Did Doctor Who always have Christmas episodes? Or did that start with the Christmas Invasion? (I just watched this year's Christmas episode thanks to a friend of a friend.) It was fun.

Did Doctor Who always have Christmas episodes?

Nope, just since they revived the series. But the old seasons were differently constructed anyway (different episode length, more continuous storylines, etc.).

It is funny though, because a lot of people said this year that it feels as if the Christmas episode has been around a lot longer than only since 2005.

Sumi, bizarrely, the very first Christmas-aired episode of Doctor Who (with the first Doctor), the Doctor broke the fourth wall and turned to the audience and wished them a Merry Christmas.

How fun. Do you happen to know the episode, Betsy? I have a lot of early seasons that I haven't watched yet.

Torchwood: Owen's deep love was so odd for me that I thought Diane was alien, had powers of persuasion or something. I came to acceptance in the end, but the 7 minute romance that torched his emotions was just not developed enough to buy. Jack was another matter. His fascination for his namesake was totally believable. He has romanticized this person for 60 years, there had to be a strong emotional impact when they meet. Love Gwen and Rhys(?). I want to see more of them because it gives that needed outside life balance. (I may be a little smitten with him too) I loved all the forgiveness schmoop as a wonderful season ending. Also the yummy TARDIS cliffhanger. Yay!

BSG: How can a show with such awesome in episode music have ick for promo music? Ready for the new season now.

BSG -- it isn't necessarily true that the same people who make the promos are the producers. Or the network got the rights to the schmoopy music and told them they had to make a promo with it.

I realize that Starbuck/Apollo is turning into the anti-Jim/Pam for me.

Torchwood: I'll have to rewatch the time travellers episode, but I thought the time span may have been at least several weeks. So although we only got to see 9 minutes worth of Owen and Diane, they had plenty of time together.

Owen's arc may be the most interesting of the season. He's gotten seriously broken over it, starting in the third episode.

Hah. Pam and Jim really are the anti-Apollo/Starbuck, in all ways, aren't they?

Laura, it's in "The Daleks' Master Plan". Unfortunately, during the 1970s, the BBC Film Library decided to save space and film and destroyed much of their 1960s episode library. (Sucks to be a Who fan.) "The Daleks' Master Plan" was a 12-part series. The wall-breaking was in part 7. Only parts 2,5, and 10 survive, purely by chance -- copies were found outside the BBC.

Use Wikipedia! You, too, can be a temporary expert!

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In my opinion, if you're catching up on previous Doctors, the Third Doctor (Pertwee) and Second Doctor (Troughton) are more fun than Hartnell anyway.

Grrr. I really wanted to pick up the Season 1 BSG this weekend. Every place that has it in stock is selling at the full list price. Everywhere else (B&N, Target, etc.) is selling for close to $20 less, and is out of stock. WTF?

I "froogled" and man - even with the addition of the mini - that's a short season and kind of pricey.

I'm sure that the cheaper places are out of stock because they are cheaper.