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Fair enough - I guess they either made up or DC had it wrong to begin with.

Did he? That's interesting, I had no idea. He always seemed like an intriguing forgotten character. Do we know anything about his return?

Shocking and just awful. What a force of nature. I guess I should revisit Homicide - I know him best from so many other things.

Advance reviews (more than just this but I'm not posting them all) for the Christmas special are good: RTD claims there are no plans for Tennant to return. I think he will inevitably appear at some point, but what I've heard is he's definitely not back in the next year in any way: The second Series 14 episode referred to above re: the Beatles is titled "The Devil's Chord" and is rumored to be a musical episode. There are rumors that Fifteen shares a dance and kiss with Jonathan Groff's character (who may be a Time Agent) in the period episode later in the series with Indira Varma, but I don't know any more about that.

It just seems like a show with the name branded on it and little other connective tissue. I've seen some defenses of it (and suggestions it would fare better on CBS proper, since it is so conventional) but I haven't been remotely compelled to tune in.

Did Stafford take a shot at Ron there or are they good and she's just playing around? I seem to recall DC losing their minds blaming her and others for getting Ron fired at GH by going the network en masse. IIRC they specifically called out 'actors who Periscope,' an app Stafford used often at the time.

Yep. It was also this quote she directly addressed in her newsletter a few years ago, flat-out calling that interpretation "bullshît" and explaining what Paul's described here while still fulsomely complimenting Holly. In any event, I'm not gonna feed the troll trying to stir anything up.

It''s largely because they haven't actively pushed the specials. As RTD has said, the major Disney push begins with Gatwa now, the specials were a prologue for them.

Disney+ Christmas special teaser and more: The new cast at the Christmas special premiere (including Anita Dobson):

Goblin time (featuring some of the Christmas special):

Pretty sure that's already happened. And I know, whisking her off is probably a pipe dream.

The great comic creator and artist Ian Gibson - of 2000AD, Judge Dredd, etc. fame and co-creator most particularly of the unfinished female sci-fi epic The Ballad of Halo Jones with Alan Moore - has passed away in the little time it's taken me today to revisit its gorgeous omnibus edition. What a legacy.

A few bits apparently floating around from the sadly-unreleased-in-the-States InVision RTD commentary on this special:

This one's for @DRW50 This is an evil prank, but a funny one: I suspect that Shirley, Kate, Mel and whatever the Vlinx is are being set up for a UNIT spinoff in future, but I'm fairly sure all appear next series (we know Kate and Mel do).

The ratings were also higher for these specials than any DW since 2018.

Some interesting stuff here from RTD: He's suggested that the bi-generation/Toymaker's magic or whatever may have caused all the past Doctors bi-generate across their timelines and go on from their 'deaths' in future adventures, possibly in other splinter timelines (like the Tales of the TARDIS shorts). I think he's just riffing, but who knows.

I've talked about what I think GH should do with it, though they don't have the balls anymore: Brook Kerr's character and the other GH staff should break the law after an unexpected anti-abortion measure hits Port Charles in the local legislature and give a young patient an abortion when their birth control fails (specifically, Josslyn Jacks), with the help of Special Guest Star Angie Hubbard. Agnes' last gift to us in 2013 was a direct address to the camera from Debbi Morgan about exactly these kind of GOP measures, 10 years ago (re: Todd Akin, etc) when Angie cursed 'politicians' who would try to prevent her daughter from having an abortion. I will never forget that scene or the scathing electricity of it. No one will ever convince me Agnes didn't craft that material. It's the kind of thing she always did. The thing is that a lot of the Beltway media has been into this since at least the Reagan era. Cozying up to Republicans allows them to feel like they are in touch with 'real America,' because they have been conditioned to think they are too effete and liberal by definition as journalists, and that Republicans and their voters are salt of the earth because they said so 40+ years ago. We still get Jake Sherman breathlessly carrying water for any Republican hope he can find, and the jocular, masculine sports TV-esque energy of Congressional coverage overall. Republicans give them fun background and quotes, invite them to parties and they're all rich enough to know (or think) they won't be materially affected by GOP measures. So it's just a fun game of access and who's up and who's down. It's a privileged ouroboros. Meanwhile Biden is 'boring' and doesn't make them feel like part of the gang. Obama was the same. They tried so hard to tear him down and never could. I do think if Biden's WH can they should put that woman on a plane and get her the care she needs. A stunt? Sure, maybe. But a good one. Paxton would sue, the Republicans would impeach. Let them. The voters will decide.

RTD mentions Noele Gordon in here.

What I mean is I think that Catherine Tate and Donna have a bigger profile and following among DW fandom in the last decade - time marches on and Rose was surpassed a bit in audience appreciation. It doesn't mean I don't like Rose, and it has nothing to do with toxic fandom or misogynists that hate Jodie Whittaker. An opinion isn't automatically toxic just because you disagree with it. Anyway:

What the fûck do Rose or Donna have to do with Jodie Whittaker?

Donna has been more popular than Rose for a long time now, I'd argue. And now:

So: The Giggle. I can already tell which parts @DRW50 will not be a fan of! I did like this episode's OTT musical interlude though. If you bring in the Toymaker it is kind of an invitation to camp. Plus the character work in this episode was very strong and mature. Some thoughts (mostly spoilered): Ncuti Gatwa is already an incredible force. And