Doctor Who: To The Death

Doctor WhoBig Finish Productions releases the 34th and final episode of the new Eighth Doctor Who audio dramas, starring Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith; the eighth Doctor’s adventures will continue in a series of boxed sets, beginning with Dark Eyes in 2012. Read more

Elisabeth Sladen, Doctor Who actress, dies

Elisabeth SladenActress Elisabeth Sladen, possibly the performer who has maintained the longest on-screen association with a Doctor Who character in the history of the franchise, dies at the age of 65. In 1973, the producers of Doctor Who had hired another actress to play the part of new companion Sarah Jane Smith, only to meet with strenuous objections from series lead Jon Pertwee. Elisabeth Sladen was then cast in the part, continuing to play Sarah Jane through 1976, one of the longest-running companions in the original series. Numerous times she had been approached to reprise her role, only agreeing to do so in 1981 in her own spinoff, K-9 & Company, which never made it past the pilot stage. After reprising the role of Sarah Jane for Big Finish’s audio spinoff series centered around the character, she was asked to play the part again – on television – alongside David Tennant, sparking new interest in the character and ultimately leading to her own spinoff series, The Sarah Jane Adventures. Filming of the fifth season of that series had been put on hold while she was admitted to the hospital.

Doctor Who: The Impossible Astronaut

Doctor WhoThe 773rd episode of Doctor Who (the 75th since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1, beginning the sixth season of the revived series. The episode sets up a time-bending paradox and guest stars Alex Kingston, Mark Sheppard (Battlestar Galactica) and W. Morgan Sheppard (Max Headroom), and introduces a new enemy, the Silents. Read more

Doctor Who: The Lost Stories: Thin Ice

Doctor Who UnboundBig Finish Productions releases the Doctor Who: The Lost Stories audio drama Thin Ice, audio versions of scripts that were intended for, but never produced by, Doctor Who on television. Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred star in a story originally intended for the unmade 1990 season of Doctor Who. Read more

Doctor Who: The Doctor’s Wife

Doctor WhoThe 776th episode of Doctor Who (the 78th since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1, guest starring Suranne Jones. The episode is written by novelist and comics writer Neil Gaiman, and the script had originally been intended for the previous season. Read more

Doctor Who: The Lost Stories: Crime Of The Century

Doctor Who: The Lost StoriesBig Finish Productions releases the Doctor Who: The Lost Stories audio drama Crime Of The Century, audio versions of scripts that were intended for, but never produced by, Doctor Who on television. Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred star in a story originally intended for the unmade 1990 season of Doctor Who. Read more

Doctor Who: A Good Man Goes To War

Doctor WhoThe 779th episode of Doctor Who (the 81st since the series’ revival) airs on BBC1. Alex Kingston, Frances Barber, and Simon Fisher-Becker guest star. This is the first part of a mid-season cliffhanger; the series resumes nearly two months later. Read more

Doctor Who: The Lost Stories: Animal

Doctor Who: The Lost StoriesBig Finish Productions releases the Doctor Who: The Lost Stories audio drama Crime Of The Century, audio versions of scripts that were intended for, but never produced by, Doctor Who on television. Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred star in a story originally intended for the unmade 1990 season of Doctor Who. Read more

Torchwood: The New World

TorchwoodAmerican pay cable channel Starz premieres the 32nd episode of Russell T. Davies’ science fiction series Torchwood, with a season subtitle of Miracle Day. Filmed in both Los Angeles and Wales, the series features an infusion of fresh cast members (priamrily on the American side), and – for the first time – American scriptwriters as well. This is the first episode of the show’s fourth season, guest starring Bill Pullman (Independence Day) and Robin Sachs (Babylon 5). Read more

Torchwood: End Of The Road

TorchwoodAmerican pay cable channel Starz airs the 39th episode of Russell T. Davies’ science fiction series Torchwood, with a season subtitle of Miracle Day. John de Lancie (Star Trek: TNG), Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Jurassic Park) guest star. Read more