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[Thomper]

I'm still not to sure of the timeline. This Christmas special doesn't count as one of the "Three specials" as far as I know. Is that the same for next year's Christmas special? So we have three Doctor Who specials to look forward to before December 25th next year? I guess next Christmas is when Moffat would start.

There's still four more specials coming up. Those include the next Christmas special, and they're all (at least co-)written by RTD.

All that's known right now is that Planet of the Dead will air this Easter, and the final two specials will be a two-parter, and RTD's grand way of saying goodbye to the show. Those will probably air over next year's Christmas break.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Has the Doctor ever been anything other than an eccentric white British guy? Escaping those staples of the character would be a risk.

I believe the only actual official requirement is that he has to be British.

 

[White Man]

You know, some part of me wants there to be a Doctor Who anime one day.

I wouldn't want an anime, but I would like a well done animated series, say, in the vein of the US Batman cartoon. I know there's a ton of books and radio shows and the like, but there are enough more worthwhile books to be read that I can't dedicate the time. Give me a stylized animated series that runs a half hour, and I'd be a pig in slop.

I believe the only actual official requirement is that he has to be British.

Between the regenerations of the Doctor, the Master, and Romana, I think it's safe to say that Timelords don't swap genders between regenerations either.

 

[RetroMG]

I wouldn't want an anime, but I would like a well done animated series, say, in the vein of the US Batman cartoon. I know there's a ton of books and radio shows and the like, but there are enough more worthwhile books to be read that I can't dedicate the time. Give me a stylized animated series that runs a half hour, and I'd be a pig in slop.

Not talking about full series, but there were two animated Dr. Who Stories. One is Shada, which is done in (what seemed to me to be) a flash-animation style, basically adding visuals to one of the Radio plays. The story was originally a 4th Doctor Story, but the Radio play refits it to be an 8th Doctor Story. It was written by Douglas Adams, and it's pretty good.

The other one is The Infinite Quest, which is a 10th Doctor/Martha story, (with the respective actors doing voices,) and Anthony Stewart Head as the villain. It's fully animated. I just got it for Christmas and haven't watched it yet, so I can't speak to the quality. (Although I would have rather had Rose as a companion. I can't stand Martha.)

 

[Regulus Tera]

Okay, that was really fun, even if the Cybermen's plan was a bit of a pushover. But hey,

Spoiler

giant robots

! I cannot complain.

Complete and utter nonsense, but wonderful nonsense nevertheless. Miles ahead of Voyage of the Dead, and probably better than The Runaway Bride, which I loved. My only real complaint is that it needed another half hour to further establish the Cybermen threat. They were kind of lame here,

Spoiler

Cyberking

aside.

 

[RetroMG]

Finally saw the episode last night, and I admit I was grinning like an idiot when David Tennant stepped out of the TARDIS. I'm going to miss the Tenth Doctor.

All in all, it was a great episode. My wife kept saying, "So IS he the Doctor or isn't he?" I had it figured out the answer pretty early on, but I was curious how our Doctor would handle it. I had not guessed the thing about

Spoiler

Jefferson Lake, or his family, just that the "Doctor" was an ordinary man who had be imprinted with information about the Doctor.

There were a few of the old trappings of RTD's run, which made me roll my eyes a bit, but it was still a great episode, and I'd say the best Christmas episode since The Christmas Invasion.

So, Planet of the Dead. I heard rumblings, (though I'm not sure if it was here or on Outpost Gallifrey,) that the Planet of the Dead may be

Spoiler

Gallifrey itself.

That would be hugely exciting, though I can't for the life of me figure out what would possess the Doctor to go there.

 

[The Elite]

Not talking about full series, but there were two animated Dr. Who Stories. One is Shada, which is done in (what seemed to me to be) a flash-animation style, basically adding visuals to one of the Radio plays. The story was originally a 4th Doctor Story, but the Radio play refits it to be an 8th Doctor Story. It was written by Douglas Adams, and it's pretty good.

The other one is The Infinite Quest, which is a 10th Doctor/Martha story, (with the respective actors doing voices,) and Anthony Stewart Head as the villain. It's fully animated. I just got it for Christmas and haven't watched it yet, so I can't speak to the quality. (Although I would have rather had Rose as a companion. I can't stand Martha.)

I actually watched an alternate 9th Doctor story on the BBC website once. It was done in the flash style as well and featured The Master as The Doctor's now robotic companion.

