who is river song?

i'm sorry mysterylad, i fell asleep halfway through that. but i do have one question. that is, doesn't british tv rely on revenue from commercials just like us tv shows do? and isn't it true that when people dvr things, that they usually(always) skip through the commercials just to see the show. so if a was an advertiser, and i saw that a show was always being dvr'd, why would i invest money on advertising, when i know nobody will see it? or am i wrong again?

The short answer to the advertising question? No.

There are a number of British TV stations which rely on commercial revenue, but not the BBC (it's like our PBS, but on a much larger scale). The BBC runs some commercial channels outside of the UK (like BBC America), but within Britain it's commercial-free.

The end result being, of course, that DVRing doesn't affect Doctor Who in that regard either.

Sorry I bored you with silly stuff like facts and numbers.

nah, you don't bore me. i mean, if you learned anything from any past american presidents, it should be that the facts won't get in the way

BBC is completely commercial free?
I could have sworn there were ads between shows... but then, I might be thinking of some of the other networks. I really didn't pay that much attention to the TV when I was there... and was really only there briefly.

Sure enough... I must have been watch ITV or Sky or whatever as I fell asleep at night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/policies/advertising.shtml

mysterylad- I'm o.k. with your facts and figures- it is very good to see that who is performing strong. 8m viewers- not too shabby. so sad that reality shows rule- I can't stand to even watch one of them. I feel my iq drop even if I watch a second of a reality show.

Anyway...like most of us do- I digress. Who is river song?....well still hoping for Romanna- but also could she be the real prisoner 0? River makes a quick snip about being in prison so...ah probably wrong. Ignore my rants.

I think river song is his future wife.

greenk9 ... d'oh! Prisoner Zero... didn't even think of that! She did say she didn't want to go back to prison.

the eyeball was looking at her through the computer monitor in flesh and stone

Hmm. She also knows everything about the Doctor. Perhaps he spends some time unconscious in the future, and she learns what's in his mind, just like Prisoner Zero could?

This is a fun speculation track!

After watching Flesh and Stone I'm convinced she is some sort of kniving con artist/criminal. I don't trust her anymore. I think she stole the Doctor's real wive's journal and using it like the Elijah Woods character from Sunshine of the Spotless mind. I just can't imagine the Doctor marrying her. Yes there was shameless flirting but I just don't think she his wife.

I like the idea that she is prisoner zero, it would fit very well with the story line

I also like Prisoner Zero!

I think it's The Rani after she lost her watch (or it was destroyed), or something like that. Time to eat. Rumble, rumble.

Okay,I am not sure if anyone has pointed this out, but, she could be the Rani.

The Rani has sucessfully impersonated one of the Doctor's companions before
We don't know if the Doctor retains his ability to sense Time Lords.
she is a crook
The Rani could have not been associated with Time Lords when the Time War happened, seeing as the Master was dead and brought back for it.
As with the Doctor not knowing if Susan was dead (IDW), this could mean that all Time Lords didn't come to help.
Also, the Doctor's mom apparently is still in the Time War.

Foreman wrote:

As with the Doctor not knowing if Susan was dead (IDW), this could mean that all Time Lords didn't come to help.
Also, the Doctor's mom apparently is still in the Time War.

One minor point, though: if it's not on the show, it's not canonical. That means that the IDW comic book's ideas on Susan aren't canon, and since RTD balked at identifying the Doctor's mother as such on the actual program, there's actually nothing to force future producers of the show to adhere to that idea. The mystery woman could've been Susan, or Romana, or the Doctor's mom, or someone else entirely.

Here's what is making me the most upset about River. Why nobody has pointed out in part 2 of flesh and stone it's revealed that she's an escaped prisoner. That she's "killed a very good man, who was a hero to many". I don't see much redemption there in the way of her being his wife or mom. River states when the doctor asks her who she kills, "the best man I've ever known." I'm sure I'm being irrational but it seems proof enough that she is the doctor's assassian sometime in the future. A first rate lowlife. But I'm sure they'll somehow twist that for their own purposes.

dalekskaro wrote:

Here's what is making me the most upset about River. Why nobody has pointed out in part 2 of flesh and stone it's revealed that she's an escaped prisoner. That she's "killed a very good man, who was a hero to many". I don't see much redemption there in the way of her being his wife or mom. River states when the doctor asks her who she kills, "the best man I've ever known." I'm sure I'm being irrational but it seems proof enough that she is the doctor's assassian sometime in the future. A first rate lowlife. But I'm sure they'll somehow twist that for their own purposes.

Or... what if the person she kills isn't the Doctor... but someone else? I still don't, for a minute, think that it's the Doctor she kills. :/

~

a1cmustangpilot wrote:

dalekskaro wrote:

Here's what is making me the most upset about River. Why nobody has pointed out in part 2 of flesh and stone it's revealed that she's an escaped prisoner. That she's "killed a very good man, who was a hero to many". I don't see much redemption there in the way of her being his wife or mom. River states when the doctor asks her who she kills, "the best man I've ever known." I'm sure I'm being irrational but it seems proof enough that she is the doctor's assassian sometime in the future. A first rate lowlife. But I'm sure they'll somehow twist that for their own purposes.

