All in all, the future doesn't look that bad...

The whoniverse is still busy mourning the 1oth Doctor and/or it is going on about Russel T Davies incompetency of writing proper scripts*, however the world does what it does best, it keeps on spinning.

The most recent evidence for this is that in a few days the new Doctor Who Magazine is going to be available , featuring a few remarkable interviews. But ATM there isn't even a lot from last month's issue on the net, still, I have found this. That's the complete DWM 417 Matt Smith Karen Gillan interview (from last month, sry poeple, I have been busy) which's middle part has made it to YT a few weeks ago.

If you haven't read it yet then give it a read-through, it deserves it.

After reading it I think Matt Smith will do a good job. He seems to be, let's say, less enthusiastic about the show, but he respects it. And in this case "less enthusiastic" isn't equal with "not enthusiastic at all". But I guess it's impossible to be more enthusiastic about Doctor Who than David Tennant was during his time.
So, it looks like Matt Smith and Karen Gillan are having a lot of fun while standing in front of the camera, what isn't bad for a start.

Karen Gillan also solves Amy Pond's job - mystery, she tells us that it was she who asked for the short skirt. Moffat originally wanted her in trousers, so it's likely that in his scripts she is referred to as a police-woman after all.

I also like that the big Moff is not tapping into the "love-story" trap, at least Matt Smith describes the Doctor as "conservative" and that sounds good to me. Additionally, he says he (and not his Doctor) is clumsy, but that's something Moffat may add to the next Doctor's character. Well, I would like it.

Another bit we, at least I , liked was Matt Smith announcing that there will be a "Tim Burton-ish" touch about the new show. Doctor Who is a bit like a fairytale, and I guess Moffat won't overdo this aspect.

Good, that interview did its job, we are looking forward to the next season... although maybe still with somewhat mixed feelings.
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*BTW, you can read Mr. Miles' opinion about Doctor Who's future (I'm referring to the show!) here, it's the column on the right... In my opinion he has made a few points, but I trust Moffat with Doctor Who. I think the show couldn't possibly be in better hands.

Before ending this era...

...there is one more thing I have to do.

This is the Allons-y confidential link.
I think it's not really worth watching except for one moment, David Tennant's far-well-speech. Actually that was more touching than any of End of Time's two parts.

Ps: Still, I didn't come close to need a tissue (although David Tennant is and always will be my Doctor) but at least it wasn't meant to be that way unlike End of Time.

Maybe not the worst possible send off of the best Doctor we very likely are ever going to have

Sometimes I wonder what is on scriptwriters' minds  while writing an episode. Maybe RTD had a check-list with topics which a good episode should include and ticked them off as he was including them. That may be the reason why the whole story seems a bit overloaded. Nevertheless, yes, we had our promised regeneration, yes, there were scenes which were good, deep and dramatic, and maybe RTD asks us to forget about the rest. Actually I would really love to forget about "the rest" and each of "Part 1"'s 75 minutes as well. But I have to admit, "Part 2" could have been worse; a lot worse.
Still, I can't help being a bit disappointed. It was David Tennant's last episode and I expected more, not from him, he and Bernhard Cribbins did an amazing job, actually it's them saving this episode from being torn into pieces by review writers; but from  Davies.  At least it was also RTD's last attempt to do his best.

I mean, on the one hand we had a few "overdone" scenes, come on RTD, you can't expect us taking you seriously after we saw the Doctor crashing through that giant glass dome from that height. And the "prophet" of the Time Lords was rather a spoof of something with which I haven't come across yet, not to mention that very "playstation-like" situation when those missiles hunt the alien space craft.

But to be fair, on the other hand it wasn't bad enough to deserve the adjective "bad". And to be even fairer no matter how good this last episode would have possibly been it wouldn't have been good enough to be the "swan song" of the 1oth Doctor.  And noone can deny that there were very "Doctor"-ish moments one has to fell in love with: The Doctor correcting Wilf's grammar followed by the "worst rescue ever!" scene put a smile on my face.* For me the most emotional scenes were Wilf and the Doctor having that chat in the space craft and when the Doctor explains to the Master the big privilege of SEEING that universe out there. I think these were the moments fans loved the most, mainly due to some great acting performance. And these were also the scenes missing in "Part 1".

