“From the moment I took over [as the Doctor, the U.K. tabloids] were all saying, ‘Well, who’s going to be next’” in the role, said David Tennant in a phone interview with the Chicago Tribune. “One of the names that always came up was David Morrissey, so it was nice to be able to play with those expectations a little bit.”

In a clever ploy that allowed the series to run for so many years, The Doctor has the ability to regenerate — taking on a new face (as in a new actor) every few seasons. But this time around, it’s not a new body for The Doctor, but another Doctor all together (or is it?)

Here’s how the BBC describes Doctor Who: The Next Doctor:

It’s Christmas Eve in 1851 and Cybermen stalk the snow of Victorian London.  When the Doctor (David Tennant) arrives to investigate a spate of mysterious deaths, he’s surprised to meet another Doctor (David Morrissey, State of Play, Viva Blackpool), with his own sonic screw driver.  How could this be possible? Could this Doctor be a future regeneration?  But if so where are his memories?  The two must combine forces to defeat the ruthless Miss Hartigan (Dervla Kirwan, Law & Order UK, Ballykissangel), who is the Cybermen’s human ally.  But are two Doctors enough to stop the rise of the CyberKing?

It’s the first of five Doctor Who specials, with the next one, Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead airing on BBC American on July 26. Planet of the Dead was the first special shot in HD and it will help launch the new BBC America HD channel along with Torchwood come July 20.

But for tonight, it’s Doctor Who: The Next Doctor, Saturday, June 27 at 9:00 on BBC America.

Photos: BBC

Doctor Who and Captain Jack Harkness are headed for the good old U.S of A and just in time for Comic Con. Imagine that.

BBC America has announced their lineup for this year’s scifi / comic lollapalooza and it’s a biggie.

David Tennant, will appear alongside writer/executive producer Russell T Davies, executive producer Julie Gardner and director Euros Lyn for a Doctor Who panel on Sunday July 26, 10:00-11:00am PT. (Just before Supernatural!) They’ll be showing sneak peeks from Tennant’s upcoming specials and offering photo ops.

Then, John Barrowman, will take the stage with Davies and Julie Gardner to discuss the new Torchwood: Children of Earth special.  During the same panel, we’ll be introduced to the new BBC America series Being Human. On hand for that will be creator and writer, Toby Whithouse, plus stars Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow and Aidan Turner who will talk about what it’s like to play three twenty-somethings with secret double-lives – as a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost. All four panelists will be signing exclusively at the BBC AMERICA booth, Saturday July 25, 3:00-4:00pm PT.

There will also be special screenings of Doctor Who and Torchwood with introductions by the stars and you’ll get a chance to buy a new limited edition Comic-Con only action figure from Doctor Who.

Here are the details so you can start planning your (already jam packed) weekend!

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The Galactic Inquirer calls it, “a comprehensive look at the man and the mystery.”

Neptunian News says, “Eclectic Gypsy should be required reading” while the Skaro Telegraph says it’s utter nonsense and author Dave Thompson should be exterminated.

Well, you can’t please all of the creatures all of the time, can you?

Eclectic Gypsy is subtitled “an unauthorized biography of Doctor Who” but it’s so much more than that. This book is probably the only volume ever written that follows the Doctor from birth through his early school years to his travels on Planet Earth. It’s a comprehensive dossier built from scraps of information found in newspapers and pamphlets from across the galaxy, personal interviews with acquaintances and modern news footage. You may think you know the Doctor, but do you really?

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We’ve had a bit of a break, but BBC America is about to get its Who on again with the acquisition of five new specials. The deal includes the four 2009 specials; the final episodes of the tenth Doctor as played by David Tennant. The first of the specials, Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead will premiere in July. As a London red bus takes a detour to an alien world it forces the Doctor (Tennant) to work with the extraordinary Lady Christina (Michelle Ryan, Bionic Woman). But the mysterious planet holds terrifying secrets hidden in the sand and time is running out as the deadly Swarm gets closer.

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One of the most overlooked but important aspects of our favorite shows is the music that leads into them. Total Scifi Online took a poll asking its readers what their favorite themes were and the otherworldly opening song from Doctor Who emerged as the winner.

