UK TV

Review: Doctor Who – 7×1 – Asylum of the Daleks

Olwin

In the UK: Saturday, 7.20pm, BBC1
In the US: Saturday, 9/8c, BBC America

Well, here we are again, happy as can be. Doctor Who is back. The Daleks are back. The Ponds are back (although not for long). Steven Moffat is back. Chris Chibnall is back.

Oh.

But not till next week! Phew.

Murray Gold is back.

Oh. Well, there’s no getting round that one.

Consolation prize: new companion Jenna-Louise Coleman is here!

Hang on, wasn’t she supposed to not be here yet? Oh well, bonus for everyone.

It’s back, basically. Brace yourself for an action-packed first episode, with all the stops pulled out – Daleks firing, Doctors running. You know the form.

Except… rather than an action-packed, all guns blazing intro, our Stevie decided to launch the all-new “that Doctor – he’s not famous, he’s dead and everyone knows it” series with a decidedly low-key, creepy, adult affair that hinges on soufflé. Yes it does.

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Weekly Wonder Woman

Review: Wonder Woman #12/Justice League #12/Batwoman #12

WW#12

Has it really been this long? Yes, we’re now 12 issues – a whole year – into DC’s nu52 reboot of its entire universe. The reboot has energised some titles, thrown the status quo into turmoil, ditched many much-loved characters, introduced a few not-so-loved ones and restored some to their original prides of place. Although thrown together perhaps a little too speedily, judging by some of the inconsistencies between the titles, the nu52 clearly at least had some kind of plan, a storyline designed to last a few years rather than just a few issues, which in his day and age of instant web gratification is something of a throwback.

The evidence for both this planning – and occasional lack thereof – and desire to change the status quo is on display in both Wonder Woman #12 and Justice League #12, officially released in what can only be described as ‘Snog Wonder Woman while she’s flying’ month, judging by their covers. Wonder Woman #12 concludes the ‘pregnant Zola’ storyline with the inevitable – and then mixes it all up with more than a few surprises – before re-introducing an old new character (I’ll explain later).

Meanwhile, Justice League reveals what in retrospect it’s been hinting at throughout its run (even if no one over in Superman’s own titles appeared to know about it) – if you’ve been wondering why Lois Lane has had bugger all to do in the nu52, it turns out she’s superfluous to requirements. There’s a new power couple in town…

Justice League #12

And just for luck, let’s look at the first proper Wonder Woman crossover of the nu52 – Batwoman #12, in which our wonderful Amazon princess makes the first of at least two guest appearances. No snogging on this cover, despite that Batwoman being a lesbian and everyone having their suspicions about those Amazons – something the nice people at DC seem intent on stamping out…

Batwoman #12

See you after the jump…

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