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[The Real Abed]

This also means he'll have her sonic by then, so when we see it appear we know the time is coming.

Wait, so doesn't that mean the Doctor has to get a new Sonic Screwdriver before Matt's run is over?

Well let's see. What was so special about the sonic she brought with her? Ten seemed to know for a fact that it was his. How? I thought the TARDIS gave them out and they could change in design. Which explains why it was blue and is now green when he got a replacement in The Eleventh Hour. It just popped out of the console. So will he be going back to the old color at some point? Since River's is blue too. So he suddenly gets a replacement for his newer model that looks like his older model?

I really hope they put as much attention to detail into this as we are. I really hope they do. It will be a neat thing to point out when it happens. When Eleven suddenly needs a new sonic and gets a shiny new blue one.

Or maybe he just asks for a second one that looks like what he had when he was Ten just for that reason.

Of course I always wonder why when River first meets Ten she introduces herself but later is sad he doesn't know who she actually is. As if he's supposed to know that even though this is the first time and last time she's even meeting Ten. (At least that we see, but I'm sure if she had met him any other time we would know about it.)

I need to watch Silence/Forest again.

 

[Quick]

She wasn't sure what incarnation of the Doctor she was meeting.

Spoiler

I think?

 

[The Real Abed]

She wasn't sure what incarnation of the Doctor she was meeting.

Spoiler

I think?

Possible explanation. So I guess Eleven didn't really tell her anything about the mission she was going on. She just knew he was a Doctor by his persona, but didn't know if it was an older or newer one. So he never showed her the family photo album? Or maybe he told her he'd be there but not the he he is now and left it at that.

Let's hope they have the ability to do this episode right when the time comes. If the time comes. It could potentially be a long ways off. Maybe not even under Eleven. Maybe Twelve. Maybe never at all. But I hope it is. I want to get my hopes way up in the air.

 

[Sober]

Eh. I suspect anything they could possibly show would only disappoint people.

When they retire Matt Smith, they should just have him and Alex Kingston do some audioplays or whatever, so they don't have to visually disappoint us. I assume they are also longer than 45 minutes, so they don't have to cram whatever into a short amount of time.

I actually wish I could get into the audioplays and I would think getting Smith to do them (if he hasn't already) would be a good way to lure fans into it. I see he has done some audiobooks but it's all just him doing the reading as opposed to a cast though.

 

[Quick]

I'd rather see it during 11's run. A chunk of her story is with him, and it seems only proper. 12 should get a clean slate whenever he appears.

As her and 10's conversation went on, she mentions that the Doctor she knew had older looking eyes, or something, so I can imagine Moffat finishing her story later on in Matt Smith's run.

Would be cool if they tied it into Last Night (Night and the Doctor short) by showing us the same conversation both Doctors had with each other from the older 11's perspective.

 

[hamchan]

Possible explanation. So I guess Eleven didn't really tell her anything about the mission she was going on. She just knew he was a Doctor by his persona, but didn't know if it was an older or newer one. So he never showed her the family photo album? Or maybe he told her he'd be there but not the he he is now and left it at that.

Let's hope they have the ability to do this episode right when the time comes. If the time comes. It could potentially be a long ways off. Maybe not even under Eleven. Maybe Twelve. Maybe never at all. But I hope it is. I want to get my hopes way up in the air.

Nah, River knew that she was speaking to a younger Doctor and seemed pretty unsurprised by how he looked. Maybe it's because she's seen him before, maybe a multiple Doctor appearance for the 50th episode.

 

[APZonerunner]

I actually think we'll see less of River from now forward. The fact she appears to be entirely absent from 7b and was only in one episode of 7a is indicative of how much, I reckon. With Amy and Rory gone and with the mystery of who she is and such solved, there's less to 'do' with her now, and Moffat's interest tends to thrive on these plot lines and shrink somewhat when they're gone.

I think she'll show up a handful more times - probably most specifically when Matt is due to go, as he is her Doctor, really - but for the most part not show up too much now. We've already seen them on the way to their final date in one of the Series 6 shorts. They could expand that out, but we've seen it now - and the version of The Doctor on his very first date with River sharing a sad look with the one on his very last, realizing what where they're going means is as fitting a tribute as any. Shame it was a side-story.

