a sinister plan involving some red gloop in her idealistic Yorkshire factory, Sweetville. If Rigg brings the villainy, Rachel Stirling, her daughter both on and off-screen, brings the heart as the blinded put-upon Ada whom her mother shuns for her ‘imperfections’.  

If you like your Doctor Who full of horrific mysteries, over-the-top villains and memorable side-characters, ‘The Crimson Horror’ encapsulates all that to a tee. Drawn from a variety of sources including Sherlock Holmes, Hammer Horror and James Bond, Gatiss’s script aided by fine performances makes this episode perhaps the best of this series. And, it’s final moments link directly into the following story. The Cybermen are returning…

Neil Gaiman’s second Doctor Who after 2011’s unique ‘The Doctor’s Wife’ is a wholly different episode. Whereas ‘Wife’ is kooky and sad, ‘Nightmare’ is action-packed and twisty-turny. But this doesn't necessarily mean it's worse. Taking Artie and Angie to Hedgewick’s World, the best amusement park in the universe, the Doctor and Clara encounter a bunch of oddball characters and the resurrection of the long-dead Cybermen…
Firstly, this episode is simply the best the Cybermen have been in years. Nearly every story they've appeared in since their reboot in 2006, the Cybermen have virtually just been gun fodder, exploding metal heads would  fly everywhere. Here, decked out in all-new superpowers – and even a fresh name, ooh spoilers – they are almost undefeatable. For any Cyber-fan, seeing them as a more than formidable foe is a reason to thank and give big hugs to Mr Gaiman.  However, despite how good they are, they may still be upstaged by a truly superb performance from Matt Smith. We've seen him emotional, funny, heart-broken but here we get to see him menacing, giving us a whole new aspect to his Doctor. Mention must also be given to Warwick Davies for his portrayal of Porridge, a tough but sympathetic and mysterious character. He joins the ranks of great Doctor Who characters who deserve a return appearance – and these days they seem to get them so fingers crossed.
On the whole, ‘Nightmare’ is another madcap, slightly oddball episode from its author that draws from past Cyber adventures – too many to go through here - to create something original and highly-Gaimanesque. It has the odd fault – really, why were the kids there? – but its certainly fantastic Doctor Who. Gaiman has said he is interested in writing another and after his track record so far, I eagerly await the next one, like a Cybermen resting in its tomb... 

Next week, it is all revealed. As his friends start to go missing, the Doctor is drawn to Trenzalore, the place his whole life has been heading towards but also the place on which he must never set foot. Will we really find out who Clara actually is? And, finally after 50 years, will they reveal his greatest secret, ‘The Name of the Doctor’? Find out Saturday 18^th on BBC One. 

His Darkest Hour

Argh! It's here! Doctor Who's mid-series finale, A Good Man Goes To War, is only one more sleep away. As my bow tie is positively buzzing with excitement I thought I'd compile a list of things we know about Doctor Who's 777th episode ever so far - not sure this will calm me down though, in fact it will most likely have the opposite effect, but I'll still carry on with it.

1. A revelatory rhyme

The Doctor Who homepage reveals a chilling nursery rhyme-esque poem read by River Song - presumably to feature in the episode tomorrow - read at your peril.

Demons run when a good man goes to war
Night will fall and drown the sun,
when a good man goes to war
friendship dies and true love lies
night will fall and the dark will rise,
when a good man goes to war.


2. The crackpot cast list

Several characters to feature in AGMGTW have been revealed in some official photos:

Of course, newly-mummed Ms Pond will presumably be at the heart of this story and so will her baby daughter who, it has been revealed, is named Melody. Whether she's a Willliams or a Pond has yet to be discovered.

These mysterious men of the church are largley unknown to us as of yet other than that they are the Headless Monks. Although, I'm sure its save to say their not on the Doctor's side.

Ah, that enigmatic Eye Patch Lady who has been plaguing Amy over the past few weeks with her whispered words of "Push" and "Breathe". At last, we find out who she really is and what the heck she wants with Amy and her child - is she in league with the Silence who also seemed to have an unhealthly interest in the young Pond. For now, all we know is her name: Madame Kovarian.

This one's really got me. We don't know much about this eccentricly-dressed young woman, apart from a few short glimpses in the trailer. However, her name is what's really grabbing my attention: Jenny. If the Doctor's going into war, at the Battle of Demons Run, would he reconnect with his estranged daughter - in her second incarnation - first? We'll find out tomorrow. Hopefully.

He's back! Dorium Maldovar, proprioter of the space bar, the Maldovarium, where we saw Doctor Ten say goodbye to Jack in 2010s The End of Time, was previously in the series when River came to him to buy a Vortex Manipulator ("fresh off the hand of a handsome Time Agent") in last year's penultimate episode The Pandorica Opens. Looks like ol' Dorium always shows up when things get tough.

Weee! Those lovable potato - heads, the Sontarans, have returned! Well, at least one has in the - very minute - form of Commander Strax.

Aaand finally, to round up the Doctor's motley crew, helping him to save Amy and her child are...the Cybermen! I know, not the first species you'd expect to come to the rescue. Apparently, they're the 12th Cyber Legion. Maybe that's a rogue group of nice Cybermen?


3. Precious Prequel

The BBC have released a prequel to Good Man which shows Dorium visited by those mysterious Headless Monks. He gives them a warning not to get the Doctor angry. One I'm sure they'll not heed to. On the same link you can also find two one miute clips taken from the episode one of Dorium (again) being arrested by Kovarian and her men and the second is perhaps more intriguing as it shows a desperate Rory trying to plead a reluctant River Song to join the Doctor and he on their quest to find Amy. But that's all we're getting till tomorrow. Spoilers!


4. Super synopsis!

And to see you off, here's a tantalising synopsis of tomorrow's episode from Doctor Who Magazine:

'Hanging among the stars in the far distant future, an asteroid - and a bleak grey fortress built into the misshapen rock. This is Demons Run. In a prison hospital, Amy Pond kisses her one-month-old daughter goodbye. "Wherever they take you, however scared you are" she tells her, "I promise you, you will never be alone."
Twenty thousand light years away, the Doctor has a message for the Twelfth Cyber Legion. The Last Centurion has a question that consumes his every waking moment.
And at Stormcage Containment Facility, in the fifty-second century, River Song is preparing to escape for what may be the very last time...  '


5. And Finally...

Well, all these eye-popping, gut-wrenching, heart-tugging, teeth-clenching teasers have hopefully got you in thr mood for Episode 777 tomorrow but to ensure you don't stay awake all night, humming with excitement, here's a nice puzzle to ensure you get some sleep tonight. Enjoy!

And remember, His Darkest Hour has come, the Battle of Demons Run is about to commence and a good man, the best man you've ever known, may just die. Please, be there for him.

Cheerio!