Oh, that's a bit dull. Unless the Daleks are involved too.

Not a fan of the trailer for the christmas special, my hopes for this episode are plummeting.

Is it for 3d cinema? Do they still have that?

Nope, the BBC abandoned 3D over three years ago. The 50th anniversary special was one of the last things they did in 3D.

Then it's totally pointless...

Clearly you're not "into" the big screen experience.

3D doesn't isn't the only thing to make cinema experience worthwhile. It's not even required.

I have no idea what you mean...

Incidentally I never got the point of 3D waste of money for little out of it.

Clearly then I have no idea what you meant by "It's totally pointless".

I thought you meant it's totally pointless going to the cinema to see the Doctor Who Christmas special unless it's in 3D.

What did you mean?

I'm not particularly fond of 3D either. For me it tends to spoil the precision of the 2D image by introducing some ghosting/double images. Most of the time the illusion of 3D works for me, but the times when it doesn't I find distracting. The 3D effect in Star Trek: Beyond I thought was particularly poor.

It wad referring to the animated image for the Christmas special. I could understand it being made if it was going to be used in 3d cinemas, having the glass come at you but uf not why did they make and spend money on it?

I see now. Thanks.

The "things coming at you out of the screen" trick has been a staple for 3D whenever 3D has been attempted. It's a tired cliche now but filmmakers insist on using it for "shock value". I suppose it's a bit like in the 60s in US TV everything had to be brightly coloured to sell the newly available color TVs. Similarly, they feel that 3D needs such stunts to justify its use.

It can be used in flat images too. Obviously with far less impact.

Not particularly spoilery but Michelle Gomez has posted a photo on her Instagram with Matt Lucas. Presumably she's definitely up filming now.

One of my biggest disappoints with the use of Missy is that rather than actually use her as the Master, in the sense of, her having a plot and actually being the person to stop in the episode, she has been reduced to just another one of the Doctor's quirky friends. I'm hoping that with Nardole filling that role, that maybe this time Missy will be given more to do and perhaps actually get a story befitting of the character.

I admit to really liking what has been done with Missy, though it would have worked better still had there not been a slur of other characters like it before her. The character is supposed to be the Doctor's old friend, and it's something of a dilemma for him to constantly try to fix her chaos whilst not being able to consign her to a fate like he might with the Daleks or the Cybermen.

Whilst I wasn't a fan of the last episode of Series 8 (ugh, Cyberbrig), I really liked the ultimately poorly realised idea behind Missy's scheme. That all of what she'd been doing through Series 8 wasn't some grand rule-the-world-for-herself scheme, it wasn't because she was trying to establish a new Gallifrey, she didn't even have an end game for herself. She wanted her friend back, and in her own insane and crazy and anarchic way she was determined to see that happen. The Doctor admitted all he was doing was cleaning up the messes she left behind and he couldn't do it fast enough. It was such a simple idea, but effective and insane - ultimately buried underneath the need for Danny Pink to get his moment. Love isn't an emotion? It's a promise? No, pretty sure it's an emotion still.

Nonetheless I liked what they did in Series 9 as well. She clearly wasn't The Doctor, but she worked with Clara willingly to find him. She filled a Doctor-ish role, whilst also readily killing people, being extremely unhinged and as soon as the Doctor was found she was back to messing him about, and putting his companion in repeated needless jeopardy.

I don't think I need to see a huge conquest/end-of-the-world plot from Missy, we get enough of those from the other enemies. Missy is very good for being a character-driven menace. I can't see Moffat giving her a hugely central role to the whole of Series 10, given he was going to leave in Series 9 and was quite happy with an open ending for the character. I would quite like to see a Doctor-lite episode where we get a Missy story instead (seeing as we're just never going to get a McGann story)... her own kind of adventure with her own twisted take on everything. And then she can show up in some capacity in the finale as well... part of my big dream assemblage of characters

Fan of Gomez so it'll be interesting to see where they take her in Series 10. She's only been in 2 stories (and in half of one we didn't know who she was) so am hoping for a full-on, *arc-free* Missy story. She's got great presence and although he's obviously a v fine actor, I much prefer her to Simm. That was in fairness due to the episodes he appeared in, 3 out of 4 I thought were very weak. (Not counting 'Utopia' and 'Sound of Drums' wasn't bad...)

According to GB posters, it's episodes 6 and 7 being filmed at the moment.

DWM is out this week, so hopefully they'll confirm more details on the current block.

Will the Zygons be back I wonder...?

I don't think they are to be honest. Unless we see Kate and the Osgoods this series.

I really hope they wrap up everything and allow for a soft reboot in 2018.

So is Nardole a new permanent companion, or just a one off for the Christmas special ?
I seem to be in a minority regarding the Missy character, I can't stand her. Nothing to do with Michelle, she's a fine actress, it's the character i don't like. I just find it hard to believe that this is the Master in female form. I actually preferred John Simm's version by a long shot.

i love Missy

John Simm's characterisation introduced the master as unhinged and manic - this was a first as even professor YANA didn't come across like that.

Given that characterisation, and what must have happened to him in the intervening years when he returned to Galifrey, Missy is a great idea

If they are going for the manic and unhinged, rather than the Roger Delgado moustache twirling pantomime villain, then Michelle Gomez does a great job. She's so much fun to watch.

And who knows, this year when she appears (rumour has it sporting her own TARDIS), then maybe you'll change your mind.

Agree about Missy. Disagree about how Delgado played it. I thought his Master was a charming b*gger and if anything I thought Roger slightly underplayed it, if anything. He was sinister yet somehow imbued his lines with such suavity and even humour that I rather liked him even when he was at his most villainous! He was much more likely to be sarcy to Jo Grant than to tie her to a railway line!

Ainley could be pretty florid, mind. Although I think he's great in his early stories....and his last one. He's terrific in 'Survival'.

Will the Christmas episode have a trailer for the next series?

I think your analysis of missy is brilliant. I also really like the idea of a missy - only adventure.
I wonder if writers and producers look at this forum ?

Steven Moffat has said he doesn't read any forums, Twitter is enough apparently, but who knows maybe the others do.

I'm sure Moffat does his own audience research sometimes.
I would !