# The TIME of the Doctor (further Assimilated - but not exterminated)



## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

The 50th anniversary episode is today! It comes on at 1:50 pm my time and it's like an early Christmas!

I am in full Doctor geek mode. Cyberman T-shirt, Doctor Who socks and sonic screwdriver nearby.

Anyone else in full Doctor Who mode today?


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Um....as long as it doesn't involve wearing Dr. Who stuff, I am.  *waves*

watching episodes now....

Betsy


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2013)

On in 30 minutes. Huzzah!


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## The world would be prettier with more zebra strip (Apr 20, 2011)

I made a cake with the Tardis on it. It's not professional, but it's still awesome to me.


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## cecilia_writer (Dec 28, 2010)

My sons are at a Dr Who party, and one of their friends appears to have painted one of the doors in his house to look like the Tardis door. I don't think they have managed to work out how to do that thing about the inside being bigger than the outside though.


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## Lionel&#039;s Mom (Aug 22, 2013)

We don't get to meet the new Dr. until after xmas, right? There's a google doodle today for 50 years. I love that show!


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## Irisdeorre (Jul 26, 2011)

Can't wait only a few more minutes!


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## Seanathin23 (Jul 24, 2011)

cassidycayman said:


> We don't get to meet the new Dr. until after xmas, right? There's a google doodle today for 50 years. I love that show!


Correct, today is the 50th anniversary special with 10 and 11. Christmas is when we see Matt Smith regenerate into Peter Capaldi as the 12th.

We don't get BBC here in the islands, so I've got to wait until the internet puts it online....so long still to wait!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Folks,

we're discussing the Doctor in Not Quite Kindle. This thread will be assimilated.



Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

'kay . . . that was very good. . . . . now to watch again more closely.


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

That was pretty awesome.  Loved Hurt's Doctor. Do we call him 9 now?


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

For me it lived up to the hype completely. I truly loved it. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. OK, so, technically Peter Capaldi will be the 13th Doctor - and Timelords only got 13 regenerations, right? How is he going to get more?


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

Watched it tonight. In preparation, earlier in the day I watched part one of "An Unearthly Child," and it had been at least a couple of decades since I'd seen that episode.

I like the "new" Who, but I love the old shows. That being said, I thought the 50th anniversary special was fantastic ... funny, dramatic, tearful, and some great writing.

SPOILER

By the way, Tom Baker was my Doctor,


Spoiler



so it was a thrill to see him again


.


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## Nicholas Andrews (Sep 8, 2011)

I can't speak for those who have been watching for decades (I only started in 200, but I felt like this anniversary special was exactly what it needed to be. Since I'm fairly new, David Tennant was "my" Doctor, so it was great to see him return in a large role. Lots of nice touches for fans like Osgood wearing the (Fourth?) Doctor's scarf.



Spoiler



I kind of figured they would incorporate all the Doctors in the climax somehow, and wasn't disappointed. Awesome moment.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

balaspa said:


> For me it lived up to the hype completely. I truly loved it. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. OK, so, technically Peter Capaldi will be the 13th Doctor - and Timelords only got 13 regenerations, right? How is he going to get more?


Here's what Steven Moffat said on that in _Doctor Who Magazine_:

"I've been really, really quite careful about the numbering of the Doctors. He's very specific, the John Hurt Doctor, that he doesn't take the name of the Doctor. He doesn't call himself that. He's the same Time Lord, the same being as the Doctors either side of him, but he's the one who says, 'I'm not the Doctor.' So the Eleventh Doctor is still the Eleventh Doctor, the Tenth Doctor is still the Tenth&#8230;"

"Technically, if you really counted it, the David Tennant Doctor is two Doctors, on account of the Meta-Crisis Doctor [in Journey's End]&#8230; It's not a matter of counting the regenerations, but of counting the faces of the Time Lord that calls himself the Doctor. There's an anomaly Doctor slotted in somewhere, that's all. In the script to The Day of the Doctor, Matt's Doctor was called the Eleventh, and David's was called the Tenth, so the numbering stays exactly the same - and we call Peter Capaldi the Twelfth Doctor."

