TVSquad

The BBC broadcast the pre-title sequence (about two minutes) of the Doctor Who Christmas Special slated for Christmas Day 2008 for their Children In Need special on November 14th. It can be viewed here on the BBC website. One word of caution: it can only be viewed from a European IP address, possibly even only a British one.

Fortunately, I have managed to avail myself of those two minutes and I'm already excited about the episode. While I look forward to seeing a new face as the Doctor, it's still a shame that next year is likely David Tennant's last year in the title role.

Based on his brief appearance, David Morrisey could be a potentially good Doctor. However, I am of the opinion that anybody who can have fun with the role can be a good Doctor, since the Doctor can be anybody. I'm very much looking forward to the day after Christmas, when I can download the...uh, I mean hear about the Christmas Special from those who have watched it.

Straight from the BBC: the first two minutes of the Doctor Who Christmas special titled "The Next Doctor" will be shown on the BBC Children In Need special on November 14.

Obviously, this goes against the myriad of rumors about the Children In Need special, including the appearance of the seven surviving actors to play to role. Yeah, I didn't buy that one either.

Not much is known about the Christmas special at this point. It takes place in Victorian England and the Cybermen are the villains. Russell T. Davies has said in interviews that the Doctor meets a future incarnation of himself (played by David Morrissey). Frankly, I don't buy it. Why would the creative team want to pigeonhole themselves like that when they probably have no idea at this point who the next Doctor will be?

Sadly, I won't be able to watch the clip live as it will only be broadcast in England. If I'm willing to wait a day, there is always YouTube.

This should be considered rumor until officially confirmed by the BBC, but apparently the seven living actors to play the character of the Doctor in Doctor Who are set to all appear together in this year's Children in Need special on the BBC.

While I would absolutely love it if this could actually happen, I have to question the veracity of this claim. At least the Telegraph isn't the Sun or I'd dismiss it outright. Tom Baker has historically had a problem with attending reunions (he wasn't in "The Five Doctors", but he did participate in a 1993 special "Dimensions In Time").

BBC now stands for "Bad Bad Company." At least in regards to the latest fines the BBC received from Ofcom, a record-setting £400,000 ($792,000). The infractions spread across radio and television hitting such high-profile television programs as Comic Relief and Children in Need as well as The Liz Kershaw Show and The Jo Whiley Show on the radio airwaves. Apparently it was a combination of having competitions in which the contestant has absolutely no chance of winning, and making up winners names when technical problems interfered with true results.