Season 5, and the 'Gap Year Specials'.

[Fehmina]

So its been said that season 5 will air in 2010 rather than 2009. And in the 21 months separating seasons 4 & 5, there will be a mini-season of three or four specials.
David Tennant is still unconfirmed for the role of the Doctor in season 5, but as i understand it, he will still be in the specials.
Now, I know this is old news, but i thought it would be worth bringing up. So, since filming for season 5 is still scheduled but DT is unconfirmed, who do we think will step in to fill the boots (or more; converse) of the Doctor?
And, what do people think about the changes in staff behind the scenes, and how will that affect the series overall?
Also, what do we think will happen in the specials??

Anyway, let's speculate....

x

[tangent]

I reckon the specials will probably be single adventures along the lines of the Xmas specials but perhaps with a unifying meme running through them. I've got a feeling that they're gonna be big. RTD is going to want to go out on a bang and with an hour to play with he can go for the epic without, hopefully, it feeling too rushed.

DT has said that he's made his decision as to what he wants to do after the specials but so far that decision is still under wraps. Personally I would like to see him bow out after the first few eps of season 5. It would gives a nice linkage into the new era and a mid season regen would be nice and different; might even catch people off guard a bit. Give us a new companion at the start of season 5 and then land them with a new Doctor 2 or 3 eps later. That would be interesting.

As for the new team in charge: well we know RTD and Phil Collinson won't be around anymore but from a writing point of view i'm very excited about the Moff reign. He's shown that he has a good grasp of the timey-wimey elements of Who and I reckon that copuld play out well in a season long arc. I also think that if the tradition of the showrunner writing the first ep and the finale continues then it's going to lead to some real fireworks. Probably setting myself up for a fall here, I know but it could be really. really good. What I don't think he'll do is bring back the Timelords. He's been on record as saying that he's against it.

[Fehmina]

I reckon the specials will probably be single adventures along the lines of the Xmas specials but perhaps with a unifying meme running through them. I've got a feeling that they're gonna be big. RTD is going to want to go out on a bang and with an hour to play with he can go for the epic without, hopefully, it feeling too rushed.

I agree... i highly doubt that they'd do something as epic as they have done recently, but would still like to keep existing fans happy by touching on recent events. And also inject some new excitement in order to bring in new fans for season 5, and also reestablishing links with existing fans.
This could also be a chance for them to introduce a companion for the Doctor?
And i really want to know whats happening with the Doctors Daughter...

DT has said that he's made his decision as to what he wants to do after the specials but so far that decision is still under wraps. Personally I would like to see him bow out after the first few eps of season 5. It would gives a nice linkage into the new era and a mid season regen would be nice and different; might even catch people off guard a bit. Give us a new companion at the start of season 5 and then land them with a new Doctor 2 or 3 eps later. That would be interesting.

It's been said that DT is planning on doing a Shakespearian play for the BBC, which would clash with the filming of Season 5. This might explain his 'decision' but it could go either way...
I think if they don't do what you've just outlined in terms of how DT bows out, they'll introduce the new Doctor at the end of the series of specials; that would give the new Doctor a fresh base to work from on Season 5?

As for the new team in charge: well we know RTD and Phil Collinson won't be around anymore but from a writing point of view i'm very excited about the Moff reign. He's shown that he has a good grasp of the timey-wimey elements of Who and I reckon that copuld play out well in a season long arc. I also think that if the tradition of the showrunner writing the first ep and the finale continues then it's going to lead to some real fireworks. Probably setting myself up for a fall here, I know but it could be really. really good. What I don't think he'll do is bring back the Timelords. He's been on record as saying that he's against it.

I'm really excited about what could happen, especially since as you've said, they might not be bringing back the Timelords. It will be interesting to see what avenues they could go down.
But having said that, would the lack of Timelord-ic material make this season more of a 'filler' than a statement? And if so, it rather depends on how the 'new doctor', if there is one, deals with the storylines. Therefore, it could be quite dangerous moving from what could be considered a comfort zone.
Hence the fireworks

x

[tangent]

It's been said that DT is planning on doing a Shakespearian play for the BBC, which would clash with the filming of Season 5. This might explain his 'decision' but it could go either way...
I think if they don't do what you've just outlined in terms of how DT bows out, they'll introduce the new Doctor at the end of the series of specials; that would give the new Doctor a fresh base to work from on Season 5?

