Dr Who's Sonic Screwdriver Causes Security Alert

[Gordon Nore]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jgq6gyzvoUA_icV3WckghDvnryQg

Entire article below

Matt Smith was searched after airport officials spotted his sonic screwdriver

Smith's screwdriver security alert
(UKPA) – Mar 31, 2010
Doctor Who star Matt Smith was stopped at Heathrow Airport - for taking his sonic screwdriver through security.
The 27-year-old actor was flying to Belfast when security officials spotted the Timelord's prop while scanning his luggage and believing it to be a weapon pulled him aside to be searched, The Sun reports.
A source said: "Matt's a huge fan of the screwdriver so didn't think anything of carrying it with him on the plane - it's basically just a fake prop and doesn't exactly do much."
The insider added: "But going through the X-ray scanner it probably looks like a weapon, albeit something you'd see in Star Wars.
"Matt was very polite and explained what the screwdriver was. But the guards just looked puzzled. Fortunately he had some Doctor Who promo material on him so was able to show them who he was. Once the penny dropped and they had a proper look at the screwdriver, they let him through."
Matt confessed he has become attached to the sonic screwdriver, revealing: "I like to have it about my person at all times, just twirling it around and flicking it."
He also admitted he has already broken four of them.
Copyright © 2010 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

 

[David43515]

"He also admited he has already broken four of them".

The prop-master must love this guy. Breaking stuff, carrying stuff around off set. What a chump.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I'm more surprised the security folk didn't know who Dr. Who is. I always got the impression that series was huge in England.

 

[Klondike93]

I'm more surprised the security folk didn't know who Dr. Who is. I always got the impression that series was huge in England.

Matt Smith just replaced David Tennant so maybe he's just not known yet.

 

[Omar B]

Matt's just on his second episode of Dr Who so I guess he's not known yet. From what I hear he's great at it, though I have to wait till this weekend for it's US debut.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Matt's just on his second episode of Dr Who so I guess he's not known yet. From what I hear he's great at it, though I have to wait till this weekend for it's US debut.

I'm excited as well.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

There's Daleks ahead. Anytime there are Daleks, I'm happy. Almost built one back in grade school.

 

[Ken Morgan]

He's broke four of them and he's only on his second episode???
Clumsy sort, isn't he?

 

[Gordon Nore]

He's broke four of them and he's only on his second episode???
Clumsy sort, isn't he?

LOL. I'm only vaguely familiar with the original Dr Who, but I own every episode so far of the Russell T. Davies re-imagining of the classic. Eccleston and Tennant do an awful lot of running around. I'm sure stuff gets broke. I believe Tennant injured his back during production.

 

[Sukerkin]

He's a return to the 'less than omnipotent' style of Doctor that I grew up with.

The last incarnation was fun with well written and well acted stories but there was always that sense of 'Destiny' where the Doctor would ever see the 'right thing' done.

I grew up with a more 'English' Doctor (Jon Pertwee) where victory was never assured and partial success with tragic consequences was the norm.

I think a good way of putting it might be "More Shakespeare, less Hollywood". If we are turning back to that then I shall emit a resounding "Huzzar!".

If we aren't, then, on the evidence of the past couple of episodes, then it'll still be good entertainment. I'm not too sure about the adult-inclined double entendres that were evident so far. It might be an acknowledgement that an awful lot of 'grown-ups' watch Dr. Who but the creators need to recall that even more children watch it - yes, they might not catch the 'other' meaning of words or events but I'm not sure it's exactly 'kosher' to layer smut over adventure intended for a young audience.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

The little bit I saw of Smith so far kinda reminded me a bit of Pertwee. Again though, it was a minutes worth so too early to say. My earlier take was more Colin Bakerish with a bit of Davidson.

 

[Gordon Nore]

I'm not too sure about the adult-inclined double entendres that were evident so far. It might be an acknowledgement that an awful lot of 'grown-ups' watch Dr. Who but the creators need to recall that even more children watch it - yes, they might not catch the 'other' meaning of words or events but I'm not sure it's exactly 'kosher' to layer smut over adventure intended for a young audience.

Interesting. I never watched the original growing up. I picked up a packet of Tom Baker eps to get a feel for it. I got hooked into the new Dr Who after watching every episode of Torchwood. So my Dr Who universe is a bit more daring.

I was looking at some of the "making of" bonus features in The Waters of Mars, which was the penultimate Dr Who special. They changed the make up of the humans who had been taken over by the aliens because it was 'too frightening,' a nod to the fact that kids watch the show. So too with the Daleks and Cybermen, who are voiced by the same actor, Nicholas Briggs, who also worked on episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood -- both DW spinoffs. Briggs brings a slightly comic element to the mechanistic voice.

I believe that Russell T. Davies, executive producer and head writer of the Eccleston and Tennant episodes, is now out of the picture. BBC owns the rights to Dr Who, but Davies owns Torchwood. He's based in the US now, working on plans to redevelop Torchwood for Fox -- with John Barrowman in the lead, and all the sexual subtext intact. I'll be curious to see if Dr Who moves away from that subject matter.

