Officially no series 8 in 2013

[The Wormhole]

Although I love the end of time, I do have to agree with you there. I'd like it to be done dramaticly, maybe with the Master planning this for years and years, but I'd like the dr and the viewers not to have a clue about the regeneration happening until abotu a few months before (the dr not included). Although what I would like to see done is a cliffhanger like they did in the stolen earth where we all thought the doctor was going to regenerate. Maybe have no one in the public know that the doctor is regenerating, and after the episode, have them announce that this is for real, and we all have to guess who the new doctor will be. Maybe do that and then split the series in half so we're guessing for months, and even right up until the episode itself, no one will know. That'd be a really fun way of doing it, might be a bit annoying, but fun none the less.

Such a thing would not be possible. The departure of a Doctor and casting a new one are pretty big deals. There's no way for the BBC to practically stay silent about it. All it would take is for some tabloid to get wind of it, and prepare a report. BBC obligates itself not to lie to the public so they couldn't deny such a story. Indeed, the only legal way they can prevent the tabloid from running the story is to issue a public statement themselves effectively pre-empting the tabloid. This is the sort of thing that led to Eccleston's departure being announced before S1 finished airing, or Catherine Tate's return in S4 being announced before S3 finished airing.

Rest assured, when the Doctor regenerates, it won't be a surprise. It will be known, it will be hyped. Which is how most people knew Tennant wouldn't really regenerate after The Stolen Earth.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I would like a very sudden regeneration and not in the last episode of a season. It´s a bit anticlimatic to know "okay, this is the episode where it happens".

That might make some sense except that the news would be fucking everywhere, so it'll still be anticlimactic.

 

[ATimson]

Such a thing would not be possible. The departure of a Doctor and casting a new one are pretty big deals. There's no way for the BBC to practically stay silent about it.

They might be able to get away with it in a season finale, if they don't cast the new one yet. This year, the stars aligned where they could have pulled off the scheduling; the shooting for the Anniversary/Christmas specials could have waited until after the series 7 finale airs and they'd still have plenty of time.

The BBC would truthfully be able to say that Matt Smith's successor has not been cast. Evading Matt Smith's departure is harder, but plausible.

 

[Captaindemotion]

They'd have to pull a complete switcheroo, like saying that Actor X had been cast as the new assistant and would appear mid-season. Then without warning kill of the 11th Doctor and have him suddenly regenerate in Actor X. But you'd have to keep the casting process known to a tiny group of people and shoot the scene to a skeleton crew. I think it would be simply impossible to guard against the news getting out somehow.

 

[Professor Zoom]

They'd have to pull a complete switcheroo, like saying that Actor X had been cast as the new assistant and would appear mid-season. Then without warning kill of the 11th Doctor and have him suddenly regenerate in Actor X. But you'd have to keep the casting process known to a tiny group of people and shoot the scene to a skeleton crew. I think it would be simply impossible to guard against the news getting out somehow.

And, honestly, why would you want to do this? A New Doctor generates interest. It generates higher viewing numbers. Why would you want to keep it a secret? Why would you NOT want as many eyes in front of your program for your big event? Because it would satisfy a story point? Because it would surprise a few people? (Obviously not a few, but, still...)

To not advertise the big event that happens every few years in Doctor Who would be silly.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Yeah, I can see your logic there and certainly if I was a producer, I'd be very aware of the publicity factor.

Having said that, speaking as a fan, in the episode where Ten and Rose were about to be reunited (I can never remember ep titles) and he got blasted by the Dalek and started to regenerate (he ultimately diverted the regeneration energy into his spare hand) - well, I was totally blown away by the possibility that perhaps they were going to kill off Ten and managed to keep this and the identity of a new actor secret.

Sure, with hindsight, it was never going to happen that way, but the week or so until we found out what happened was one of great anticipation!

 

[Sindatur]

Yea, it would be a refreshing change to be surprised by a Regeneration.

I watched Classic Who on PBS, before this new fangled Internet thing, and didn't know a thing about what was coming in the next episode (Or even when new episodes would stop). So, every episode (That was new to me) was a surprise. I remember the 3 Doctors, The 5 Doctors and The 2 Doctors all were a surprise to be multi-Doctor Specials as were all the Regenerations). Even having seen the first Tom Baker, Pertwee's Rgeneration came as a surprise, since Pertwee hadn't been shown for the first time until after Baker had aired several times, and Davison had aired. Likewise, having seen Pertwee's first, Troughton's Regeneration came as a Surprise.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Yea, it would be a refreshing change to be surprised by a Regeneration.

I watched Classic Who on PBS, before this new fangled Internet thing, and didn't know a thing about what was coming in the next episode (Or even when new episodes would stop). So, every episode (That was new to me) was a surprise. I remember the 3 Doctors, The 5 Doctors and The 2 Doctors all were a surprise to be multi-Doctor Specials as were all the Regenerations). Even having seen the first Tom Baker, Pertwee's Rgeneration came as a surprise, since Pertwee hadn't been shown for the first time until after Baker had aired several times, and Davison had aired. Likewise, having seen Pertwee's first, Troughton's Regeneration came as a Surprise.