Moffat has also said that the rule is, essentially, that there are only 12 regenerations allowed. So, yeah, 1 + 12 means 13 total. But there's a loophole in there somewhere, because even discounting the War Doctor and the MetaCrisis doctor, that means Capaldi is the last -- which makes no sense as the show is in the height of it's popularity so unless he hoses the whole thing, it WILL go on. So I'm guessing it's fungible and they'll come up with some explanation, even if the designation of Tenth, Eleventh, etc. are maintained for easy of reference.

There was a bunch of regeneration transfer that happened when River Song was born out of Amy and Rory's friend "Mels". (_Let's Kill Hitler_) And there was some sort of regeneration anomaly in the 8th doctor Movie -- the Master was trying to steal the Docto'rs regenerations. Also, Ten absorbed a LOT of radiation at the end of his life; maybe that meant he couldn't go on as Ten, but who knows what it might have done in terms of re-starting a regeneration count. In that episode, the Master was also dead but found a way to get himself resurrected. AND if you saw the mini episode that is a prequel to _The Day of the Doctor_ where Eight _chooses_ to become the War Doctor to end the time war (as a Time Lord, he'd become a frightening figure to people rather than one of hope because of the war) there was some sort of elixir he took that changed things.

So, assuming Capaldi doesn't destroy the franchise, I'm sure they'll figure out a way to continue.

Did anyone else watch the docudrama _An Adventure in Time and Space_ that kind of showed how the show came to be? I found that rather interesting. And I loved a lot of the references to previous doctors in _The Day of the Doctor_. The 'circle-y things' in the old Tardis, Tom Baker's scarf. The Fez. Bad Wolf. I'm pretty sure there's some reference to every one of them worked in; I just have to watch more closely.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

There's a bit of a disagreement between the lore and Stephen Moffat on the generations. Supposedly River Song gave up her leftover generations to the Doctor, which could be up to ten more. Moffat claims that she used them all up, however, and that the Doctor is still stuck at thirteen. As for Capaldi not being the 13th,


Spoiler



they did at the end of the special name John Hurt the Doctor and even showed him regenerating. He was featured in his place in line with all the other Doctors, so I would say he counted as a regeneration and Capaldi is on 13.


 This could entirely change when Moffat leaves the show, which many think will be after this season.

I guess I'll spoiler tag the rest of this even though you shouldn't be silly enough to venture into the thread if you didn't want spoilers.


Spoiler



I am still a bit trepidatious as to what everything that happened in the special truly means. It was great, and I enjoyed it a lot, but I feel like we just hit the biggest change in the Doctor since Eccleston took the series back over after the long hiatus. So now the Doctor has still lived with the guilt of what he did, but made amends for it and actually reversed it. I have to imagine this will have an effect on his psyche. And now the show seems to have a very real purpose in that he'll be focused on finding Gallifrey. Does this mean we're going to see less of him saving Earth?

I have to say I was a little disappointed with how they used Billie Piper. I guess we couldn't expect Rose since that'd mean bringing another Tennant into the mix, but I wanted to see Rose... not some AI's version of a Rose/Bad Wolf hybrid. And we still don't know what in the world her channeling Bad Wolf means. The Doctor is shocked to hear her say it, then it's immediately forgotten and swept under the rug. I think that's going to have big repercussions coming up.

I thought it would have been interesting to take it an entirely different way. Have them set Gallifrey right and have that ripple effect follow his life from that moment forward. It could end up meaning that in his regenerations that he never turned into Matt Smith or even David Tennant, but he regenerated into other forms and had other adventures and eventually end up as Capaldi instead of Smith. It would have definitely been a bigger shake up than what even happened, but I think it would have been a lot more interesting than giving an easy out and saying Hurt's Doctor just wouldn't remember anything.



Also... he's The Doctor, not a doctor. So it's Doctor Who, not Dr. Who or Who PhD. In fact, the Who bit isn't even part of his name. It's just what people ask him when he tells them he's the Doctor. Just a small pet peeve of mine ><


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

John Hurt's Doctor was a big disappointment to me. I was expecting a really sinister character. I was expecting him to be all the dark stuff that the Doctor normally represses. But...nope.



