SciFi Fans Invade London and the Doctor Returns

It is no great secret that I am somewhat of a fanatic when it comes to Science Fiction. Whether it’s the complete collection of Stargate DVDs, the Dune novels of Frank Herbert that adorn my shelves, or the Dalek that stands proudly on my desk (don’t judge me!), it is evident that my life is embroiled in a galaxy of SciFi. Has it made me a complete geek? Quite possibly, but my understanding of Warp theory has nothing to do with this article.

This weekend sees the commencement  of the 10th SciFi London Film Festival which will run from the 23rd April to 2nd May. Regrettably, I won’t get the chance to attend the vast majority of the events to properly cover the festival, but I certainly hope to be able to catch one or two of the premieres during the week. Tragically, I will have to miss the SciFi Easter Parade on Sunday… Which is a shame really, as the sight of numerous costumed SciFi fans on parade would make me feel like much less of a nerd! That is, unless I joined in. Which I almost certainly would.
The parade will be running from Waterloo Bridge/National Theatre at midday, passing through Jubilee Park and ending up at Westminster Bridge. If you fancy watching Stormtroopers and Cybermen escorting Zombified Prince William and Kate Middleton this is the parade for you! (Presence of Stormtroopers and Cybermen is purely hypothetical, although I am reliably informed that there will indeed be a Zombie representation of the royal couple…)

SciFi London plays host to a series of Science Fiction related events, screening the premieres of up and coming films in the genre, as well as showing some old classics, stand up comedy, real world gaming, and documentaries. The event is also populated by directors, writers, cinematographers and of course a wide variety of geeks, ranging from those vaguely interested in film and SciFi to those with prosthetic Vulcan ears and an iconic Starfleet uniform (which, coincidentally, I’m wearing as I write this). Whether you are an up and coming writer or director with a penchant for SciFi, or a connoisseur of the genre, this is the event for you.

More details on SciFi London can be found here.

Another important event in SciFi this week is the return of Doctor Who to our screens, 6pm Saturday 23rd, kicking off with The Impossible Astronaut. It will be the first half of a two-parter in which the Doctor (Matt Smith) and his time-travelling companions Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) travel to America and are reunited with the enigmatic River Song (Alex Kingston). This will mark the beginning of Steven Moffat’s second year as lead writer for Doctor Who, and also the second year of  Smith starring as the eleventh incarnation of the titular role as the Doctor.

It will also be the 6th series since the legendary show of the 60s, 70s and 80s was revived in 2005 by former lead writer and executive producer Russel T. Davies. The show, much beloved by those who grew up with the original series, has since been given new life and a greater sense of vitality, recapturing the hearts of it’s initial fans and enchanting a whole new generation of viewers. When Davies initially set about reviving the series, who could have predicted that it would have been such an immense success?  I guess, much like it’s Time Lord protagonist, Doctor Who is timeless and a truly remarkable piece of television. The trailer for the new series can be seen at the bottom of this article.

I would also like to take the time in this article to mark the passing of Elisabeth Sladen earlier this week. She, like her leading Time Lords Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, was a staple of Doctor Who history as arguably the Doctor’s most brilliant companion, Sarah Jane Smith. She was taken from this world too soon, and will be sorely missed.

“Goodbye, my Sarah Jane.”