In tribute to the classic haunted house/ghost horror movies of the 1970s, Doctor Who enters into the paranormal of a poltergeist fare, with Hide as Series 7 continues. In a story written by Neil Cross, and directed by Jamie Payne, the Doctor (Matt Smith) and companion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) arrive at Claiburn House on November 25, 1974, where they meet two ghost hunters.”

In the gigantic mansion, Professor Alec Palmer (Dougray Scott) and his assistant, an empath named Emma Grayling (Jessica Raine) are investigating a strange apparition that has been appearing on the site since well before it was built. The Doctor and Clara begin to assist them with their investigation, suspecting more to the story than just being a ghost story; while the Doctor may have an additional reason for visiting Claiburn House in 1974…

During TARDISblend 62, we discuss the tributes made to classic horror movies and stories from the Seventies, and take a look at the numerous references to Classic Doctor Who. We also look at the connections with made with the upcoming docudrama focusing on the beginnings of Doctor Who, called An Adventure In Space And Time.

As usual, we make some Classic Who recommendations too… All this and more on the latest TARDISblend!

Classic Doctor Who villains, THE ICE WARRIORS, make a triumphant return in Cold War this week, as the 7th Series of modern Doctor Who continues. In the story written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Douglas Mackinnon, the Doctor (Matt Smith) and companion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) take a wrong turn in the TARDIS on the way to Las Vegas, and end up materializing on a sinking Soviet Submarine at the height of Cold War tensions in 1983.

While the materialization would ordinarily be an immediate threat to the Russian sailors, our heroes arrive in the middle of a crisis, with equipment damaged on the boat causing it to sink. Professor Grisenko (David Warner), attached to the command of Captain Zhukov (Liam Cunningham) for scientific drilling in the Arctic, has discovered a surviving Ice Warrior, who begins waging bloody war with the occupants of the submarine.

During TARDISblend 61, we celebrate a brilliant return of the fantastic Ice Warriors, their first appearance in 39 years. We also commend the performances by the spectacular guest stars on this episode, and look into the possibilities for the return of these characters, and perhaps more Ice Warriors adventures in the future…

As usual, we make some Classic Who recommendations too… All this and more on the latest TARDISblend!

Doctor Who
Series 7, Episode 9 – “Cold War”
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
Written by Mark Gatiss
Starring: Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Charlie Anson, Nicholas Briggs, Liam Cunningham, Tobias Menzies, James Norton, Josh O’Connor, David Warner, and Spencer Wilding.
BBC America
Air date: April 13, 2013

“It never rains, but it pours.”

It’s funny how that simple phrase so fittingly ties into the theme for “Cold War,” the latest episode of Doctor Who. Once The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) materialize on the Soviet submarine, chaos has already ensued and things continue to progress and get worse.

And then the bottom really falls out.

Written by Mark Gatiss (whose past Doctor Who episodes have been rather hit or miss), “Cold War” certainly plays into the themes and fears of the time and makes them a tangible threat that seeps through the episode like the drops of water that constantly drip through the nuclear submarine. The threat is real. And it’s here.

Doctor Who
Series 7, Episode 8 – “The Rings of Akhaten”
Directed by Farren Blackburn
Written by Neil Cross
Starring: Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Aidan Cook, Michael Dixon, Feth Greenwood, Emilia Jones, and Nicola Sian
BBC America
Air date: April 6, 2013

“We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?”

If you talk to any avid television fans, they’ll often tell you the exact moment in which they fell in love with their favorite show. But I don’t know many fans who can tell you the exact context in which they fell in love with that show.

Doctor Who was something I was always hesitant to get into, mostly because I felt it was something with such a storied past that I’d never be able to get caught up enough to a point where I’d be able to appreciate it as much as a hardcore fan does. It took months of pressure from friends to jump into the series. I started with Series 5, because many of my friends felt that was the most accessible episode of the series for a new fan. In January of 2011, during a rare snowy day in South Carolina, I fired up “The Eleventh Hour.”

I was hooked.

Series 7 continues with a new episode for Doctor Who entitled The Rings of Akhaten, written by Neil Cross and directed by Farren Blackburn. The Doctor (Matt Smith) continues to investigate the enigma that is new companion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman), and takes her to the intergalactically famous Rings of Akhaten during their millennial celebrations in an effort to test her humanity…

During TARDISblend 60, we analyze the new Doctor Who episode, discuss what we thought were the more significant aspects of the plot, and highlight some of the continuity “name-dropping” that was nice to see in this latest adventure. Later, we make some Classic Who recommendations too!

All this and more on the latest TARDISblend!