I really don't have any issues at all with her appearance in The Angels Take Manhattan. She's an ally of the Doctor, and she holds her own. She hardly dominates the episode, and doesn't detract from it, so why not?
She's certainly not been the focus of anything since series 6.
I really don't have any issues at all with her appearance in The Angels Take Manhattan. She's an ally of the Doctor, and she holds her own. She hardly dominates the episode, and doesn't detract from it, so why not?
She's certainly not been the focus of anything since series 6.
She was Amy and Rory's child, so it makes enough sense. More disturbing really was the fact she showed zero emotion or pathos that the former two were leaving forever. Though I assume that it's not the last time River will see them, and that there is a final meeting with them coming up for her too.
I really don't have any issues at all with her appearance in The Angels Take Manhattan. She's an ally of the Doctor, and she holds her own. She hardly dominates the episode, and doesn't detract from it, so why not?
She's certainly not been the focus of anything since series 6.
This. Plus, it sorta made sense considering that the focus of the episode - Amy and Rory - were here parents, which was made to be a big deal in the preceding series.
If it's getting a worldwide cinema release, even a limited one, you can bet that BBC Worldwide are adding to the pot. I wouldn't be vastly surprised to hear BBC Films had an input, too.
Worldwide money already goes into the show, and has since Series 3 when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation stopped pumping money into Who; Worldwide funding replaced Canadian money based on the strength of DVD sales, and went up further still when after Series 4 US TV broadcast rights reverted to BBC America.
This will be a special episode, but I wouldn't expect it budget wise to particularly outstrip any of the Christmas Specials or the like. Especially since they've burned a massive load on 3D! Hoping for above the average spectacle in money terms is setting onself up for disappointment, methinks. I think Who's budgetary constraints aren't very visible any more anyway (though we'll see how the Mill closing changes that as well!)
I am holding an unfounded and foolish hope that Clara will be 12th through some wibbly wobbly hijinks. She's great, but she's so close to the modern Doctor personality that I don't know how long they can extend two essentially identical characters on screen.
Plus I'm just hankerin for a female doctor and male companion.
I am holding an unfounded and foolish hope that Clara will be 12th through some wibbly wobbly hijinks. She's great, but she's so close to the modern Doctor personality that I don't know how long they can extend two essentially identical characters on screen.
I'm still wondering whether the answer to Clara and the answer to "Doctor who?" are one answer or two, and to one question or two. Two story-arc conundrums is a lot to fit in the remaining episodes.
I'm still wondering whether the answer to Clara and the answer to "Doctor who?" are one answer or two, and to one question or two. Two story-arc conundrums is a lot to fit in the remaining episodes.
My actual, real guess is that she'll be explained as some sort of time/space anomaly. A recurring event that's been uprooted from a fixed point in time and the universe is trying to compensate for her for some reason. Something perhaps the doctor did himself, kind of like in Waters on Mars.
Maybe when (if) the Doctor runs from the Question, he creates the Silence (from not saying anything) and Clara (from running "Run you clever boy run and remember") or something like that.
I feel like if they tie her into the Silence though, I'll be upset.
I am getting that impression, yes though I'd already had several spoilers about it from people I know who worked on it.
'good' news for me is that MillTV closed down recently so this might be the first series since Matt started that I can watch 'clean', though I guess that depends on where the VFX work ends up going next.
Maybe when (if) the Doctor runs from the Question, he creates the Silence (from not saying anything) and Clara (from running "Run you clever boy run and remember") or something like that.
I feel like if they tie her into the Silence though, I'll be upset.
I wonder how reality shattering for Clara her own mystery will be. It will be solved this season but she's also supposed to stick around for the next Doctor.
I wonder how reality shattering for Clara her own mystery will be. It will be solved this season but she's also supposed to stick around for the next Doctor.
Speaking of the Silence, was it was ever explained how/why they blew up the TARDIS back in series 5? And who was speaking "silence will fall" when it happened?
I wonder how reality shattering for Clara her own mystery will be. It will be solved this season but she's also supposed to stick around for the next Doctor.
Why? Yes, the Silence were trying to kill the Doctor, because they are trying to stop him answering "The First Question" on the fields of Trenzalore, which is when Silence will fall. The Silence are taking steps to prevent this from occurring.
Why? Yes, the Silence were trying to kill the Doctor, because they are trying to stop him answering "The First Question" on the fields of Trenzalore, which is when Silence will fall. The Silence are taking steps to prevent this from occurring.
Right, I get that they want to kill the Doctor to prevent that prophecy from happening, but why blow up the entire universe? Then they just kill themselves too, which defeats the whole purpose.
I was rereading this and you're probably right. Since she was confirmed for "season eight" and it being the general consensus that Smith is leaving after these episodes + specials, I assumed it meant she'd stick around for the next season with a new Doctor, but it sounds like by eighth season they just meant this half of the seventh.
Right, I get that they want to kill the Doctor to prevent that prophecy from happening, but why blow up the entire universe? Then they just kill themselves too, which defeats the whole purpose.
Right, I get that they want to kill the Doctor to prevent that prophecy from happening, but why blow up the entire universe? Then they just kill themselves too, which defeats the whole purpose.
Really? The way they are handling this seems like much less of a scramble than the last showrunner/Doctor switch. They have everything locked down, they are hinting at the upcoming regeneration. I feel like this time there is a smooth transition plan still headed up by Moffat.
I think three years is too short a time to make sense to reinvent the show, style and branding again.
