A BIG Spoiler Is Coming

[Ithekro]

That would be funny, going from 12th Doctor back to 8th Doctor with Series 11, and eventually getting back to the 13th Doctor (or if the BBC thinks that is unlucky, have the 13th Doctor come and go within one episode, or the passage from one series to the next, the end of one season being the regeneration and the start of the next season also being a regeneration).

 

[ChristopherPike]

Sadly Paul McGann's just signed on as a full-time cast member of BBC medical drama, Holby City. It's an equally successful spin-off of Casualty.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/paul-mcgann-holby-city?

Not sad for Paul obviously. Regular guaranteed work with a fairly decent TV profile. So no return likely now I think. He'll be tied to that for as many months a year as he would've if replacing Capaldi. :\

It was never likely to happen. I would've liked it to. McGann's still a year or two younger than Capaldi... who's already the oldest playing the Doctor week-after-week. But this was pretty much the last time he could've been considered anywhere near a possibility.

 

[Starkers]

So that means Holby City will now have the 8th Doctor and Kate Stewart working side by side! (Unless Redgrave is leaving)

Anyway back to the matters at hand...

Damn you Moffat, talking up your own show and trying to drum up interest! I hope Chibnall goes for a different approach: "This week's episode? Well, it's ok. I mean it's no Blink but it's better than Fear Her, you know? Next week though, oh fucking avoid that one, it's Timelash bad!"

I'm not sure I'd agree that Moffat hasn't pulled off any surprises. Jenna Coleman showing up in Asylum of the Daleks was completely out of the blue, and did people really expect Clara to die in The Snowman? And does the insertion of another Doctor into the timeline not count as ever so slightly brain melting? (whatever you think about the idea).

In all honesty despite the River/Amy twist being pretty much guessed by people beforehand that scene still gets me every time down to how well it's written and more importantly how well the actors play it. It's hard to keep things secret these days or for surprises to happen unheralded. With millions of people pouring over every episode/scene/line of dialogue and sharing those thoughts (along with footage of filming) online it's harder and harder for anything to truly surprise. (really fandom should solve crimes).

As for the big spoiler I'm going out on a limb. The Doctor will discover there was another regeneration cycle before Hartnell, thus making the Brain of Mobius Doctors canon!

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I'll never understand why Moffat never allowed for a further McGann appearence to occur. Well, other than his distaste for multi-Doctor stories...

 

[Starkers]

I'll never understand why Moffat never allowed for a further McGann appearence to occur. Well, other than his distaste for multi-Doctor stories...

How do we know he didn't? How do we know the BBC didn't veto the idea, or that McGann didn't turn it down, or that his schedule wouldn't allow it?

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

BBC was open to the idea, due to the immense popularity of Night of the Doctor. Moffat then said that the show should be about one Doctor, moving forward.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Important gap in Time Lord history?

Romana.

What happened to depose her as President and install Rassilon? The early days of the War? Perhaps the War Doctor was responsible (in his first days he went full-on with the "Warrior" theme and wanted a more gung-ho President), driving a wedge between him and his former companion?

I like this idea a lot because she's my favorite companion and I've been hoping for some kind of reference for her status ever since RTD introduced the Time War. Big Finish has done a great job of covering her life since leaving E-Space (although I would like to see some stories about her time there), but we haven't seen anything during the Time War itself. Hopefully the upcoming box set on the Time War will feature her (and Leela). However, as I said earlier, Moffat is by no means obligated to follow what Big Finish has done with the character thus far.

That being said, as Allyn mentioned earlier, someone like Romana is pretty small in the grand scheme of things and only the core fans are going to care about, so she probably doesn't quite register as "brain melting."

I'm not sure I'd agree that Moffat hasn't pulled off any surprises. Jenna Coleman showing up in Asylum of the Daleks was completely out of the blue, and did people really expect Clara to die in The Snowman? And does the insertion of another Doctor into the timeline not count as ever so slightly brain melting? (whatever you think about the idea).

In all honesty despite the River/Amy twist being pretty much guessed by people beforehand that scene still gets me every time down to how well it's written and more importantly how well the actors play it. It's hard to keep things secret these days or for surprises to happen unheralded. With millions of people pouring over every episode/scene/line of dialogue and sharing those thoughts (along with footage of filming) online it's harder and harder for anything to truly surprise. (really fandom should solve crimes).

Fair points about the surprises, although I seem to recall fans guessing the nature of John Hurt's appearance even before "The Name of the Doctor."

