What we KNOW about Tennant's specials (SPOILERS)

[Anthony Williams]

The new thread for what we know about the upcoming stories! Expect spoilers galore!

2008 Christmas Special: (Return of the Cybermen?)
Written by: Russell T. Davies
Produced by: TBA
Directed by: TBA
Broadcast date: 25th December 2008 (most likely)
Set in the Victorian era, and featuring the Cybermen
Starring David Tennant (The Doctor), David Morrissey, Dervla Kirwan and Velile Tshabalala

2009 Special #1
Written by: TBA (most likely to be Russell T. Davies)
Produced by: TBA
Directed by: TBA
Broadcast date: TBA
Details TBA
Starring David Tennant (The Doctor)

2009 Special #2
Written by: TBA (most likely to be Russell T. Davies)
Produced by: TBA
Directed by: TBA
Broadcast date: TBA
Details TBA
Starring David Tennant (The Doctor)

2009 Special #3
Written by: TBA (most likely to be Russell T. Davies)
Produced by: TBA
Directed by: TBA
Broadcast date: TBA
Details TBA
Starring David Tennant (The Doctor)

2009 Christmas Special
Written by: TBA (most likely to be Russell T. Davies)
Produced by: TBA
Directed by: TBA
Broadcast date: 25th December 2009 (most likely)
Details TBA
Starring David Tennant (The Doctor)

[Larry]

I do seriously hope RTD, is not writting all 4 specials next year..

[shada pavlova]

Do you think perhaps there'll be a running theme through all the 2009 episodes?

[Dirk Gently]

Very probably.

[Paul Monk]

I don't. Journey's End felt like such a definite ending I reckon the specials will just be one offs. They're be too far apart from each other for there to be a running theme anyway.

[Dirk Gently]

Do we know when they are being shown then?

[shada pavlova]

I thought one at easter, one in the summer and one at some point in september. that way every episode is evenly distributed through the year.

[Paul Monk]

I don't think there's been any announcement of that yet though. They might "do a Torchwood" and show them all in one week

[Dirk Gently]

I'm hoping for consecutive weekends, before, during & after Easter. May be split them up in to two parts, one on Saturday & part two on Sunday.

[Alex]

I've heard a rumour that they'll be one on Christmas Day 2009, one on Boxing Day and one on New Year's Eve, but that could be absolute nonsense.

There's an interview with RTD here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008...television.bbc - which states "He is still going to write part of the five Doctor Who specials over the next two years" so hopefully he won't be doing them all.

It also mentions that "Davies refuses to say whether Tennant will return when the full series returns in 2010, except that he has made his decision and that the BBC knows what it is. There's no point asking Davies, therefore, about rumours that James Nesbitt or Robert Carlyle will be taking control of the sonic screwdriver."

One other (off topic) thing is that he claims the Doctor should never become female, but "Typically though, Davies can't help imagining Lesley Sharp or Judi Dench in the role, adding that he thinks Amy Winehouse would be "brilliant". Which just goes to show that it's a fantastic thing that he left when he did

[Larry]

well filming for series 5 will start in June/July 2009 so logicaly you would think the filming for these specials will probably be between December 2008 and April 2009. that would then leave 2 to 3 months for the new production team to get their final preperations in place.

[Perry Vale]

I've heard a rumour that they'll be one on Christmas Day 2009, one on Boxing Day and one on New Year's Eve, but that could be absolute nonsense.

That is nonsense.

The third one is actually going to be on New Year's Day, 2010, from reliable sources/rumours. (And they're going to be 'linked')

[Larry]

That is nonsense.

The third one is actually going to be on New Year's Day, 2010, from reliable sources/rumours. (And they're going to be 'linked')

sorry for appearing a bit dim but if the 3rd special is on New Years day 2010 then that means there are only going to be 2 specials in 2009 ..