Yes. But if you had been living in the UK at the time those episodes were about to air, you would've known about the impending regeneration. Because you were living in the US, pre-internet, you weren't a part of the PR experience. You got to have a thrilling experience because of it, but, it was unique to where you were living--not to lack of PR on the BBCs part.

I get the desire. And a part of it is watching a show take an actual risk. But, I don't think it would happen. The bigger a franchise is, the more risk adverse they become.

 

[Sindatur]

Yea, it would be a refreshing change to be surprised by a Regeneration.

I watched Classic Who on PBS, before this new fangled Internet thing, and didn't know a thing about what was coming in the next episode (Or even when new episodes would stop). So, every episode (That was new to me) was a surprise. I remember the 3 Doctors, The 5 Doctors and The 2 Doctors all were a surprise to be multi-Doctor Specials as were all the Regenerations). Even having seen the first Tom Baker, Pertwee's Rgeneration came as a surprise, since Pertwee hadn't been shown for the first time until after Baker had aired several times, and Davison had aired. Likewise, having seen Pertwee's first, Troughton's Regeneration came as a Surprise.

Yes. But if you had been living in the UK at the time those episodes were about to air, you would've known about the impending regeneration. Because you were living in the US, pre-internet, you weren't a part of the PR experience. You got to have a thrilling experience because of it, but, it was unique to where you were living--not to lack of PR on the BBCs part.

I get the desire. And a part of it is watching a show take an actual risk. But, I don't think it would happen. The bigger a franchise is, the more risk adverse they become.

Oh, yea, no denying that, I was just expressing it was a nice experience

Though I was ignorant during most of Tennant's run (didn't research or post online about Doctor Who until the Specials year), so when 10 got zapped by the Dalek, I actually did worry it was his Regeneration. Unfortunately by End of Time, I no longer kept myself so ignorant

 

[Professor Zoom]

Oh, yea, no denying that, I was just expressing it was a nice experience

I'm actually sort of jealous of it. I don't remember if I knew certain things before I watched them on PBS. Sadly, it's very hard not to be spoiled about things without being a Luddite. The new reality I guess.

 

[Starkers]

It is still possible to be surprised if you keep your head down a little. Having Oswin turn up in Asylum was a major shock, for me at least.

 

[Sindatur]

It is still possible to be surprised if you keep your head down a little. Having Oswin turn up in Asylum was a major shock, for me at least.

Yea, I missed that shock, I never worry about "guest Stars" as Spoilers (Though I like to know little else), so, I knew she was going to be in it, but, didn't know anything about her role, and was shocked (and confused) by her fate, since I knew she was to be the new Companion starting in the Christmas Special

 

[Mr. Adventure]

It might be easier in the US, to avoid shocks all I have to do is not read this forum, lol. I often go in dark mode a couple of weeks before premiere.

 

[Lonemagpie]

It is still possible to be surprised if you keep your head down a little. Having Oswin turn up in Asylum was a major shock, for me at least.

Yea, I missed that shock, I never worry about "guest Stars" as Spoilers (Though I like to know little else), so, I knew she was going to be in it, but, didn't know anything about her role, and was shocked (and confused) by her fate, since I knew she was to be the new Companion starting in the Christmas Special

I didn't even recognise her, so was totally baffled at all the "wow there's an incredible spoiler we can't mention!" hype... And thus very disappointed by it!

 

[Alidar Jarok]

It is still possible to be surprised if you keep your head down a little. Having Oswin turn up in Asylum was a major shock, for me at least.

However, having her appear in the Christmas special was not. The surprise was that the new companion appeared before she was supposed to, not that she wouldn't be the new companion.

 

[CommodoreKong]

It is still possible to be surprised if you keep your head down a little. Having Oswin turn up in Asylum was a major shock, for me at least.

Yea, I missed that shock, I never worry about "guest Stars" as Spoilers (Though I like to know little else), so, I knew she was going to be in it, but, didn't know anything about her role, and was shocked (and confused) by her fate, since I knew she was to be the new Companion starting in the Christmas Special

I didn't even recognise her, so was totally baffled at all the "wow there's an incredible spoiler we can't mention!" hype... And thus very disappointed by it!

I didn't even recognize her either, I had seen pictures of her when she was first announced as the new companion and that was it, so by Asylum came out I didn't really remember what she looked like.

 

[DalekJim]

I recognised her as the lesbian hottie from Emmerdale.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I didn't even recognize her either, I had seen pictures of her when she was first announced as the new companion and that was it, so by Asylum came out I didn't really remember what she looked like.

that's exactly it

 

[Samurai8472]

New Moffat interview

[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=h7VQrnMzjrU#t=25s[/YT]

Claims the "One 60 minute anniversary is nonsense"

 

[diankra]

OK. If it is nonsense, then some heads ought to roll at BBC publicity, as if they've done a great job of convincing us all that that's all we're getting!