I don't think they could ever do that scene justice, to be honest, and River's departure is never going to have quite the same sense of finality that Doomsday/Donna/Amy had, purely because there's the chance a younger version may crop up further down the line. It's better to just gradually fade her out of the show with less and less appearances.

In 10 years' time, there's going to be a lot of River/11 audios, though...

Well let's see. What was so special about the sonic she brought with her? Ten seemed to know for a fact that it was his. How? I thought the TARDIS gave them out and they could change in design. Which explains why it was blue and is now green when he got a replacement in The Eleventh Hour. It just popped out of the console. So will he be going back to the old color at some point? Since River's is blue too. So he suddenly gets a replacement for his newer model that looks like his older model?

I really hope they put as much attention to detail into this as we are. I really hope they do. It will be a neat thing to point out when it happens. When Eleven suddenly needs a new sonic and gets a shiny new blue one.

Or maybe he just asks for a second one that looks like what he had when he was Ten just for that reason.

Of course I always wonder why when River first meets Ten she introduces herself but later is sad he doesn't know who she actually is. As if he's supposed to know that even though this is the first time and last time she's even meeting Ten. (At least that we see, but I'm sure if she had met him any other time we would know about it.)

I need to watch Silence/Forest again.

Moffat has said that in his personal canon he believes between Silence in the Library of The End of Time River and Tennant's Doctor meet again, possibly more than once. Presumably post Journey's End and before The Waters of Mars. It could be post-waters, too, but I'm not sure how River would react to when he's on his reckless run, doing stupid stuff, something, anything, to keep running from his 'death'. He's said one day he'd love to either do or see somebody cover that meeting in the expanded universe. I expect it'll happen. There's also a sort of expanded universe note that suggests River has time travelled and taken photos (either without being noticed or by slipping amnesia drugs) of every incarnation of The Doctor, for the diary. I forget where that appeared, though.

Also, River may introduce herself, but then she also drags him off and asks "c'mon, where are we?", pulling out the book. I'm guessing she introduced herself so as not to alarm the rest of the party that she knew the stranger.

RE: The Sonic - the new one in the Eleventh Hour is the only one that seems to have been 'created' by the TARDIS. In the past the Doctor has spoken quite definitively about building/creating it. The TARDIS obviously can create them too based on that episode. We could assume off the evidence that maybe the TARDIS can only do this when it's critically damaged and runs a full 'regeneration' on itself, otherwise presumably there'd be a new screwdriver to match the new console room we have now. The original green sonic the TARDIS provided was destroyed in A Christmas Carol, and its replacement was destroyed again in The Almost People, anyway. He must have a store of them or something, as the sonic melts with the ganger Doctor - and then 5 minutes later in the TARDIS he uses another to melt Amy.

Anyway -- the Doctor now knows that River's last meeting will be with the coral-looking screwdriver wielding Doctor... so surely he'd go and make her one that matches. The screwdriver is vital to her proving who she is, which in turn ensures that he 'saves' her - so the Doctor would be wiser than to give her one that would look different. Plus, he's seen her on that day so he already knows what to make and give her. He makes her that one because he remembers seeing it. Wibbly wobbly. Same logic as Time Crash.

 

[The Real Abed]

They can't be hard to make seeing as Amy made one herself without schematics in The Girl Who Waited. Unless she took a class with Eleven in the 10 years they were roaming the universe together. She built it using spare parts too.

It's like Star Wars. The original movies established that a lightsabre is something special that you have to build yourself. Then suddenly in the prequels everyone has one. Everyone. Even child students. Everyone. Some even two or more. Ruins the specialness of the device.

 

[Zeppu]

Remember, that as far as we know, the Doctor still hasn't told River his name.

 

[Quick]

They can't be hard to make seeing as Amy made one herself without schematics in The Girl Who Waited. Unless she took a class with Eleven in the 10 years they were roaming the universe together. She built it using spare parts too.

It's like Star Wars. The original movies established that a lightsabre is something special that you have to build yourself. Then suddenly in the prequels everyone has one. Everyone. Even child students. Everyone. Some even two or more. Ruins the specialness of the device.

Younglings have generic lightsabers, but Padawans have to travel to a certain planet that has lightsaber crystals and build their own as part of their training. Then it's truly one of a kind and special.

But I get what you're saying.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

So, with the 50th (and the number of retrospective articles & lists) coming, I was wondering if Who-GAF was thinking of making it's own "Best of DW" list?

