Xmas Special & the Series 6 Arc [Series 5 Spoilers]

pixelburp

Soooo... early days but I thought I'd get the ball rolling & throw a thread together to discuss the possible arc that the finale suggested

Episode 13 just ended, but despite most things getting tied up nicely in a bow, we're left with (and the Doctor references it) a massive loose end; who was the "silence will fall" fellow & what was controlling the TARDIS? The Doctor mentions it as they jet off at the end, so I'm presuming it's an arc that'll be explored. Like the continuity-error-that-wasn't, I wonder if there are clues in the previous episodes...

As a follow on: where does Amy's forgetfulness of the Daleks fit into things? Has the universe been completely restored - Victorian Cybermen and all - or was the finale a "reboot" of the continuity (Which, lets face it, RTD had fooked up by throwing Earth into one impossible scenario after another).

After all, the Daleks have been restored with their new (ergh) design, so as a lead on, could the Time Lords be back too? Perhaps the pandorica was a Time Lord design, who knows?

Also - River Song, what's going on there eh? So in the finale we meet her after she's done this terrible thing & Got imprisoned for it. Her mysterious clues & demeanour suggest it's something to do with the Doctor, but what?

pixelburp

Oh and I forgot - I think the monster for the Xmas special has been spoiled already. Eagle eyed fans spotted the following on the personal website of the concept artist for the show (one Peter McKinstry):

http://www.petermckinstry.com/page19.htm

For those who don't know the old series:

That's a yeti, a robot-alien-thing from the 60s series that was controlled by some equally-alien being

Raedwald

pixelburp wrote: »

Also - River Song, what's going on there eh? So in the finale we meet her after she's done this terrible thing & Got imprisoned for it. Her mysterious clues & demeanour suggest it's something to do with the Doctor, but what?

Moffet said in a recent interview that what and who she is could be completely left field to what most fans assume/think she is ( Doctors wife ). Me I dont what to think and im always completely miles of the mark as well when it comes to guessing this stuff.

We all know she dies and that she knows his name and her timeline is all over the shop when it comes to the doctor and she has her diary of their story and she killed a man, " the greatest man she ever knew" does point at the doctor or her husband....

Series 6 should be fun although i dont think the story will be revealed until series 7 and that the valeyard/bad part of the doctor will be shown as the puppet master pulling all the strings.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Can we assume that Rory will be an official companion next series? In the opening credits and everything? I really hope so - one of the best parts of the classic series was when the Doctor used to have 2-4 companions at any one time... Makes things much more interesting...

BlitzKrieg

As a follow on: where does Amy's forgetfulness of the Daleks fit into things? Has the universe been completely restored - Victorian Cybermen and all - or was the finale a "reboot" of the continuity (Which, lets face it, RTD had fooked up by throwing Earth into one impossible scenario after another).

I thought Amy's forgetfulness had been explained...She'd been sleeping beside a crack her whole life and its been having a circuler effect, sucking up her personal memories and family members etc very slowly and pouring the universe out onto her. Hence her experiances of the dalek invasions etc are *poof* gone, but should be restored now with the repaired cracks in theory.


On River, I think

my earlier suspect that she is involved intentionally/not intentionally with the tardis going *boom*

may lead on to some fruitition.

her relationship with the doctor is a sort warp variant of his relationship with the master, they are enemies but its been going on for so long that they had developed a somewhat respectable relationship towards each other. I think River is going to be introduced to the doctor in an antagonistic role and because she is mortal she has a much more accellerated mutual respect and later friendship development. So I wouldnt be surprised if the first time we meet river, she will be young, headstrong and a complete b*tch who the doctor will keep trying to reach out to and getting stabbed for it until much much later on when she starts to mellow out

For christmas special I hope Moffet will try and tell a specific kind of story rather then a peace and goodwill sfx christmas hamfest. Perhaps with it being on the orient express it will go for a murder mystery kind of theme, just to spice things up.

For next season, I expect a much more prominant main story arc, but not necessarily a direct one chasing a specific cause or character, but rather him bouncing around looking for possible causes for the tardis to explode, starting with *how can it* and working his way up to *who would*

Daemos

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

For christmas special I hope Moffet will try and tell a specific kind of story rather then a peace and goodwill sfx christmas hamfest. Perhaps with it being on the orient express it will go for a murder mystery kind of theme, just to spice things up.

