[JAS84]

I always assumed Shalka was an alternate Ninth Doctor, considering when Scream of the Shalka was released. The comics, novels, and TV show could all lead to different regenerations for the Eighth Doctor. In the TV show, of course, he becomes the War Doctor. The other two are the Shalka Doctor and the Doctors from Curse of Fatal Death (one of whom was ALSO Richard E Grant!).

[James2001]

The next week trailer looks like we'll be getting an explanation for why Rosie Banks was in every episode. Hopefully we get an explanation for whatever the hell was going on in 73 yards as well!

[Strange]

73 yards doesn’t need to be explained. It’s essentially a ghost story. Favourite of a great series for me.

[RhysJR]

A nice touch for a tribute slide to William Russell in the credits of this week's episode.

x.com 

This apparently didn't appear on the version of the episode uploaded to Disney+ globally. Presumably this was because of the short timeframe to edit and distribute it.

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I always assumed Shalka was an alternate Ninth Doctor, considering when Scream of the Shalka was released. The comics, novels, and TV show could all lead to different regenerations for the Eighth Doctor. In the TV show, of course, he becomes the War Doctor. The other two are the Shalka Doctor and the Doctors from Curse of Fatal Death (one of whom was ALSO Richard E Grant!).

I think that assumption makes sense. There is certainly no explanation of how he fits in, though the VFX team headcannoned it was the Richard E. Grant from Curse of Fatal Death. One of the VFX team had tweeted about the process and I think they said they had a special photo shoot for Richard E. Grant's headshot. They've made their account private now after recieving a lot of hate, especially with David Tennant's headshot appearing first.
Alternatively, it was something to do with the Great Intelligence (played again by Richard E. Grant) entering The Doctor's timestream in Series 7.

Another Easter egg of that scene is that the Jon Pertwee image is from the truly awful Dimensions in Time. Guess that was deliberate beacuse Jon is identifiably older in that (as is anyone who watches the whole ordeal).

x.com 

PS The worst Doctor Who title sequence and theme version ever
www.youtube.com 

[RhysJR]

Well, that was quite something...

Completely non-spoiler, but the BBC programme information has appeared to announce that Sian Clifford will be in next week's episode as 'Kind Woman'. There's obviously something more there. Odd that almost everyone with any equivalent of notoriety as Sian Clifford got announced they were to appear when they were filming, but not her.
www.bbc.co.uk 

BBC One - Doctor Who, Season 1, Empire of Death
The Doctor has lost, and evil reigns supreme. One woman holds the key to saving …
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

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Something that has caught my attention the last two weeks is there is note that the programme received financial support from the Irish Government in the credits. I don't know how or why this is a thing? Everything has been filmed in South Wales or the South West of England as far as I am aware, unless the SFX team or something like that is based in Ireland? How does that work?

up.metropol247.co.uk 

[Gallunach]

Something that has caught my attention the last two weeks is there is note that the programme received financial support from the Irish Government in the credits. I don't know how or why this is a thing? Everything has been filmed in South Wales or the South West of England as far as I am aware, unless the SFX team or something like that is based in Ireland? How does that work?

up.metropol247.co.uk 

IIRC it was on all but one episode of this season

You are right , nothing was filmed in Ireland .

One of the VFX companies is based in Ireland and so Bad Wolf can claim tax credits off the Irish Government , the logo is one of the requirements in getting the tax credit .

I wonder if that is the reason the BBC are allowing RTE to place it on it's player later this summer though that's not a requirement of the scheme .

[TIGHazard]

IIRC it was on all but one episode of this season

You are right , nothing was filmed in Ireland .

One of the VFX companies is based in Ireland and so Bad Wolf can claim tax credits off the Irish Government , the logo is one of the requirements in getting the tax credit .

I wonder if that is the reason the BBC are allowing RTE to place it on it's player later this summer though that's not a requirement of the scheme .

I think it's just all the Irish fans complaining that they have no catchup access to it now as they can't (legally) access iPlayer but the Beeb has the rights to both countries. So it just makes sense to sell it to RTE Player.

[JAS84]

Those complaints from Ireland are justified. RTE Player really should've had the episodes available at the same time as BBC iPlayer and Disney+. Instead they're not even getting them uploaded after the UK broadcast, they're still waiting for Space Babies.

[Rdd]

I got the impression it will only be after the full season is broadcast.

Irish viewers can watch the linear BBC One broadcast of course as we always have been able to, and those who still have access to a PVR service can record it (a growing number of people don’t though, because pay TV providers are largely no longer offering PVRs to new customers, and the cloud recording replacements are, with perhaps the exception of eir, riddled with so many rights related gaps that they are not ready for prime time yet. But that’s a whole different discussion).

[JMT1985]

In reality, this is another RTE problem too - RTE should have been there at the start, ready to get the Irish rights for the show - it should have been airing on Saturday nights on RTE 1 simulcast with BBC 1, considering RTE 1 shows no home produced programming after their Saturday early evening news, just usually movies.

It seems also BBC Studios and Disney are also at fault, as when the deal was signed for the international rights of the show, the Republic of Ireland was overlooked - in fact one media insider told me, they just forgot about Ireland, as they thought BBC iPlayer was available legally in the Republic of Ireland, and then too late when they discovered it wasn't, hence the botched RTE deal rushed into place, and of course RTE being in dire financial straits, I bet they couldn't afford the simulcast deal

Poor showing, but sci fi television in Ireland was never a success apart from Star Trek which the original series and Next Generation pulled in decent ratings for RTE in the day