I'm game. I'm 70% through a rewatch of classic who, so I'm not going to be able to suggest anything past "Enlightenment" since I don't trust my memory that well. New who stuff as well, some of the comments for those are somewhat spoilery I guess. All the episodes I consider to be "good":

Unearthly Child (First ep only)
The Daleks
The Aztecs
Planet of Giants
The Rescue
The Romans
The Time Meddler
The War Machines
Tomb of the Cybermen
The Mind Robber
The Invasion
The Seeds of Death
The War Games
Spearhead from Space
Doctor Who and the Silurians
Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
Terror of the Autons
Day of the Daleks (watch the special edition!)
The Sea Devils
The Mutants
The Time Monster
The Three Doctors
Carnival of Monsters
The Green Death
The Time Warrior
Planet of the Spiders
Robot
Genesis of the Daleks
Pyramids of Mars
The Brain of Morbius
The Seeds of Doom
The Masque of Mandragora
The Hand of Fear
The Deadly Assassin
The Face of Evil
The Robots of Death
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
Horror of Fang Rock
The Ribos Operation
The Stones of Blood
The Androids of Tara
The Armageddon Factor
City of Death
Full Circle
State of Decay
Warriors’ Gate
The Keeper of Traken
Logopolis
Castrovalva
Kinda(Turn on the new CGI effects!)
Earthshock
Mawdryn Undead
-------------------------
I did cheat a bit and watch a few episodes ahead of schedule, since I really remembered liking them. And thankfully it wasn't a rose tinted jobbie!

The Caves of Andronazi
Remembrance of the Daleks
Curse of Fenric
-------------------------

New who list is from one I mostly did earlier in the year, so there's a lot of comments.

Rose -good pacey reintroduction to the doctor.
The End of the World - fun romp to finish up reintroducing the doctor
Dalek - great dalek reintroduction, really good work by eclestone here
The Long Game - some fun gameshow jabs. pegg!
Father's Day - fun paradox story
The Empty Child
The Doctor Dances - creepy, fun, and richard wilson
Boom Town - boring apart from the doctor stopping transmatting
Bad Wolf
The Parting of the Ways - good lead up, bad deus ex, brilliant last words.
School Reunion - brilliant guest stars(head, sladen, leeson), bit of a clanger of a story, but the guests make it fun enough.
The Girl in the Fireplace - brilliant.
The Impossible Planet
The Satan Pit - Great stuff. One of the very, very, few times we see something totally outside of the doctors understanding
Army of Ghosts
Doomsday - worth it just for the dalek/cybs interplay. The only RTD finale not to deus ex hard.
The Shakespeare Code - "the paper's blank". great stuff
Gridlock - eternal traffic jam was done well
Human Nature
The Family of Blood - brilliant stuff. vengeful doc is always interesting too.
Blink - one of the best who eps ever. the idea of the angels was brilliant. the execution of the idea was brilliant. how the doc was used was brilliant.
Utopia
The Sound of Drums
Last of the Time Lords -Another RTD deus ex machina. starts off brilliantly at the end of time, and with the masters take over of earth. gollum doctor is moronic, as is how that is reversed.
Time Crash - yes
The Fires of Pompeii - where tate found her stride. great aztec-style debate between her and the doc in this ep.
Silence in the Library
Forest of the Dead - good "villains". good "weird stuff with good explantion"(dr moon). never been a great fan of river, but everything else was pulled off well.
Midnight - love "turn on perfect strangers" stuff like this
Turn Left
The Stolen Earth
Journey's End - if it wasn't for "yet another rtd deus ex", this three parter would be the greatest WHO related thing ever. so very good. only other thing I can say against it is that the shadow proclamation were crap after their big build up.
The End of Time -barely got on the list. Just edges on the other side of voyage of the damned, where there Richard from keeping up apperances was the only worthwhile part, here Timothy Dalton is just enough to make this fun to watch, spittle and all.
The Eleventh Hour - oh hey, it's "smith and jones" again for some reason but on a larger scale. bit more fun this time around though.
Vincent and the Doctor - ending saves it, really silly "villain" here.
A Christmas Carol - best christmas special. Story wasn't that great, but Gambon made this.
The Impossible Astronaut
Day of the Moon - only big nuwho multi ep "finale" without any trace of a deus ex. fantastic resolution.
The Doctor's Wife - brilliant lore ep.
Asylum of the Daleks - pretty fun stuff, need more old school dalek action. nice twist
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship - real old school who. loved it
The Angels Take Manhattan - scary angels again, hallelujah

 

[Link]

Remember, that as far as we know, the Doctor still hasn't told River his name.