 

[pnjtony]

So i was always confused with the Donna hate on this forum, then I watched The Catherine Tate Show and while I don't hate it as a sketch show, it reminds me of The Tracy Ullman Show and if someone suggested that Tracy Ullman would be the next companion, I'd throw a fit as well.

Maybe I just wanted to see Doctor Who again, but it wasn't terrible. I really liked David Morrissey though.

I heard nothing on the commentary about the last special being a Christmas episode. Only that there'd be three special, but the last would be a two parter.

 

[sprsk]

It was nice to see more Who.

I thought the woman and the way he defeated her was cheesier than hell, typical RTD.

I'm gonna miss David Tennant. The next doctor has some preeeeeeetty big shoes to fill, I think.

 

[pnjtony]

I'm gonna miss David Tennant. The next doctor has some preeeeeeetty big shoes to fill, I think.

My GF is in love with Tennant and I'm hoping she still watches Dr Who with me after he's not there.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Am I the only one somewhat disappointed by the fact that David Morrisey has been used already? He'd make a great Eleventh Doctor, just like John Simm before.

Moffat better have someone amazing to make up for this.

 

[Xater]

It was nice to see more Who.

I thought the woman and the way he defeated her was cheesier than hell, typical RTD.

I'm gonna miss David Tennant. The next doctor has some preeeeeeetty big shoes to fill, I think.

Wait what? Tennant is leaving?

 

[smarties00]

Wait what? Tennant is leaving?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ86n6ziHFA&feature=related

 

[The Elite]

Wait what? Tennant is leaving?

:lol :lol

Yup, we've known this for a couple of months. Kind of a shock to the system though isn't it. I'm not ready to see him leave just yet. I wanted a season of him under Moffat's reign.

WTF. That is the first time I've seen that video. I didn't bother watching it until now. So heartbreaking.

 

[Xater]

We don't even get a full season with him?

Fuck he was so perfect in this role.

 

[The Elite]

We don't even get a full season with him?

Fuck he was so perfect in this role.

Nope, his run ends with RTD. New Doctor, New Showrunner (Moffat) for 2010.

 

[Charmicarmicat]

David Thewlis (Dragon Heart, Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Harry Potter 3+) is another one I wouldn't mind seeing as Dr Who.

Paterson Joseph's name has been popping up alot, even before Tennant announced he was leaving the show.

I heard this too, and am hoping so much that it's true, he is freaking awesome in Peep Show.

 

[NekoFever]

I thought the woman and the way he defeated her was cheesier than hell, typical RTD.

I hate how it seems like every time an enemy is defeated in an RTD episode you always get the Doctor's "I'm so sorry..." line. It was quite poignant the first time he did it but it's become a bit of a parody now.

Despite that, I quite enjoyed this special. It was worlds better than last year's awful Christmas special and it had

Spoiler

omg a giant robot!

 

[JonathanEx]

Broadcast times for Doctor Who Prom - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00g82f9
I await to see how Music of the Spheres works on telly. Hopefully, providing they cut to the correct wide shot, it's my debut in a Doctor Who episode. But hey, there's a reversal of polarity, so it's all good.

Extra content via the red button and website. Or, cheat, listen to bits at http://uk.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FF6CDCDF52FACD4A

 

[rollingstart]

Paterson Joseph's name has been popping up alot, even before Tennant announced he was leaving the show.

Johnson would be awesome

 

[White Man]

Am I the only one somewhat disappointed by the fact that David Morrisey has been used already? He'd make a great Eleventh Doctor, just like John Simm before.

I'm kinda glad they aren't using Morrissey. Every time I see him I am reminded of Basic Instinct 2

 

[The Storyteller]

That was awful. Why have all the Christmas specials after the awesome first one, been shitty every year since?
I think this was the worst one yet. Fucking cybermen.

I don't care if the doctor's a women, a black dude, a midget or whatever. I just hope Moffat takes over relatively soon. Unlike most of GAF I don't detest RTD but like anything I am ready for a change after awhile.

Me too. However if the rest of the specials are as bad as this one...

 

[Zenith]

didn't like it.

the plot mainly focused on "why'd they need the kiddies?", which turned out to be for an hour's work minimum to charge up the cyberking, even though the super-strong cybermen were there doing nothing, had the energy&manpower to BUILD the cyberking and for some reason didn't use those mindcontrol devices.

Rosita was a carbon copy of Martha.

didn't help that the cyberking had some similarites with penny arcade's giant fruit fucker.