So, I'm not saying it's RTD's worst script, it surely isn't, but it's also not his best one and that's because it might be impossible to write a really bad regeneration scene. Well, 1oth last line "I don't want to go." wasn't such a great idea. He is a Time Lord knowing he is just about to regenerate so it doesn't really make a lot of sense...

Then again, 11th's first line wasn't better. "I have legs!" Wow. Who can we blame for that one, was that Moffat's or RTD's line?** I have to admit, the last time we had "new teeth, that's weird." - it's hard to top that and I'm serious for a change. Talking about Matt Smith. If (some) of those explosions taking place in the TARDIS were real, and they really looked like that, then this was very likely Matt Smith most difficult shot of his entirely "Doctor Who" career. But apartf rom this I think we don't know enough about his Doctor's character or Matt's acting abilities to say something substantive about number 11 but for his first appearance this wasn't bad.

Anyway, back to the episode. There were also a few nice twists, especially when we realised that after all the Doctor will have to sacrifice his life to save Wilfed. I didn't have tears in my eyes, but when Wilf started tapping, I bet it wasn't just me who thought "Wilf, just stop it!". This was maybe one of the best done moments in DW's history ever.

Plus, I understand why RTD wanted the Doctor visiting his more or less companions. It wasn't really my taste, although "The Journal of Impossible Things" scene was an extraordinary idea. It was a bit sad, even sadder than RTD's "1o minute before the end" scene. At least she got her happy life, while he, well... we know. Then, Rose was a bit pointless. I understand why she was there, and I have no idea how it could have been done better, still, I can't help thinking it wasn't a necessary scene. Oh, and Martha and Mickey are married? Nice for them.

So, all in all it was nice and sad, there are certainly explanations missing*** but I have to say finally it wasn't the "worst possible send off" of the best Doctor we very likely are ever going to have. And that's one of the biggest compliments RTD has ever got from me.

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* I'm ignoring the fact that that escape scene had to be filmed as well. I'm curious to see the confidential explaining how they actually did that stuff with those stairs....

**It's Moffat's. Well...

*** like was that woman really the Doctor's mother? Was she a Time Lady in the first place? Becuase, if yes, then how could she scape the timelock? She spoke to Wilf a few times and if she were really from Gallifrey she couldn't have done that. Maybe we'll never find out about it but review writers who can't write TARDIS properly or refer to the Doctor as "Doctor Who" shouldn't be speculating about such things. Then, what about the Oods? I hope Moffat has an idea for them. Oh, and what happened really to the Master?

Much ado about nothing...

...so far

What can one say after watching "End of Time" (part 1) except for "I hope there is going to be a better part 2.", or maybe "come on Davies, you can do much better than that!" or something else less polite? Fact is that "End of Time" Part 1 (am I the only one who wants individual titles?) was highly disappointing so far. And after reading a few reviews I'm glad I'm not the only one having this opinion. You can read Mr. Mile's one here* and the good old Guardian-blog review here. Don't miss the comments, I think that's the best about it.

Maybe the reason why the whoniverse quite agrees about the "quality" of this episode is that our expectations were too high. However, even then "End of Time" isn't really a good one. Sometimes it remembered me of "Journey's End" and when it didn't do so it was because of the far too long scenes in which the Master demonstrates his craziness. Oh, and I missed he reason WHY he has those superpowers in the first place. Until know they are quite pointless. Talking about pointlessness. I know the "Master-race" is a sci-fi novelty and the idea behind it is certainly scary, but somehow those scenes manage to be involuntarily comical.

Ok, to start at the very beginning. I guess most British are familiar enough with their own history to find the first 5 minutes rather 'not amusing'. I have no idea why it was necessary to include an  Elizabeth I reference into the finale, as RTD should have known in the first place that most 'Doctor Who' fans are going to complain about that sentence...