We also really haven't seen any of their early meetings from her perspective (besides Let's Kill Hitler). It'd be a bit of a cop out to only show one side of the "getting to know you" process. Which is what makes me think her being sent to the library is a long ways off anyway. Probably right at the end of Smith's run.

 

[ag-my001]

Re-watched SitL and FotD on the BBCA marathon today. One thing I had forgotten: River says that she called the Doctor to the library. His future self will have to get some hint that it's time to give the screwdriver, but it may not be with the certainty many of us seem to expect.

 

[EleventhDoctor]

Lindalee got a TARDIS for Christmas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgeZx0wgB2k

This kid is totally cute-and loves Doctor Who as much as my 4 year old.

 

[Quick]

Lindalee got a TARDIS for Christmas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgeZx0wgB2k

This kid is totally cute-and loves Doctor Who as much as my 4 year old.

I haven't seen her videos, but seeing her reaction to getting her own TARDIS is great.

 

[EndcatOmega]

The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon

i can hear it

inside my head

make it stop

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

It's not that bad if you watch the episodes once a week as originally intended

 

[Locke_211]

There's also a sort of expanded universe note that suggests River has time travelled and taken photos (either without being noticed or by slipping amnesia drugs) of every incarnation of The Doctor, for the diary. I forget where that appeared, though..

This was in that PS3 game "The Eternity Clock", as part of the collectibles you can find when playing as River. The Who-ish elements of that game are generally wonderful, even if the mechanics are a bit rubbish! There's a lovely bit about River meeting the first Doctor pre the first televised story and him not recognising her.

Any River fans absolutely must watch the extra mini-sodes that are on the Season 6 DVD/Bluray!

 

[Zeppu]

Re-watched SitL and FotD on the BBCA marathon today. One thing I had forgotten: River says that she called the Doctor to the library. His future self will have to get some hint that it's time to give the screwdriver, but it may not be with the certainty many of us seem to expect.

There's a short where two doctors meet up one taking river to the first and another to their last date. They speak to each other about going to the singing towers of darillium and they both immediately know it's their last time.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Singing_Towers

 

[isny]

There's a short where two doctors meet up one taking river to the first and another to their last date. They speak to each other about going to the singing towers of darillium and they both immediately know it's their last time.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Singing_Towers

Watched this, mind blown!

 

[BeEatNU]

Wasn't there a mini-episode when doctor meets himself just before they go their last date?

I think that's all we're gonna get.

wait what mini episode?

I must have missed this, where can I find it?

 

[Link]

wait what mini episode?

I must have missed this, where can I find it?

Season 6 boxset. The specific short is called "Last Night." It's part of a series called Night and the Doctor. They're only about three minutes each so you should just watch them all.

 

[EleventhDoctor]

Was there any lightbulb notify in The Snowman?

 

[BeEatNU]

Wasn't there a mini-episode when doctor meets himself just before they go their last date?

I think that's all we're gonna get.

Season 6 boxset. The specific short is called "Last Night." It's part of a series called Night and the Doctor. They're only about three minutes each so you should just watch them all.

ahhhh I found it on Daily Motion.

:sadface

 

[Raoh]

 

[andylsun]

Was there any lightbulb notify in The Snowman?

During the kiss between the Doctor and Clara/Oswin/Jenna

 

[EleventhDoctor]

Just realized something. The Night and the Doctor episodes take place prior to this episode-because The Doctor changed the TARDIS desktop. So...at this point The Doctor is a widow.

 

[The Real Abed]

Just realized something. The Night and the Doctor episodes take place prior to this episode-because The Doctor changed the TARDIS desktop. So...at this point The Doctor is a widow.

Widower?

 

[The Technomancer]

Just realized something. The Night and the Doctor episodes take place prior to this episode-because The Doctor changed the TARDIS desktop. So...at this point The Doctor is a widow.

Nah, the Doctor who is taking River to the Towers pops into the wrong TARDIS, we don't know what his interior looks like.

 

[Mariolee]

During the kiss between the Doctor and Clara/Oswin/Jenna

That was the Ice Woman banging on the force field.