Might be bad news for you then, because Smith described the Christmas episode as the "most Christmassy special there'll ever be"

Also I don't think the Christmas episode will be based on the Orient Express thing anyway, I think it was just Moffat ending the series with an in-joke at how ridiculous things can be, what was it, he was talking to the Queen about something that had escaped on the Orient Express in space?

BlitzKrieg

i heard egyptian goddess loose on the orient express

Pittens

Also - River Song, what's going on there eh? So in the finale we meet her after she's done this terrible thing & Got imprisoned for it. Her mysterious clues & demeanour suggest it's something to do with the Doctor, but what?

river is strange in this universe - the reboot.

1) Why does she remember the Doctor before Amy?
2) Was she born in the UK in the 20th century?

I dont think 2) is correct.

As for the reboot, I mentioned this is the other thread, is Rose now just living a normal life in England somewhere? Did nothing in the Doctor's memories ever happen - but, why then would the Earth be safe? Or did she, by remembering him bring all he did back to play? thats a weird one.

think it was just Moffat ending the series with an in-joke at how ridiculous things can be, what was it, he was talking to the Queen about something that had escaped on the Orient Express in space?

Taking the piss out of the RTD era Titanic in Space episode?

BuffyBot

Taking the piss out of the RTD era Titanic in Space episode?

That was my first thought..didn't the Queen thank him in that episode

Also Starring LeVar Burton

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

Might be bad news for you then, because Smith described the Christmas episode as the "most Christmassy special there'll ever be"

Well that's strange since he said today that he hasn't read the script yet...

pixelburp

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

Might be bad news for you then, because Smith described the Christmas episode as the "most Christmassy special there'll ever be"

Also I don't think the Christmas episode will be based on the Orient Express thing anyway, I think it was just Moffat ending the series with an in-joke at how ridiculous things can be, what was it, he was talking to the Queen about something that had escaped on the Orient Express in space?

Yup; sounded to me like a definite dig in the ribs to RTD & his ludicrous Christmas plots (oh god please don't remind me of the Titanic episode).

I have often wondered what Moffat honestly thought of RTD's tenure & specifically Davies' plots, characterisations and general tone of the show. You only have to watch the first episode of Series 5 and the tone is so vastly different, you'd wonder if Moffat wasn't exactly a flag-waving fan of all the farting, campiness & chavs.

sceptre

BuffyBot wrote: »

That was my first thought..didn't the Queen thank him in that episode

Indeed

<queeny voice> Thank you doctor (queen wave)</queeny voice>

Coldzone

pixelburp wrote: »

Also - River Song, what's going on there eh? So in the finale we meet her after she's done this terrible thing & Got imprisoned for it. Her mysterious clues & demeanour suggest it's something to do with the Doctor, but what?

I was thinking that River could be the Doctor's mother as it would explain how she knew his real name and knows so much about him

Daemos

Coldzone wrote: »

I was thinking that River could be the Doctor's mother as it would explain how she knew his real name and knows so much about him

Well then she's a a pretty pervy mother trying to convince her son that they're married :eek::D

.SONIC.

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

i heard egyptian goddess loose on the orient express

could this be river song?? seeing as she was dressed up as cleopatra during the 12th episode??

Raedwald

.SONIC. wrote: »

could this be river song?? seeing as she was dressed up as cleopatra during the 12th episode??

I dont think it will be her but i do think she will be in the episode, maybe a quick teaser of what is to come in the next series.

popebenny16

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

Well then she's a a pretty pervy mother trying to convince her son that they're married :eek::D

timey wimey stuff, she could be his mother and wife. handy.

pixelburp wrote: »

Yup; sounded to me like a definite dig in the ribs to RTD & his ludicrous Christmas plots (oh god please don't remind me of the Titanic episode).

I have often wondered what Moffat honestly thought of RTD's tenure & specifically Davies' plots, characterisations and general tone of the show. You only have to watch the first episode of Series 5 and the tone is so vastly different, you'd wonder if Moffat wasn't exactly a flag-waving fan of all the farting, campiness & chavs.

from reading his interviews and snippets on confidential i think you are right. RTD never rewrote stephens stuff and never assigned him a story like the other writers and would wait to see what came in.

R28

popebenny16 wrote: »

timey wimey stuff, she could be his mother and wife. handy.

