Make of that post title what you will, but it’ll make sense once you watch this promo for the Christmas programming on BBC:
Cool. Looks like they’ve made a Christmas special I’ll be happy to see! I was not thrilled with the last one (the Space Titanic? Srsly?) but I do like the Cybermen. More Doctor Who soon! More running! Yay!
Tip o’ the sonic screwdriver to io9.
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Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
Contact me: The Bad Astronomer "at" gmail "dot" com
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December 2nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Huh. That was just…odd.
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Doctor Who! Lark Rise To Candleford! Jonathan Creek! Hurrah!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Phil? The Space Titanic had Kylie Minogue. For you to claim it wasn’t thrilling is a dirty insult to pert, round, wonderful, eye-catching, delicious, Australian bottoms everywhere!
Pistols at dawn, Mr. Astronomer-Guy! You have insulted humanity, and this outrage will not be tolerated!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:11 pm
You’ve not seen the promo they did for Children In Need for the Doctor Who Christmas special? It was the first two minutes of the episode…
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Hard to say with multiple shows being intercut like that, but could that fellow with the gloves, high collar and the rubbish beard be… THE MASTER?
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Say what you will about previous Doctor Who specials (of which i have mostly enjoyed), but the space titanic idea is no failure. Starship Titanic is a fantastic pc game designed by the one and only Douglas Adams (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency).
The story is filled with the excellent humour Douglas Adams is known for, and there was also a book adaptation released.
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Oh, I loved the space Titanic! But then, I played “Starship Titanic”, a wonderful puzzle-style game written by the illustrious Douglas Adams (novelization by one of his biggest fans, the inimitable Terry Jones). I don’t *know* whether or not “Starship Titanic” was an inspiration for “Voyage of the Damned”, but it’s hard to see how it couldn’t have been. The premise is very similar, even though the actual story is quite different.
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
How do you watch the christmas specials? Are they available through itunes?
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Didn’t ‘Doctor Who’ come out of the closest ages ago when they had that bisexual eff-anyone “Captain Jack” character? Didn’t he dance with the Doctor at the end of that WW II Rose falling off zeppelin thinguimmy / gas mask faced kiddies double ep?
Would I be right in saying the Russell T. Davies ‘Dr Who’ writer / producer / director / whatever is apparently openly gay? Think I heard / read that somewhere .. ?
Apologies to him in advance if he’s not.
Also as a longtime Who fan I think I remember a very early (Second Doctor -Troughton I think?) ep where the men on this alien planet were all wearing silly dresses and behaving like women. Not sure if they were intended to be gay but the show has had its past ..er ..camp shall we say moments.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Again no offence intended.
… But if a certain mobs feel obliged to take it anyway they can to modify Bender’s catch-phrase : “kiss my shiny non-metal.. ”
… Err no they’d probably enjoy that!
Okay then they can take a long walk off a short jetty!
Gosh-durned, dang-nabbed PC BS!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
“Didn’t ‘Doctor Who’ come out of the closest ages ago when they had that bisexual eff-anyone “Captain Jack” character?”
Yes I am referring to Captain jack Harkness later starring in’Torchwood’. He may have improved there but frankly when he started off as a character in the ‘Who’ series Ifound him very annoying – you could say areal pain in the ass!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I agree that Voyage of the Damned wasn’t great. It’s the one and only episode of all four seasons that I didn’t bother watching again when I got the DVDs. Very much looking forward to the next one, though.
@Jeremy – The previous Christmas specials are available on iTunes. The first episode in each of seasons 2, 3, and 4. But all 4 seasons are worth getting in full! As for the one that will air later this month, you have to wait for it to show up on American TV, fly to the UK for Christmas, or use dastardly illegal means on teh interwebs…
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Did I just see Alan Davies? Of Johnathan Creek fame?
Amazing.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Homosexuals?
OK
Based on my religions beliefs, homosexual BEHAVIOR is a sin just like
drinking booze or having sex outside of a marriage.