 

[Link]

Just realized something. The Night and the Doctor episodes take place prior to this episode-because The Doctor changed the TARDIS desktop. So...at this point The Doctor is a widow.

That's future River, along with future Doctor.

 

[Mariolee]

That's future River, along with future Doctor.

But wouldn't Future River have noticed that this TARDIS was the past version and thus not as confused as she was?

 

[The Technomancer]

But wouldn't Future River have noticed that this TARDIS was the past version and thus not as confused as she was?

Not if she was being picked up by future Doctor ("Oh I'm parked around the corner") and she didn't know where in the Doctor's timeline she was. Similar to her confusion at the start of SitL

 

[Link]

But wouldn't Future River have noticed that this TARDIS was the past version and thus not as confused as she was?

They meet out of order, remember. It's not linear for her.

 

[twilitesparklemotion]

During the kiss between the Doctor and Clara/Oswin/Jenna

Are we talking about that blue light thing? What does the fandom think it is? I just think it's lens flare.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Where do I buy it? I NEED IT!

 

[GameplayWhore]

I'm game. I'm 70% through a rewatch of classic who, so I'm not going to be able to suggest anything past "Enlightenment" since I don't trust my memory that well. New who stuff as well, some of the comments for those are somewhat spoilery I guess. All the episodes I consider to be "good":

.
.
.
Inferno
Curse of Fenric
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship - real old school who. loved it

I'm super happy to see those three, especially. Top tier work all around, the third more in a silly escapist way. Also props that you mentioned Tomb of the Cybermen, which I also thought pretty great for the scene when the antagonist realizes the mistake he has made. "You belong to us"

Anything with Wilf in it earns a top spot on said list.

Do you count the Peter Cushing films by way of actor association?

Remember, that as far as we know, the Doctor still hasn't told River his name.

I sadly suspect that it is Moffat who does not remember.

 

[isny]

Do you count the Peter Cushing films by way of actor association?

Nope. Those films are only worth watching for diehard Whovians, film students, and for historical purposes.

 

[Diablos54]

I sadly suspect that it is Moffat who does not remember.

Why would you think that (Yes, I know why )? It's not like we've seen River a lot since TWORS so he hasn't exactly had a chance. Plus, we don't know the 1 reason why the Doctor would tell someone his name, I assumed it was his wedding but apparently not.

 

[EleventhDoctor]

Are we talking about that blue light thing? What does the fandom think it is? I just think it's lens flare.

No I went and looked. When they kiss, it cuts to a wide shot and there is a quick lightbulb flicker.

 

[Vesmir]

@ Humboldt State

 

[APZonerunner]

Good numbers for The Snowmen! Good to see.

Also record breaking numbers for BBC America - 1.4m watching within the first 24 hours!

AI for those who don't know is Audience Appreciation, a thing the BBC use to rate how successful a show is with the audience it gets based on a cross-section of feedback. How much higher the iPlayer figure is for The Snowmen is indicative of that 5:15 time slot being a bit crap, methinks.

 

[gabbo]

Good numbers for The Snowmen! Good to see.



Also record breaking numbers for BBC America - 1.4m watching within the first 24 hours!

AI for those who don't know is Audience Appreciation, a thing the BBC use to rate how successful a show is with the audience it gets based on a cross-section of feedback. How much higher the iPlayer figure is for The Snowmen is indicative of that 5:15 time slot being a bit crap, methinks.

Man, how huge was Tennant? Good lord, those 13s... Unless I'm reading the numbers wrong.
Still, good to see Snowmen doing well.

 

[brucewaynegretzky]

Man, how huge was Tennant? Good lord, those 13s... Unless I'm reading the numbers wrong.
Still, good to see Snowmen doing well.

Tennant couldn't help being so amazing.

 

[Effect]

Finally got a chance to watch The Snowmen. Pretty good but I think the episode could have been a bit longer to give more screen time to Walter Simeon. Also more Vastra and Jenny is always welcome. Like them as well. Not sure about Strax yet. That said I'm loving Clara/Oswin. Donna has been my favorite female companion so far but if Jenna-Louise Coleman continues to deliver like this (liked her in Asylum of the Daleks as well) she could give Donna/Catherine Tate some competition in my eyes.

 

[Exterminieren]

Man, how huge was Tennant? Good lord, those 13s... Unless I'm reading the numbers wrong.
Still, good to see Snowmen doing well.