There's been a lot said about this but as far as I know the 'gap year' was always planned in for a variety of reasons (Budgetary considerations and as a way to keep the series 'fresh' and the fans hungry). DT actually signed up for Hamlet (I actually thought on stage but I could be wrong) after his schedule was know for the year.

This could also be a chance for them to introduce a companion for the Doctor?
And i really want to know whats happening with the Doctors Daughter...

There's still one or two loose threads to be cleared up, River Song and Jenny being two very prominent ones. I think Proffessor Song is likely to be kept to one side for Moffat to play with (She is, after all, his dolly.) but Jenny I could see returning.

Companion wise I'd like to see no fixed companion for the specials. I think characters like Donna (Originally) and Astrid would be a good way to go in this 'hand over' period. It would give Moffat a clean slate to work with. That actually makes me wonder how much input the Moff is gonna get in the specials if any. An RTD/Moff Xmas 2009 Special would be interesting.

[Matt]

I think the Specials are either going to be like the Christmas ones with one specific storyline per special or maybe have all three of them continue on from the other as a mini-tv movie, but in sections, kind of like "Tin Man". I mean, that would give them the opportunity to set up one hell of a big bad and have the three specials span across the Doctor fighting it.

That said I have no idea who his companion is going to be for them, I know for the Christmas one he probably won't have a companion he's already had and what with Freema Agyeman not being in Torchwood now it seems the only past companions they could use are Captain Jack, Sarah Jane or Donna. I think it'd be interesting if the Doctor didn't have a companion at all, it would be a chance to see him lonely for once and could also give them the opportunity to introduce new characters who could go on to be potential companions.

I've also heard the Georgia Moffat may be reprising her role as Jenny, the Doctor's Daughter for the 5th season, frankly I think they should get Donna back, but it could be interesting to see DT act fatherly on a more frequent role.

As has been said before, it's likely the specials will all contain the same, recurring meme though because RTD is the kind of person that would do that, Bad Wolf, Torchwood, Saxon and everything (practically) in season 4 anyone?

[Nikole]

is season 4 anyone?

Season 4's recurring thingy seemed to be them mentioning missing/lost planets in a lot of the episodes. And also Medusa Cascade was said a lot so I figured it was that.

[Matt]

I meant to say "in" instead of "is" because nearly everything mentioned was indicating something that was going to happen in the rest of the season, even some things that might not have necessarily meant to indicate something to come, it kind of did. But everything was a recurring thing, the "There's something on your back" to Donna, said in multiple episodes, the "She is returning" in the Fires of Pompeii, "Medusa Cascade", the planets disappearing, the bees, "Shadow Proclamation".

But, anyway, I read somewhere that there are going to be four new monsters in the Specials next year, the first being Cybershade in the Christmas Special which is a Cyberman that's gone a bit wrong, then the other three over the course of the next year. That's reliable as far as tabloid newspapers go...

But if that is true then I guess that strikes out the ongoing theme, unless the aliens are connected somehow.

[litzie]

I really wish Donna was coming back, I just loved her so much. I recently watched the Catherine Tate show for the first time recently, and CT really is very very funny.

I'd like to see something more along the lines of the Christmas Invasion than the titanic one which I did not care for...Kylie was boring, and hello, RTD, we've DONE the thing where everyone is in love with the dr...I'd rather play with established characters. But I guess the end of the finale pretty much limits the likelihood of that, so I'm guessing the best I can hope for is something fun along the lines of the runaway bride.

You know who should come back as the next companion? The girl from Blink. She was so great.

Though really I'd prefer a companion from at least a different time period. I love me some history, so I'd prefer a woman from maybe 1800s? Or maybe more than one companion at a time? I'd enjoy that as well.

I think my preference re seriality of the specials is that they introduce a few new characters that stick around for the whole of the specials, but not necessarily one long storyarc. I feel like when RTD does those, he always drops the ball with at least one episode (I couldn't stand the second to last episode this time, can't remember the name...and then couldn't stand the finale in season 3...etc)