I can not do anything to help sins against the teaching of the Bible
thus I can not, based on my religous beliefs, allow any of these
activities on my property, INCLUDING rental property I might own. The
civil rights laws that say I would have to rent to drinkers, unmarried
couples, or gays violate my right to live up to my religion thus such
laws are UNCONSTITUTIONAL
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:27 am
Truecristian, rest assured, my unmarried, bisexual, agnostic-atheist self doesn’t want to stay at any of your rental properties either. Also, you misspelt ‘Christian’.
Also, Jack is one of the best companions ever (after Martha, Donna, and Turlough) and I’d quite like him to snog the Doctor before he regenerates, please.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:17 am
Naomi:
“Also, Jack is one of the best companions ever (after Martha, Donna, and Turlough) and I’d quite like him to snog the Doctor before he regenerates, please.”
He has already, at the end of the first season in Bad Wolf.
Or do you really mean “snog Tennant”?
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:35 am
I don’t see what this video has to do with anyone coming out of any closets, but never mind that; let’s talk about cybermen.
As you know, the cybermen first featured in the final Hartnell story, The Tenth Planet. This was written by Kit Pedler, who had been hired by producer Innes Lloyd to “inject more hard science into the stories” (Wikipedia). I’ve therefore always found it ironic that one of the central themes in The Tenth Planet was an absolute scientific howler.
So the Cybermen’s home planet is the earth’s long-lost identical twin, finally returning to the solar system after aeons in interstellar space. What stretched suspension of disbelief a little too far for me was the concept that Mondas is literally our identical twin, with the continents in exactly the same places and all. Yeah, right. Even if you could somehow clone a planet, the pair are not going to remain identical after you set one orbiting a star and the other hurtling through interstellar space. You will dramatically influence the sea level, and as a related effect you will completely mess up continental drift.
A couple of comments on this. One, the plot would have worked perfectly well had the concept of Mondas being our identical twin simply been taken out; nothing in any way depended on this. Two, I’m cool with science fiction that doesn’t even try to be accurate (in fact I love it); it’s the fact that this howler coincided with a decision to inject more “hard science” into the series that makes it remarkable.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 am
Ok, Phil, I didn’t get it… Maybe I don’t watch Dr. Who often enough. I can never figure out what night the CBC is going to broadcast it here in Canuckistan. I should just buy the DVD’’s because I do like the David Tennant series. So long as they have Daleks… I love the Daleks!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:40 am
BTW… OT but stll sci- fi (ey) BSG webisodes begin in December, and Gaeta and Hoshi do actualy come out of the closet….
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:02 am
@Tolls – Heh, I meant Tennant, in this case.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:19 am
Yes, Russell T Davies is out and proudly gay – he wrote Queer As Folk and says he based some of it on his own teenage years. (Now watch TrueCristian’s head asplode…)
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 am
….And (just to make sure that TrueCristian’s head asplodeys properly) – John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) is also gay!
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:31 am
Movie like this proves that entertainment can take your mind of the spirit of GOD! One of the worst sins you could ever commit and GAYNESS is one of them! I know I haven’t seen it yet, and my family would forbid me to see it, but my family is right for forbidding me. I here know so many people are watching it, because it hasn’t made but something under $10 million. I believe other weak minded and thoughtless people would like this movie. I admit the story and the acting may be powerful. The thing is watching men have sex with men. I would laugh at the whole thing, because it’s against the HOLY BIBLE!!!! And I heard MILK gets killed and if you die in your sins, you will be damned for eternity. I know haw powerful the film is, but I think it’s only for people who want to be GAY. Talking about Rated R, NC-17 is more like it. NO!! I figured out a perfect rating. ADULT!!! Brokeback Mountain almost won an OSCAR, and I hope this doesn’t win! And I hope nobody wins best actor or supporting actor. I hope nobody wins in the film! I REBUKE Sean Penn! I REBUKE “MILK” in the name of Jesus!!!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:04 am
I had to delurk just to point out to ‘truecristian’ that no one was talking about Milk. If you don’t like anything to do with homosexuals, just don’t read anything to DO with them. Besides, in my experience, people who actively search out places to complain about homosexuals are usually gays or lesbians in denial.
