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XXXXXX User:SOTO/Forum Test/The Wikia Archives/Thread:180640
Hey All,
Never really posted on the site before, though I've often referenced it. I was looking at the page for Series 9 and noticed it had "Last Christmas" marked as part of Series 9 instead of Series 8. This seemed strange for me, as the plot of the episode was dealing with fallout from the Series 8 finale. Also, the Christmas Specials under Moffat tend to have more to do with the preceding series, rather than the following series (a trend that started with Russell T. Davies' and David Tennant's final series, and continur=ed through the 2009 specials).
Thematically, "A Christmas Carol" matches Series 5 more than Series 6; "The Doctor, The Widow, and the Wardrobe" ties up the plot threads of series 6; "The Snowmen" is obviously part of Series 7, and "The Time of the Doctor" wraps up the remaining threads left from Smith's tenure.
I understand that some of this organization is based on DVD/BluRay releases... but surely the story is more important than marketing? Could a note at least be added for people who come to this site for story and continuity questions? Each series of Doctor Who has had a series-long arc, and these Christmas specials tie into those arcs, and if you treat episodes in a series as chapters in a book, it wouldn't make sense for Series 7 to have two chapters in a row about the Doctor reconciling with the Ponds, and Last Christmas feels so much like a conclusion rather than a prologue...
- Danniesen
I totally understand what you're getting at, and honestly I've never really understood this either. But I just go with and accept it as it is. In fact I've never really seen the specials as part of the specific Series' But rather a connecting episode between them.
- Bwburke94
Per the prior decision on Time Crash, we deal with production series exclusively, not "what fits better where" in each series.
So the question is, what production series was Last Christmas a part of?
- Digifiend
That would logically be Series 8, because it aired around six weeks after the rest of that season. However, the production codes listed on the articles are 4.12 for Death in Heaven and 5.X for Last Christmas. Which wouldn't place them in the same season (though I must say, those production codes don't make sense, since The Stolen Earth is also production code 4.12).
- Bwburke94
So Last Christmas is Series 9, then.
(note on production codes: the Moffat era restarted the production codes for whatever reason)
- Shambala108
Admin note: Bwburke94's comments in the above post are his opinion only. This discussion is still open.
- Danniesen
I just don't see why they would make one episode of a series and then wait half a year to show the rest of it. I see it as a final stroke to the previous series.
- Digifiend
Like I said, logically, that's true, it should be part of Series 8. But the production code indicates Series 9.
I've noticed another complication. Logically, The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor are series 7 episodes, especially since they feature Matt Smith as the main Doctor rather than Peter Capaldi (though he is in both episodes). Their production codes are not listed on their articles. Why is this? The reason I tried to check that, is that series 7 (due to airing across two years) had TWO Christmas specials, The Snowmen and Time - and thus if Time is 4.X, it would explain why Last Christmas has the 5.X code which seems to belong to series 9, despite being a series 8 episode. There's no way you can claim Time is part of Series 8!
- RogerAckroydLives
Those production codes are attributed, not actually used on any production documents for the series. Production codes were abandoned after the 2011 Christmas special.
- Bwburke94
RogerAckroydLives wrote: Those production codes are attributed, not actually used on any production documents for the series. Production codes were abandoned after the 2011 Christmas special.
That just throws up even more questions.
- Digifiend
RogerAckroydLives wrote: Those production codes are attributed, not actually used on any production documents for the series. Production codes were abandoned after the 2011 Christmas special.
If this is true then any stories after that shouldn't have a code on their articles at all.
- Danniesen
Do you even have a proof that they were abandoned?
- RogerAckroydLives
Danniesen wrote: Do you even have a proof that they were abandoned?
I don't own any production documents, no, but it is cited as such by numerous sources.
- Danniesen
Just want to know where this comes from, because I've never seen it.
- RogerAckroydLives
I believe it has been detailed in a few reference books, and was stated within either DWM or a DWM special. The Wikipedia list of serials reflects the statement, but provides no citation.
- Mewiet
I've been trying to look into this. Unlike some of the previous Christmas specials (i.e. A Christmas Carol is included on the series 6 boxset and The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe is included on the series 7 boxset), Last Christmas isn't included on the series 8 boxset or the boxset for the first half of series 9. The second half and complete series boxsets for series 9 haven't been released yet and I can't find any information about their content. However, while I was poking around on the BBC Shop, I noticed that the Last Christmas DVD and Blu-rays are listed as being part of series 8. Oddly, it's the only Christmas special they list a series for.
- Danniesen
So... the special should be moved to Series 8, along with its content seen on Series 9. And the Christmas special itself should be said to be part of Series 8.
- Bold Clone
That's jumping to conclusions, IMO. I think we need a bit more than just that.
- Mewiet
- RogerAckroydLives
Yep. This info is all over the web. Is this basis enough to place the upcoming special on the Series 9 page and adjust our "current" template to become the obverse of before? I personally think it would be a fine solution.
Category:SOTO archive threads YYYYYY XXXXXX User:SOTO/Forum Test/The Wikia Archives/Thread:183429
I wish that Professor pericles and his master to be release from their portal prison.
Category:SOTO archive threads YYYYYY XXXXXX User:SOTO/Forum Test/The Wikia Archives/Thread:193220
- Thelegogunner1990
- Danniesen
Sorry dude, you have to do it in English. Without being certain, I don't think anyone here understands this.