Doctor Who

[Vee]

The Christmas special is named The Husbands of River Song.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2015 by Vee

[Vee]

I just wanted to say Heaven Sent was great. Cheers.

[Vee]

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Edited December 5, 2015 by Vee

[Vee]

Christopher Eccleston reprises the Ninth Doctor for a sick fan. (Peter Capaldi also visited prior.)

Edited December 15, 2015 by Vee

[DRW50]

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Watched the Christmas special...it was frantic and slight (as most Christmas specials are), but a fun caper before packing a movingly understated punch in the last 15 minutes. I'm not a huge fan of those speeches where characters go on and on about how awesome and cold and terrible and wonderful the Doctor is, but Alex Kingston is certainly expert at giving them. It was very poignant, sexist trope or not, that River truly believed the Doctor could never love her - at least in the end she realized he did. Their final scene - accepting the finality of life as best they can - was a scene that felt mature rather than just played at being mature. And it was blessedly free of emo woe. If anyone got those last scenes I'm glad it was Capaldi, even though I will always see Smith/Kingston as the best of the three. I do hope this isn't the true end for River, but if it is, it was certainly done with respect and a showcase of everything about her.

 

(and some of her lines pissed off Ten/Rose shippers...even better!)

 

The guy who played Ramone was very very handsome.

[Vee]

I haven't seen it yet but I did love the Series 9 finale. It was a reasonably solid enough year albeit weirdly structured, but I loved the desperate sort of ending on Gallifrey.

[DRW50]

I haven't watched the season yet. I heard it was better (although a lot of people seemed to dislike Sleep No More and had the same issues with Maisie Williams that I long had on GoT), although the ratings were not good. I guess that must mean a new Doctor who will be a young hottie, and a young hot female companion he can make out with.

[Vee]

The ratings were a bit lower (likely because of a poor timeslot opposite other major programming), but pretty steady. Peter Capaldi is signed for the next series, so I'm not concerned about him.

 

I don't think it was as good as Series 8 which I thought was excellent, and I think the two-parter experiment had highlights and lesser lights but it was pretty solid overall with a great finish. I also think Maisie Williams was excellent in her latter appearances.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Vee

[Vee]

Tangential, but: Here's Matt Smith as the unmistakable Prince Philip, consort of Queen Elizabeth in this new sizzle reel for Netflix's upcoming The Crown.

 

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[Vee]

Steven Moffat is stepping down next year after a delayed Series 10 which will air in Spring 2017; Chris Chibnall is the new showrunner for Series 11 in '18.

 

BBC statement:

 

[DRW50]

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[Vee]

As I mostly suspected, Peter Capaldi has been asked to stay on for Series 11 in 2018, the show's first with Chris Chibnall. He hasn't decided yet.

[katie_9918]

I hope Peter decides to stay one more year, but I think the best we can hope for is Chibnall's first half-season. 

 

At least he's considering the possibility.

[DRW50]

I hope he stays on, but it seems like 3 seasons is the exit for most Doctors on the new show, aside from Eccleston. I'm surprised he's so open about it though.

[Vee]

 

I'd be shocked if they did another mid-season regeneration again any time soon. I'd be open to it with someone but it hasn't been done since Colin Baker, it's controversial and I don't think it will be again until at the very least the Chibnall era is firmly established.

 

Unlike both Tennant and Smith, Capaldi has a well-established, long and celebrated career - he doesn't need to leave to build his personal brand and spread his wings in Hollywood and/or other projects, which was a major part of both of their reasoning. I think if he leaves it will simply be because of the taxing grind of the schedule. He is a massive fan though, and I can see him deciding to break the three-season NuWho 'rule' and go for a longer run because he has nothing left to prove as an actor. I hope he does.