The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Well, it seems to be a busy old week for Doctor Who news this week – and it’s only Tuesday (not that time matters so much in matters pertaining to Time Lords, of course). And it is more awards for the show to add to their ever-expanding trophy cabinet; following the news the other day that the World SF convention had awarded the show a prestigious Hugo award for the Girl in the Fireplace episode, the TV Quick and TV Choice awards have rewarded the programme yet again. According to the BBC site the show picked up two awards, including the Best Actor award for David Tennant as well as the Best Loved Drama award. The adult Who spinoff Torchwood also scored at the awards picking up a gong for Best New Drama. Regarding the recent revelation that the fifth series of Doctor Who would be postponed for a year David Tennant, currently tipped to do a run as Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company next year, was asked if he would remain in the central role but replied that he didn’t know because “it’s in 2010.” Speculate as you will on that – rumours of who will be next in the iconic role have been rolling around well before this news, pretty much all unfounded according to the show’s production team.

(a triumphant David Tennant)

In other telefantasy news the BBC has announced that they have secured a deal with NBC which offers first refusal on future series of the international smash hit Heroes. The comics-themed show is currently running its first season on BBC2 giving terrestrial audiences their first chance to see it in the UK (the show had already aired on the cable channel SciFi UK) where it has been picking up very good audiences, no doubt helped by the fact that the Beeb put a fair bit of effort into supporting the show (including an after episode discussion on a dedicated radio show and a dedicated site as they do for Who and Torchwood). From the second series on the BBC will have exclusive rights on Heroes for the UK for terrestrial and multi-channel broadcasting at a pre-agreed price from NBC, which is good news for fans and marks a welcome change from previous patterns of shows becoming a hit then being bought at a larger bidding price for certain digital channels that not everyone can access.

(Heroes’ Ando and Hiro in comics form from one of Isaac’s creations in the show; a collection of Heroes comics is published by DC this October)