Then there is the (now) famous Café scene. Some people say those are maybe the best minutes of the episode, but (there is always a but, isn't there) come on, the Doctor isn't supposed to care that much about himself. Fans know that! The best thing about it is Donna having a very Donna-like chat about her car and I have to admit the Doctor saying "oh, another wedding" puts a smile on every fan's face.

But this episode does have also an even bigger (well, that shouldn't be that difficult) brownie-point: Wilfred. He is the main reason why I'm almost looking forward to next week. He does a great job as the Doctor's companion. I just love the scene in which he is not satisfied with the TARDIS'# tidiness. We have always known Wilf is "special", we admired him protecting Donna from her mum we loved everything about him, especially when he defeated that Dalek with paint balls. I'm not a big fan of "Stolen Earth" but when I saw that scene I knew it was worth watching it. I really hope RTD won't go for the cheapest way of getting a dramatic effect,and kill him (or Donna) off.

Furthermore,  I know everyone is getting exited about the Time Lords coming back, but are they really good? There is a reason why the Doctor used to travel the universe in a stolen (well, 'borrowed') TARDIS when Gallifrey's suns were still shining on a happy(-slappy) planet inhabited by control-freaks.

All in all, while "End of Time" has its moments, it is inevitably getting a bit awkward. Well, then again, being awkward is one of the key recognition features of most RTD scripts.

Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed for "Part 2", it HAS to be better, well, it could but won't be really worse simply because 10th deserves a better departure than another version of the last final. So, let's increase our tissue-inventory until next week, we may need it, and let's hope for the best.
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*It's immensely short and as the whole world say how much they disliked it his has to be for his standards pretty positive, well, he may change it, the title says "part one part one" this has to have a meaning, at least I would be highly disappointed if it hadn't one.

#Dear editors and review writers. Maybe Catherine Tate doesn't know this, and I really don't care about it as she did a dazzling good job as a companion, but you should, it's part of YOUR job: that police box is a TARDIS and not a Tardis and the name of the show is "Doctor Who", the character is called "the Doctor". How difficult is it to get these things right?

Intention: Fun and Wobbeling Around with Time

I know it's odd to give my review about the most dramatical Doctor Who episode so far (!!!) that title, but after all it's true. Finally we know WHY after more than 900 years of travelling a highly dangerous universe, the Doctor still keeps on going: for FUN. But apart from that I have to say "Waters of Mars" doesn't belong to my most favourite Doctor Who episodes. You could find it on a much higher position on my "Worst Doctor Who Episodes" list. And that's only RTD's fault, literally.

Ok, let's try to be more serious.

First there is to say, "Waters of Mars" wasn't scary. Today's children are used to Harry Potter and stuff, so "Waters of Mars" didn't give even me the creeps, and I'm not exactly the biggest Harry Potter fan existing. But those children are. The beeb should check what they so-called "target" audience is watching on a normal Sunday evening before declaring something as "scary".

Further, I really disliked the last 15 minutes of it. Yes, now we can surely do a much better character sketch of the Doctor's recent regeneration, but I can't help thinking "it just wasn't worth it".

Controversially, the first 20 - 25 minutes were great. It was quite amusing seeing the Doctor not knowing what to do, dashing between decisions like an electron being shortly before reaching the right energy level to leave an atom. But what RTD made of this was a worst-case scenario. My main problem is no-matter when or on which planet Adelaide would have died this certain "fix point in history" would have been changed anyway. Except the Doctor knew this before saving the whole crew. The effect shouldn't have taken him by surprise. So, what exactly was he hoping for?

However, another way of seeing this is that the Doctor knows he is going to die, no matter what, so maybe he wanted to change a certain point in time to open Gallifrey's "time-lock". As a result, the last thing he might do is trying to save "them", the Timelords, as on a personal level there is nothing he could lose anymore.

So, RTD's actual storyline, or rather what we know about it, is something like the Doctor changes a "fix point" in history and time and history are in flux for a short time while everything tries to re-arrange itself. Then Sigma-Ood turns up and the Doctor realises what he actually has done by being a bit "selfish" (if trying to save people (the crew) /or maybe a whole planet (Gallifrey) or both whilst knowing that in future one is going to die at the attempt of doing so, can be called selfish). Or does the Doctor at last realise that having "laws" for time wasn't such a bad idea? But RTD wouldn't be RTD if he didn't add an extra portion of adventure and drama to it. Furthermore he characterises our future fellows as rude folks who can't even utter a "thank you" after someone has saved their lives.

