Doctor Who To Face Daleks, Star Whale And "Silent Menace"

A new BBC press release has hinted that Matt Smith's eleventh Doctor is set to face a whole host of nasties when the fifth series of Doctor Who hits screens this Easter.

Matt's first adventure in the Tardis will be an hour-long episode scripted by Steven Moffat, titled The Eleventh Hour.

The release also reveals that the eleventh Doctor and new companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) will explore 16th century Venice, France during the 1890s and the United Kingdom in the far future, now an entire nation floating in space.

It goes on to hint that the Time Lord's long time enemies the Daleks are hatching a new master plan from the heart of war-torn London in the 1940s.

But they are not the only strange creatures the Doctor and Amy must face – there are also alien vampires, humanoid reptiles, old enemies such as the Weeping Angels and Silurians (last seen in 1984), a Star Whale, and a silent menace that follows Amy and the Doctor around wherever they go…

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Steven Moffat On Doctor Who

New Doctor Who boss Steven Moffat has revealed that running the show has taken over his life.

"There will be a number of things I'll never, ever write, because I'm doing Doctor Who. There will be a number of things I'll never do because I'm doing Doctor Who," he told the show's official magazine. "Doctor Who is like an eclipse. It blocks out the sun. It's knackering."

The executive producer also admitted that Matt Smith did not fit his "imaginary profile" of the Doctor. "I thought it's mid-30s to mid-40s," he said. "I still maintain that's where most of your Doctors will be, in that age group - young enough to run, but old enough to look like they can be King of the Universe."

But on a more positive note the showrunner went on to proudly claim that his leading cast are "exactly right" for the show.

"All credit to [casting director] Andy Pryor, everyone we saw for the role of Amy was terrific. Genuinely, every single one of them. There wasn't a single bad audition, they were all brilliant.

"Karen was the very last person we saw and she just fitted better. She was just exactly right. And exactly right with Matt, in that she's a bit kookier, I suppose. A bit madder. To this day, I still don't know how Karen didn't know she had got the part. She didn't have a clue. We were all making faces at each other and waving cos she was just so good, so brilliant!"

In other exciting Doctor Who news, the titles and writers of the first three episodes have now been confirmed. The first two episodes of the Matt Smith era, The Eleventh Hour and The Beast Below, will be penned by Steven himself while Mark Gatiss, who appeared as Professor Lazarus in The Lazarus Experiment, has written episode three, Victory Of The Daleks.

Other writers confirmed for Eleventh Doctor's first series include Simon Nye, Chris Chibnall, Gareth Roberts, Toby Whithouse and Richard Curtis. 

And Corlaine author Neil Gaiman is also on board. He cryptically told SFX this week: "While I know it's cruel to make you wait for things, in about 14 months from now, which is to say, NOT in the upcoming season but early in the one after that, it's quite possible that I might have written an episode."

He added: "And if I had, it would originally have been called The House of Nothing. But it definitely isn't called that anymore. Countdown. You've got about 14 months."

Ooh, we do love a good conundrum at Geeky Girl Towers.

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Doctor Who to have THREE companions!

Remember the old joke? How many assistants can you fit into a Tardis?

Okay, that was rhetorical, but how many assistants has the good Doctor had at any one time? We only ever remember one full time assistant at the Doctor’s side, and maybe some occasional extras (like Mickey, played by Noel Clark, for example) but it seems our latest reincarnation of Doctor Who is somewhat on the greedy side.

Doctor Who boffs will know that little known actress, Karen Gillan, will play the Time Lords new assistant, kissogram Amy Pond, but apparently we have not one or even two new extra assistants to meet - we have THREE!

Step in to the mix Rory Williams, played by actor Arthur Darvill (see pic). Quick back story, Rory is Amy Pond’s boyfriend! When the Doctor discovers this, he can’t stand to split up the happy couple and so invites Rory to join them on their intergalactic adventures.

The third and final companion is still a mystery and after much digging, Geeky Girls have hit a brick wall, but fear not, as soon as we know, you’ll know.

Personally, we just hope that all these new companions don’t overload the show’s dynamics and make the whole thing seem over-crowded... But on consideration, we reckon this show is too well produced and written for that to happen. And you can quote us on that.

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GG♥SF Visual Treats For 2010

Here at GG♥SF, we’re forever posing the big questions. You know the type, the sort of questions that make your brain want to implode due to the immense weight of their possibilities. Questions like; should Breaking Dawn really be split into 2 films (this is a no brainer and it pains us to think reputable studio bosses should even consider this!)? Who was best slayer, Buffy or Faith (okay, split opinions here, this geek is firmly Team Buff!)?