 

[sprsk]

I'm kinda glad they aren't using Morrissey. Every time I see him I am reminded of Basic Instinct 2

It's the wrong Morrissey anyway.

 

[Spotless Mind]

So dumb. So very dumb. It started alright, but in typical RTD style, got worse and worse the more things were revealed and he continued to indulge in his technobabbly trove of contrivances.

I loved The Christmas Invasion, but all the subsequent ones have had the same problem as this one. RTD just can't wrap up his evildoer plans and the stories become a complete muddle by the end.

I'd be happy if the cybermen were to never return. They are frakking LAME.

Music was great though!

the plot mainly focused on "why'd they need the kiddies?", which turned out to be for an hour's work minimum to charge up the cyberking, even though the super-strong cybermen were there doing nothing, had the energy&manpower to BUILD the cyberking and for some reason didn't use those mindcontrol devices.

I was LMAO when she expositioned this shit. RTD has seriously gotta be kidding with this crap. *facepalm*

 

[Eteric Rice]

I wonder how Britian would react to an American Doctor? :lol

 

[sprsk]

I wonder how Britian would react to an American Doctor? :lol

Didn't they try this?

Anyway, I am now writing Morissey as the doctor fanfic in my brain.

I for one think it would be amazing.

 

[Remy]

My take on the Christmas special:

I really liked the interactions with Tennant and Morrissey. I thought there was a surprisingly amount of depth watching Tennant treat him as a potential future version of himself that had actually had memory loss, while simultaneously realizing it could be some other freak circumstance. It's some of the best work Tennant has done in the last season (or two?), and I consider those parts to be written by "the good RTD".

But:

The "we need the children to run our magical factory"?
The "I'm coming to a funeral to kill most of you but keep four of you alive briefly"?
The what-the-fuck-are-they Cyber-apes? Cyber-dogs? (Was that ever explained?)
Roseita?
That kid standing there, slack jaw, and Morrissey is forced to cry on The Doctor's shoulder that they have his child?

All that nonsense was written by "the bad RTD".

So I don't think of this episode as The Two Doctors. I think of it as The Two RTDs.

You know who they need to bring back to write? Robert Shearman. We need another episode like "Dalek".

 

[The Storyteller]

I cant be the only who thought Morrissey was awful in this? What he had to work with though..

 

[-viper-]

WTF is RTD?

 

[Spotless Mind]

I cant be the only who thought Morrissey was awful in this? What he had to work with though..

I thought he was pretty good actually, well at least to start with... then the RTD melodrama set in and he tried his best to deliver something resembling emotion out of a script that had none.

WTF is RTD?

:lol Russel T Davies, Doctor Who showrunner and writer.

 

[-viper-]

Oh right. I've been sitting here for the past 30 minutes trying to figure out what the fuck RTD meant.

Haha.

It's a shame Tennant is going to leave, but at least he'll be here in 2009. I think he's a great Doctor.

It's going to be difficult to replace him.

I didn't really think the Christmas episode was that good, but it was better than some of the previous ones such as the spider queen episode.

 

[Axord]

The what-the-fuck-are-they Cyber-apes? Cyber-dogs? (Was that ever explained?)

I assumed that the time-traveled Cybermen lacked the resources for their usual conversion, so the little guys were the steampunk equivalent.

 

[RedShift]

The what-the-fuck-are-they Cyber-apes? Cyber-dogs? (Was that ever explained?)

They looked like a cross between the shadow beats from Twilight Princess and the Jazzarus from the Mighty Boosh to me.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

I was away for a few days so I only just got to see the episode now.

The main problems other people have I agree with:

Spoiler

children running the machines when there were Cybermen

and whatnot. I'm guessing it was RTD doing his social commentary shtick what with a

Spoiler

child labour workforce

being very common at the time.

As for the ending, I was quite hoping that Mercy

Spoiler

would have taken the Doctor's offer, just because I'm sick of Cybermen tripping over every other episode. Just like with the horrible Daleks in Manhattan, I was hoping for some closure. Really, if Daleks and Cybermen can keep resurrecting, the Time Lords should too.

Also, while I don't want to raise any hopes unrealistically, did anyone notice, quite unexpectently and seemingly out of nowhere, that the Doctor references Blink, and specifically Sally Sparrow, while attempting to jog Morrisey's memory?

 

[Ghost]

Apparently they are announcing the new Doctor on Doctor Who Confidential on BBC1 this Saturday at 5:35pm.


