# Doctor Who xmas special - the Next Doctor **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667 "2008-12-25T19:08:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pollux\_Oil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/858c86/32.png) [@Pollux\_Oil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pollux_Oil)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/21 "2008-12-28T02:04:46Z")
I just caught it. I’ve been looking forward to it since series 4 ended. I thought it was a good episode, nothing fantastic, but good. I wasn’t a particular fan of the giant Cyberman, mostly because I looked and saw the head rising out of the Thames initially and thought “hey, cool, the head of a Cyberman as a boat, not bad.” Then I looked away briefly, looked back and saw a giant robot towering over London and thought (in a Doctor-like manner) “What.” I laughed at the fob watch part. At the point where the Doctor-but-not-exactly was saying “there’s something else that’s fuzzy on the side of my brain that I can’t make out” all I could think was “it better not be a Dalek. If it’s a Dalek I’m going to go batshit.” Thankfully, when it was a predictable reveal that wasn’t a Dalek I was moderately pleased. When’s the next special supposed to air? Easter? ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/22 "2008-12-29T14:35:56Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Christmas Specials aren’t supposed to be “special”, they’re just called that because they’re one-offs that get released in between regular seasons. The series in general is supposed to be special to me, sort of why I’m a fan. I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, simply amused. I wasn’t, but unlike a regular episode, there’s no next week’s episode or finale to look forward to, to make up for that. ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/23 "2008-12-29T16:10:25Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Christmas Specials aren’t supposed to be “special”, they’re just called that because they’re one-offs that get released in between regular seasons. Doctor Who Confidential had an interview with some guy named Russel who begs to differ. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/24 "2008-12-29T23:18:34Z")
> [@freekalette](#): > > Doctor Who Confidential had an interview with some guy named Russel who begs to differ. You can’t trust him. He writes these things for 8 year olds. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/25 "2008-12-30T17:13:00Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Completely agree, I’m glad to hear it too, it just completely passed me by. And it was the one special TV show I actually made an effort to catch too. I agree it felt like a regular episode, but it wasn’t too bad and specials are all we get until 2010. The giant Cyberking was a massive letdown and completely ridiculous. How did that not make it into the UNIT or Torchwood files? Other than that I enjoyed the episode. Rosita was obviously a composite character and not a good one either. There are plenty of potential monsters to bring back in the Doctor Who universe: Rutans, Zygons, Wirrrn, Ice Warriors, Krynoids and Silurians/Sea Devils to name but a few. Plus I’m sure Moffat will create many new foes. Still no news on Tennant’s replacement, but I doubt it will be Morrissey. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/26 "2008-12-30T18:50:25Z")
> [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](#): > > The giant Cyberking was a massive letdown and completely ridiculous. How did that not make it into the UNIT or Torchwood files? It hadn’t happened yet! Remember, some events are in flux. Until the Doctor was there, those events hadn’t “happened” from his perspective. Remember, he thought 1851 was a boring year! It’s the same reason the third and fourth Doctors never encountered Torchwood - Torchwood wasn’t created until the tenth Doctor. Of course, now that Torchwood does exist, he could go back and have a Torchwood adventure with Three or Four, but they’d look older than they were because of he time shortage. He might even remember meeting Torchwood as Three or Four, even though when he WAS Three and Four, he hadn’t met them yet, yet. Now, he could have. It’s all a bit wibbley-wobbley. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/27 "2008-12-30T19:22:18Z")
I was curious as to why Rosita was wearing an 18th Century gypsy costume in 1851. . . ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/28 "2008-12-30T23:36:59Z")
> [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](#): > > How did that not make it into the UNIT or Torchwood files? How do you know it didn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/29 "2008-12-31T00:21:34Z")
> [@seosamh](#): > > I was curious as to why Rosita was wearing an 18th Century gypsy costume in 1851. . . You too? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/30 "2008-12-31T17:13:19Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > It hadn’t happened yet! Remember, some events are in flux. Until the Doctor was there, those events hadn’t “happened” from his perspective. Remember, he thought 1851 was a boring year! It’s the same reason the third and fourth Doctors never encountered Torchwood - Torchwood wasn’t created until the tenth Doctor. Of course, now that Torchwood does exist, he could go back and have a Torchwood adventure with Three or Four, but they’d look older than they were because of he time shortage. He might even remember meeting Torchwood as Three or Four, even though when he WAS Three and Four, he hadn’t met them yet, yet. Now, he could have. It’s all a bit wibbley-wobbley. Careful - if you fanwank any harder you’ll catch fire! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/31 "2008-12-31T17:15:46Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > It hadn’t happened yet! Remember, some events are in flux. Until the Doctor was there, those events hadn’t “happened” from his perspective. Remember, he thought 1851 was a boring year! It’s the same reason the third and fourth Doctors never encountered Torchwood - Torchwood wasn’t created until the tenth Doctor. Of course, now that Torchwood does exist, he could go back and have a Torchwood adventure with Three or Four, but they’d look older than they were because of he time shortage. He might even remember meeting Torchwood as Three or Four, even though when he WAS Three and Four, he hadn’t met them yet, yet. Now, he could have. It’s all a bit wibbley-wobbley. This is, of course, why time travel is absolutely improbable. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/32 "2009-01-01T09:35:59Z")
Damn you Brits! It may suck but I still want to see it. BBC America was no help either. For some reason, they are still halfway through last season. Even the scifi channel has already aired all of last season! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/33 "2009-07-01T21:16:42Z")
Well, it’s been shown in America on BBC America. And my DVR managed to chop it at the last minute. The last thing I saw was after the giant cyber-thingie-king had been zapped to another dimension, and the “new” doctor led the crowd in a thank-you cheer. So, what happened in the last few minutes??? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667/34 "2009-07-01T21:47:29Z")
It’s discussed [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=522714), **Dex**. You aren’t the only one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-xmas-special-the-next-doctor/478667.md?page=1)