Anyway, all in all RTD managed to reach his goal: As WoM ended in a very awkward cliff-hanger so he can be sure about having top ratings no matter what the beeb decides to put "End of Time" against with.

Waters of Mars

The world was back to normal for one weekend: Lawrence Miles has decided to care for his blog (if you haven't noticed his newest posts then give them a read-through, they are highly entertaining) and we could watch the Doctor saving humans on the weekend, this time they broke with the good old "Doctor Who" Saturday - tradition, but I guess after waiting 7 month for the next episode fans didn't care that much about chosing the "right" time, well, they didn't get exactly some kind of an option. Still, more than 9 million people dedicated their Sunday afternoon to "Doctor Who" and I think adding those patient people outside the UK waiting about 3 hours for "Waters of Mars" being uploaded to the net (the internet was really slow last night) we might scratch at the 10 million mark.

First things first, you can find a "Waters of Mars" YT link here, and I've found this nice guardian-review on the site of the already mentioned newspaper. You can take a look at it here. So, I think I don't need to give you folks a plot summary ;)

There will be some kind of a review in a few hours or days. Depending on... stuff. Anyway. I hope I will post mine before Lawrence Miles does.

Sarah's tying the knot

I know, I'm terribly late, and I'm really glad that there isn't an organization for the well-fare of blogs, otherwise, I would get mentioned on their "no-go" list.

So, first things first.

If you have managed not to come across of the "Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith" 2 parter yet, then you can find a link here. (part 1) (part 2, and don't worry about the video title saying part 5, that's ok)

I'm going to write a review in a few days, I'm sorry about the delay, but actually, yes, I am awfully busy ATM... Oh, and don't be disappointed, the Doctor doesn't really appear a lot in part 1... but in part 2, still, I recommend watching both parts as otherwise the story gets just too confusing.

They should really release that Soundtrack...

As I haven't found a more or less complete list of the very possible most beautiful but due to copyright infringements never released soundtrack in TV history ever (ok, maybe I AM exaggerating a bit, or hold on a minute, nope, I'm not) I tried to do it myself, and if anyone out there is also interested into Takin' Over the Asylum's soundtrack, here it is. It might not be absolutely complete, and I'm not always sure which version they used in that mini episode, but it is better than finding nothing on the net. So any help and corrections are appreciated. Anyway, here is my best suggestion:

Hey Jude

19th Nervous Breakdown - Rolling Stones

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter - Billy Williams

Hey Jude - Beatles

Summertime Blues - The Who

To Know Him Is to Love Him - The Teddy Bears (?)

Help! - Beatles

If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin & The Blue notes



Fly Like an Eagle

Money - Beatles

Can't buy me Love - Beatles

I hear you knockin' - Dave Edmunds

Puppet on a string - Sandie Shaw

Goin' out of my Head - Little Anthony And The Imperial's

Ain't Gonna need this House no Longer - George Young

Good vibrations - Beach Boys

We gotta get out of This Place - The Animals

Your Love keeps lifting me higher - Jackie Wilson

A World Without Love - Peter and Gordon

Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis

Paint It, Black - Rolling Stones

Shaun Cassidy - Da Doo Ron Ron

Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller

Hound Dog - Elvis Presley

Stay just a little bit longer - Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs



You Always Hurt the One You Love

Dancing in the street - Martha & The Vandellas

Runaway - Del Shannon

Baby come back - The Equals

You always hurt the one you Love - Peggy Lee (?)

The Party is over - (?)

For once in my life - Stevie Wonder

Wouldn't it be nice - Beach Boys

I wanna hold your hand - Beatles


Fool on the Hill


Hang on Sloopy - The McCoys

Ain't no Mountain High Enough - Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson

Fool on the Hill - Beatles



Rainy Nights in Georgia

Rainy Nights in Georgia - Brook Benton (?)