Scheherazade said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> I have to say I was a little disappointed with how they used Billie Piper. I guess we couldn't expect Rose since that'd mean bringing another Tennant into the mix, but I wanted to see Rose... not some AI's version of a Rose/Bad Wolf hybrid. And we still don't know what in the world her channeling Bad Wolf means. The Doctor is shocked to hear her say it, then it's immediately forgotten and swept under the rug. I think that's going to have big repercussions coming up.


Yeah, I was really confused about why he didn't react more to that reference. Was a bit sloppy in my opinion. And I also really wanted to see proper Rose Tyler.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The Doctor is in the Guinness Book of World Records!

http://www.doctorwho.tv/whats-new/article/guinness-world-record-for-the-day-of-the-doctor


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

SarahCarter said:


> Yeah, I was really confused about why he didn't react more to that reference. Was a bit sloppy in my opinion. And I also really wanted to see proper Rose Tyler.


I think it's Moffat's hamfisted attempt at foreshadowing a huge plot element which he hopes he glossed over enough for us to forget then realize later, "Wow! That was really important, I can't believe I missed that!" Which is in direct contrast to his usual, "And here is a final episode where I tie everything together in a dazzling sort of way to make you think I am an amazing weaver of suspense and intrigue, but the events are so unrelated and the connections so bizarre that there's no way anyone would have been able to puzzle them out anyway." What's weird is he _can_ do that with Sherlock to an extent, though it means Sherlock has to ignore obvious things sometimes, but he just isn't good at it with the Doctor.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I think I could somehow stand an entire season of Tennant and Smith as a team. They could call it _Doctor Who: The Hope and Crosby Years_.  

Mike


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

jmiked said:


> I think I could somehow stand an entire season of Tennant and Smith as a team. They could call it _Doctor Who: The Hope and Crosby Years_.
> 
> Mike


They were good together . . . . I hope some enterprising someone is thinking up a good vehicle for the pair of them.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

*snort*

Or Dean and Martin.....but I'm not sure if that would be for an older or younger crowd.  Or about the same...

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Jeeves and Wooster


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I think they'd be more Wooster and Wooster.  Though if you throw Stephen Fry into the mix I think we're onto something.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

Here's a really hilarious short episode written and directed by Peter Davison (5th Doctor) and meant to be watched after the special. It has tons of references, cameos and easter eggs. It's called "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot" and is very good.









http://io9.com/classic-doctor-who-actors-try-to-join-the-special-in-a-1470442008

Here is another short the BBC released tying into the special, "She said, He said - a Prequel by Steven Moffat":





And another mini-episode prequel tying into the special, "The Last Day"


Spoiler



(think sky trenches)







I hope everyone got to see "The Night of the Doctor" as it really is a nice segue into "The Day of the Doctor"





and one last thing that will help with viewing the Five(ish) episode:

If you don't know,


Spoiler



Fun Doctor Who fact: Did you know that David Tennant (10th Doctor) married Georgia Moffett (who played the 10th Doctor's daughter) who is the real life daughter of Peter Davison (5th Doctor) She makes a cameo in her dad's hilarious short that is linked above and was an Executive Producer, listed in the credits as Georgia Tennant.



A very short clip The Five Doctors -- Official Doctor Who 50th Celebration :





and the trailer for "The Fall Of The Eleventh - Christmas day 2013"





I hope I got them all - I think these all add very much to the story in the special.

It was awesome!

oooo find one more that is really good - "Doctor Who - 50th Anniversary Trailer - An Introduction to Doctor Who "


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The Five(ish) Doctors was very good!


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## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

I avoided the recording on TV and instead caught it in 3D last night at the theater.

1. The Sontarans doing a proper theater etiquette video was so hilarious.
2. The Tenannt/Smith intro to the show and picking on each other for physical defects that were going to be prominent in 3D, was great.
3. The post show 15 minute special was awesome.