Handy? Or maybe the other thing....Oedipal. :eek:

Stark

"It's more like a big ball of wibby wobbly timey wimey... incest. Yeah that one kind of got away from me".

popebenny16

reminds me of zaphod bebblebrox "there was an accident with a condom and a time machine"

popebenny16

also reminds me of the 7th doctors line to Mel of her going before she came

/smut

aidan_walsh

Interesting line from Moffat during Confidential:

Who are The Silence?

norrie rugger

aidan_walsh wrote: »

Interesting line from Moffat during Confidential:

Who are The Silence?

Who instead of What? Interesting indeed

nicowa

norrie rugger wrote: »

Who instead of What? Interesting indeed

That's what I thought... hmm indeed...

CramCycle

Coldzone wrote: »

I was thinking that River could be the Doctor's mother as it would explain how she knew his real name and knows so much about him

I thought you seen the Doctors mother in the last episode of Tennants range standing beside The King

As for all the confusion about a reset, I thought the Doctor made up some bull about all the info being in Ponds head and then in another scene saying that inside The Pandorica there were atoms from the original universe which would be enough to give a base template to reset it as was before hand, using the TARDIS to reset everything at every timepoint instantaneously. So basically, with the exception of that fluff scene of him only appearing when she remembered, everything should be back to how it would have been if the crack had never existed.

The other explanation is that everything was reset except for what was swallowed by the Crack and only reset thanks to her memories, and when she remembered anything about these people, everyone else filled in the blanks, a self rectifying paradox as only Doctor Who can.

Could the silence be a race of entities from the dead space between universes who are a bit peeved with The Doctor

Killer_banana

As far as I remember Moffat said

'What is the silence? who are the silence?'

The use of both could either be a clue or him trying to throw us off. You can never tell with him.

As for River, he said who she is will be revealed next season. I still think wife.

Edit: Just found some info on the Christmas special.

Filming for the Christmas Special will begin July 12-16 in Swansea. The episode is being written by Steven Moffat and will feature both a former cast member of legendary British soap Eastenders and a Hollywood actor. There are also rumors of a “big, big name playing a massive role”, which likely describes one of those two other people. “Silence”, the major arc of series six, is mentioned at least once in the special, and we hear again from the creepy voice first heard in the TARDIS duringThe Pandorica Opens – apparently this voice still has some control of the TARDIS.
As for the story itself, this is still up in the air. It was originally thought the special would be set in 1500′s England, possibly involving Henry VIII. However, the lines about the Egyptian goddess and the Orient Express in space at the end of The Big Bang were an absolute last minute addition, so they may represent the new direction for the special.
Either way, there are rumors the special will have undertones of A Christmas Carol – something that’s been rumored since at least The Runaway Bride,

More here: http://www.anglotopia.net/doctor-who/doctor-who-2010-christmas-special-news-and-series-6-news-spoilers/

There's also some stuff about series six as well.

K-9

Killer_banana wrote: »

As far as I remember Moffat said

'What is the silence? who are the silence?'

The use of both could either be a clue or him trying to throw us off. You can never tell with him.

As for River, he said who she is will be revealed next season. I still think wife.

Edit: Just found some info on the Christmas special.

Filming for the Christmas Special will begin July 12-16 in Swansea. The episode is being written by Steven Moffat and will feature both a former cast member of legendary British soap Eastenders and a Hollywood actor. There are also rumors of a “big, big name playing a massive role”, which likely describes one of those two other people. “Silence”, the major arc of series six, is mentioned at least once in the special, and we hear again from the creepy voice first heard in the TARDIS duringThe Pandorica Opens – apparently this voice still has some control of the TARDIS.
As for the story itself, this is still up in the air. It was originally thought the special would be set in 1500′s England, possibly involving Henry VIII. However, the lines about the Egyptian goddess and the Orient Express in space at the end of The Big Bang were an absolute last minute addition, so they may represent the new direction for the special.
Either way, there are rumors the special will have undertones of A Christmas Carol – something that’s been rumored since at least The Runaway Bride,

More here: http://www.anglotopia.net/doctor-who/doctor-who-2010-christmas-special-news-and-series-6-news-spoilers/

There's also some stuff about series six as well.

Wow, they've really got a legend of an actor for the Christmas Special.

Contains spoilers but think it will be hard to avoid the news.

BBC - Doctor Who - Christmas Guest Stars Revealed! - News & Features

Blogtor Who

BBC - Press Office - Production starts on the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2010


Don't know about the idea of

A Christmas Carol but Gambon is an amazing catch. Don't know much about Katherine Jenkins but she is stunning.

