The BBC Doctor Who Christmas Advent Calendar

[TheDoctorDonna]

This might not be the right section, so feel free to move it, but I thought I would put it here for starters.

Anyway, the BBC have started their Doctor Who Advent Calendar so I thought we could update it on here. I'll put the first four on, but I won't be here every day so don't you lot be shy about adding the others

Here is the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/news/ac_2011a/Adventure_Calendar_2011

[TheDoctorDonna]

Day One

The Game Of Rassilon Christmas Special

This is a timed quiz with lots of Christmas based questions. Depending on whether you play with sound there may be video questions.

[TheDoctorDonna]

Day Two

Matt Smith On The Christmas Special

[TheDoctorDonna]

Day Three

Day three was a shed load of images which are already on the forum HERE

[TheDoctorDonna]

Day Four

Christmas Cards

It's Christmas card time and this year we've a selection of four festive designs. Choose from our Christmas Angel, Silent Night or slightly less spooky themes!

To make your cards simply download your choice by clicking on your selection. Then print it out on an A4 piece of paper. Fold across the middle so you're left with the picture and the logo facing you, then fold again. Finally, simply send to your friends or keep for yourself!

Merry Christmas!

The images are slightly enormous, so you can find them HERE

[Vampyros Adric]

Whilst I don't wish to clog up the thread - I just wanted to thank you for it! I love Christmas stuff, and its nice and encouraging that the show is still maintaining a high profile..

[Roranicus]

Great idea. So here is the latest

Day Five

Three picture puzzles (nowhere near as good as ours though )

Easy

Medium

Difficult

[Peri-Peri]

Day Six

Todays present is the prequel, which has already been posted elsewhere, but here it is again

[The Doc]

Day Seven

An Interview with Bill Bailey, Arabella Weir and Paul Bazely.

Q: How does it feel to be in Doctor Who?

Bill Bailey: It's fantastic. It's the equivalent of some sort of knighthood isn't it, really?

Arabella Weir: Yes, it's very good fun and it's great to be in the Christmas Special!

Paul Bazely: It's pretty wonderful!

BB: But it's extraordinary the reaction to the news that I'm in Doctor Who... I just mentioned on my Twitter feed that I was going to be in the Christmas Special and the whole thing just lit up like a Christmas tree! People were going 'Ooh, ooh, what you gonna be? You gonna be an Ood?' No, no! 'What are you? Baddie? Goodie? What you gonna be?' But I couldn't say too much... I'm just worried I'm going to be tackled to the ground by some BBC spy team saying, 'No, don't tell them anything!' [laughs]

Q: How have you been enjoying the shoot?

BB: It's been brilliant.

AW: Yeah, it's great.

PB: [nodding] Absolutely.

Q: Are you long term fans of Doctor Who?

BB: Oh, yeah! I've watched Doctor Who for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories of watching TV are watching Doctor Who. I have very clear memories of the classic 'behind the sofa' moments - Cybermen particularly, but the Sea Devils, as well and the Master.

PB: I was lucky enough to meet Jon Pertwee [the Third Doctor] about 18 years ago. I was working with his daughter, Dariel Pertwee, up in Scarborough and I met him through her. He was one of the only people I've ever met that I was totally star struck by because he was the Doctor! My first Doctor! It was Jon Pertwee and he was charming and lovely! I think that's the effect Doctor Who has on you as a kid. I've met loads of famous people but he was someone special.

AW: I met Tom Baker doing a voice-over when David [Arabella's friend, David Tennant] wasn't at all well known. We were doing this voice-over together and I said to Tom, 'Oh, my friend's a really, really big Doctor Who fan,' and he replied, 'Wait!' He got his cheque book out and asked, 'What his name?' I said 'David Tennant'. He wrote, 'To David Tennant, seventeen pounds forty five', signed it and I asked him what it meant. He said, 'He'll know...'

Q: What are your characters like in the Special?

AW: I don't think we're allowed to say that just yet!

BB: We can't say that! It's a plot spoiler alert... Come on! Page 1! [laughs] We can't say much right now, but we play futuristic, forestry commission workers. We're like space gardeners...

Q: Your costumes are incredible!

PB: We were shooting all night the other evening and we were the jammy ones because everyone else was freezing but we were saying, 'I've got a wet suit on, I'm fine' but today [in the heat] we'll pay, I promise!

BB: These costumes are fantastic!

AW: They're amazing.