Oh, and Harvey Milk was killed by someone who appeared to be a straight, christian man. Murder is also a sin. You could justify it by saying it was your God’s will but don’t forget the ten commandments (”Thou shall not murder’) and ‘love thy neighbour’.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:35 am
TRUECRISTIAN (sic): “One of the worst sins you could ever commit and GAYNESS is one of them!”
You mean like the hanky-panky the Rev. Ted Arthur Haggard engaged in?
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:00 am
Truecristian, you are way too interested in what men do with other men for you to be straight.
But back to Dr. Who, I didn’t get anything out of that commercial except for seeing a couple of Cybermen. It looks like it was edited by a 5-year-old with ADD hyped on coffee. Hey beeb, how about a coherent suggestion of the premise instead of random image overload?
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:16 am
I’m calling Poe’s Law on TruCristian. >_>
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
Egaesus: That trailer was for several fo the Beeb’s Christmas specils, not just Dr Who; and it was made for people who are already familiar with at least some of the actors/series, so that they can go “Oooh! Jonathan Creek! Oooh! Doctor Who! Oooh! Must watch BBC at Christmas!” It’s akin to subliminal advertising.
TrueCristian: Anothor factoid about Russell T Davies – he is also an out’n’ proud atheist. Countdown to asplodey head – 10, 9, 8….
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:33 am
Joe, I was wondering about that, but that kind of incoherency is hard to fake. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell the difference, especially when you live in the South. People like that are a dime a dozen.
sophia, that explains a lot. I was wondering who some of those people were. I only know Dr. Who, but still, that was enough to cause seizures.
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:26 am
Not so long ago people would be commenting on the colour of Martha Jones and coming up with some religilous based objection to her being in the series. Trolls like we have seen will never go away, they will just latch onto something else to feed their insecurities.
Stay Happy
Mark B
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Hurray! Alan Davies is in this one. If you have the chance, watch the comedy quiz show “QI”, hosted by Stephen Fry and Alan Davies as ignorant sidekick. Hilarious and refreshingly rude and smart at the same time.
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hi Pieter,
I agree, QI is a splendid antidote to banal quiz shows.
This is where the BBC excels, no advertisers to pander to just let the talent roam free
Mark B
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 am
@ Thomas Chiovolo and Pieter Kok.
This is a trailer for all the BBC Christmas specials not just Doctor Who the reason Alan Davies is there is because it features clips from the Johnathan Creek Christmas special not just Doctor Who.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:16 am
“Voyage of the Damned” was excellent! It has the best line ever… “I’m the Doctor. I’m a Time Lord. I’m from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I am 903 years old, and I’m the man who’s going to save your lives and all 6 billion people on the planet below. You’ve a problem with that?”
Okay… nerdgasm over. I had no idea that was at least loosely related to a Douglas Adams game! Must find. So excited for the new special! Can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait….
TrueChristian… I agree with the call of Poe.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I think TURECHRISTIAN protests too much are we touching a nerve, is he in the cybercloset.
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
@MarkB,
“Not so long ago people would be commenting on the colour of Martha Jones and coming up with some religilous based objection to her being in the series.”
Heh, the lead contender for the next Doctor is Paterson Joseph. And for some reason, the prospect of a black Doctor brings all of the racists out of the woodwork – I’ve seen people claiming that “the Doctor should be quintessentially British” and “the Doctor’s always been white, so why make him black now?” and “it’s political correctness gone mad!” *sigh* They seem to be forgetting that THE DOCTOR IS A BODY-CHANGING ALIEN. Why on Earth should a slight variation of melanin be an issue?
