Shallow stuff and more predictions...

[tencrush]

Recent realisations:

• I don't watch Merlin because I think all the men are fuck ugly, and yes, I am that shallow. I need something to look at, at least.


• On that note, I have no idea why I watch Survivors, which is depressing and horrid. Though Freema dying right at the beginning cheered me up a bit, I thought she was going to be in all of it. In fact, the fact that she isn't in it may well be the reason I am still watching, just out of sheer surprise. (Having said that, I think I could possibly grow to find Paterson Joseph slightly... hot? I'm certainly not frowning on all the Whovian gossip at the moment.)


• The reason I bitch about John Barrowman so much is because if I see one more soft-focus icon of the guy I am going to hurl my guts up. No man, no matter how gay, should be allowed to have his picture taken in that manner. Stills from that music video count double in this respect. It's like he said "Do me like Maddie in Moonlighting, can we do that? That would be super." Sweet airbrushed baby Jesus.

Random predictions:

• I think we're not hearing who the new Doctor is, unlike back when Eccleston left and we heard within a week, because we will find out in the Christmas episode who the new Doctor is. I'm not saying it's necessarily Morrissey because it more than likely isn't, but I reckon we'll know by the end of the episode. They're certainly not going to tell us between now and Christmas.


• Torchwood filming has apparently wrapped, with no outside action having taken place for about 6 weeks. We've seen a lot of setup being filmed outside, but not a whole lot in the way of denouement: explosion in the Hub, kids chanting and being taken by the military, lots of people running around and getting terribly upset about all sorts of things. Nobody seems to have spotted any sort of epic battle or endgame or indeed anything that even hints vaguely as to How The Story Ends, just a lot of setup for How The Story Starts. Given the fact that there's been 6 weeks of indoor filming, this would lead me to conclude that A)the ending is a cgi-tastic nightmare of Abbaddonesque proportions, or B)the 5 parter isn't quite about what we all think it's about, and all the stuff we've seen is actually only one of two storylines that plays out. Thinking about it, I'm finding that one increasingly likely. Don't know why. Mostly because I still have this inkling that there's Something They're Not Telling Us.

Comments

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

Call me optimistic (or naive or sadly delusional, depending on your viewpoint), but I think all the filming done under lock and key and in secret could be something really suprising (like maybe a character or 2 returning....you know what they say, no one ever really dies in sci fi).

[tencrush]

That could well be the Something They're Not Telling Us.

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

Reports from one person connected to the production (supposedly...the source is a bit iffy) is that flashbacks with certain characters have been filmed. What we're not clear about is whether or not those supposed scenes are referring to "Fragments" or something new having been filmed.

[tigercheetah.livejournal.com]

If Owen and Tosh come back - or even Suzie - I'm afriad the show will lose all credibility when it comes to Torchwood team members putting their lives on the line. They'd be no sense of danger anymore. If Rhys or Ianto or Gwen got a bullet in the head at some point, no one would care. The only way they'd get away with it, is if series 3 is going to be the last and therefore it wouldn't matter if there's no sense of drama anymore. I seriously doubt that RTD wants Torchwood to lose credibility, even if he screws up when it comes to other matters, cough*gwen*cough.

I do think that something is going to change forever for either Jack, Gwen or Ianto though. If not the main cast, then Torchwood itself as an organisation.

[tigercheetah.livejournal.com]

Actually more hints are being given about the government playing a big role in the next series, so I think they will have a role to play in how the series ends. Apparently Jack utters a line in episode 1 about the government being on his back about something and we know that Jack and Ianto spend some time in episode 4 wondering around London and the Welsh Assembley.

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

Your opinion, and your welcome to it, but I don't agree with it. Characters returning has become a recurrent theme within the show....second chances and such, you could say.

[venusinchains.livejournal.com]

"all the filming done under lock and key and in secret could be something really surprising (like maybe a character or 2 returning...."

I don't think that would be too terribly surprising. After all, Tosh has already made two post mortem 'appearances': in her Good-bye vid and in her deus ex machina program. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she became The Ghost In The Machine at the Hub (maybe managing to save someone from the destruction in S3?) I'd love to see her pixilated image again with a big ole "H" stamped on her forehead. And considering the fade-out Owen was given, any number of excuses could be used to explain away a sudden re-appearance somewhere on the Torchwood scene. (Yeah, it's all very fan-ficcy, very Star Trek, very serial scifi - kinda like Torchwood or Doctor Who... But, as you say, no one every really dies.)

