Oh to be in Britain this spring! New shows on all channels including a new Sharpe feature starring Sean Bean means that there is plenty to look forward to. And as anticipated as the return of Bernard Cornwell’s swashbuckling soldier is, no return is going to be as hot as the 2006 series of Doctor Who
Back in the saddle following his Christmas adventure will be David Tennant. While it’s argued by many that he has already suitably filled Christopher Eccleston’s shoes, Tennant has yet to impress a number of watchers. But if they’re still spoiling for a fight at the end of the thirteen episodes then it’s pretty likely that they weren’t paying attention anyway.
The prospect of a return for Sarah Jane Smith is exciting in itself. Lis Sladen was fortunate enough to appear in Doctor Who at a time when it was considered unmissable, and comes from a list of successful companions from the 1970s – indeed for me she tops that list. I’m fascinated by how she will react to the new Doctor and his current companion Rose…
As if one robot menace in the shape of the Cybermen wasn’t bad enough, there’s also a return for K-9 – or more appropriately K-9 Mark 3. The additional casting of John Leeson adds to the texture of the character’s return, and it will indeed be fun to watch the tin dog go spinning around once more.
There’s much more to look forward to in Doctor Who this year, however, such as the threat of werewolves, the Krillitane, cat people and the return of Lady Cassandra O’Brien. But grand as these creature’s appearances will no doubt be, there is one return that can be considered to be this years most anticipated – the return of the Cybermen!
Most of us are dying to find out more about the mysterious John Lumic as played by Roger Lloyd Pack; and I want to know just how the Cybermen come back – is this really set in an alternate universe?? Who else is looking forward to the return of Shaun Dingwall as Rose’s father? To top it all I want to see those Cybermen move, I want to see the light glimmer and glint off them like the cover of the upcoming Aliens and Enemies book!
The silver giants of Mondas, later Telos, will it seems – if early reports are to be believed – become the silver giants of Earth! Any more detail than this is the realm of spoilers, but as the Cybermen are easily Doctor Who’s most popular monster on two legs much of the series publicity will no doubt focus on their episodes.
As we saw last year however, thirteen weeks doesn’t last long. Not only that but the Doctor will be competing for column inches against the likes of David Beckham and Michael Owen as most of the world gears up for the 2006 World Cup football tournament in Germany.
This takes place during the final half of this year’s series and if the shows profile is affected by the tournament in the press, there shouldn’t need to be any schedule juggling to disrupt things due to the times football matches are played in Germany.
Those thirteen weeks will go very quickly, rest assured; while we will no doubt enjoy yet another thirteen episodes of our favourite show, it won’t be long until we’re waiting for a new Christmas adventure and Series 3/Season 30…
So to conclude, here’s the run down of all 13 episode titles from the recent “Radio Times”:
1.New Earth
2.Tooth and Claw
3.School Reunion
4.The Girl in the Fireplace
5.Rise of the Cybermen [part one]
6.The Age of Steel [part two]
7.The Idiot’s Lantern
8.The Impossible Planet [part one]
9.The Satan Pit [part two]
10.Love & Monsters
11.Fear Her
12.Army of Ghosts [part one]
13.Doomsday [part two]
Enjoy…