Really? The way they are handling this seems like much less of a scramble than the last showrunner/Doctor switch. They have everything locked down, they are hinting at the upcoming regeneration. I feel like this time there is a smooth transition plan still headed up by Moffat.
I think three years is too short a time to make sense to reinvent the show, style and branding again.
Last I heard, Smith was (recently) signed on through 2014. Did that change in the last couple of days?
Also, I have the hunch that if he can, Moffat wants Smith to at least best Pertwee's reign, and maybe go for Baker's. His ego is enormous, and what better way to imprint himself indelibly on Who than having one of the longest-serving Doctors on his watch?
Last I heard, Smith was (recently) signed on through 2014. Did that change in the last couple of days?
Also, I have the hunch that if he can, Moffat wants Smith to at least best Pertwee's reign, and maybe go for Baker's. His ego is enormous, and what better way to imprint himself indelibly on Who than having one of the longest-serving Doctors on his watch?
Jenna said "I've signed on for series 8," but was very specific she was talking about only her and wouldn't be drawn on Matt.
Matt said "I am very happy doing ['Doctor Who']. I do the anniversary special, then the Christmas special. At the moment it’s 2013 and we will see what 2014 holds."
Matt's quote in particular smacks of Tennant before he announced, and other things are pointing towards it. Really do think he's going at Christmas.
His contract is up in November, for the record. He hasn't yet renewed.
As far as Moffat goes, I'd argue impacting on multiple Doctors is larger than having a longer-reigning one. Especially if Moffat gets to cast the next Doctor before he goes and then hands him off after a year or two. Moffat is definitely also staying for Series 8 at least, though I think this or 9 will be his last. Plenty of money is a-waiting elsewhere, and it's a hell of a draining job. I also feel like that with an Adventure in Space & Time, being in charge of recasting the 1st/2nd Doctors, being given the 'Doctor Lite' ep this year and being also allowed to reintroduce a villain Moffat didn't really want to (Ice Warriors) this year, Gatiss may be being prepped for the throne.
Jenna said "I've signed on for series 8," but was very specific she was talking about only her and wouldn't be drawn on Matt.
Matt said "I am very happy doing ['Doctor Who']. I do the anniversary special, then the Christmas special. At the moment its 2013 and we will see what 2014 holds."
Matt's quote in particular smacks of Tennant before he announced, and other things are pointing towards it. Really do think he's going at Christmas.
His contract is up in November, for the record. He hasn't yet renewed.
He's attached to the show for the next year ie. until the end of 2013. We already know that. His constant dodging of commitment past that is the interesting bit.
1) The Radio Times story they're quoting pre-dates the Jonathan Ross Show quote where he said he would see what 2014 held (quite different to "already signed on"). That site is making news this week out of an article published quite a bit ago.
2) The quote - "I'm attached to the show for the next year, and I take it year by year. I think that's the only way you can take it," - doesn't actually really seem all that different to me. He's attached in 2013 - he's attached to the 2013 run of Doctor Who. I don't think he means for 12 months from early March (the date of the interview) in real time, to be honest, because it contradicts his later statement about seeing what 2014 holds.
There's way too many signs pointing in that direction, really, beyond things mentioned - but aside from rumours, I think you can speculate in that direction too.
Jenna's introduction mid-series - even with the split - is a funny one. It makes a lot more sense if Karen/Arthur were definitely not going to do another full series, though, as Moffat said he wouldn't want to introduce both a new Doctor and a new companion together again, he'd want to have a buffer, like how Rose carried over from 9 to 10 to keep the boat steady. Jenna will, I think, be that - but if Matt is going at Christmas, she needed an introduction, so only having Karen do half a series then was the natural conclusion.
I maintain my theory that Moffat won't be able to resist a time-bending introduction of a new Doctor, and we may see them during the 50th, only to have Matt do one final episode after that.
I feel like I would have enjoyed one or two River appearences per season for the next four or five seasons, but then they had to go and blow everything in S6. I liked River the mysterious occasionalyl popping into the Doctor's life traveller. I don't like how...worshipful she was of the Doctor or how much they started using her.
I feel like I would have enjoyed one or two River appearences per season for the next four or five seasons, but then they had to go and blow everything in S6. I liked River the mysterious occasionalyl popping into the Doctor's life traveller. I don't like how...worshipful she was of the Doctor or how much they started using her.
There's a full season's worth now, and, god, that's enough.
The real way to pay off the library would have been to keep her more sporadic and spread over more time, but they blew their load now. It makes me sad in particular because it means all of River's major, meaningful interactions were with the 11th Doctor, and I liked to think (even if off screen) she would have spread out further than that - meet the 12th, fall for the 11th, die with the 10th. Though she can certainly appear with 12 now, the bulk of her major events have happened with 11, and while there have been out of order events, the basic principle of their relationship is 'backwards.'
Too much too soon, sadly. Alas. Alex Kingston is brilliant, love her, and River is at her best in a support role - Library, Angels, Manhattan. When she steps forwards more for me she becomes a bit more unbearable.
EDIT: Just saw the photo from the 50th filming of
The RTD-era TARDIS; the slightly darker, more washed-out blue, there for the 10th Doctor and Rose.
Feels weird seeing that in this context again. It's clear now why they announced Tennant and Piper, anyway - they're filming outside, and in a very public sort of place. There's (long lens) photos of them and stuff from fans. There's still a fair chance of other people showing up either later in the filming block (and presumably announced before) or not getting announced at all because all their stuff is in the studio. They kept Timothy Dalton secret for about 6 months before someone leaked it, for instance, and he was even at the read through.