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'I'd love to see her pixilated image again with a big ole 'H' stamped on her forehead.'
Oh, I like that idea. If anyone should become The Ghost In The Machine at the Hub, it should be Tosh.

[off_coloratura]

When Eccleston left the series was still new and they wanted to reassure people that his departure didn't mean the show was going down the tubes. Now we've seen that they can keep it up with a different Doctor there's no need to reveal anything and they're building suspense to increase viewership.

I don't necessarily think it's the Christmas episode that'll reveal who the new Doctor is, but I do think they're waiting for a specific strategic time, whatever it may be. Could be they're waiting till the end of ALL the special eps. Tennant will be in all of those, right?

How likely do you think it'll be Paterson Joseph?

[tencrush]

Tennant's supposed to be in all those specials, yeah, I actually thought he was contracted up to and including the 2009 Christmas special, where I assume he'll regenerate.

I don't know about Joseph, he had a bit part in a Who episode and people seem to think that That's How It Starts, which could just be bullshit. Some sources around the web are saying it's a recently done (past week-ish) deal and will be annouced one of these days. I can't quite make my mind up. It's looking more and more likely to me as time goes by. I wouldn't really complain, he's one of those TV people whose face I've grown accustomed to, but you constantly have to look up on IMDB to remember what they were in. That's usually a good sort of actor to go with, never had a huge lead role, but a comfortably familiarish face. I'm betting on yes at the moment.

[off_coloratura]

I agree, he's a very likely candidate. Or is he a red herring?

Were there ANY rumors about Tennant before he was announced?

[tencrush]

Yes. He'd just done Casanova and was obvious spec fodder, and I believe, like Joseph, his name was mentioned by the BBC themselves in or around the news reports of the old Doctor's departure.

[qthewetsprocket.livejournal.com]

you very much need to watch neverwhere: shot on video, cheap bbc special effects; and paterson joseph being all hawt and mysterious and possibly evil. it is indeed comprised of win.

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

Paterson Joseph was fantastic in Neverwhere. His portrayal of the Marquis de Carabas makes me think he could pull off a fantastic, unique Doctor.

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

I don't necessarily think it's the Christmas episode that'll reveal who the new Doctor is, but I do think they're waiting for a specific strategic time, whatever it may be. Could be they're waiting till the end of ALL the special eps. Tennant will be in all of those, right

The first season with the new Doctor will be airing some time in 2010, so filming will start probably May/June next year. That means that TPTB will have to have somebody cast within the next few months. I'm guessing that it'll be announced early next year. I'm also thinking that they wouldn't have allowed DT to announce he was leaving if they didn't already have a fair idea of who they were going to bring on to replace him.

[lorem_ipsum]

The reason I bitch about John Barrowman so much is because if I see one more soft-focus icon of the guy I am going to hurl my guts up.

I find this paragraph so hilarious I kind of want to get another Barrowman icon now. I won't, though, because those pictures make me feel conflicted.

A)the ending is a cgi-tastic nightmare of Abbaddonesque proportions, or B)the 5 parter isn't quite about what we all think it's about, and all the stuff we've seen is actually only one of two storylines that plays out.

C) All of the above. That's where I'm putting my money.

[alba17.livejournal.com]

For TW, I'm going with your B choice. I'm sure there's Something They're Not Telling Us, but not ruling out CGI badness (I hope not - I hated Abbadon). I don't think they'll bring back Tosh or Owen.

And now you made me use this icon. Sorry.

[tencrush]

GAAAH! KILL IT! KILL IT NOW!

It burns.

[alba17.livejournal.com]

LOL! OK, how about this one?

[tigercheetah.livejournal.com]

Gareth has said that the alien threat will be partly CGI.

[takenatwork.livejournal.com]

I have been watching Doctor Who for way too long now to get excited about a change - I'll just wait and see.

With regard to Torchwood, I too am a bit concerned about what they've got planned for it. I'm keeping everything crossed for a S4. I noticed the other day, JB said something about "a shocking event instigated by Jack that will floor people" and I was reminded of your earlier predictions about Ianto and retcon, but then again JB does tend to exaggerate. I do hope the June transmission is not because of something in the Doctor specials - I've never really enjoyed the two series criss-crossing each other.

[cirrocumulus.livejournal.com]

I SO AGREE ABOUT MERLIN. I've never even checked it out, but just from pictures I've seen a) all the men are pretty horrendous and b) all the costumes look like they were sewn out of felt and other craft supplies that I have lying around my room right now. It doesn't sound to me like it would be fantastically well-written either, so yeah, uh.

Abbaddon was pretty horrible but I'm willing to forgive it because it has led to some pretty fantastic macros about Jack eating special brownies.