BB: They've articulated joints and there is this kind of suit underneath. They are fantastic and they're beautifully made.

PB: The guy who made ours also made the Judge Dredd costume for the last Judge Dredd film so I felt quite excited that I was a bit like Judge Dredd!

BB: I did a rock festival in the summer and I had a mask of myself made by the same guy. He did a fantastic job with that and this [costume] is amazing. As you can see, there's a sort of a samurai thing going on...

AW: The costumes conceal quite a lot. Bill's beard is much longer, but it's all inside!

BB: Yep! It goes all the way down... all the way down to my knees!

Q How long does it take to get in and out of the costumes?

BB: Because it's all in sections, it takes about...

AW: 20 minutes?

BB: Yeah, 20 minutes or so to get into costume itself...

PB: And once you've got them on you can't actually see your legs!

BB: No, and it gets increasingly difficult to get a cup of tea up to your lips so you have to get someone to hold tea up to you!

AW: It's good practise for having arthritis!

BB: We have gauntlets which cover the forearm which are beautifully made... the whole effect is fantastic. We haven't got the helmets to show you, but the visors are fantastic. There's all manner of things going on [with the costumes. ] They're slightly 'insecty' and a bit agricultural...

Q: Bill, are you bringing any of your musical talents to this Special, like Katherine Jenkins did last year?

BB: Not at this stage, but we'll have to see!

Q: And will you all be watching the episode when it goes out?

AW: Oh yeah! For sure!

PB: Yeah, on Christmas Day!

BB: Yes, I'm sure we will be, yes.

AW: Only the bits we're in, though, obviously! [laughs] No, of course! We would have watched it, anyway.

BB: Definitely, oh yeah!

[Aneurin]

Day Eight

The Quote Generator (or something)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/tv/doctorwho/quotepage/index.shtml

[Peri-Peri]

Day Nine

Merry Christmas from the cast and crew of Doctor Who. And Bruce Forsyth.

[Peri-Peri]

Day Ten

It's Day Ten of the 2011 Christmas Adventure Calendar and we've a brand new game of Doctor in the House!

The game first shook the world two years ago and old hands will recall that you have to surrepticiously use as many quotations from the Doctor as possible. This year's game is a Seasonal Special with all but one of the quotations taken from episodes that first transmitted on Christmas Day. Download Doctor in the House to find out the rules and discover the new quotes for this year's version. And even if you don't fancy playing the game (is that possible?) then why not peruse the quotations and see how many you recognise... can you say what episodes the lines are from? We'll publish the answers soon...

PLAY ME

[Peri-Peri]

Day Eleven

In celebration of the return of the two missing classic episodes, the BBC have released a set of stills from them for us to see.

View Me

[Oh-Wise-One]

Day Twelve

[Peri-Peri]

Day Thirteen & Day Fourteen

A new trailer and clips from the Christmas episode, both of which can be seen HERE

[The Doc]

Day Fifteen

Today there are some screensavers for your computer HERE

[Saber]

Not sure where day 16 is, but here is Day Seventeen

New spoilery-ish pics from TDTWATW

HERE

[Peri-Peri]

Day Eighteen

[Roranicus]

Day sixteen was missed out on here, but it directly ties in with day nineteen, so here are both

Day Sixteen and Day Nineteen

[Saber]

Day Twenty

Attack of the Snowmen: Part One

By Mark B. Oliver

'Lost satellite reception...' Geoff Bluth glared at the GPS device on the dashboard of his car. It was late, he had been driving for hours and all he wanted was to find his hotel, have a nice hot shower and collapse into bed. And now it was snowing. Terrific. He pulled over to the side of the road and called the hotel.

'Hello, hi! I'm checking in tonight but I'm lost and wanted to make sure you didn't give away my room. Bluth. B-L-U-T-H. That's great, thanks. I can't be too far. I've been driving around town for ages. This snow is really picking up.' Geoff caught sight of a man crossing the street. He wore a grey pin-striped suit and bowler hat, and despite the snow, he wasn't using the umbrella he was carrying.

'Miss, would you mind hanging on? I'm just going to ask a chap on the street where I am. Won't be a tick.' Geoff left his mobile on the driver's seat as he opened the car door. He called out to the man, who was beginning to disappear from view.

'Sir! Sir, could you help me?' Leaving the car door open, Geoff hurried after the suited figure who didn't respond to his calls. 'I'm lost!' Geoff has almost reached him and gently tapped him on the shoulder. The stranger turned, raising his bowler hat by way of greeting as he did so. Geoff's eyes widened in horror at what he saw, a scream catching at the back of his throat.