Of course sitting in a packed theater with other Who fans was awesome. When we had sound problems during previews, people were pointing their sonic screwdrivers at the screen. I was sitting behind a family that were all wearing knitted Dalek caps. There were little kids complete with bow-tie and Fez.



Spoiler



Relating to the Tennant/Georgia marriage: Matt Smith cracked a joke in an interview that now he was retiring from being The Doctor he needed to marry a former Doctor's daughter.


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

Thanks for links, especially the Five(ish) Doctors!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

How in love with this episode was I? Not only did I watch the original broadcast on Saturday - then I watched it rebroadcast the same day. Then my wife and I went to our local movie theater and watched it again last night - in 3D.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

O.K., so seeing a Sontaran version of the usual theatre etiquette video would be worth the price of admission.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Yeah, I will never think if popcorn the same way again.

Anyone else going through a bit of post-Day of the Doctor depression? Despite seeing it 3 times, I am feeling a bit sad it's now over. I want more Doctor this weekend. I want an 8th Doctor series on Netflix. I want to see the regeneration of Matt Smith.

I am too impatient and Christmas seems so far away...and then I'll be depressed again once the Christmas special is over.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

balaspa said:


> Yeah, I will never think if popcorn the same way again.
> 
> Anyone else going through a bit of post-Day of the Doctor depression? Despite seeing it 3 times, I am feeling a bit sad it's now over. I want more Doctor this weekend. I want an 8th Doctor series on Netflix. I want to see the regeneration of Matt Smith.
> 
> I am too impatient and Christmas seems so far away...and then I'll be depressed again once the Christmas special is over.


did you look at all the videos i posted that tie into the anniversary special and Christmas special back on the bottom of the first page of this thread?

They should help a little bit with your post-Doctor blues....


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

There was a really good special on last week -- might be re-aired or might be available as a BBCA video. . . . I missed it but got it via xfinity on demand.  It was called "The Science of Doctor Who" and featured Brian Cox who is, I gather, a rock musician turned physicist.  It was a very accessible explanation of space, time, and how the Tardis works.  Scientifically. Very Cool.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> There was a really good special on last week -- might be re-aired or might be available as a BBCA video. . . . I missed it but got it via xfinity on demand. It was called "The Science of Doctor Who" and featured Brian Cox who is, I gather, a rock musician turned physicist. It was a very accessible explanation of space, time, and how the Tardis works. Scientifically. Very Cool.


I think I found it - is this it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO2YovSZEyA


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

wilsondm2 said:


> I think I found it - is this it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO2YovSZEyA


Yes! It's excellent.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Watched it live Saturday. Watched it again Monday, and again last night. My brother in law hadn't seen it yet, so we had a Thanksgiving Doctor Whofest.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

My niece went to the Monday movie theater showing -- in Erie PA. . . .she said it was great . . .  I gather the boyfriend had gotten tickets as soon as they came available.  Of course, her mom thought she should have been in class or studying or something rather than going to a movie . . . . well, yeah, but you can do that ANYTIME!   She said most everyone was dressed up somehow.  She had her "Don't Blink" earrings on.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I am still going through withdrawal. I want the Christmas episode - but then it will be hell waiting for the next series to start - with Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor.

Agh!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Did anyone watch the movie about the creation of the show? An Adventure in Time and Space? I did and thought it was quite good, for a TV movie.


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

I did.  Thought it was great, if a bit sad at the end.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

What a sad weekend. No Doctor. Anyone have any good Doctor Who news to tide me over for a while?


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

balaspa said:


> Did anyone watch the movie about the creation of the show? An Adventure in Time and Space? I did and thought it was quite good, for a TV movie.


I did. Yep, very sad at the end and what happened to William Hartnell... but I believe it was based on his true condition.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I read today that The Day of the Doctor is now available on DVD and Blue Ray with the mini-episodes (Night of the Doctor and The Last Day) added - but only at Best Buy.

I also hear that the mini-episode featuring Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor is spurring the idea of a separate 8th Doctor TV series - maybe running on something like NetFlix.

I have to say - that would finally get me a NetFlix subscription.


