First Look At This Week's New Doctor Who Minisode

[Brendon Connelly]

On Friday night the BBC will be airing their annual fundraiser, Children in Needand I can almost smell the right wing press sharpening their claws right now.

I, however, continue to respect if not indeed love the BBC, and not least because it gives over whole evenings around the year to drive up awareness and raise money for some veritable good causes - and while they're about it, they even give us new Doctor Who into the same bargain.

This Friday, they'll be airing a preview of this Christmas'Whospecial as well as a specially-shot, brand new prequel minisode.*

We don't know much about the minsode other than it's going to be short and it's going to lead into the Christmas story and between that and the episode preview we're going to get our first look at The Doctor and Clara, his new companion, coming eye to eye.

Because those sink plunger things don't count as eyes, technically. And even then that's assuming Oswin is Clara. She's played by the same actress, sure, but there's something fishy going on.

Here's the first image from the new minisode, as released today by the BBC.

That came with a blurb attached:

Doctor Who, featuring Matt Smith, will bring viewers an extra special 'prequel' to its Christmas special, with a bespoke storyline made for Children in Need, and an exclusive preview trailer of the Christmas special including the first glimpse of the Doctor with his new companion.

See you here on Friday night for a little discussion, then.

*They call them prequels, but by definition, a prequel has to come in the wake of a pre-published work, so it's not strictly accuate.

[toodoor]

More of a prologue?

[Brendon Connelly]

More of a prologue?

Yes, but that's not Auntie says.

[flinx79]

*They call them prequels, but by definition, a prequel has to come in the wake of a pre-published work, so it's not strictly accuate.

No, it's not 'accuate' - it's simply incorrect

Loving the new costume. The Doctor seemed to change his outfit quite a bit whilst keeping the overall look the same in the '70s.

[Drew Melbourne]

No, it's not 'accuate' - it's simply incorrect

I wouldn't go that far. "Prequel" is still 75% a made-up word. Given that it was produced AFTER the holiday special, I think it's probably fair to call it a prequel (it still fulfills the basic requirement of retro-fitting) without it having to have been released afterwards. It could be argued either way and, again, given that prequel is barely a word, I don't see much point in being pedantic. Language changes with usage, after all.

[Darin Wagner]

Why would "the rightwing press" have a problem with the Children In Need telethon?

[Lars Jensen]

Why would "the rightwing press" have a problem with the Children In Need telethon?

My guess: perhaps because it's got something to do with the BBC. And children.

[Pop-Tart Samson]

Oh god, I hope we don't get mopey-Eleven. It was bad enough living through emo-Ten after "Wose" left. Eleven should be better than that. But, at this point, I'd wager Moffat's beyond burned-out he probably has RTD ghost-writing his pathos for him....

[toodoor]

My guess: perhaps because it's got something to do with the BBC. And children.

And doing nice things.