The first was due to the Kylie effect, the second was due to the Next Doctor fake out, and The End of Time was due to regeneration hype.

Considering that they haven't had the same amount of hooks (barring possibly Gambon and Jenkins for A Christmas Carol), Moffat's specials are holding up decently.

Also worth noting is the general decline in Christmas audiences. Neither Voyage nor The Next Doctor were the highest rated show of the day, with EastEnders and Wallace and Gromit beating them pretty soundly. The Snowmen shares a similar sort of chart position to them, despite the lower ratings. Bear in mind it beat Downton, Strictly Come Dancing and Coronation Street this year!

Also, Who got better timeslots in 2007; Voyage in particular, with the two episodes of EastEnders split either side of it. By contrast, The Snowmen's 5:15 slot is less mainstream, with it having to introduce the night rather than slotting in the middle. It has been a hell of a long time since a 5:15 show scored ratings this high, and beating later showpiece shows like Downton is a hell of a feather in the cap. Also notable is the share ie. the percentage of people watching any one show out of the total TV audience. In the overnights, The Snowmen had the second largest share of the day, behind only EastEnders.

Sorry, Who ratings are a bit of a Mastermind specialist subject for me!

 

[APZonerunner]

Far more interesting than individual episode ratings is the average for any given year of Who, averaged out across all the episodes aired.

This year is a big improvement over last year, with the average nearly 8.3m viewers for 2012's episodes. Last year's was 7.3, despite having a higher peak (Christmas).

The highest overall since the return is Series 4, with something like 10m - as that had either Voyage through to Journey's End or Partners in Crime through to The Next Doctor, depending on how you look at it... but either way it had not only the biggest Christmas Special but also The Stolen Earth/Journey's End, which are the highest rated non-Christmas episodes of New Who by a massive margin (followed by The Eleventh Hour.) Series 4 was a weird time, mind... even the mid-series ratings slump never seemed to come. The Unicorn and the Wasp got over 8m viewers, which is mad for a mid-season 'quiet episode'. Series 5 had similar ratings stability, too.

 

[Exterminieren]

The highest overall since the return is Series 4, with something like 10m - as that had either Voyage through to Journey's End or Partners in Crime through to The Next Doctor, depending on how you look at it... but either way it had not only the biggest Christmas Special but also The Stolen Earth/Journey's End, which are the highest rated non-Christmas episodes of New Who by a massive margin (followed by The Eleventh Hour.) Series 4 was a weird time, mind... even the mid-series ratings slump never seemed to come. The Unicorn and the Wasp got over 8m viewers, which is mad for a mid-season 'quiet episode'. Series 5 had similar ratings stability, too.

Series 4 had reached critical mass. Tennant was hugely popular, Tate had brought casual fans across from her show, the weather was pretty ropey, you had a big fan-pleasing return of the Daleks and Davros at the end of the series, and THE BIG RETURN OF EVERYONE IN THE SHOW at the end of the series, bringing in casual interest. It was a culmination of 4 years work, and I don't think it likely that it'll be touched again... Unless they really pull out the stops for the anniversary. Loads of returning Doctors (or, hell, Tennant and Eccleston) would bring that magic back.

 

[APZonerunner]

I think if they have Tennant, a PR machine as strong as it was in the RTD days and good luck with the scheduling the anniversary could even beat Voyage, to be honest. Moffat's bound to write something top notch.

 

[Exterminieren]

It's the PR machine as strong as Davies' that I'm concerned about, frankly. Say what you want about RTD, but he was an absoute master at hyping people up and keeping Who in the news. Moffat hasn't naturally got that kind of exuberant personality, but we've had a couple of gaffes lately; hyping Richard E Grant up as an iconic star before he was revealed left a bitter taste in some people's mouths, and the lack of clarity over episode counts and what the anniversary will actually entail is causing a bit of panic in fandom. It's not disastrous, by any means, but it's not as slick as it once was.

The flipside is that the BBC is really hyping the anniversary in its own right; putting it at the top of their list of things to look out for in 2013, commissioning mystery high-profile authors to write short fiction for it in the run up to the anniversary, commissioning the Gatiss origins drama, and whatever else it is they're doing. Last time they threw their weight behind an anniversary so much was EastEnders' 25th, which ending up pulling in around 20 million viewers.