Pretty amazing that it hasn't leaked yet as that's a taped show and they apparently have an interview with him/her


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7807742.stm

 

[radioheadrule83]

I was away for a few days so I only just got to see the episode now.

The main problems other people have I agree with:

Spoiler

children running the machines when there were Cybermen

and whatnot. I'm guessing it was RTD doing his social commentary shtick what with a

Spoiler

child labour workforce

being very common at the time.

Thats exactly what I thought it was, which is why I didn't think it was that bad. Unwanted children / orphans and children from more deprived families were put to work in work houses and already sometimes subject to conditions and cruelties that many outside of them would have been unaware of, that's why Mercy targets the workhouse leaders in the funeral -- she could use the kids and no-one would notice or care. Plus it adds to the Dickensian vibe of the whole thing, a la Oliver Twist etc...

I enjoyed it a lot to be honest, I didn't expect to. My mum and dad liked it too, which is surprising cos they usually think its well daft... as it often is under RTD. I like the period-pieces, because he can't shoe-horn in Girls Aloud music or anything.

I finally caught the BBC Doctor Who Proms as well, and that was brilliant. The kids at the Albert Hall must have loved that -- I was laughing my head off at the terrified kids when the monsters walked in.

As for the ending, I was quite hoping that Mercy

Spoiler

would have taken the Doctor's offer, just because I'm sick of Cybermen tripping over every other episode. Just like with the horrible Daleks in Manhattan, I was hoping for some closure. Really, if Daleks and Cybermen can keep resurrecting, the Time Lords should too.

Also, while I don't want to raise any hopes unrealistically, did anyone notice, quite unexpectently and seemingly out of nowhere, that the Doctor references Blink, and specifically Sally Sparrow, while attempting to jog Morrisey's memory?

Spoiler

Sounds like we'll find more out tomorrow... I wonder if news of a new Doctor will be accompanied by news of a new companion?

 

[Thomper]

I finally caught the BBC Doctor Who Proms as well, and that was brilliant. The kids at the Albert Hall must have loved that -- I was laughing my head off at the terrified kids when the monsters walked in.

Loved that part! Every time some new monsters would walk in, they'd show some kids looking terribly scared. Wonderful.

Sounds like we'll find more out tomorrow... I wonder if news of a new Doctor will be accompanied by news of a new companion?

I don't think they'll announce a new companion at the same moment. With 2009 being such a Who-lite year, they'll probably use every tiny bit of news in as big a way as possible.
Though I'm sure we'll get to know the new companion before they start taping Season 5 this summer. On the other hand, I'd love it if they could surprise me by actually announcing the new companion tomorrow as well.

 

[JonathanEx]

I finally caught the BBC Doctor Who Proms as well, and that was brilliant. The kids at the Albert Hall must have loved that -- I was laughing my head off at the terrified kids when the monsters walked in.

It was absolutely brilliant.

I waved at an Ood and he waved back!

Keep an eye out for the full version on the website, many of the songs were cut in half, and some cut altogether. That'll be up on the 12th - and it's well worth it. In fact, some of the video sync of the highlight clips with the music was much better live... especially the unusual BANG sound during Song for Freedom - which sounded out of place and odd on TV, but in the full version, it syncs with something very well.

Also, I met a new friend on NYE.
http://twitpic.com/ys09
In fact, there were two of them: http://twitpic.com/yyu9

 

[radioheadrule83]

It was absolutely brilliant.

I waved at an Ood and he waved back!

Keep an eye out for the full version on the website, many of the songs were cut in half, and some cut altogether. That'll be up on the 12th - and it's well worth it. In fact, some of the video sync of the highlight clips with the music was much better live... especially the unusual BANG sound during Song for Freedom - which sounded out of place and odd on TV, but in the full version, it syncs with something very well.

Also, I met a new friend on NYE.
http://twitpic.com/ys09
In fact, there were two of them: http://twitpic.com/yyu9

*ahhhh envy*

Has it made you interested in seeing the regular BBC Proms? I'd love to go to that someday... Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory n' all that

In all the listings they called it the "first" Doctor Who proms, so hopefully they do another in the future.

Where was the Dalek invasion on NYE then?
Do they still film Dr Who in cardiff? I moved down to the South West a few months ago, I might register interest with extras casting agencies or sommat ... imagine actually being in an episode!

 

[Burai]

Apparently they are announcing the new Doctor on Doctor Who Confidential on BBC1 this Saturday at 5:35pm.


