As much as I loved his cameo, so would I. In fact, for the briefest of moments, I thought it was Russell and not Baker until I heard the voice better.
Spoilers 2017 Christmas Special Title and Trailer
- Thread starter Solariabsg25
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That transition at the beginning was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. As a classic series fan, I have never felt more pandered to! 
Although, again, it drives home the fact that while David Bradley looks quite like William Hartnell, they don't sound anything alike. That really threw me off at the end of "The Doctor Falls" when we can only hear him at first and not see him. But then, when recasting existing roles, it seems like no one ever cares about the voice. (The new Star Trek movies showed me that quite plainly.)
At first, I was wondering if this was going to deal with multiple regenerations. After all, when I see World War I in Doctor Who, my first thought is Patrick Troughton's final story in "The War Games." So then I'm thinking maybe we'll get Metebelis III next, followed by that radio tower in Logopolis, then Androzani Minor, etc.
Agreed, if only for a brief cameo as the school headmaster stopping by to give Clara her note from the Doctor. "It says it's from a Dr. John Smith. You know, I used to travel with a man who went by that name..." he says as Clara rushes to leave and clearly wasn't listening to a word he said.
Although, again, it drives home the fact that while David Bradley looks quite like William Hartnell, they don't sound anything alike. That really threw me off at the end of "The Doctor Falls" when we can only hear him at first and not see him. But then, when recasting existing roles, it seems like no one ever cares about the voice. (The new Star Trek movies showed me that quite plainly.)
At first, I was wondering if this was going to deal with multiple regenerations. After all, when I see World War I in Doctor Who, my first thought is Patrick Troughton's final story in "The War Games." So then I'm thinking maybe we'll get Metebelis III next, followed by that radio tower in Logopolis, then Androzani Minor, etc.
Agreed, if only for a brief cameo as the school headmaster stopping by to give Clara her note from the Doctor. "It says it's from a Dr. John Smith. You know, I used to travel with a man who went by that name..." he says as Clara rushes to leave and clearly wasn't listening to a word he said.
Damn skippy! They missed a MAJOR opportunity to have one of the original companions in the 50th anniversary special. How I would have LOVED to have seen old Ian meet up with the young looking Doctor in a nice reversal, bringing it all round full circle. A once in a lifetime chance, and they blew it.
Another opportunity they missed was having Capaldi have a larger role in the 50th. If they couldn't get Eccelston or McGann, they should've given us the story "The Next Doctor" wanted to us to think it was. Here, on the 50th, in a celebration of the shows history, and with the next Doctor already cast, they could've given us an adventure where we actually get to meet a future Doctor that we haven't traveled with, but soon will be. That would've been awesome!
But nope. A great opportunity pissed away because the new Doctor thing had become a bloated spectacle with thirty minute specials dedicated to his reveal, and we couldn't have him as part of an ensemble now. I bet Capaldi would've killed to have had a larger role in the 50th. Didn't care for the War Doctor at all and would've preferred this unique opportunity to get a unique multi-Doctor story.
The whole "old companion meeting the young-looking Doctor" is something I've been constantly arguing for since the early days of Tennant. I'm very disappointed that both Davies and Moffat dropped that ball.
I can not wait to see this special, it looks epic! I also consider this to be the actual series final of Doctor Who, at least for a while, so it will be a good episode for me to bow out with. A real Christmas treat for fans at the end of an era.
I do think this is Part 3 of the series finale, certainly. It doesn't look any more disconnected from The Doctor Falls than that was from World Enough and Time.
That's pretty obvious in Tenth Planet - he says he won't give in and won't go through with it, and his body is wearing thin. I think the intention was that he's been trying to hold it off and stay as himself for as long as possible.
Regenerating must be a traumatic experience at the best of times. The first time you go it must be horrifying!
The Fifth Doctor starts to regenerate in Caves of Androzani ep 3, but again pushes it back to save Peri.
Tennant's regeneration seemed to take months!
I'm really excited for this. I hope Moffat goes all-out for his swansong and produces something to match Day of the Doctor. Matt Smith's last episode was a pretty disappointing mess, so he owes us a good one.
With regards to the timing of the Twelfth Doctor's regeneration, I think it started in The Lie of the Land, when he was shot. He didn't have a handy hand available to syphon off the excess energy, as per Ten's aborted regen, so he's been keeping a lid on it since then. The last couple of episodes of the series, it's starting to get beyond his control.
Day of the Doctor filmed basically in April of 2013. They filmed so early because it was in 3D, so they had to have extra time to shoot plus all the CGI had to be rendered twice, one in 3D and once in 2D. The odds are Capaldi wasn't even cast yet at that point. For what they did, some time between when he was cast and the air date in November all they had to do was get Capaldi on set and film his eyes so they didn't have to even worry about having his costume selected and ready.
Isn't that what School Reunion was? Liz Sladen was 60 at that point, not exactly a spring chicken.
