The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, December 19, 2014 2 By Meagan Sylvester TV Media F ans of the popular British television show "Doctor Who" have most likely been suffering from some pro- gram withdrawal after series 8 concluded in November. Thankfully, they'll be getting some relief as the out-of- this-world program gears up for its annual holiday spe- cial, airing Christmas Day on BBC America. This year, the cherry-nosed, jolly old elf from the North Pole pays a visit to the good Doctor, but some critics are raising concerns over the show's portrayal of Father Christmas. Early previews of the Christmas-themed epi- sode suggest a sneering di- vide between the time-travel- ing doctor (Peter Capaldi, "The Thick of It") and Saint Nicholas (Nick Frost, "Shaun of the Dead," 2004, "Spaced"), but showrunner Steve Moffat affirms that the special will portray Santa Claus just as he is: a true hero of the holidays. "No, no, don't worry any parents who were worried about that," Moffat said about the upcoming episode, "Last Christmas," at the se- ries 8 DVD launch in Novem- ber. "Santa is presented, as he is in real life, as a great Christ- mas hero. "He actually is the real Santa," Moffat continued, talking about the casting of Frost as the sleigh-riding gift- giver. "He's been faking it up until now. For the first time, he's allowing the natural col- or of his beard to show through. You could figure it out, you know, Nick Frost, Nicholas Frost — you see?" As for Frost himself, the English actor and comedian couldn't be happier to ride the TARDIS. "I'm so thrilled to have been asked to guest in the 'Doctor Who' Christmas special, I'm such a fan of the show," he said in a news re- lease. "The read-through was very difficult for me; I wanted to keep stuffing my fingers into my ears and scream 'No spoilers!' Every day on set, I've had to silence my internal fanboy squeals." The special itself promises to be intriguing. In a teaser clip that undoubtedly raises more questions than an- swers, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman, "Emmerdale") — the Doctor's longtime com- panion — comes face to face with the man in the big red suit, while it appears the Doctor and Santa have been acquainted in a previous time or realm. Producers have been dili- gent so far in keeping plot de- tails under wraps, but the fes- tive episode will place the Doctor and his companion in a race against time when they find themselves trapped in- side an Arctic base as green, slimy creatures attack them from all sides. Of course, this is where Santa steps in, as the duo calls on the big man for some help. "Doctor Who" episode ti- tles have often been used as a way to allude to what goes on in any given episode, and the Christmas special is no differ- ent. "Last Christmas" is espe- cially cryptic since newspa- pers, entertainment websites and fan blogs have long been speculating that Coleman will depart the hit sci-fi program after this holiday chapter. The actress has remained rather mum on the subject ahead of series 9, but U.K. tabloid newspaper "Daily Mirror" reported at the end of November that Oswald will return for at least the first half of the new series when it airs next fall. A BBC spokesperson, however, wouldn't confirm or deny the new rumors swirling around, instead encouraging people to tune in to the show to see what transpires. "This is speculation, so we won't be commenting," the spokesperson told RadioT- imes.com. "Viewers will have to watch the Christmas episode to find out!" Capal- di, on the other hand, has confirmed his return as the Twelfth Doctor, and the manic Missy (Michelle Gomez, "The Acid House," 1998, "The Wedding Video," 2012) also looks like she'll be in the mix for series 9 af- ter the stunning reveal in the series 8 finale. Talk of series 9 is already heating up, and with filming slated to get underway in Jan- uary, some other details have already emerged. For the first time since 2008, and for only the fourth time in "Doctor Who's" 50-year history on the small screen, a woman will be writing an episode for the sci- fi drama. British TV news and review website "Cultbox" first reported that Catherine Tregenna, who has written four episodes for the "Doctor Who" spinoff series "Torch- wood," will be penning at least one episode for series 9. The holiday season is al- ways a joyous time, and for fans of cult classic "Doctor Who," that statement rings doubly true. After a series 8 that saw the "Whoniverse's" popularity skyrocket on BBC America — with its first epi- sode becoming the highest- rated season premiere ever on the network — "Whovian" withdrawal is starting to set in. Thankfully, relief is on the hori- zon as the otherworldly pro- gram gears up for its annual holiday special, titled "Last Christmas," airing Christmas Day on BBC America. Christopher's Coins 2 x 2 coverstory Nick Frost and Peter Capaldi as seen in the "Doctor Who" Christmas special Otherworldly Christmas The good Doctor returns for annual holiday special By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Please find out if "Longmire" is going to be re- newed by A&E. In my opinion, it was a really good show. A: "Longmire" has been renewed, but not by A&E. It's been a roller-coaster few months for "Longmire" fans. The low point came at the end of August when A&E announced it was cancelling the fan-favorite series after three seasons. But now the fans are back on top again, after the announce- ment a few weeks ago that online video streamer Netflix would produce the show's fourth season. As for when, Netflix has said only that it will premiere some time in 2015 and that the plot "picks up moments after season 3's exciting finale." Though this is certainly good news for fans, it's not exactly great news — statistically speaking, anyway. The problem is that most "Longmire" fans are unlikely to have access to Netflix right now — statistics show that less than a quarter of people over age 50 subscribe to the web- based service, while the median age of "Longmire" viewers is 60. However, this could be exactly why "Longmire" was re- newed in the first place. Netflix being able to offer exclusive access to "Longmire" might draw in some of the over-50 set that it currently lacks. Q: My daughter always loved "Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" at Christmas time, but we have not seen it for years. Is it too religious and not "politically correct"? A: While it's possible that the overtly religious plot of "Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (about a donkey who leads Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem) has made it an unpopular choice for TV, it's more likely that poor Nestor is just the victim of a glut of Christmas TV. However, you can still find him. For example, his special has been a fixture of ABC Family's holiday programming for the past three years. You probably have better things to be doing first thing Christmas morning, but if not, the network is airing it then, for the second time this year (the first time is on Sunday, Dec. 21). The special was produced by Christmas-TV giants Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., but that might be part of its problem: Nestor just isn't as popular as their better- known specials such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rein- deer" and "Frosty the Snowman." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. 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