Dream Lover - Bobby Darin

shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd & the Pirates

Run for Your Life - Beatles

Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins

Get Ready - The Temptations

Don't play that Song - Aretha Franklin

Try a Litter Tenderness - Ortis Redding



Let it Be

California Dreamin' - The Mamas & the Papas

Bright Side of the Road - Van Morrison

why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers

Ticket to Ride - Beatles

Revolution - Beatles

Reach out, I'll be There - The Four Tops

Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles by Hermes House Band

Let it Be - Aretha Franklin

Back to Basic

It's a well known secret that today at 8am the new season 5 Doctor Who logo has been introduced to the audience. The first reactions differ from "Brilliant" (lol) or "it could be worse" to "we want to keep the old one". I suggest you make up your own mind. Here you find a copy of it. And here is a part of the new intro.

IMO it's better than the old one, the one we had for the last 4 seasons. Sure, it's new and at the first glimpse everything new is bad, but after giving it another thought... we'll get used to it, and I was never really fond of the old one. And I'm really fond of its retro style. It works for me, I hope it also works for you as the BBC doesn't care about our opinion.

Sarah Jane is about to tie the famous knot

First, there is to say that everything you are about to read contains spoilers, but that should have been already clear after reading this post's title.

So, I don't want to be responsible for you breaking your promises you made yourself. Here is a link leading to my source*. It's your choice ;). Maybe I'll edit it later, but right now I just don't find more or better information. Even our beloved guardian TV&Radio blogs aren't writing anything about it ATM.

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*It contains a few "Wedding of Sarah Jane" episode pictures, a short plot summary and a link to the recent Didital Spy interview with Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane). If you want to read only the interview, well, then here is the link.

Does Sir Blackadder and sci-fi match?

Richard Curtis is going to write a story for Doctor Who (here is the official statement of the BBC, and here is a nice blog review by the guardian, with an even nicer comment). Although fans are already speculating weather Sir Edmund Blackadder will meet the Doctor or not, I think it's rather unlikely as Rowan Atkinson won't agree to play that famous character (again), and I'm quite sure that Curtis won't want anybody else to play that role. It's more possible that the Doctor will come across a "demon headmaster" ( Terrence Hardiman has already been spotted on set) than with Sir Blackadder.

But apart form this there aren't any news, but speculations. Rose seem to have been seen on set too, but as we know she is supposed to be living a happy life with "her" Doctor in a parallel universe. And come on, Moffat can do a lot better than that. I really wasn't too fond of Doctor Who's last season's final, nevertheless, its (only) positive aspect was that we got rid of Rose, forever. So, thanks to RTD, we can put Rose on the "never going to happen" list.

And another interview.

Today I stumbled across this, it's a (more or less typical) David Tennant interview. There is really nothing to say about it. I know, I'm just about to hit my personal best mark in writing my shortest post ever. Good for you ;) Ok, and (I'm really trying hard to stay under the limit) if there is anyone out there being interested into what RTD has to say about the final and other stuff, there's a link on Combom's blog.

Cheers.

Comic Con Panel 2009

Maybe I'm not the only one who is searching for a good quality copy of the Comic Con Doctor Who panel luckily there are a few people who uploaded it to YouTube. This is the best version I've found. If the other parts should not be loading, just go to YouTube.

So, what did it tell us. Well, sometimes I wished the questioners had read trough a few old David Tennant, Russel T Davies, and Julie Gardner interviews.

One of the highlights is Julie Gardner doing a Doctor Who movie joke, although, personally I don't believe we'll get an actual movie. I know, it has already been on the big screen once, but does Doctor Who really support that kind of format? I don't think so... Still, rumours like that maybe don't come out of thin air. 

Then we have David Tennant giving, as always, the only right answers to some rather standard questions. Come on, the one about Fireflies and the legendary brown coat is an absolutely old one.

All in all, there weren't any news, just a few set - stories which might have been new to a few people. But apart from that, we do not really get anything which might come close to 'news'.

About old & new Friends and upcoming Mysteries

It has been a while since my last post, and not because of lack of news, but - I just wasn't here... I hope you'll accept this imperfect apology.

