These Eighth Doctor rumors just won't die, will they?
So for those of you not keeping up with this growing series of interesting tidbits that could mean the possible return of Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor to the Doctor Who television series, let me lay out the trail of potential clues up until now...
- In October 2010, Paul McGann debuts new BBC-approved Eighth Doctor costume and Sonic Screwdriver at a New Zealand convention, saying they're for "promotional purposes" for Big Finish audio adventures but these mysterious items have yet to be seen again anywhere since.
- In March 2011, DAMN Good Coffee...and HOT!, Doctor Who fansite Kasterborous and others speculate over this picture showing Rory and Amy Pond inside the "Coral"-themed TARDIS Console Room and argue that this Console Room could be the Eighth Doctor's at some point after the TV Movie and before the first Ninth Doctor episode, "Rose." (Okay, as we now know from "The Doctor's Wife," that one was complete rubbish. It was just the previous TARDIS Console Room that had been archived by the TARDIS. Never mind.)
- In this same month, more speculation as the latest season of Eighth Doctor audio adventures ended with the story "To the Death," in which the Doctor is left companionless and on his own once again. He mentions about going "to the edge...and maybe beyond" and ends the audio by saying the words "One day, I shall go back...Yes, one day..."
"If you are receiving this message, please help me...Send a signal to the High Council of Time Lords on Gallifrey. I am still alive! I don't know where I am! I'm on some rock-like planet!"
And then the message garbles in with several others and abruptly ends. Rory poses the questions "What was that? Was that him (The Ood)?" The Doctor, looking visibly shaken, replies "No, no, it's picking up...something else."
Here's the the full clip if you're interested in checking it out for yourselves. Sounds to me, though, like there's a Doctor in distress out there somewhere in time and space...