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## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

balaspa said:


> I have to say - that would finally get me a NetFlix subscription.


Have a toddler and get the same result. Netflix is helping me cling to my sanity. You want to watch Thomas right now? This particular episode? While you're taking your bath? Sure thing baby. Mommy is going to pee alone.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

20 days.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I actually had a NetFlix subscription years ago - but stopped it. And it was such a pain in the butt to cancel, I have never gone back.

Time of the Doctor - so far my most anticipated Christmas gift.


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

It showed in cinemas here, but none near us, so I had to wait for the DVD. Fortunately that was released this week!

I loved it, and will watch it again soon. I'd managed to stay remarkably unspoiled, and was


Spoiler



hugely thrilled when I heard Tom Baker's voice (which I recognised at once) and he appeared. I got a bit weepy.  He was my Doctor long before I fell in love with the new series.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

My wife recorded me and my reaction to that particular scene at the end Shayne. :-/


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

balaspa said:


> My wife recorded me and my reaction to that particular scene at the end Shayne. :-/


I imagine it made good theatre.  I know mine would have.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Yeah, she likes to laugh at me about it - but it was sooo awesome.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

balaspa said:


> Yeah, she likes to laugh at me about it - but it was sooo awesome.


The final shot and pullback of the Doctors and Gallifrey got me - the Tom Baker set me up and then bang! that final shot got to me. it was awesome.


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

found a video that someone compiled all the different doctors regenerating. very cool to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXCpY_3Sac8


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

15 days.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Not soon enough.

So, with John Hurt as the War Doctor, technically he was also the 9th Doctor. That means Matt Smith is the 12th - Peter Capaldi will be the 13th. The mythology of the show says that Time Lords only get that amount of regenerations. Dying to know how they find a way around that.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

balaspa said:


> Not soon enough.
> 
> So, with John Hurt as the War Doctor, technically he was also the 9th Doctor. That means Matt Smith is the 12th - Peter Capaldi will be the 13th. The mythology of the show says that Time Lords only get that amount of regenerations. Dying to know how they find a way around that.


I think it has been given away already: River gave the Doctor her remaining regenerations to save him... but who knows? WHO.... KNOWS.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Sean Sweeney said:


> I think it has been given away already: River gave the Doctor her remaining regenerations to save him... but who knows? WHO.... KNOWS.


I see what you did there.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

So need this..... 
(I had to double post from the Tea Thread)


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

OMG


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

According to today's Daily Mirror:



> When most people leave their job, their worst enemy is too many free drinks. For Doctor Who, it's a whole host of intergalactic baddies, teaming up to destroy him and the human race.
> 
> Not the best leaving present, really.
> 
> ...


I'm not quite sure how Matt Smith can be the 'final' Doctor when we already know who the next one is, but it's probably one of those timey-wimey things no-one really understands!


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## LaraAmber (Feb 24, 2009)

I was watching that and my cell phone started making noise to tell me I have a text message.  Which is the sound of the TARDIS "landing".


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

Weeping Angels and the Silence? YAY!

Daleks and Cybermen? Yawn...


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I love me some Daleks. It's going to be interesting and I can't wait to see Peter Capaldi step in to the role.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

My cell phone is the Doctor Who 1963 theme. When my wife calls, it says, "Hello Sweetie." And if my boss calls me, its a Dalek saying, "You will obey! Obey instantly! Obey! Obey! Obey!"


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

My wife has gotten me a deluge of Doctor Who related stuff for Christmas. Just yesterday I was wearing a black T-Shirt with a TARDIS half-buried in the snow with a Christmas wreath on it. She is so awesome.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I've got this t-shirt:


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

12 more days. I can't wait any longer. I'm going to go stir crazy.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

To clarify -- Sean (and Bryan, too  ) is beside himself waiting for the _Christmas special_ . . . .which was also under discussion in a separate thread. . . . I've merged the threads so, just a small meta crisis -- wibbly wobbly -- timey wimey -- nothing to worry about.