Quite right, The first doctor has never regenerated before, it all new! He has never known anything but his own persona he was born with. It's like if i told you that you now have the power to regenerate, wouldn't that be scary to change the only life you have ever known.
Where as 12, feels he has regenerated too many times and is sick and tired of having to always change. So you have 2 doctors each with two different reasons for not wanting to regenerate.
BTW, I wonder if waters girls, Bill and Heather are somehow responsible for making 12 regenerate into a woman? hmm
You know, they did miss a glorious opportunity (among a myriad others) in The Five Doctors, with Susan reflecting on all the Doctors in that last scene. Seeing her grandfather surviving and actually seeing those incarnations should've brought forth a reaction, a character moment that I always long for when I see that scene, but it just isn't there. Hell, even Sarah Jane had a greater reaction when she met the Third Doctor again (my favorite reunion in the special). So that was lost.
And Ian has never really been properly awarded the praise he deserves. He was basically the action man of the first two seasons of the show. In my mind, the Doctor's action-driven persona since 1963 is largely derived from Ian Chesterton, the youngster who, despite venturing into the unknown with the TARDIS with him, still saw to do right and fight for what's right, too. He's the template for the Doctor being a leading man, himself. So the fact that he's been scarcely referenced and even less hown (both the 20th and the 50th) is nothing sort of underwhelming. I can understand Susan because before, he wanted to keep her safe, after 2005, she was likely to be dead. And Barbara, well, the actress' gone. But with Ian, they could've always brought him back. And I'm saddened that they didn't for Day - but they did have time for a pointless stunt of the Doctor holding on the TARDIS while going on the Museum (the most pointless sequence in all of Day of the Doctor).
Anyway, I have a feeling we will be seeing Susan. Specfically, the First Doctor will see her just as Twelve will see Bill and Clara (she's bound to appear, right?).
PS: Susan also met the Eighth Doctor in the audio stories, btw. And boy, did they handle that reunion right.
And Ian has never really been properly awarded the praise he deserves. He was basically the action man of the first two seasons of the show. In my mind, the Doctor's action-driven persona since 1963 is largely derived from Ian Chesterton, the youngster who, despite venturing into the unknown with the TARDIS with him, still saw to do right and fight for what's right, too. He's the template for the Doctor being a leading man, himself. So the fact that he's been scarcely referenced and even less hown (both the 20th and the 50th) is nothing sort of underwhelming. I can understand Susan because before, he wanted to keep her safe, after 2005, she was likely to be dead. And Barbara, well, the actress' gone. But with Ian, they could've always brought him back. And I'm saddened that they didn't for Day - but they did have time for a pointless stunt of the Doctor holding on the TARDIS while going on the Museum (the most pointless sequence in all of Day of the Doctor).
Anyway, I have a feeling we will be seeing Susan. Specfically, the First Doctor will see her just as Twelve will see Bill and Clara (she's bound to appear, right?).
PS: Susan also met the Eighth Doctor in the audio stories, btw. And boy, did they handle that reunion right.
Yeah, Susan's lack of any sort of reaction at all always bothered me in Five Doctors.
You're right about Ian. In the immoral words of 'Wife in Space' blog's Sue Perryman, he's so obviously the leading man in a lot of those early episodes such that "they should have called the show 'Ian'!"
I was expecting him to be the old curator mentioned in Day of the Doctor until we hear Tom's voice. William Russell does get a cameo in Adventures in Time and Space though.
You're right about Ian. In the immoral words of 'Wife in Space' blog's Sue Perryman, he's so obviously the leading man in a lot of those early episodes such that "they should have called the show 'Ian'!"
I was expecting him to be the old curator mentioned in Day of the Doctor until we hear Tom's voice. William Russell does get a cameo in Adventures in Time and Space though.
Looks like Polly and also looks like they are retro-conning the glowy regeneration effect from the new series to the old one. Although when the the first doctor regenerated it was in black and white and the screen did white out a little bit. It could have been the yellow regeneration energy.
It is in my head canon.Looks like Polly and also looks like they are retro-conning the glowy regeneration effect from the new series to the old one. Although when the the first doctor regenerated it was in black and white and the screen did white out a little bit. It could have been the yellow regeneration energy.
Ian is head of governors at Coal Hill school though!
Yeah, based on a sign. Nothing like seeing him as an old man meeting the young Doctor!
Definitely seems that way especially when you consider Ten's comments about regeneration to Wilf in The End Of Time.
Looks like Polly and also looks like they are retro-conning the glowy regeneration effect from the new series to the old one. Although when the the first doctor regenerated it was in black and white and the screen did white out a little bit. It could have been the yellow regeneration energy.
A larger picture from the official Twitter seems to confirm it's definitely Polly
https://twitter.com/DWPageOFFICIAL/status/889240650985680898
Any chance it's Ellie Spicer as Polly?
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