And, oh yeah, TRUECRISTIAN is totally in the closet.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Hmm, something from that quote Nicole gave us got me thinkin’. “I’m from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous.” In the constellation of Kasterborous, what does that mean? Constellations are groups af stars that relate to each other in some way, usually creating some sort of image, but it’s my understanding that the stars in constellations are often separated by quite some distance.
So to my understanding, a constellation would be relevant to only a small spatial viewing area. And even if you were referencing a constellation that your intergalactic audience could relate to, (something I consider to be within the realm of possibility for the Doctor) it would reference a roughly conical shape of space, streching from the closest star to the furthest.
Since this area would likely contain hundreds or thousands of cubic lightyears, it seems to me that it’s about as relevant as me telling you I live in Ontario, only much less so.
So I guess I’ll stop my little rant here, but it’s just a statement I’ve heard in a few places that bothers me a bit.
December 4th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Vilkacis (Re: Kasterborous):
It dates back to Tom Bakers era (I don’t think it goes further back)…so the, um, sciencey stuff is a little ropey (it was the 70s, after all). Because it deals with where the Doctor comes from, though, it has entered Doctor Who Lore, so to speak…even if it is nonsense. A bit like reversing the polarity…
December 4th, 2008 at 6:05 am
Perhaps I’m being a bit literal here, but I’m guessing the phrase ‘…comes out of the Cybercloset’ refers to nothing more than the fact that, during the trailer, a Cyberman is seen in a closet. And later breaking out. That seems to be that.
The ‘constellation of Kasterborous’ was first mentioned in the Tom Baker story ‘Pyramids of Mars’. The term constellation seems completely out of place. Perhaps the TARDIS translation system is substituting a more familiar phrase for something we humans don’t yet understand
.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
@Vilkacis:
“Constellation” comes from Latin for “with stars,” meaning “a group of stars.” So it’s not inconceivable that the Dr. could be referring to a group of stars that are physically associated, e.g. the Pleiades, the Hyades, etc. Indeed, “constellation” is sometimes used in that more generic sense for a collection of related things (not necessarily stars), e.g. the Iridium satellites may be referred to as a constellation.
December 7th, 2008 at 4:33 am
@ Truechristian – nice satire mate!
Bet you are gay too!
PC Doctor, PC star Trek .. can we give this shi’ite a rest …
..Oh wait we haven’t had a Shi’ite extremist playinganybodyimportant yet ..
Shock horror! No-OOOOO!!!!
Whatever floats your boat folks but frankly it doesn’t overly float mine.
I like my homosexuals lesbian & my monsters Dalek-y!
December 7th, 2008 at 4:38 am
Uh, TrueCristian (nice spelling btw) that was intentional satire wasn’t it? So hard to be sure these days & anyeway y’had me LOL’ing.
Yeah, good on Russell T. Davies & all but .. well like I said whatever floats your boat.
It does’nt float mine but that’s no crime. Not in my state anyway.
(& yes my state is ….
…. Drunken!
)
December 7th, 2008 at 4:44 am
Prediction :
Next Dr to be a black feminist lesbian in a wheelchair – oh & a half-Jewish half Indian (Red) devout Muslim too ..
The PC brigades will wet themselves in their joy & the rest of us (like the y’know the majority of non-ethnic non-gay non-PVC people) will just go “Oh no, what the eff .. ! They’ve got Who too?!”
Yeah, did I mention this doesn’t float *my* personal subjective boat ..?
December 7th, 2008 at 4:51 am
TRUECRISTIAN whose already been done like a dinner said :
“December 3rd, 2008 at 7:31 am. Movie like this proves that entertainment can take your mind of the spirit of GOD! One of the worst sins you could ever commit and GAYNESS is one of them! I know I haven’t seen it yet, and my family would forbid me to see it, but my family is right for forbidding me.”
Yup. That’s gotta be satire surely!
“spirit * of * God” not ‘off’ ..check
mis-spelling of silly name … check
“Gayness is a ’sin’ his (?) folks won’t let him see and their right becoz y’know he could be convertedort somethin’ .. check!
I think you’re sprung!