Anyway, the whonivers kept spinning, right, what did I expect, the whoniverse wont' keep still just because I'm abroad for about three weeks, maybe it would have kept still if I had stayed at home... So, what are these so called news. We know Karen Gillan's character's name: Amy. I read somewhere*, I have to apologise for being this unspecific, that Mighty Moff's going to turn the whole story in a Doctor - Rose, pardon, Amy relation ship a la Rose, and I really hope this will never come true. Anyway, here 's a nice wallpaper, yes, it's the OLD wallpaper of the two smiling not directly into the camera. You can find an analisation of it here. I'm glad Moffat hasn't completely changed the Doctor's look, although we weren't exactly expecting that the 10th Doctor's legendary brown coat was allowed to stay on set, were we? But why they changed the TARDIS's outside (here, I won't post the original one, we all know how it used to look like) is a secret to me. On the other hand, this might be a hint of what happened in the specials. Who knows. Filming for the next season has already started and - Alex Kingston (River Song) has been spotted on set (pics and source here) and according to Scooty: "she isn't unknown to the Doctor. He clearly recognises her as friendly and they have a chat." I think this isn't her "first" encounter with the Doctor. Still, there's the possibility of twisted timelines: River Song meets Matt's Doctor first, and then she comes across David's Doctor. This could be the reason why they are "doing diaries". Combom has another interesting post about her here. Plus, She's wearing hand-cuffs. Doesn't that ring a bell? Well, if it doesn't then I suggest re-watching the Library 2 parter... And - last but not least (I'm not wanting this post to get too long): Moffat seems to have a freer spoiler policy than RTD ever had. You want proof? Here. "The Crash of Byzantium", as mentioned in s4e8, could be a possible title of Matt's 1st (?) episode. But giving it another thought, "Crash of Byzantium" should be placed before Matt's era, because when River Song meets the Doctor in "Silence of the Library" she thinks that she has been there with David's Doctor... However, I hope Moffat hasn't ignored this fact. So, maybe it is not THE "Crash of Byzantium" but A "Crash of Byzantium" and maybe the whole story is just made up, or the BBC wants us to speculate about "unreal" spoilers while hiding the real ones. To quote Combom: "It's odd that we can deduce this, even the Byzantium sticker, its as if it was put here for us to find!" It is odd, too odd, for what I suggest that it can't be sheer coincidence.

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*Those who are really that keen on copyright infringements, go to Combom's blog and read through his entries of the last 2 weeks. It should be there, somewhere.

Speaking of interviews...

Today I stumbled across this interview with David Tennant. I haven't found the date when it was taken, but it's a recent one... Here is my original source, I've copied it, because the prologue on that site is just too long. And I have to thank timelord50 for transcribing it. And I'm sorry, I haven't found the original video. Anyway, here it is:

Where are you in the filming of the "Doctor Who" specials?

 I'm all finished. Three or four weeks ago, I filmed my last scene. So it's over. Still a long time to go before they're all broadcast, though, so I'm still clinging on for a bit. But yeah, it's done. It was very emotional, very exciting. We managed to go out with some of the best scripts I had in four years. So it was a real treat. 

Is the general plan for the last specials to be broadcast around Christmastime? 

 I believe so. I mean, these things can always change. But that's the plan at the moment. "Planet of the Dead" has already [aired] here, "Water of Mars" will be toward the end of the year, as it leads into the final two-parter. The plan for those is Christmas-New Year's time, but they'll be very secretive about what their plans are until the last minute. 

They like to keep us guessing, don't they?

They keep us all guessing. 

Oh, I just thought it was us in the press that they wanted to keep in the dark.

No, it's exactly the same for us. We usually find out when the Christmas edition of the Radio Times comes out. Then we finally learn what the scheduling is. 

You also appear on "Sarah Jane Adventures" too, right?

Yeah, I filmed an episode of that. 

Was it one episode or two? I thought I read that it was a two-parter.

Eh, ah, without giving too much away, yeah, it's a two-parter. 

Now I also have to ask, I read a story about all 11 Doctors being united for a charity special some time this fall. Is there any truth to that?

