Doctor Who Magazine - Issue 440

The long-awaited Elisabeth Sladen tribute issue of "Doctor Who Magazine" hit the shops last week. 50 pages of the magazine are devoted to remembering and appreciating Elisabeth Sladen - interviews, articles and some superb pictures will definitely bring a tear to the eye.

Some highlights of the Elisabeth Sladen section include a terrific interview with Tom Baker where he talks of how quickly he and Lis bonded on "Doctor Who", how much fun she was and how supportive she was of him. You can feel the emotion in the interview and if, like me, the fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane were your definitive duo growing up, then you'll have a lump in your throat reading this interview.

However, it's not just Tom Baker who has his say about Lis. David Tennant, Matt Smith, Philip Hinchcliffe, John Levene, Terrance Dicks, Katy Manning, John Barrowman and a host of others from both Classic and New Who all have good and moving words to say about the woman who so obviously meant so much to all of us. The most moving interview however, is with Elisabeth's husband, Brian Miller, and their daughter, Sadie. Brian remarks that he put "The Sarah Jane Adventures" on last weekend: "I didn't watch it all the way through, but it's just her voice in the house. You go out of the room and still hear her voice. It's like looking through a window but you can't open it and you can't say anything to her..."

I would also urge you to read the feature about Elisabeth Sladen entitled "The Doctor's Best Friend" by Marcus Hearn. Detailing Elisabeth's life and career with a heavy focus on "Doctor Who" it really is an excellent article. I would also recommend reading her final interview - previously partially published in the "Radio Times" it is presented in full in DWM. I loved how she compared Matt's Doctor to "a young deer. He's like Bambi. I watch him move and I love it."

This month's DWM still has the usual features. There's news of the Christmas Special (see Christmas Special Details for more information) together with the usual competitions and reviews (although I do disagree a bit with Graham Kibble-White's review of "The Wedding of River Song" but will concede he makes a good point or two!). Steven Moffat's "Production Notes" though is another highlight. It's the 100th edition of "Production Notes" and the Moff grabs the opportunity with both hands and makes his feelings known about the cancellation of "Doctor Who Confidential":

"When I was a kid, "Doctor Who" made me want to see behind the scenes. Seeing behind the scenes made me never want to leave and, one day, incredibly, got me the job of a lifetime."

"I'm not supposed to say it, but I'm going to anyway: bad day, bad decision. I know these are straitened times. I know we're all at sea and the night is colder - but you don't start burning the lifeboats to keep warm. Or to put it another way, you might want to think about the future if you're planning to live there."

Doctor Who Magazine issue 440 is in the shops now priced at £4.99 - there are a few copies available through amazon.co.uk for those of you unable to find it:

DWM 440 at amazon.co.uk