Rumination and Speculation

I'm having a mini Doctor Who marathon, just now, and I've been thinking about Ten's upcoming Regeneration and how the new season might turn out. Even if it does turn out well, and the new kid (Incidentally, I suspect the 12th Doctor will actually be 12, the way things seem to be moving with the age of the actors seeming largely to diminish with each new Regeneration. Not that that would be bad, if they handle it right :-P) does a good job, I still don't know if I'll love the show as much as I do, now, simply because Ten won't be there anymore.

I don't make any secret of the fact that I adore the man. It isn't because he's just a little bit gorgeous (though he is, imo). I've been around the block enough times to know that looks don't mean shite, in and of themselves. Generally speaking, when it comes to appreciating a person's looks, unless I know what kind of a person they are, it's no more personal than if I were looking at a statue or a painting. See, that's what's going to make me miss Ten--the personality! There's that darkness that gives him depth and makes you believe him as an ancient being, there's that ability to fight a little dirty without losing his honour, but then there's also that exuberance, and hope, and humour, and tireless, fearless persuit-of-and-love-for knowledge. He's seen a thousand hard life-lessons, and still has such a capacity for joy. It inspires me. It might not even be the actor so much as the character. I have no clue what Tennant's like, when he's just being himself. It wouldn't be the first time I've held affection for someone purely fictional. The Lestat of Interview With the Vampire is still a favourite, even though I really couldn't care less about Tom Cruise. *shrugs*

I suspect that we'll have a darker and more sinister Doctor in Eleven, simply because Steven Moffat will be taking over as head writer, I hear. He's written some of the creepiest episodes in New Who. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. Given that these are also, imo, the best episodes of their respective seasons I'm definitely not going to complain about that. It gives me hope.

Also, I strongly suspect that the rumour is true that Neil Gaiman might be guest-writing an episode or two. I'm going on virtually nothing, here, and it probably is going to sound silly, but... Well, he said in his blog that the funnest thing he's working on right now is still confidential. It's the kind of obvious-when-you-look-back-at-it-if-you-didn't-figure-it-out-right-away clue he'd drop, like calling Odin "Mr. Wednesday" (which I caught, btw. Low Key, as well). Plus he did comment once that he was having a lot of fun neither confirming nor denying said rumour. It's completely possible that I'm reading too much into things, but that's what makes me think there might be something to it. :-P

Whatever they wind up doing, I'm really hoping that they ravel up two big loose ends that have been driving me a little mad:

1. Who picked up the Master's ring at the end of Series 3, and are they going to bring him back like they have the other major boojums ressurected from Classic Who?

and

2. What exactly went on between the Doctor and Professor River Song, and was it really the kind of relationship they were throwing all of those rather blatant hints out that it was?

Thoughts? Comments? Your own suspicions? Or you could just tell me to shut up, since I probably talk about this show much more than is good for me. ;-P