Pretty amazing that it hasn't leaked yet as that's a taped show and they apparently have an interview with him/her


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7807742.stm

I'm so excited I could foul myself!

It'll probably be all over the papers tomorrow. Someone must have seen or heard something this close to the event.

 

[JonathanEx]

The Last Night is something I'd really like to see - something so British. However, I'll happily go to another Doctor Who Prom if they do one. Met Murray Gold briefly there, and also Ben Foster - who is a lovely, and actually rather handsome chap (the conductor).

I'm extremely lucky to know somebody who actually OWNS 2 Daleks. Actually, he owns more. Most of it's old series stuff, there's 2 TARDIS (which I helped remake the sign of one them, redrawing the original font), about 3 classic Daleks, a Cyberman, Auton, Sea Devil... and remote control K9. For a gift, he gave me a fibreglass new series Cyberman helmet replica, from the TV moulds. The voice changer helmets are SHITE in comparison.

 

[JonathanEx]

I'm so excited I could foul myself!

It'll probably be all over the papers tomorrow. Someone must have seen or heard something this close to the event.

I get the feeling they all know - but they got told under embargo to stop them spoiling it.

 

[Thomper]

I get the feeling they all know - but they got told under embargo to stop them spoiling it.

I find that hard to believe. The new Doctor Who would be one of the biggest pieces of news for any British newspaper right now, so if a tabloid like The Sun or Daily Mirror would have known it, an article would appear in an instant.

 

[JonathanEx]

Exactly - that's what makes me think they were told under embargos or NDAs. If the Beeb go to the papers, they get an interview with him to publish the day after, they don't run the story early.

Or, an extremely well kept secret. Which is of course a possibility.

 

[Thomper]

Exactly - that's what makes me think they were told under embargos or NDAs. If the Beeb go to the papers, they get an interview with him to publish the day after, they don't run the story early.

Or, an extremely well kept secret. Which is of course a possibility.

Hm. I think the BBC can't/won't promise exclusive interviews to every single newspaper, and without that there's no incentive for a newspaper not to publish it as soon as they know the 11th Doctor. This may be a genuine case of the Doctor Who team getting better and better at keeping secrets under wraps. Anyone remember the Christopher Eccleston-leaving-news coming out way too early? Ever since that first season, they've been covering up news better and better. We only know what the people working on the show are telling us, and these past few months they've told us very little, with bits of it just being thrown out there to confuse.

If you look at the rumors from papers like The Sun, they've rarely gotten it right this past year with regards to Doctor Who. It sucks to be completely in the dark about what to expect for the specials and Season 5, but if they can really manage to keep it all under wraps, more power to them. I like being surprised.

 

[JonathanEx]

Possibly for the biggest ones, I don't know. Just a thought. It's more likely to be a big secret though, fair enough. Considering I can get more accurate reports on set from the Doctor Who Forum (OG) then The Sun, you may be right.


I like how that they 'scheduled' a Doc Who Confidential episode in the slot to be called 'The Ten Doctors', but have now announced it's called The Eleventh Doctor. Very crafty.

 

[Thomper]

Possibly for the biggest ones, I don't know. Just a thought. It's more likely to be a big secret though, fair enough. Considering I can get more accurate reports on set from the Doctor Who Forum (OG) then The Sun, you may be right.


I like how that they 'scheduled' a Doc Who Confidential episode in the slot to be called 'The Ten Doctors', but have now announced it's called The Eleventh Doctor. Very crafty.

Yep. The only stuff to that still leaks is the truly unavoidable; the set reports. I read them too, at times, but even with that stuff they still manage to cover up the really big stuff when filming.

The fact that only now have they revelead the 'Ten Doctors' confidential is actually an announcement of the 11th Doctor makes me think they really are going for the complete surprise. If they'd have it all neatly covered up with embargoes, the special would have been called 11th Doctor earlier. Them doing a complete surprise-reveal a mere 24 hours before the actual announcement makes me think they're feeling really confident of this surprising everybody.

 

[JonathanEx]

On the whole, they've orchestrated it very well. The announcement of David Tennant leaving at the awards, much newspaper speculation since, especially with the misdirection of the Christmas special being called The Next Doctor (as Russell said, it's plainly obvious it wasn't going to actually announce him then so the prepublicity was a bit of a lie) to this, coming off the big media following of it - and coming out of nowhere with it.

 

[sprsk]

Damn, can't wait to find out.

Do we know how is doing the casting?