According to IMdb.com, episode one of the new series recalls Doctors of the past...

rest of cast listed alphabetically: Colin Baker ... The Doctor (archive footage)Tom Baker ... The Doctor (archive footage)Peter Davison ... The Doctor (archive footage)
Christopher Eccleston ... The Doctor (archive footage)
Sean Gilder ... Sycorax Leader (archive footage)William Hartnell ... The Doctor (archive footage)Sylvester McCoy ... The Doctor (archive footage)Paul McGann ... The Doctor (archive footage)Sarah Parish ... Empress of the Racnoss (archive footage)Jon Pertwee ... The Doctor (archive footage)Patrick Troughton ... The Doctor (archive footage) Pope Benedict XVI ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)Mahatma Gandhi ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
David Tennant ... The Doctor (archive footage) (uncredited)

 

[Sukerkin]

The Torchwood stuff is a different matter entirely, I think.

It was intended from the get-go to be more adult-themed (altho the incessant reminders of characters sexual orientation got a bit wearing ... we get it Russell, you're homo-centric, it's okay, we don't mind).

 

[Gordon Nore]

The Torchwood stuff is a different matter entirely, I think.

It was intended from the get-go to be more adult-themed (altho the incessant reminders of characters sexual orientation got a bit wearing ... we get get it Russell, you're homo-centric, it's okay, we don't mind).

BBC was dragging its heels on TW season four. It's currently listed as "in development" on IMdb. As you know, Suke, they worked their way up the foodchain to BBC One (I believe it's called). There was much disappointment among fans that season three was a five-episode mini-series. It was a ratings smash over there from what I've read, and did well all over.

The last bit of news has Davies in negotiations with Fox in the US to do the show. They're kind of free and clear now, with the Torchwood Hub destroyed during the Children of Earth story arc, most of their cool toys with it, and only Jack, Gwen and Rhys left of the cast. I read that they're imagining a show not necessarily based in Cardiff.

The bisexual content is certainly abundant in TW. Captain Jack Harkness is from the 51st century, when, apparently, humans are a randy omnisexual bunch that put out irresistible pheromones. Astute viewers have noted that within the first season or two, each of the Torchwood team, Gwen, Ianto, Owen and Toshiko, strolled over to the 'other side of the street,' romantically speaking.

 

[Omar B]

He's broke four of them and he's only on his second episode???
Clumsy sort, isn't he?

I should point out that the series is 2 episode in as far as broadcast goes, he's been filming since last summer so I'm pretty sure the entire season is pretty much done.

As for the Doctor himself, I didn't grow up with it. I know the last two incarnations and I really like Dave Tennant as the character. I wanna eventually go back and if not see the whole thing at least a couple episodes with each doctor.

My favorite episode I've seen this far is the one on that planet with Satan chained up at it's core.

 

[Gordon Nore]

As for the Doctor himself, I didn't grow up with it. I know the last two incarnations and I really like Dave Tennant as the character. I wanna eventually go back and if not see the whole thing at least a couple episodes with each doctor.

Same here. The original series was carried here on one of our public broadcasters, but I never watched, so I wasn't even aware that the role of The Doctor was passed from actor to actor with such fanfare. I agree about Tennant -- he's given some amazing performances.

The old Baker episodes I saw, with K-9 the robot dog, looked a little more like a kids show to me.

 

[Sukerkin]

Here's 'my' Doctor and Companion:

Sarah Jane ... {sigh}

 

[Gordon Nore]

Here's 'my' Doctor and Companion:

Sarah Jane ... {sigh}

From what I understand, Elisabeth Sladen was a very popular Dr Who companion. In one of the DVDs, Tennant talks about what a thrill it was to play scenes with her, since he had watched her as a boy growing up. Their first scene together was School Reunion (2006), in which she and Tennant played the moment absolutely perfectly.

I've seen a few clips of her work in "The Sarah Jane Adventures", which is also a spin-off Dr Who. That seems to be the more child-centred series of the franchise. Sladen is still a knock-out at 62, playing the mother of a thirteen-year-old. Captain Jack flirts with her in one cross-over episode.

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, we all loved Sarah Jane and most fans my age are of the same mind to this day ... tho Peri may have entranced us too when we were a little older .

 

[Jenna]

Have to say, I totally dig Matt Smith playing the Doctor.. I was horribly prejudiced against him since for me, each of the last successive Doctors have assimilated themselves into the role better and better.. And I have to admit I was rather a little too enamoured of David Tennant LOL..

And but nope, Matt Smith has stepped into the Doctor's shoes with an immediate presence and I think he has stamped his name on the character right from the get go..

I believe the budget for this series has been cut since the last? And but it is hardly evident.. Smart scripting and manic dialogue totally do justice to the franchise.. Thumbs up from me for Matt Smith [ooh and +1 to Karen Gillian too I have to say]. Oh my.. that sounded like a low rent college review haha.. Jenna x