MrVestek

Killer_banana wrote: »

As far as I remember Moffat said

apparently this voice still has some control of the TARDIS.

I reckon the silence has been controlling the TARDIS since it crash landed after regeneration. The doctor has never been that bad trying to bring companions around time and space. In nearly every single episode he landed somewhere he had no intention of going to.

Arriving back late during the TARDIS' regeneration etc.

Y'never know it's just an idea.

L

I'm still half expecting River Song to be the Rani

MrVestek

L wrote: »

I'm still half expecting River Song to be the Rani

Ohhh that'd be good!

pixelburp

Here's something tangible to get excited about - a set photo from the xmas episode. Yes indeed people, there will be snow

http://www.pixelburp.com/temp/christmas_2010.jpg

Killer_banana

When is there not snow?

Raedwald

Has to be snow with it being a xmas special.

Does anyone have any info on the plot for it?

pixelburp

More good news; according to Moffat, the Daleks will not be appearing in the new season. Or at least, they're not in any of the completed scripts so far:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/s7/doctor-who/news/a269483/moffat-no-daleks-in-next-who-series.html

pixelburp

Let's really get this forum back humming again with ... some clips from the upcoming Xmas special. Now, when I say "clips", it's basically some snippets from a BBC trailer, but then beggers can't be choosers in September

http://io9.com/5651751/first-footage-of-doctor-whos-christmas-special

Doctor Who meets Scrooge? It's a better idea than robot santas

Doctor DooM

It's only 17 seconds but it already looks win.

Doctor DooM

In the full winter preview there's a shot of Matt Smith in a hat (non fezular in a Godwinny location, I assume Germany), is this also from the Christmas special I wonder or has he been cheating on us?

Daemos

9, 10 and 11 all in the same trailer? :eek:

Cue baseless speculation and hope

R28

Doctor DooM wrote: »

In the full winter preview there's a shot of Matt Smith in a hat (non fezular in a Godwinny location, I assume Germany), is this also from the Christmas special I wonder or has he been cheating on us?

He's been cheating. He's playing as gay novelist Christopher Isherwood in a drama set in 30's Berlin called Christopher and his Kind. http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/christopher-and-his-kind/

Although a nazi fighting Doctor episode would have been fun.

aidan_walsh

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/10/06/5584/

Neil Gaiman’s script for the beloved British Doctor Who is decidedly Doctor Who, the fantasist said this past Sunday, during a segment of the three-day, celeb-infused New Yorker Festival. “Classic Doctor Who episodes are always filmed at some point in a quarry, and I’m incredibly pleased to say they have spent the last week filming in a quarry, in the rain, which is awesome.

The episode is set to air around Easter of next year, and will feature actress Suranne Jones in a guest role as a character called Idris, who Gaiman revealed “may very well be an old acquaintance of the doctor with a new face.”

”

K-9

Forgot to post this but I'm sure most are aware of it, plus it's BBC Press office, so no need for spoliers:

Moffat is saying the next series will be split, 1-7 at Easter time, which will be Series 6 and will end with a cliff hanger and the other 6 in the Autumn., Series 7.

wrote:

BBC Press Office:]

The BBC and Steven Moffat have announced today that the transmission of the next series of Doctor Who, in 2011, will be split into two blocks, transmitting in spring and autumn.
The split transmission is the result of a request from Steven Moffat to write a new Doctor Who story arc which involves a big plot twist in the middle of the series. By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.
Steven Moffat said: "The split series is hugely exciting because viewers will be treated to two premieres, two finales and more event episodes. For the kids it will never be more than a few months to the next Doctor Who! Easter, Autumn, Christmas!!"

The Recliner

I don't object to them being split like that, I am currently starting to twitch from the lack of new Who

Daemos

The Recliner wrote: »

I don't object to them being split like that, I am currently starting to twitch from the lack of new Who

New Sarah Jane in half an hour might ease the tension

sundaybrunch

The doctor will regenerate into Joanna Lumley...

Daemos

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/10_october/26/cin2.shtml

Sneak preview of the Christmas special during Children in Need on November 19th. Third year in a row so no surprise, but should be good nonetheless.

CramCycle

Welch singing girl, Katherine Jenkins, is the main female role in the christmas special playing someone called Abigail.