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Theta Sigma said:Doctor Who Confidential is the name of the documentary series that was shown after a new episode of the new Doctor Who which goes behind the scenes in the making of the series upon its BBC transmission. It was not shown on the Australian ABC and recently I just started to watch the cutdown version on DVD. Thought I make my comments on it as I go through them.
Bringing Back The Doctor:
Following on Rose in its original transmission.
Quite like the music at the beginning.
I finally get to see what director Keith Boak and costume designer Lucinda Wright look and sound like.
I noticed that when Chris on set for The Empty Child he said "For today I am" when telling the kids that he is the Doctor. Of course just some days after this was originally broadcast it was revealed that Chris was leaving at the end of the first season.
We get to see the recording of a Big Finish audio with Peter Davison (the Fifth Doctor) and Nicola Bryant (Peri) (who I am also seeing in the Revelation of the Daleks DVD). Found out from DWM months ago that the story that was recorded at that time was Scaredy Cat.
Curious to know that the crew had to wait for a bus to come by when shooting Rose.
Checked with TV.com to find out what was missing in the cutdown version which included Russell T Davies why there was no regeneration of Paul McGann (the Eighth Doctor) into Chris Eccleston at the beginning: "It would be madness. To start with one leading man and then change him ten minutes in. You've got to think of this as a new programme. YOu are mad if you think that at eight years old, you'd watch Paul McGann walk on screen, get hit by a laser ball and turn into someone else. When you get to love the ninth Doctor, when he changes, that's when you'll feel it"." He does have a point.
Also missing was Sylvester McCoy (Seventh Doctor) on having to wear Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor) costume for the regeneration scenes:
"He's a larger man than me...they lost me for three days in there". Funny.
Quite enjoyed it. Look forward to more even if they are cutdowns.
Recently I found out from the Doctor Who Reference Guide, the reason why it got cutdown for the release because of the costs and licensing the classic series and clips.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
Shown after The End of the World.
Love the upbeat music at the beginning.
Finally see director Euros Lyn in the flesh on-screen.
Interesting to see Jimmy Vee getting into his Moxx of Balhoon costume.
Yasmin Bannerman (Jabe) got it right when saying the aliens are not monsters since they are monstrous. Not to mention the monster turns out to be Cassandra the last surviving human.
Like the 2001-like music when Russell T. Davies said it was the expensive episode they have made.
I like the woman who stood in for Zoe Wanamaker as Cassandra.
Incidentally I happen to finished reading Part 1 of Production Designer Ed Thomas's interview in DWM 360 which included concept design drawings for Platform One.
TARDIS Tales:
Shown after The Unquiet Dead.
Like the music at the beginning.
The Unquiet Dead was shot at Swansea, Russell T Davies and director Euros Lyn's hometown. RTD saying he finally sees Doctor Who being shot in his hometown and is not written by him. Miss it by that much.
Finally see Director of Photography Ernie Vincze speak after only seeing glimpses of him in Billie Piper's video diary.
Finally see Producer Phil Collinson in flesh and voice together after only having a glimpse of him in RTD's video diary and hearing his DVD commentaries.
I am so glad that I did not watch this between The Unquiet Dead & Aliens of London due to the Doctor and Rose seeing the spaceship in the latter episode. It took me by surprise when I first saw Aliens of London and it would have been spoiled if I would saw this episode of Confidential beforehand.
I Get a Side-Kick Out of You:
Shown after Aliens of London.
Why is it that I always seem to like the music that starts each episode of Confidential.
Unlike the previous episode, this one is not really about its corresponding Doctor Who episode since they are very few scenes of Aliens of London shown here. We do not see the making of it. This episode instead gives an overview of Rose and quite a nice one at that.
Like the song at the end.
Why On Earth?:
Shown after World War Three.
Once again, I like the music at the beginning.
Really do not envy the actors getting into the Slitheen costume.
Finally see what Alan Ruscoe, who has been playing bit parts throughout season one, looks like as he is in the Slitheen costume.
Margaret Badland briefly gets interviewed. Too bad the lovely Penelope Wilton is not interviewed here as well.
This cutdown version is two minutes longer than the previous cutdowns as we get a sneak peek at Dalek before it ends.
Dalek:
Shown after Dalek, the Doctor Who episode.
Lorraine Heggessey, BBC1 Controller and oh my she is gorgeous.
Finally see Dalek operator Barnaby Edwards in the flesh.
I don't know if the 1988 serial Remembrance of the Daleks clip showing a Dalek hovering a flight of stairs was included for the full version but the cutdown gives the false impression that writer Rob Shearman was the one who came up with the idea of the Dalek going over the stairs.
We see the Dalek choir. I would really loved to have been part of that choir.
EDIT: meglos over at the Doctor Who Club of Australia forum has just told me that the Remembrance clip was indeed included in the full version.
The Dark Side:
Shown after The Long Game.
Narrator Simon Pegg talks about the episode he appeared in as he also narrates about evil geniuses.
I can understand why it would be difficult for him to say the Jagafress or Max's full name. In fact it is difficult for anyone to say it.