[Perry Vale]

sorry for appearing a bit dim but if the 3rd special is on New Years day 2010 then that means there are only going to be 2 specials in 2009 ..

The third of three 'linked' ones. So yes, probably.

[Larry]

The third of three 'linked' ones. So yes, probably.

that means only 3 episodes in the next 17 months..

[SiHart]

No, they've said there will be five specials- so even if there are three linked ones at Christmas/ New Year 2009 there are still two others- well one after this Christmas's one.

Si xx

[Perry Vale]

No, they've said there will be five specials- so even if there are three linked ones at Christmas/ New Year 2009 there are still two others- well one after this Christmas's one.

Si xx

This still hasn't properly been confirmed, has it? The BBC website has this to say....

Davies will remain in charge of four specials to be shown in 2009.

It all hinges on how they're categorising this year's special, but that reads to me as if it means four specials, in total, before The Moff takes charge...

[Paul Monk]

One other (off topic) thing is that he claims the Doctor should never become female, but "Typically though, Davies can't help imagining Lesley Sharp or Judi Dench in the role, adding that he thinks Amy Winehouse would be "brilliant". Which just goes to show that it's a fantastic thing that he left when he did

You know he's saying that to wind people up though! And to stir things up with the Tabloids and get some more publicity! Bless him!

[Larry]

You know he's saying that to wind people up though! And to stir things up with the Tabloids and get some more publicity! Bless him!

and of course we all know Doctor Who, fans never ever get wound up about any thing

[Dirk Gently]

The third one is actually going to be on New Year's Day, 2010, from reliable sources/rumours. (And they're going to be 'linked')

Just shows you how these rumours change. Annoyingly I lost the site address, (got there through one link after another), but I was surfing Doctor Who pages a week or two back & came across a site who claimed to be 'in the know' & he/she wrote that there was to be a 'special' this Christmas (08), then the first of three on New Years Day (09), then one at Easter (09) & one TBA (09), & then the usual Christmas one in 2009 & 2010 season TBA.

But that is probably Bollox & frustratingly my computer did its usual clean up & it's not in my history.

[Anthony Williams]

Just shows you how these rumours change. Annoyingly I lost the site address, (got there through one link after another), but I was surfing Doctor Who pages a week or two back & came across a site who claimed to be 'in the know' & he/she wrote that there was to be a 'special' this Christmas (08), then the first of three on New Years Day (09), then one at Easter (09) & one TBA (09), & then the usual Christmas one in 2009 & 2010 season TBA.

But that is probably Bollox & frustratingly my computer did its usual clean up & it's not in my history.

New Years Day 09 is unlikely, as they don't start filming for the post-Christmas 08 specials until January! The rest might be true, though

My money would be Easter, May bank holiday and the August bank holiday - but that's entirely speculation

Ant x

[Dirk Gently]

That's what I thought! I didn't think they did more than the Christmas Special.

[NorthernStar]

Is DT's involvement in the 2009 specials confirmed? (And can we believe it even if it is?)

Personnally I think the 3 specials will be Easter 09, Halloween 09 and Christmas 09 (and probably ending on a regeneration if we don't get one this Christmas.)

[Anthony Williams]

Is DT's involvement in the 2009 specials confirmed? (And can we believe it even if it is?)

Personnally I think the 3 specials will be Easter 09, Halloween 09 and Christmas 09 (and probably ending on a regeneration if we don't get one this Christmas.)

yes and yes (the BBC aren't in the habit of lying in their press releases, even if RTD is happy to lie in interviews!)

there's one more special, as the BBC have confirmed that there'll be four specials in 2009 (which one would think doesn't include the 2008 Christmas Episode)

Ant x

[Andrew Curnow]

This still hasn't properly been confirmed, has it?

According to the last issue of DWM: "Before [season 5] there will be a Doctor Who Christmas Special for 2008... and four Specials to be made and broadcast in 2009, all of which will be overseen by Russell T Davies."

Seems pretty clear cut to me!!