But the big question we’ve been mulling over during our wine sozzled soirees is this; which actors - of the sci-fi genre, naturally - are set to be the Geeky Girls' biggest visual treats for 2010?

Russell Tovey and Aiden Turner: Being Human (BBC 3).

GG♥SF see big things for the immensely enjoyable BBC comedy-drama, Being Human. Set in Bristol, the show focuses on the lives of three twenty-something housemates trying to live normal, human lives, despite struggling with unusual afflictions - one is a werewolf, one is a vampire and the other is a ghost. However it’s the humans they have to fear, not the other way around.

Superbly written and full of intrigue and suspense, Geeky Girls can’t wait to delve further into the second season. It doesn’t hurt that Russell Tovey’s neatly packaged buttocks make increasingly frequent appearances and Aiden Turner’s charismatically sexy magnetism is permanently set to 10. It doesn’t hurt, but it definitely helps.

Now in its second series, we predict Being Human to finally grab the attention of the masses it so thoroughly deserves. So if you haven’t already taken to this supernatural gem of a show, we’d advise you to pick up your remotes and tune in. Take your pick ladies; sexy brooding vampires or terrifyingly hirsute, but usually oh so cute werewolves? It’s greedy to have both you know.

Robert Pattinson: Twilight Series, Eclipse.

Predictable? You’re damn right! We appreciate the fact that Twilight was written for frenzied, hormonal 15 year old girls (and we bloody love it) but Robert Pattinson was most certainly not cast to catch the attention of just 15 year old girls. This man has massive, wide ranging appeal for just about every woman, of every age. The man himself says he has some geriatric fanatics.

For those of you who’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past year, without access to books, TV or films, Robert Pattinson plays Edward Cullen in the massively successful Twilight saga. The movies, based on Stephanie Meyer’s books, have been huge hits on both sides of the Atlantic, with New Moon (the second film in the series) making history in the US with the biggest opening weekend, EVER. Call us cynical, but we’d say Pattinson was a small part of that success.

GG♥SF literally thrumming in anticipation of the Eclipse premier! Those warm, golden eyes that literally make our knees knock and our hearts melt will be hitting cinema screens in July. Any future previews and gossip we can scourge will be posted as soon as we lay our grubby little mitts on it. Note: This time, less of the muscle definition spray tan RPatz – go a bit Taylor Lautner on us. Go on.

Stephen Moyer: True Blood (FX).
Easing our smooth transition into yet another vampire themed drama, Stephen Moyer’s portrayal of Bill Compton is the XXX rated version of Edward Cullen. Starring in the Channel 4 comedy-drama, True Blood, this vampire really gets our pulses racing.

If you’re not already acquainted with this down and dirty, supernatural drama (based on the excellent books by Charlaine Harris), let us give you the 411: Based in Bon Temps, Louisiana, in the not too distant future, vampires and humans now try to live together in mainstream society after a new synthetic blood called TruBlood is developed for our thirsty, pointy toothed friends. It’s here that the wickedly delicious Bill Compton encounters telepath, Sookie Stackhouse, who can mysteriously hear everyone’s thoughts but Bill’s. We won’t spoil it for you if you’ve not already watched it, but season one was a hum dinger!

Alas, for the moment, True Blood has wrapped up for the first series, but as reported on the GG♥SF blog, it will be returning for season 2 on FX, Fri 26 Feb at 10pm. Expect more vampy high-jinks with the seductively southern tongued, Bill the Vampire. We can’t wait, so we’ve been leching over this series 2 trailer on FX: http://fxuk.com/shows/true-blood

Matt Smith: Doctor Who (BBC 1).

It feels like blasphemy to even consider embracing a new Doctor to our bosoms when our dearly departed David Tennant has only very recently vacated the Tardis, but GG♥SF really are rather partial to Matt Smith. Fickle indeed you say, (we still heart the fabulous Tennant) but we have a few choice reasons to propose Mr Smith in this fine male specimen feature.

Firstly, did you see his turn as cute geek, Danny Foster in BBC2’s quietly great political drama, Party Animals? Secondly, we’ve been checking out as much press as possible for his 2010 introduction and with his wonderfully geeky take on science teacher chic and already enjoyable kooky demeanour as the great Doctor, we’re very excited!

Matt told the BBC’s Doctor Who Confidential site, "The challenge for me is to do justice to the show's illustrious past, my predecessors, and most importantly, to those who watch it. I really cannot wait." Neither can we, Matt, neither can we.

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