Television Doctor Who

News that was supposed to be revealed at midnight UK time was leaked early.

The Christmas special will see a regeneration of Matt Smith, I thought he'd signed on for series 8 but apparently not. I knew he was going to leave but at the end of next year- I've heard 2 different things- either he'll leave at the end of this year or he's staying on for series 8 and leaving around august next year. I don't know which yet but I really hope it's the later because I need a year to prepare for this ;-; I trust that whoever they find will be brilliant because the crew of the show know what they are looking for but Matt Smith is my Doctor and I am sad to see him go. This will also be my first regeneration and although I am excited I am also really upset. Of course he had to leave at some point because he has so many things he can do- the doors are open for him so it'll be good to see him do other things but still <3

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Unless this is just some HUGE rumour, I heard it has been confirmed by Smith himself but I am still hopeful that this isn't the case.

EDIT: Nope. Confirmed by BBC. *faceplant 5eva*

 

I read about this in the morning and I was desperately hoping that it was just a rumor. Matt Smith was the first Doctor I've followed in real time, and it'll be really sad to see him go (and on Christmas too). I know they'll find someone great to take on the role, but the transition still won't be easy. ;~;

 

Matt Smith is leaving... I'm not sure if that means Clara is too...

I know I'm sad, but I'm just kinda not showing it... It's too much to handle...

 

No, I think from what I've heard Clara is staying on for series 8. That was confirmed so that's fine.... I think, these things are in flux. I think it would be too soon for her to leave anyway, she's only really been introduced to us and now that we know the mystery behind her I doubt she'll be leaving any time soon. I hope they explore her mother a bit more and her lifestyle kind of thing. I hope she doesn't leave because I would just cease to be... xD

 

Okay I'm gonna have a pretty rough Christmas ;________;
This also throws a lot of theories and ideas out the window guys,

Spoiler

such as The Fall of the ELEVENTH, and other things like the Classic Who 'Valeyard regeneration of the Doctor that's supposed to exist between his twelfth and thirteenth, seeing as Smith is actually the twelfth regeneration

 

To be honest I've been expecting this but I am really sad to see him go. This will also be my first regeneration when I'm actually following the show in real time. I am excited to hear the next Doctor announced but I do really love Eleven.

Why do they have to spoil Christmas tho ;c

 

Spoiler

Well he ought to, since it's around this time in the Doctor's timeline that he make an appearance. Also, the fact that this is the Doctor's last proper regeneration is quite worrying.. Will the Misty theory come true? Coz if this is it we're looking at about 4 or 5 years till the end of the show, given that was more or less the amount of time Ten and Eleven had on screen.

 

Misty suggested once that with the Gallifreyan high council gone, and no one to regulate regenerations, there's a chance the Doctor could have more somehow. Also, it's possible that the regenerations River used up on him could have made a difference as well.

 

Don't forget, he hasn't given River his sonic screwdriver or his name yet, so they can't end the show until they tie up those loose ends.

 

Can someone familiar with Classic Who explain the Valeyard to me a bit? I've googled around but have mostly found a synopsis of the episode(s?) he's in, which is good, but they don't make much sense when you don't know what's going in the show at the time, heh.

 

I'm sticking with my River theory regarding that.

Spoiler: THEORY THAT NEEDS TO BE CANON

Since she used up all her remaining regenerations in Let's Kill Hitler to save him, he should have around ten more.

They never showed it in a specific episode, but it's implied in one of the minisodes (specifically Last Night, which can be found on YT, albeit in sort of bad quality) that they already went through their last date on the singing towers of Darillium and he gave her the sonic. They can't make full episodes out of everything, but the minisodes really do shed some light on things that the main show doesn't touch upon too much.

From what I know of it (and what I've read on the DW wiki), he's supposed to be the Doctor's inner evil incarnated. All the "John Hurt is the Valeyard" speculation is going around because he didn't do anything "in the name of the Doctor," and from what the Wiki says, the Valeyard doesn't seem to go by 'the Doctor' either.
He's also supposed to be the incarnation between his twelfth and thirteenth (implying he has more than thirteen regenerations), but Moffat does what Moffat wants, so we'll see.

 

I'm sad Matt's leaving. I was sad with Eccleston and Tennant leaving and I wasn't even watching their episodes when they came out (I was catching up). Matt's the first doctor I've followed live so this is pretty sad. I have no doubt that they'll come up with another great doctor to take his place though and then take him away after he grows on us.

Spoiler

I also believe that it's very likely for John to be the Valeyard in some way and am definitely looking forward to the 50th

 

The show won't end on 13 regenerations, there are so many ideas going around that could lengthen the show but they would never just throw it in the air like "Oh well, the Doctor is now dead, he has no more regenerations". I think the River theory works but also the fact that he faught in the time war means that the Time lords might have granted him more regenerations so he could live longer in the war. Of course there is also the idea that the Time lords were the one who stopped their people from regenerating past 13 and with them gone then there is nothing to stop them. Knowing Moffat, he may even come up with something more whacky.

 

My only problem with this is that River's screwdriver in Silence in the Library was rather unique looking. Did the Doctor keep the screwdriver after preserving her on the hard drive? I can't recall.

Thanks! Makes more sense & a good theory.

 

He left it in the library. Since River's sonic looks similar to 10's, my assumption is that he kept the damaged one after Eleventh Hour, fixed it and perhaps added the new features, then gave it to River that night.

 

From what I recall, it was at least implied that he did (not sure that they explicitly had him say "oh, I'll keep this for her" or some such). After all, how else would he be able to give it to River at the towers? Still, it's basically just a modified version of Ten's sonic (with a red setting and some physical tweaks), so he'd probably be able to make it from his broken sonic (the one that crapped out on him in The Eleventh Hour) anyway.