A young woman's voice drifted across the cold night air.

'Hello, Mr. Bluth, are you there? Hello?' Her only reply was the efficient voice of the GPS.

'Lost satellite reception, lost satellite reception...'
***

Ten days later, Louie Rollins was navigating his way across town on his snowboard. Well not his snowboard, it belonged to Mrs. Wharbuoy's daughter but she was away at university, so his neighbour had lent it to him. It had been a lifesaver. With the roads and pathways choked with snow it was impossible to get around on foot, or on his bike. And if there was one thing Louie disliked it was being cooped up indoors, especially as there was no power for the telly or his computer games.

As he approached his cousin Millie's house, he decided to zigzag around the numerous snowmen that stood on the field at the back of her house. They were everywhere - a readymade slalom course.

He zipped between the snowmen and was on the final approach to Millie's backdoor when he clipped the last one and started to spin out of control. Although the back gate was open he was going too fast. Way too fast. Panicking, he tried to correct his balance and regain control, but it was too late, he was going to smash into the house, and at this speed...

At the last possible second the door opened and Louie managed to steer himself inside. The snowboard slid from under him and he crashed into the kitchen in a heap. Sheepish but unhurt, Louie looked up at his Aunty Rachael who was standing over him, open mouthed, her hand still on the door handle.

'Sorry, Aunty. I haven't quite mastered it yet.'

'So I can see,' she replied as she tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle a laugh.
***

As the TARDIS span through the space-time vortex, the Doctor was dancing around the console, pulling levers and twiddling knobs seemingly at random; he was excited. Now that he was travelling on his own he had decided to indulge himself. Next stop the Salcreyan Nebula, and more precisely the moment of its birth.

'The greatest firework display in history!' the Doctor declared triumphantly, as he skidded to a halt looking pleased with himself. 'I have no idea why I've never been before.'

Without warning the TARDIS lurched violently, throwing the Doctor first against the console before sending him spinning to the floor. As he scrambled to his feet, the TARDIS steadied herself and the engines roared as the ship began to materialize.

'Where have you brought me, old girl?' the Doctor asked. 'Certainly not the nebula...' The engines died down, until all that could be heard was the steady background hum of the TARDIS. He adjusted a dial, slowly drumming his fingers on the adjacent surface, as he took note of the readings. His brow furrowed, the Doctor made for the door.
***

'Hello, Mills!' Louie said as his cousin came into the kitchen having heard the commotion from her bedroom. 'Snowball fight?'

'It looks as though you've been in one already,' Millie giggled as she looked at his snow-covered coat. 'Why didn't you just call?' she asked, before catching herself. 'Ugh, I forgot for a second, our mobiles are dead and no regular telephone lines either.'

'Is there any news, Mum? Do we know when we might have power back?'

'Sorry, luv, the morning news bulletin was just the same as yesterday. Power is out across Europe, and with the roads blocked, power lines down and petrol stations not working, it's not going to get better anytime soon.' She patted her old radio appreciatively. 'Without this we wouldn't have a clue what's going on.'

'Mum listens to the news on the car radio,' chimed in Louie. All three fell into silence, lost in their own thoughts for a second, when suddenly Little Mix's Cannonball, blared through the kitchen.

'Oh, my giddy aunt,' murmured Rachael as they all jumped at the sudden noise. 'Why can't you have a normal ringtone Millie?' But neither her daughter nor nephew answered as they simply stared at the ringing phone on the countertop.

'It's ringing, Mum!'

'I can hear that.'

'But the battery is dead and there's no reception...' As her daughter's words sank in, Millie tentatively reached for the phone. She hesitated for a second before snatching it up.

'Hello?' Without another word she ran across the room and flung the backdoor open. 'Doctor!' And there, stood in the doorway, was their weird, mad, extraordinary and utterly brilliant friend the Doctor. Stepping inside he scooped up Millie and Louie in a big bear hug.

'You've grown,' he said as he put them down, and much to her surprise air-kissed Rachael on both cheeks.

'So've you,' replied Louie, delighted to see his eccentric friend.

'Well it has been over two hundred years,' he responded. 'I don't know, I think I look rather fetching,' he said as he adjusted his bow tie.

'Two hundred...' Millie's voice trailed off. 'Never mind.'

'Now what am I doing here?' asked the Doctor.

'That's rhetorical right?' cut in Louie.