As for the big spoiler I'm going out on a limb. The Doctor will discover there was another regeneration cycle before Hartnell, thus making the Brain of Mobius Doctors canon!

Oh, gods, not this madness again!

 

[Lonemagpie]

The rumour I'd heard is David *Warner* will appear this serason as the First Doctor.

Then again, every time Moffat teases a "big spoiler" it always turns out to be a) something that makes me go "eh", and b) causes fandom to turn into snarky assholes who when they find it out dance around jeer "I know something you don't" while promulgating fake spoilers. Don't see the point in giving a shit, really.

ETA - It's a spoiler for a "NextTime" trailer? Oh, fuck RIGHT off...

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Oh, David Warner would be smashing! And it wouldn't be the first time playing an incarnation of The Doctor considering he's voiced the Unbound Third Doctor for Big Finish several times. Still, not very "brain melting" for the vast number of fans.

 

[Starkers]

What would people count as 'brain melting'?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

We're probably taking Moffat way too seriously on that count but I figure it'll be something along the lines of Donna or the Ponds returning (not Rose considering she already had her Big Return). Not that I expect either of those happening, but something that's relatable the most current viewers.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I'm not sure I'd agree that Moffat hasn't pulled off any surprises. Jenna Coleman showing up in Asylum of the Daleks was completely out of the blue, and did people really expect Clara to die in The Snowman?

Jenna Coleman in "Asylum" was genuinely gobsmacking to people who recognized her right off. (I did.) I was at the premiere screening in New York, and they made us pinky swear not to tell, since the episode wouldn't air for two weeks. But I don't recall Moffat bigging up the episode's secret in the press beforehand.

The end of "The Snowmen" was surprising. I certainly didn't expect the episode (or the character of Clara) to go that way.

As for the big spoiler I'm going out on a limb. The Doctor will discover there was another regeneration cycle before Hartnell, thus making the Brain of Mobius Doctors canon!

Funnily enough, I wrote about the pre-Hartnell Doctors -- and how they relate to the Curator -- on Facebook just last week! It's weird and strange, and I put it up on my website.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Oh, David Warner would be smashing! And it wouldn't be the first time playing an incarnation of The Doctor considering he's voiced the Unbound Third Doctor for Big Finish several times. Still, not very "brain melting" for the vast number of fans.

That's the rumourfor the finale, though, so wouldn't be in the "next time" trailer for episode two.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The rumour I'd heard is David *Warner* will appear this serason as the First Doctor.

Moffat would certainly get my attention with that. Warner doesn't look a thing like Hartnell, but I wouldn't care one bit.

Still not sure that's on the same continent as "brain melting" for a momentary glimpse in a trailer, though...

Then again, every time Moffat teases a "big spoiler" it always turns out to be a) something that makes me go "eh", and b) causes fandom to turn into snarky assholes who when they find it out dance around jeer "I know something you don't" while promulgating fake spoilers. Don't see the point in giving a shit, really.

I can definitely agree with the "eh" feeling. Moffat thinks he's a cleverer writer than he really is.

 

[StCoop]

It's Susan.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Moffat would certainly get my attention with that. Warner doesn't look a thing like Hartnell, but I wouldn't care one bit.

Still not sure that's on the same continent as "brain melting" for a momentary glimpse in a trailer, though....

It's not David Warner (or any other First or otherwise Doctor, for that matter) in the episode 2 trailer anyway, I know that much, certainly.

 

[matthunter]

Another possible "gap in Time Lord history" - what if the Doctor bumps into the First TARDIS and her crew on their maiden voyage? Or whatever prototype timecraft they had - and then they see his TARDIS and slip ideas into the design process when they get back home?

 

[Ithekro]

Or whatever causes his TARDIS to be in the repair bay for the First Doctor to steal it in the first place.


Though that might require a run in with Clara...or at least a Clara fragment.

 

[kirk55555]

I swear, if Clara was responsible for his TARDIS being in the repair bay, I'd probably scream. But, knowing Moffat, there is a real possibility that a Clara fragment invented the Type 40 TARDIS Honestly, the TARDIS was probably there because it was apparently an ancient, obsolete TARDIS even at the time (based on things that have been said over the entire series), and fragment Clara just pointed it out to The Doctor, she didn't put it there.

As for the surprise, I'm starting to hope its either an appearance of an old Doctor (either a 1st Doctor replacement or something else), or a Susan appearance. I don't expect either of those things, but they're the things I'd like to see the most.

 

[StCoop]

Hmm, so now the word is that it's Claudia Grant who played Carole Ann Ford in AAIS&T who's playing Susan.