Ooooh, that sounds like a good tabloid wheeze!

Well, if there's one thing I've learned from reading UK tabloids it's not to trust UK tabloids. So I thought I'd ask the source.

Oh sure. So what are they saying? 

They're saying that for Children in Need, there will be a 15-minute charity film, it will reunite all the past Doctors via old footage or newly shot scenes. So I didn't know if you knew anything about that.

It's not something I've heard anything about. And I would have thought they'd be in touch. But that'd be quite a curious way to introduce Matt Smith, I'd have thought they'd wait until his first story. Not anything I've heard about yet. 

Well, one of the stories I read today misspelled TARDIS, so I wasn't taking it all that seriously.

So maybe they're not going from an official press release [laughing]. 

Maybe not. Just to get back to your final run of specials as the Doctor, I was thinking that there's sort of a split in "Doctor Who" episodes -- there are the more larky, adventurous, light-hearted episodes, then the darker episodes with more of a psychological thriller aspect. Would you say "Water of Mars" and the final two-parter are more in that second category?

I think inevitably, because we all know the Tenth Doctor's days are numbered, the storm clouds hang over the last stories. "Planet of the Dead" is in some ways, the Doctor's last hurrah. He's clearly in a death-defying situation, but he's enjoying himself and having a blast.

By the time we come to "Waters of Mars," things start to happen that mean things can never be quite be the same again. Stuff occurs in "Waters of Mars" which leads directly into the final story, where the doctor really is on the run from the inevitable, I think it's fair to say.

There's a tiny little hint at the end of "Planet of the Dead," a tiny portent of doom is whispered in the Doctor's ear. And really that's heralding the beginning of the end. So yes, "Planet of the Dead" is a bit of a larky one, a bit of a romp, and really, that's the last time we're going to see the Tenth Doctor allowed to have quite so much fun. 

And "The Next Doctor" is sort of in that realm too. What was it like working with David Morrissey on that?

Well, David and I worked on a show called "Blackpool" a few years ago. 

Oh yeah, "Blackpool." That was great. 

Yeah, I think it was called "Viva Blackpool" over there. Then I guess it was "Viva Laughlin," which I guess wasn't so successful. 

It was … really bad. It wasn't as good as your one, put it that way.

OK [laughs]. Well, I was quite proud of our one. Don't know what went wrong there. But yeah, Dave and I got to know each other on that, so it was a real treat to have him in "The Next Doctor."

And of course you know what tabloid stories are like. From the moment I took over [as Doctor], they were all saying, "Well, who's going to be next?" One of the names that always came up was David Morrissey, so it was nice to be able to play with those expectations a little bit. 

I'm going to make this next question a double-decker, and you can skip over the first part if you want, because I'm sure you've been asked it a million times. So the first part is, why leave "Doctor Who"? And the second part is, "Doctor Who" is such a long-lived franchise -- what do you feel you've brought to "Doctor Who" or left it with? 

Oooh. It's very hard for me to answer that. It may be for others to answer and for history to dictate. I've had a wonderful time. I hope I'm leaving at the right time. I think you can overstay your welcome and I hope I'm not doing that. It's funny because it's difficult to leave something that you love so much and have such a great time with. It's hard to ever move away from--I could stay forever. I think it's always best to leave yourself and hopefully everybody else wanting more. I'm hoping I've done that and I'm hoping I'm leaving at the right time.

As a rule, it takes an enormous infusion of creativity and energy and enthusiasm to do it justice. Which I've had, I think--I've really enjoyed the last four years. And I'm quite happy to leave it still feeling that way, leave it before it starts feeling like a job. So it's probably not for me to say what I've left it with, but hopefully some stories that people will come back to and enjoy and feel very fondly about.

I have such fond memories of watching "Doctor Who" when I was a kid and growing up, that if I've left anybody anywhere with memories as fond, then I feel like I've done my job. 

Do you have a favorite episode or a favorite memory of making the show?