'What? Rhetorical?' said the Doctor. 'Ohh, I like that word. Rhetorical. Ret-oracle. Rhet-or-icle,' as he tried out different pronunciations and inflexions. 'Hmm, no, not a bit of it. What am I doing here? I was on my way to witness the creation of the Salcreyan Nebula when I was dragged off-course.'

'What could do that to the TARDIS?' asked Mille.

'Something powerful and alien.'

'That's not likely though is it? More aliens in our town? The most exciting thing that happens here usually is the annual fun-run.'

'Fun-run?,' asked the Doctor quizzically. 'Isn't that an oxymoron? Oh I like that word too...' Louie cut the Doctor off, before he started dissecting another word.

'But if there is an alien, how do we find it?'

'I'm not sure...' The Doctor's face darkened. 'I checked for signs of alien energy signatures, and any anomalous readings, when I landed, but nothing. Zip. Nada. Have you noticed anything unusual since the start of the storm?' the Doctor asked his friends.

'A businessman was reported missing the night the storm started,' Rachael told him, 'his car found abandoned near the centre of town, but that's likely to just be coincidence.'

'Possibly,' mused the Doctor. 'You two?' They both shook their heads, but the Doctor noticed Millie hesitate slightly.

'What is it Millie? Anything might help.'

'It was something Louie said just before you arrived Doctor. He wanted us to go for a snowball fight.'

'So?' inquired her cousin.

'It hasn't snowed in days, and it's been above freezing during the day, so surely the snowflakes should melt and then freeze together overnight. But the snow is still light and fluffy.'

A smile slowly spread over the Doctor's face. 'Come on!'
***

A few minutes later the Doctor was kneeling in the snow, his friends stood around him. Millie and her mum now wearing thick gloves, coats and boots. 'It feels like snow,' and lowering his face to the cold surface, 'and it smells like snow.' He scooped up a tiny amount of fresh looking snow and gently placed a tiny amount on his lips. 'But it doesn't taste like snow! Well it does, you wouldn't be able to tell, but I have a very sensitive tongue. See?' The Doctor stuck his tongue out wiggled it around slightly as he tried to identify what he could taste. 'It's phosidium! Just a trace amount but it's definitely there.'

'Phosidium?' asked Louie, 'I don't remember that one from chemistry.'

'That's because it doesn't exist on Earth, or this solar system. The TARDIS is just around the corner, I'll be able to track down any concentrations of it anywhere on the planet. Well it was good seeing you again,' said the Doctor cheerily as he made to leave.

To her surprise Rachael found herself speaking out. 'Oh no you don't, Doctor. You can't just waltz into my kitchen, tell us there's an alien invasion in progress...'

'I don't think I said invasion,' but Rachael cut him off.

'And just expect us to go indoors, pretend like nothing's happened, and hope that miraculously the snow vanishes, the power comes back on and everything goes back to normal, while we worry whether you're dead or alive. We're coming with you.'

'Way to go, aunty!' exclaimed Louie.

Resigned to his new entourage, the Doctor merely grinned. As they set off, the sun caught the clear white snow, and Millie was momentarily blinded. She raised her hands to shield her eyes, unnoticed by the others who continued towards the TARDIS. It was probably just a flash of light thought Millie to herself, but did that snowman's eyes glow for a fleeting second? She was just about to call out after the others before changing her mind. She'd catch up with them soon enough.
***

Louie, his aunt, and the Doctor turned the street corner and at the end of the road was the reassuring sight of the TARDIS. On the other side of the street was a man tying his shoelaces. He was dressed in a pin- striped suit, smart black shoes despite the snow, and a bowler hat...
***

Millie marched up to the snowman. It looked like hundreds of others all over town. She was just being silly she told herself. She slowly reached out her hand and touched it. It felt like snow but there was something else; it was very gently vibrating. Without warning the eyes she had mistaken for pieces of coal glowed bright red.
***

As the trio walked towards the TARDIS there was a large explosion as a power line broke in two and fell to the ground. Sparks flew everywhere and the line danced on the road in front of them as though it was alive.

'Keep still, very still,' commanded the Doctor, 'one move and we're dead.'
***

Millie slowly backed away and to her horror the snowman gently rose a few inches and glided towards her. She turned to run, but slipped and fell into the snow. She glanced over her shoulder, trying desperately to scramble to her feet, but it was too late. The snowman moved inexorably towards her and Millie could only scream in terror...

TO BE CONTINUED.