We'll probably not watch it until the morning of the 26th, since we'll either be with family at 9 p.m. on Christmas Day, or driving back from the gathering. Correction -- The Hubs and the Boy will probably watch it that evening -- but knowing me I'll be ready for bed and I'd prefer to watch it during the day when I'm wide awake. Pretty sure the Boy will be happy to watch it _again_ with me.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

The good news for me and my family, is that we do all of our family stuff on Christmas Eve, and don't get together with family on Christmas Day, so I will probably get to watch it live.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

10 more days. Week and a half.... I can make it. I know I can.... but I don't wannaaaaaa!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

It's the only real Christmas present I am looking forward to. I had better have some tissues nearby-I am probably going to be bawling like a baby.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

My wife got me a sonic screwdriver electric toothbrush. 

Does she know me, or what?


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## Brian Olsen (Jan 13, 2013)

Linjeakel said:


> I'm not quite sure how Matt Smith can be the 'final' Doctor when we already know who the next one is, but it's probably one of those timey-wimey things no-one really understands!


Steven Moffat has been saying that when David Tennant's Doctor started to regenerate and split off his double (the DoctorDonna), that used up one his lives. So, with the retroactive addition of John Hurt's Doctor, that means when he regenerated into Matt Smith, that was his twelfth and "final" regeneration. Of course, we all know there'll be some way around that limit, but I suppose we're going to find out what it is this Christmas, as opposed to when Peter Capaldi finally leaves the show.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

The new extended trailer is out!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I am anticipating this as much as the toys I got when I was a kid. Gah! Still days away...


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Two... more... days....


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Today is the day. Matt Smith's tenure as the Doctor ends - the Peter Capaldi era begins. Excited and sad...but mostly excited. I just wish the new season started next week!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It's airing as I type . . . but I'm about to drop.  So it's recording and I'll watch it in peace tomorrow.  Besides The Hubs and The Boy wanted to watch part 1 of the Hobbit as the plan is to go see part 2 tomorrow.  Hubs hasn't seen part 1 yet. 

So, when posting here, people, remember: Spoilers, Sweetie!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Oh.......Just Oh.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Spoiler



Does anyone happen to know how to fly this thing?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I liked it! 

I thought it neatly tied up a lot of things that were almost but not quite completely resolved earlier.


Spoiler



Loved seeing Amy -- even if he was hallucinating.


 And I liked Clara's Grandmother. Anybody but me find the regeneration


Spoiler



ultimately quite sudden


?

And Capaldi looked so scary . . . or maybe I mean _scared_?  Either way, I hope he relaxes some as he really gets into the role.



Spoiler



BTW, does 'a whole new regeneration cycle' mean 13 _more_?



When does the next series start, anyway?


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Anybody but me find the regeneration
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...


Totally agree with all this.

But I didn't really like the episode. Seemed like nothing much happened in the end. And I was completely confused about some stuff.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

SarahCarter said:


> But I didn't really like the episode. Seemed like nothing much happened in the end. And I was completely confused about some stuff.


I have to agree - in fact I hadn't the foggiest idea what was going on from start to finish - it's been like that all through Matt Smith's tenure as The Doctor (for me, anyway - YMMV). The writers / producers are trying so hard to be original and clever, they're tying themselves up in knots. Oh well, let's see what Mr Capaldi's Doctor brings us.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

That's the problem with Moffat, he _always_ does that. There was quite a bit of his usual "I'm going to try to make this seem like some epic tie-in to previous episodes like I've had this planned since the beginning." which if you really look at closely is more of a "These are some things that happened in earlier episodes that I'm going to tie tenuously into this one whether it makes sense or not. I might even ruin some characters while doing it, but it'll dazzle some people and make me feel smart." Ignoring that, and the unnecessary


Spoiler



cameo from Amy


, it was a pretty decent episode I think, at least as far as Moffat is concerned.


Spoiler



Daleks always help... and it was nice that they weren't all dead or colored like M&Ms.





Spoiler



It's nice to see Capaldi has a bit of the silly humor in him, though I'm hoping he comes off more like Eccleston. A bit more serious but still able to make a joke and have fun now and again.