It always feels wrong to choose favorites. It feels like choosing between children. It's unlike filming any other series, because every story is so different. Every story leaves you with particular memories. And we have a different guest cast every time. There's very few shows that are like that, I suppose. We have one standing set, which is the TARDIS, which we're only in for a couple of scenes. So each story is such a different world, with such different people. I genuinely have fond memories of every story we've done and each one lives very vividly in my memory still. It feels disloyal to choose.

It's the people I'll miss, and getting those fresh scripts, and being the first one to read them. But at the same time, it'll be lovely to return to watching the show and not knowing what happens next. I'm a genuine fan of it and I look forward to being a fan again, in a more traditional sense, rather than a fan who happens to have the best job in the world. 

But it seems as though it's a taxing job -- there's lots of running around.

Oh, it's full-on. The Doctor is the kind of character -- because the guest cast is changing all the time, there are very few constants in the show, so the Doctor -- when you're there, you're in it a lot. You're speaking a lot. It's a lot of lines to learn and he speaks quickly, so you've got to learn them well. There's a lot of running around and a lot of energy and it takes a level of commitment and enthusiasm to serve that stuff up the way that it needs to be fulfilled.

I'll miss all that because that kind of energy is very inspiring in itself. But yes, it's relentless, that filming schedule. You have to keep on top of it and you have to keep ahead of the game to give it what it requires. But I'll miss that too. I'm jealous of Matt starting out and having all that to look forward to, but at the same time, it's correct and the right time to move on for me. 

One thing I've always appreciated about your take on the Doctor, and obviously this was Russell's doing as well, is that he has many emotional colors, if you will. He's not just lighthearted and adventurous all the time, there's an undertow of melancholy or sadness to him as well. There's a sense of the knowledge he has or the history he's lived.

Well obviously some of that kind of thing is script-led, but it's something that I'm always delighted to play, because it just makes sense, doesn't it? It's just real, that someone who's 900 years old, when no one else in the universe can live that long -- he's going to be lonely. He's never going to be able to find happiness.

And Russell likes to turn the thumbscrews on him and give him ever more emotional moments to navigate, but from an acting point of view, that's what you want. You want to have that range of emotions and states to play. That's what makes it just about the most exciting character to inhabit, because he can be everything and is everything.

I think perhaps in the classic show, the emotional life of the Doctor wasn't quite as investigated as it is now. But I think that's wonderful, it's great to get to play all those different colors and all those different scenes. 

So you're coming over here for Comic-Con. Have you ever been to things like that before? Do you have any expectations of what that'll be like?

Never. Absolutely none, I have no idea. We're sort of in and out, I think. I think Russell and Julie [Gardner] are there for longer. I think we do a panel and Q&A. And then I'm doing the TCAs [after Comic-Con, the Television Critics Association's summer press tour takes place in Pasadena]. But I don't even know where San Diego is, that's how green I am.

But I'm fascinated to see what I'm coming to. San Diego Comic-Con has become a bit of a sensation, hasn't it, a huge industry event after starting out as a fan meeting. It's become this huge industry event. I know Julie and Steven Moffat were there last year. 

So what's next for you as far as roles you'll be playing?

I've done a sort of cameo in a movie called "Glorious 39," which Stephen Poliakoff wrote and directed. Then there is some stuff but it's all a bit unconfirmed so I better not say anything in case it all falls apart. I don't quite know what the next move is, really, so I'll just wait to see what scripts come in.

I just finished "Hamlet" for the BBC. I did it on stage last year, in the break from filming. The day after I finished "Doctor Who," I started shooting that production, a TV version of the stage production. So I just finished that. As soon as I get off the phone with you, I'm on my way to the wrap party. I'm just beginning to unfold my brain from all that. It was very quick. We had three weeks to shoot three hours.

So it's been a fairly manic, fairly high stress-level three weeks. But I'm really chuffed that we get to have a permanent record of what I think was a very special show, I think. 

So you've been busy.

I really have, yeah. To go from one to the other -- I finished "Doctor Who," then went the next day to "Sarah Jane," then the next day started "Hamlet." So I might have a drink tonight.

Have two.

Well, let's not go crazy. It's been very hard work the last few months, I'll be quite a lightweight. I don't want to embarrass myself.