Doctor Who Club of Australia

[Sulp Niar]

I think everyone's probably wondered what it could be. Davros? The Rani? Millions of things.

I sort of came up with a very vague theory yesterday as to what the emphasis in Series Four may be about, based on a couple of things.

The theme is "military". And the returning force is UNIT.

This makes sense to me, at the moment. We've got the Sontarans, who are a military race. We've had ongoing references to UNIT, and they've become more prominent in each story. And (even though politics and the military aren't the same thing) there's been an ongoing thing about the politics of Britain, too, in the New Series - Harriet Jones, followed by Mr Saxon.

I notice at the end of 'Last of the Time Lords', the American president remains dead. At the time, I thought that this was a rather strange error that Russell had made - but since they mention it in the commentary (well, not Russell, but the cast), I figured that it's probably fairly central to the next series. And what would the UN think about the American president being killed by aliens?

And unlike UNIT in the 70s, who managed to keep everything secret, the New Series is constantly making the public more and more aware of the alien threat - that's been a big theme of the series, culminating with Mr Saxon's "I'm going to tell you about them" at the end of 'The Sound of Drums'. Then, in what seemed like a cameo to me at the time, the Queen is menaced by an intergalactic Titanic in 'Voyage of the Damned'.

Also, Martha's a member of UNIT. And she, and Captain Jack, are coming back in Series Four.

Apparently, in DWM (I don't remember, but I'm sure this is true) Russell said something about the Series Four arc being relative to something the Master said, That could be, I dunno, something about the Time War, or the Axons, or something else... but I'm starting to figure it's probably one of his lines about intergalactic involvement on Earth. Maybe it's "diplomatic relations with a new species". I don't know.

Agree? Disagree? I'm a total loon?

Anyone have entirely different theories?

Post 'em. I'd love to hear 'em.

[dalekdude]

well this is the theory of someone with wayyyyyyyy too much time on their hands, but it makes sense. if we look at the trailers for series four, we see 3 distinct military forces at least! Sontarins, a forse resembling UNIT and those strange soldiers in black!

[Sulp Niar]

Hahaa, I didn't sit there thinking about it for ages! It just popped into my head.

Though actually, I do have too much time on my hands. Time is overlapping over my lifelines as we speak. Hmm. I do need a life.

I'd forgotten about the soldiers in black. Hooray (to quote RTD)! Thanks for pointing that out.

[Speckled Jim]

[pbsausie]

Isnt Nick Courtney almost 80?

Why not bring back 93 year old Michael Gough while you're at it?

[Speckled Jim]

[pbsausie]

I can just see his guest appearance now...

[Sulp Niar]

[Speckled Jim]

[Sulp Niar]

Oh no, the Brigadier frequently wore undies on his head. And they said Mike Yates was the camp one...

In fact, contrary to popular belief, the scene in 'Inferno' where the Doctor looks at an old picture of the Brigadier and laughs is not, as he says, because of a moustache mishap, but because of a boxers bumble.

EDIT: Why have I turned my "serious theory" thread into a running joke about the Brigadier's undies?

[Skippy]

In "Last of the Time Lords" The Doctor states that time had been reverted back to just after the President had been assisnated. Also the radio chatter from UNIT HQ in Geneva states that the presdident was killed. So, I don't think it has been ignored. Plus UNIT is going to be called the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, granted it's because of the UN not wanting to be associated with fictional organisations but they can't start calling it something else with out an explanation. The Ninth Doctor even called them the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce in a RTD episode. So that is probably linked. Plus According to Torchwood, the 21st century is were everything changes ( a line from Jack that was dropped from Last of the Time Lords) and Torchwood is takes place in the same universe as Doctor Who). Food for thought.

Those black troops I think are probably either slavers or the local garrison on the home planet of the Ood.

[feez]

[Sulp Niar]

Okay - since you asked for it in the other thread - here's some more speculation on my part.

Good old Mott (I refuse to call him "Wilf" like OG does. I think Mott is a funnier name ) seeing the Doctor and Donna in the TARDIS isn't going to be wonderful for him. I mean, he seems to be appearing in the Sontaran episodes, so he'll get mucked around by UIT, methinks.

Planets are disappearing like that *clicks fingers*. I haven't got a clue why, but it's an interesting theme. Sontaran/Rutan conflict? The Medusa Cascade? The Daleks? Something else?

The Shadow Proclamation - apparently, later in Series Four, Steven Moffat is writing a story about a library and "shadows". I can't help but feel that's linked in some way.

[feez]

Daleks, maybe Davros. Who knows? Cybermen a bit later too by the looks of things.

I wonder if this series will spill over into the specials next year. Might end with the Doctor in some sort of peril or something.

Exterminated?