I dunno - now I’m wishing that Dr Who would just bloody well get on with the job in hand and regenerate. There is a significant part of me who loved that feeling that a surprise regeneration gave me as a kid. I was totally unprepared for Pertwee changing into Tom Baker (in fact, this was my first regeneration). It was a surprise but not unacceptable. I liked Tom Baker, and having him turn into Peter Davison was a surprise too. Eccleston to Tennant was meant to be surprise, but it got spoiled by BBC/Actor bickerings. We knew before the episode got transmitted. I think RTD wanted the surprise - he seems to delight in this, and I thank him for keeping Dr Who plots out of the tabloids.

The fact that we have known that Tennant is leaving for a good year or so now has somewhat spoiled the effect of these specials. I’d love to see the three and NOT KNOW that he was turning into Matt Smith. RTD is clearly keeping the lid on the story, and even though we know the outcome, we don’t know how it will be arrived at. I will no doubt enjoy the last two Tennant episodes, but I wish I could indulge my wish to be wholly ignorant of stuff like this at times.

+1.

I'm not in too much of a hurry for the regeneration to happen, but when it does it should utilise a different effect. Like you say, we know the regeneration is going to happen, so change the way it happens.

Mark

Last year’s false regeneration (which was a surprise - imagine if they had pulled that one off) used the same effect as the Eccleston one.

I know. I'm not holding out much hope on the regeneration actually changing, but I think it should do.
Have regenerations of past always been the same from one actor to another?

Mark

No - each has been different, and each seems to have reflected what could be done with video at the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzRy2oAh ... re=related

If I remember rightly I think they have been all a bit different, and I'm fairly sure it has depended on the technology available when the programmes were made.

I could be wrong though...

Then the two posts above this confirm that something different should be done, especially considering we've seen the same effect used twice now.

Mark

I agree, but unless they can come up with something better, (or maybe revert to the original Hartnell/Troughton regeneration) they should leave it.

I don't think it has to be better, just different to all that's come before.
Obviously better would be, well, better.
I think it should be more painful. After all, every molecule in his body is going through a rapid change.
There seems to be change sweeping the show and it all takes place at the regeneration scene.
Weather good or bad it should just be different.

Mark

Apparently, the TARDIS changes as well. It’s going to be a massive change for the Doctor. I think he should suffer, for dramatic effect, of course.

That's partly what I was alluding to.
New Doc., new companion, new TARDIS interior, new show runner …

Mark

I am looking forward to the new run next year. I hope Moffat doesn’t break it. I think he’s written some of the best stories to date, and having him in charge of the show is very promising.

Well, the TARDIS has been stuck on the Coral desktop theme for quite a while, although nowhere near as long as it had the original one.

Tom BAker had a wooden TARDIS console room for one series. They wanted to make a change then, so built a nice wooden and glass set. After the finished filming that series, they put the set in storage. When they got it out for the next year, they found it had warped and could not be reassembled, so they had to revert to a previous console room.

http://daleksinmanhattan.com/blog/2009/ ... face-lift/