Other popular tunes include The X-Files and Star Trek. The complete Top 10 list is after the jump:

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Dollhouse star Tahmoh Penikett (also of Battlestar Galactica) and Smallville’s Laura Vandervoort have both been cast in the new SCI FI Channel movie Riverworld. Based on the novels by Philip Jose Farmer, Penikett plays Matt Ellman, an American war zone reporter who, along with his fiancée Jessie (Vandervoort) awakens in a mysterious world after being killed by a suicide bomber.

Matt joins forces with a 13th century female samurai warrior named Tomoe (Jeananne Goossen) and American novelist Sam ‘Mark Twain’ Clemens (Mark Deklin). Together they sail upriver in search of its source, and to discover where they are and who put them there. Alan Cumming (Tin Man) guest stars as the mysterious  ‘Caretaker.’ Riverworld.

The movie recently went into production in Vancouver and is expected to air in 2010.

Ryan Carnes (Dr. Who) has been cast in title role of The Phantom and his alter ego Chris Walker in this re-imagined version of the classic comic book transported to present day. Isabella Rossellini will guest star in a villainous turn as ‘Lithia,’ the head of an experimental mind control program. Also starring are Cameron Goodman as Chris Walker’s love interest, Renny and Sandrine Holt (24/The L Word) as The Phantom’s trusted advisor Guran.

The production is currently shooting in Montréal and is expected to air in 2010 on SCI FI (or SyFy) Channel.

Photos: PR Photos

Finally, we bring you part three of our Whovian triptych, as author Brandie Tarvin ruminates on a by-gone era.

There are some things which make an indelible mark upon one’s soul. Historical events like the end of World War II or the fall of the Berlin Wall send shockwaves through the zeitgeist, while more personal events like your first crush or your first successful job remain in the consciousness of few people. And then there are events like the cancellation of BBC’s Doctor Who that fall somewhere in the middle.

The old show featured incredibly talented actors working with fragile props and lousy special effects. Sometimes the scripts came across as mundane and clichéd. I suppose this was the price of a show living at the bottom of BBC’s budget chain. But I loved the show with a passion, as did many of my friends. And if the people around me didn’t love Doctor Who, they hated it with just as much passion. There seemed to be no middle ground. So when I heard the somber news, that the Doctor had made his last trip in the TARDIS, I was crushed.

So, apparently, were lots of fans. No one could bring themselves to admit the ride was over. Fanfic abounded, as did the conventions, and eventually legitimate publishing houses saw a market in publishing further adventures and missing adventures.

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Author Karen Miller jumps on the bandwagon and has her say about the new Doctor Who. . .

I have a terrible confession to make. Possibly it might even be seen as heretical - but here goes.

The very first Doctor Who episode I ever watched was ‘The Runaway Bride’.

And now I pause this commentary so readers can pick themselves up off the floor, reach for a stiff drink and possibly the phone to call for an ambulance.

You good now? Good. Alons-y!

As a child, I remember my uncle loved Doctor Who. I remember him watching it whenever he was visiting. I remember that I loved the theme music, but that otherwise I just wasn’t interested. Fast forward a few decades and oh look! I still wasn’t interested. Friends told me I should watch the rebooted version of the show but no, no, no, I knew better. I caught one glimpse of stupid silver men lurching through a kitchen or something and I said, Ha! That silly nonsense is not for me!

But they kept saying I should watch it, so at last I gave in. I saw that my local tv station was screening an episode called ‘The Runaway Bride’ and I thought: I will watch it, I will hate it, and I will shut them up.

Me and my big mouth.

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As you’ve undoubtedly heard, David Tennant is leaving Doctor Who and in his place will be a 26 year-old, relatively unknown actor named Matt Smith (you can see him here). Since the announcement was made, great debates have popped up all over the fandom - is he too young? Is he too unknown? Is he exactly the kind of fresh blood the franchise needed to stay afloat? Everybody’s got an opinion — even when they have ‘no opinion’ which is the stance of our guest poster, author Keith DeCandido.

Take it away, Keith. . .

*   *   *   *   *   *

I am now going say something that violates all the rules of the Internet and blogging.

I have no opinion on the casting of Matt Smith as the Doctor.

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Doctor Who - Season 4 - Episode 1 - Partners In Crime

Air Date: Saturday, November 15, 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on BBC America

Donna Noble is determined to find the Doctor again – even if it means braving the villainous Miss Foster and her hordes of sinister Adipose. But when the alien threat escalates out of control, can Donna find her Time Lord before the march of the Adipose begins?

Photo courtesy of BBC America