Also, I reaaallly like your theory on the S3 plot bait-and-switch. It did seem strange to me that we have been getting basically no new filming stuff in weeks even though everything should be filmed by now, so you'll probably end up being right on one of those counts. I hope it's not the CGI thing, though. I have joked in the past that most of the TW monsters would be a lot scarier if they were just made out of origami instead of done in CGI.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'...the TW monsters would be a lot scarier if they were just made out of origami instead of done in CGI.'
Oh, I can see now; Jack fights a giant paper crane and dies from the world's worst paper cut. Ianto and Gwen kill it by stabbing it with the world's largest paper clip.

[louisema.livejournal.com]

It would be the best episode ever.

They could end it with a touching scene in which Ianto finds a folded rose on his desk with a letter underneath saying "I LOVE YOU IT'S ALL REAL YOU'RE NOT JUST A F**KBUDDY LOVE JACK" and everything would be perfect.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'It would be the best episode ever.'
Yeah, someone should write it as a crack fic.

'"I LOVE YOU IT'S ALL REAL YOU'RE NOT JUST A F**KBUDDY LOVE JACK" and everything would be perfect.'
Fantastic idea. Heck, at this point I would settle for Jack giving Ianto a post-it note with 'I Wuv U' written on. How many times have we heard Rhys go on and on about how much he loves Gwen?

[louisema.livejournal.com]

I think someone really should. SOON, preferably!

Post-it note, text, helium-filled balloon, whatever. Just not a tube of lube and a pair of fluffy handcuffs. Stop with the Gwys! Get on with the Janto!

[cirrocumulus.livejournal.com]

Oh god, you guys. Do not give me any more plotbunnies! I've wondered before how an origami-monster plot could work. I think it could be especially interesting concerning the symbolic qualities that some origami has. Oh dear. This is starting to look entirely too appealing. I already have a whole different fic to write! XD

[louisema.livejournal.com]

You could write both?

[cirrocumulus.livejournal.com]

Lol, I have a bizarrely one-track mind when it comes to writing. I can only work on one piece at a time, for some reason.

[louisema.livejournal.com]

One after the other, then :)

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'Just not a tube of lube and a pair of fluffy handcuffs. Stop with the Gwys! Get on with the Janto!'
Yeah.

[littlepunkryo.livejournal.com]

I hope it's the second one, I really do. I'm kinda sad all the spoilery pics have stopped though. I was really enjoying that, both for the pretty and because I had fun making up insane plot aspects that were never gonna be true but were fun.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'Mostly because I still have this inkling that there's Something They're Not Telling Us.'
I hope that doesn't mean that they're going to bring back a certain dead character (or two). If they did that it would make the deaths (and all future ones) meaningless. At least when Joss killed off characters they (most of the time) stayed dead.

[xenutia1.livejournal.com]

As the dr_is_in says (I know her pretty well, lol, we chat about this a lot) there's quite a lot of things to suggest that returning characters is likely to be a recurring theme in TW as it is in DW. We spend quite a lot of time researching this, lol.

tigercheetah, you've made it perfectly plain that you think I and the others that believe this might be the case are deluded, but you're not going to change our minds by constantly repeating that same old argument. There's plenty of viewers that actually LIKE not having that sense of jeopardy, and would welcome anything that removed it. Time will tell what happen, but you can't deny that everyone was saying the same thing about Rose not so long ago. And look what happened.

I'm sorry to bring this into your LJ, tencrush! You've raised lots of things in this post that I've wondered about for a long time and it's lovely to see I and Tami are not alone in our suspicions!

[tigercheetah.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying it won't happen, I just wouldn't want to get my hopes up. Owen was my 2nd favourite character after Ianto and I found him more entertaining than Jack. :)

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

Let me assure you that the Merlin prettiness starts to appear if you stare at them for a few episodes. Plus, all the girls are kind of hot.

Why is everyone assuming it's Patterson Joseph all of a sudden? Last week it was just a possibility, now it seems so... certain?

[tencrush]

Somebody accidentally said it was him on the news or something.

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

I think its because in the odds that have been posted, he's one of the leaders and his name has been bandied about more than others.

I think he'd make an interesting Doctor.

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

I watched Neverwhere yesterday night (yeah, I dind't know there was a TV version, I fail) and I can sort of see it. I hope he'll keep the Marquis' leater coat...

[dr-is-in.livejournal.com]

If he played the Doctor like he played the Marquis, it could work. It would definitely give him a unique take on the Doctor. And I think we're ready for some racial diversity in the role.