Sights at Gallifrey One
Gallifrey One is a sci-fi convention for the Doctor Who television show and is held annually in Los Angeles, California. Doctor Who is a British show which first aired in 1963 and, except for one break, has run continuously since then. The Doctor has come across many different kinds of aliens over the years and can also travel through space and time which leads to many options for creation of costumes and props from the show. In this post I will refer to the older run of episodes as the classic series and the more recent as the new series.
These costumes are like some the Doctor might have seen in his travels back in time.
Those wearing costumes might strike up poses like characters in the show might have done which is often referred to as cosplay.
The Daleks are Doctor Who’s oldest villains first appearing in the second episode of the show. The Daleks want to exterminate all non-Dalek beings. The Doctor tries to prevent them from doing so but is never completely successful as they keep coming back.
Quick, someone tell the little girl that children shouldn’t play with Daleks.
The Daleks were created by the scientist Davros who believes he should be the supreme being and ruler of the Universe. Maybe the woman examining him should not be so close.
Lady Cassandra was one of the more unique creatures the Doctor encounters. She was nothing more than a piece of skin stretched onto a frame, with eyes and a mouth. This is connected to her brain which is in the jar below. The skin had to be constantly moisturized to keep it from drying out which is what the two on either side are for.
Catkind had some similarity to the cats of Earth though they were the size of a human. This one is wearing a spacesuit.
The Doctor was not able to save the former human that was in the spacesuit with the helmet but hopefully will be able to save River Song next to it.
The Weeping Angels appear to be statues when you are looking at them. However if you look away, even for an instant, they can move.
Oops, I must have blinked.
Each year Gallifrey One has a Masquerade contest where costumed entrants compete for prizes. They are judged for a variety of things ranging from craftsmanship to the performance in skits some do. These are some of the winners in 2016.
This is the Masquerade’s grand prize winner of 2016. Some like her work months to create the costumes.
Even Brigadier Generals have to check the schedule.
This woman must have traveled through time as I do not think she had cell-phones and Starbucks in her time period.
This is the Police Box that the Doctor uses to travel through time. As any who enters it can tell you it is bigger on the inside. It is called the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space).
This console is used to operate the TARDIS.
A closer view shows the work someone must have done to create it.
Over the years Doctor Who has aired the inside of the TARDIS has changed and this backdrop shows a recent view.
It does make a nice place for posing for pictures.
On the left is a Cyberman who is another of the adversaries the Doctor has battled many times.
Here are two young Amy Ponds waiting for the Doctor to return. To find out why Amy is waiting you will need to watch season five (called series five in Britain) of the new series.
This is Caitlin Blackwood, the actress who played the child Amy Pond. This appearance at Gallifrey One was two years after the several episodes she was in first aired.
Gallifrey One brings a number people involved with the show to the convention from both the classic and new series. In addition to stars and guest stars there are others like writers, directors and costume designers. They usually manage to get at least one of the Doctors from the classic series to come. In 2016 there were two, on the left is Colin Baker who played the Sixth Doctor (1984-86), and on the right is Peter Davison who played the Fifth Doctor (1982-84).
Gallifrey One has become very popular and has reached the capacity of the location of where it is held. A warning for those those considering attending, the past several years the tickets have sold out very quickly.
More information:
Doctor Who Wikipedia article