Chris Eccleston mentioned Margaret Sliteen's full name even though it would not be heard until Boom Town, four episodes after The Long Game.
I am sure when viewers first saw The Long Game they thought it was only going to be a one-off. Here in Confidential, Russell T. Davies indicates that it is not.
Wasn't expecting to see Corey Johnson (Van Statten in Dalek) on the topic of evil geniuses. This is because if I thought if he were to appear on Confidential it would have been in the previous Confidential about Dalek. However I guess his appearance would have been overshadowed by the return of a Dalek to the series.
I would think that anyone not liking The Long Game would definitely enjoy this corresponding Confidential episode.
Time Trouble:
Shown after Father's Day.
Amazing how people are reacting to nothing since the Reapers being added in postproduction.
Love the upbeat music as Russell T Davies talks about recreating the 1980s.
Overall it is a nice enough companion to Father's Day.
Special Effects:
Shown after The Empty Child.
The Empty Child & The Doctor Dances both have same writer and director. So why is it for the on-screen caption it says for Steven Moffat, "Writer, Episode 9" but not episode 10 while for James Hawes it says "Director, Episodes 9 and 10". I was thinking that since it came after The Empty Child that was the reason why episode 9 is mentioned for Steven Moffat but does not explain why both episodes are mentioned for James Hawes.
Amazing about the effect with the green screen.
Noticed in the credits, one of the editors is a Caroline Lynch-Blosse. Any relation to Bridget Lynch-Blosse who I am currently seeing in the Revelation of the Daleks DVD.
Weird Science:
Shown after The Doctor Dances.
The title sequence gets extended. Quite like it.
Unlike the previous episode in which Steven Moffat's on-screen caption saying that he is "Writer, Episode 9" here it finally says, "Writer, Episodes 9 and 10".
I have to admit I was unaware of Prince Charles' warning on nano technology until Russell T Davies mentioned it in this episode.
Love it when Simon Pegg says that for cutting edge science see also "completely mad".
Did not realise it until Chris mentioned it how the sonic screwdriver was similar in design to the central column of the TARDIS.
Good choice of music especially when it was revealed how the nanogenes were displayed on screen.
Unsung Heroes and Violent Death:
Shown after Boom Town.
The title sequence is back to its normal length.
Really emphasise how Mickey had to personally suffer as a result of the Doctor's lifestyle. This definitely makes it clear to viewers who didn't realise it before.
Clip of narrator Simon Pegg in The Long Game is again used.
Finally get to see script editor Helen Raynor and she is pretty.
Russell T. Davies is right "What Should We Do About Margaret?' is a wonderful title.
Not bad, the music at the end.
The World of Who:
Shown after Bad Wolf.
Found out from Outpost Gallifrey that its founder and senior administrator Shaun Lyon had appeared in this episode of Confidential. Unfortunately his interview is not in the cutdown version.
The music that was played after the title sequence sounded a bit like Mission: Impossible.
Pity there was no interview with Anne Robinson.
Heard about Doctor Who Mastermind but since I am not in the UK I was not able to see it. So it was nice to see what little that was shown of it. Finally get to see what Paul Simpson from Dreamwatch Magazine looks like as he is one of the contestants.
The Brighton exhibition looks very impressive.
Russell T Davies says that the robots were meant to move Daleky. I have to admit that I did not notice that.
It has been said that Jack's bum was shot on camera. We definitely do here but from a camera screen and his bum is censored from the audience.
This episode ended the same way as its corresponding Doctor Who episode prior to the closing credits with the Doctor telling Rose that he is going to rescue her.
The Last Battle:
Shown after The Parting of the Ways.
Like the freeze frames prior to the title sequence.
Apart from shooting the scene of the Dalek in the TARDIS, this does not really goes into the making of Parting of the Ways. It instead gives an overview of the first season.
Like that sweet melody that was played after seeing Andrew Collins.
Script editor Helen Raynor looks a little bit different from when she appeared in Unsung Heroes and Violent Death as I did not recognise her at first. Probably the hair.
John Barrowman explains what the Doctor's kiss to Rose was all about: letting go of the burden of the Time Lords being destroyed. Being just a fan I would never have figured that out.
Like the music as we say farewell to Chris. After The Parting of the Ways, I once again say goodbye to Chris as the Doctor.
Backstage at Christmas:
Despite being included as a bonus in the Confidential disc the word "Confidential" itself does not appear in the programme.
Interesting to see David, Billie and Camille together. Since I have not yet seen The Christmas Invasion, really be interesting to see how Jackie reacts to the Doctor having a new face.
Funny when Noel clicks his fingers to the cameraperson to show the Christmas tree.
Director James Hawes mentioned the time being 25 to 3 in the morning when they are still working. For the old Doctor Who, it is often mentioned that filming has to stop at 10pm. Oh my how times have changed.
Russell T Davies had appeared in all the episodes of Confidential yet he does not appear here at all.
Also Penelope Wilton is not seen anywhere at all and I would have loved to see her again.
Overall quite an interesting look at the production of The Christmas Invasion.
Keeping us up to date as always. We would be lost without you TS. Thanks again.