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

Linjeakel said:


> I have to agree - in fact I hadn't the foggiest idea what was going on from start to finish - it's been like that all through Matt Smith's tenure as The Doctor (for me, anyway - YMMV). The writers / producers are trying so hard to be original and clever, they're tying themselves up in knots. Oh well, let's see what Mr Capaldi's Doctor brings us.


Yes, I've had the same issue with many of Matt Smith's episodes. But normally it's stuff I can ignore a bit more easily. Or just put down to silliness.

And why does Matt Smith have to snog everyone! And why did Amy have to caress his face like that? Was just weird.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I mean, they had to cram so much into this to wrap up all of the threads going back to the first appearance of Matt Smith that it got overdone, over crowded, muddled and, at times, rushed. It was as if they got to the last half hour and it was Uh oh! We have to wrap up more loose ends.

And why did River not meet the Doctor at the end? I mean, glad to see Amy again, and all, but the love of his life (lives?) doesn't show?

I saw a few reviews that said the sum was not equal to the whole. So, there were parts of it that were very good, but the whole was a bit of a disappointment.

Still, I'll be back for the Capaldi era and wish it started sooner.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

balaspa said:


> And why did River not meet the Doctor at the end? I mean, glad to see Amy again, and all, but the love of his life (lives?) doesn't show?


I thought that as well. My best guess is that he already said good-bye to River, and on Tenzalore as Hubs pointed out, so Moffat probably felt it wasn't needed. Hubs was also amused that they were both wearing wigs.

I both enjoyed and was disappointed in the episode. If that can make any sense. It was full of Moffat attempting to show us how clever he is, which a few times, I did think was clever. Was it just me, or did it seem like Clara's gran was talking about the Doctor as if she knew him?

Ann, I completely agree with you regarding the regeneration.


Spoiler



Hubs joked that they used up the money on all the other regeneration animation through the episode.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> Was it just me, or did it seem like Clara's gran was talking about the Doctor as if she knew him?


yes . . . I definitely got the feeling that Gran had had an encounter with some version of him. I think Clara realized that too. It will be interesting to see if that comes back around . . . . . . . .


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

The actress who played Clara's gran was actually in an old episode of Doctor Who, back in the 80s. That's not say it's the same character, but it is kind of interesting.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Is it August yet?

And Clara's gran... totally a hottie.


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## Alessandra Kelley (Feb 22, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I liked it!
> 
> I thought it neatly tied up a lot of things that were almost but not quite completely resolved earlier.
> 
> ...


In "The Five Doctors" the Time Lords promised the Master a whole new regeneration cycle if he helped the Doctor. It meant twelve more regenerations.

They also gave the Master the Seal of Rassilon to prove his bona fides -- the very same seal Matt Smith showed to Handles during this episode.

A nice little callback, that.

Edit: I know how to quote, oh yes.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I keep reading various things about the direction of the new season and new Doctor. That he will be a bit "hard" and not quite the fun boyfriend type that he was with Tenant and Smith.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

balaspa said:


> I keep reading various things about the direction of the new season and new Doctor. That he will be a bit "hard" and not quite the fun boyfriend type that he was with Tenant and Smith.


I hate to say it but - good. The Doctor isn't supposed to be a "boyfriend". Throwing in this love story or even the hint of one I found distracting from the show's purpose. Which I believe is to make us examine our own humanity by the actions of this alien and his mostly human companions. I suppose that romance is a facet of humanity that we also need to examine, but the show is more than watching 2 people fall in love and grow old together. There are plenty of other programs out there that can fill that need.

So, Rose and her Doctor are happily living in another universe, we don't need to bring them back as so many folks vocalize. Use your imagination. Write your own fan fiction. Amy chose Rory and they were taken away and died of old age themselves. And we know River's fate. Lets move on to new adventures through space and time!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I am looking forward to new directions for the Doctor as well. I am hoping they cast an older actor to make the Doctor more grown up than he has been during the past two incarnations.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I'd happily write the story of Rose and the other Doctor, however, if the BBC ever wanted to do that and they would hire an American writer....


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