h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm assuming that if you read spoilers for one Special, you'll read any of them ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/090123_news_01

- Planet of the Dead is the first of four Doctor Who Specials which will air in 2009.

- Noma Dumezweni who returns as Captain Erisa Magambo - last seen helping Rose and Donna save the world in Turn Left.

- The bottom of the Who site says next episode ... Planet of the Dead - Easter, BBC One.

"at the end of the DW Confidential that introduced the 11th Doctor, there was a caption "THE ELEVENTH DOCTOR ARRIVING SPRING 2010"; how does the regeneration fit into the scheduling of the specials and series 5"

So there's a time for the new episode!?!?! About time.

I'm assuming that the Dt into Matt Smith regeneration will be at the end of the last special. At least they'd have to do it that way, surely?

There's gossip in my newspaper today about who the next companion will be. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2356940/ - Hannah Murray (Cassie Ainsworth from "Skins")

Some websites also joining in the fun, too numerous to link to (and some may not pass the filter anyway) just google "hannah murray doctor who"

Interesting. Not too familiar with her, but I'm sure she'll be an interesting companion.

I think she'd be fantastic as a companion

Just hope there's someone everyone can agree on for a change!

But if we all agreed, life would be too boring!

"But if we all agreed, life would be too boring!"

Or we'd all be cybermen ...

Aaaaarrrgghhh!!!!! Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!

I know it's from the Sun but did anyone see this?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article2329695.ece

And I've also heard a rumour that nurse Redfearn will be in the specials; she's made a fortune by releasing the 'Journal of impossible dreams' But, as my source said, this rumour is worth taking with a pinch of salt.

"I know it's from the Sun but did anyone see this?"

Funnily enough ... no.

What they are proposing ... didn't we essentially get that at end of series 4 with Stolen Earth / Journey's End.

My thoughts exactly but nothing would surprise me with RTD

There's an interview with DT & RTD in the most recent Sunday Times Culture section. The interview doesn't let on much about the specials but the preamble states that there will be a special in autumn and then two over xmas/new year. It's a bit of a shame because the new year's eve/new year's day scenario sounded brilliant, especially in the sense of an old school cliffhanger, but it's also not a shame because autumn comes sooner than xmas day. My bet would be that we can expect specials in autumn and on xmas day and on new year's day.

Doctor Who on new year's day; what a way to start 2010

>What they are proposing ... didn't we essentially get that at end of series 4 with Stolen Earth / Journey's End.

My feelings exactly. We've already had this scenario and I doubt very much that the same writer would use it again in the space of a year (and if he does, then RTD deserves all the finger-pointing and "booo"-ing people can muster).

There are other reasons for scepticism. RTD was already pushing it by bringing Rose back in "The Stolen Earth" when he'd had the audience put so much emotional investment in her being "trapped" in a parallel universe in "Doomsday"; when he brought her back it negated the idea that she was truly unable to reach the Doctor again. RTD had to re-enforce the barrier between them in "Journey's End"; almost like bricking up a door that had been previously knocked-in and saying "now *that's* going to hold!". He won't do it again unless he really is an atrocious writer with no understanding of TV drama and whilst I would go so far to call myself a critic of a lot of his stuff I don't believe he's that at all.

Additionally, Simm returning as the Master? No. For one, Simm is an actor who plays a role and moves on; and he does so swiftly at that. He's never stayed with a series for more than two seasons and I don't think he's ever "returned" to a role after a gap. I think part of the reason that the Master's Simm incarnation was so decisively destroyed in "Last of the Timelords" was to ensure that Simm couldn't return to the role, even if the Master himself might re-appear. I also think RTD genuinely has no plans to bring the Master back; I think he'll leave that to Moffat and co.

"We've already had this scenario and I doubt very much that the same writer would use it again in the space of a year"

'though sadly he did pull the Rose "This is how I died" and Donna "The most faithful companion will die" trick within the space of two ...

But overall Zagreb I think your post is absolutely right. I think it's just lazy journalism by The Sun, or RTD is muttering stuff to send them down the wrong path.

That said, I could see Donna making a 'surprise' return ...

""We've already had this scenario and I doubt very much that the same writer would use it again in the space of a year"

'though sadly he did pull the Rose "This is how I died" and Donna "The most faithful companion will die" trick within the space of two ..."

I'd say that comes under "similar but different". RTD re-used the same *general idea* (or rather hook) in those instances but certainly not in the same way - Rose was (supposedly) left permanently shut-off from the Doctor whilst Donna simply forgets about him. The similarity, in both instances, is that RTD mis-used "die" in order to reel the viewer in expecting a more dramatic conclusion.

However, in this instance, I think it's more the case that RTD would be using the same trick wholesale - that of bringing all the previous companions back for a major confrontation with a villain. That's not something you can really dress up in any other way and the whole point of using it in "Journey's End" (apart from to hook the viewer) was to make it clear that this was RTD's big finale as far as the series proper was concerned - gathering all his characters together so he (and we) can say goodbye to them.

I think the specials are more about his epilogue - following the Doctor until his regeneration. I could be wrong (certain new developments suggest RTD will dovetail this with the series proper more than I expected) but I think he will avoid delving too much back into the characters he created from 2005-2008 and has, essentially, largely put to bed.

I'd go along with that Zagreb. Rose and Donna's endings were different and it made sense ( if that makes sense) for the companions to come back for the season 4 finale. My only misgivings are that the 'get out' in the season 3 finale (chanting the Doctor's name &c) was poor and there must've been some significance to the "Flash Gordon" bit. Maybe it was just to keep people wondering whether the Master was really dead or not. I know what you mean about John Simm but I wouldn't be too sure that he wouldn't come back for an episode or a special. However, I think you're right that RTD is better than that.

Having read the Sun rumour, I did wonder if he might flip things round and make DT's Doctor need to find Rose (because The Doctor needs his 'other self' or something) but it was pure speculation. Whatever happens in the specials, I still trust RTD to make a good job of them.

Perhaps The Sun rumour has substance ...

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/2009/04/14/catherine-tate-spotted-filming-doctor-who-in-swansea-sun-91466-23378630/

And it is alleged that a blond-haired John Simm has also been seen on set. "He will knock four times" seems like such an unsubtle clue that the Master will be back that I wonder if it was a pisstaking red-herring from RTD!

I want to know if the Ice Warriors will be in The Waters of Mars.

"He will knock four times" seems like such an unsubtle clue

Well ... must admit it was my first thought ... yet to the casual fans it might not be so obvious ... and can a bit of finger drumming really be classed as knocking? (Answer: with RTD, yes it can given the tenuous suggestion that Donna died).