Or... what if the person she kills isn't the Doctor... but someone else? I still don't, for a minute, think that it's the Doctor she kills. :/

~

I think it's more likely that River kills the Doctor than it is for River to be the Doctor's wife...or, more accurately, according to my own personal preferences, I'd much rather see River kill the Doctor -- he doesn't have to stay dead, of course...time can be rewritten, and all that, you know -- than for River to marry the Doctor. I don't even dislike her anymore, but I've always hated the idea. However, since many fans have speculated in both those directions, it may be even more likely that neither one is true! Then again, perhaps the fandom has called it one way or the other...

Vicki wrote:

a1cmustangpilot wrote:

dalekskaro wrote:

Here's what is making me the most upset about River. Why nobody has pointed out in part 2 of flesh and stone it's revealed that she's an escaped prisoner. That she's "killed a very good man, who was a hero to many". I don't see much redemption there in the way of her being his wife or mom. River states when the doctor asks her who she kills, "the best man I've ever known." I'm sure I'm being irrational but it seems proof enough that she is the doctor's assassian sometime in the future. A first rate lowlife. But I'm sure they'll somehow twist that for their own purposes.

Or... what if the person she kills isn't the Doctor... but someone else? I still don't, for a minute, think that it's the Doctor she kills. :/

~

I think it's more likely that River kills the Doctor than it is for River to be the Doctor's wife...or, more accurately, according to my own personal preferences, I'd much rather see River kill the Doctor -- he doesn't have to stay dead, of course...time can be rewritten, and all that, you know -- than for River to marry the Doctor. I don't even dislike her anymore, but I've always hated the idea. However, since many fans have speculated in both those directions, it may be even more likely that neither one is true! Then again, perhaps the fandom has called it one way or the other...

I really don't want her to be his future wife just because that is a bit... I don't know... it just doesn't seem very likely at the moment. As for having to choose between the lesser of two evils, I'd rather have neither. Having River kill the Doctor is too predicatable and actually, a bit boring. And if that does turn out to be true... it's not like we couldn't see that coming a mile away.

I really hope this "hero" she kills is someone new or someone we wouldn't really think of. That would be a lot more interesting than her killing the Doctor and forcing a regeneration of sorts...
~

Y'know... the thing about both rivers and songs, is that there's a ton of them to go around. Probably nonsense, and I'm just thinking aloud, but I don't think she's anything very, er, concrete.

a1cmustangpilot wrote:

Vicki wrote:

a1cmustangpilot wrote:

dalekskaro wrote:

Here's what is making me the most upset about River. Why nobody has pointed out in part 2 of flesh and stone it's revealed that she's an escaped prisoner. That she's "killed a very good man, who was a hero to many". I don't see much redemption there in the way of her being his wife or mom. River states when the doctor asks her who she kills, "the best man I've ever known." I'm sure I'm being irrational but it seems proof enough that she is the doctor's assassian sometime in the future. A first rate lowlife. But I'm sure they'll somehow twist that for their own purposes.

Or... what if the person she kills isn't the Doctor... but someone else? I still don't, for a minute, think that it's the Doctor she kills. :/

~

I think it's more likely that River kills the Doctor than it is for River to be the Doctor's wife...or, more accurately, according to my own personal preferences, I'd much rather see River kill the Doctor -- he doesn't have to stay dead, of course...time can be rewritten, and all that, you know -- than for River to marry the Doctor. I don't even dislike her anymore, but I've always hated the idea. However, since many fans have speculated in both those directions, it may be even more likely that neither one is true! Then again, perhaps the fandom has called it one way or the other...

I really don't want her to be his future wife just because that is a bit... I don't know... it just doesn't seem very likely at the moment. As for having to choose between the lesser of two evils, I'd rather have neither. Having River kill the Doctor is too predicatable and actually, a bit boring. And if that does turn out to be true... it's not like we couldn't see that coming a mile away.

I really hope this "hero" she kills is someone new or someone we wouldn't really think of. That would be a lot more interesting than her killing the Doctor and forcing a regeneration of sorts...
~

I would absolutely hate the writers if they went either way. It makes me incredibly uneasy to think that he has a human wife. I don't think he'd really do that to a girl. Knowing full well that he'd regen and she would get old and die. I doubt that would really be in his character.
I would think that the Doctor would be smart enough to get out of the way of her assassianation attempt but "naughty word" happens Now if she kills another hero while it would suck for this new or unnamed hero at least she wouldn't jump start another regen. Man I hate to say this but after the end of flesh and stone I have a hatred for her.

I sincerely doubt she killed someone intentionally. It could have been an accident, negligence, or by saving herself and leaving someone behind.

I'm still inclined to believe she's pretending somehow, but Moffat is making this one tough. The journal has a crafty look that matches the stuff in Amy's room. "Amy's Choice" mentions the Doctor's name (not a spoiler) and that was how River proved herself. She knows how to fly the Tardis - not sure how you fake that one.

dalekskaro wrote:

Here's what is making me the most upset about River. Why nobody has pointed out in part 2 of flesh and stone it's revealed that she's an escaped prisoner. That she's "killed a very good man, who was a hero to many". I don't see much redemption there in the way of her being his wife or mom. River states when the doctor asks her who she kills, "the best man I've ever known." I'm sure I'm being irrational but it seems proof enough that she is the doctor's assassian sometime in the future. A first rate lowlife. But I'm sure they'll somehow twist that for their own purposes.

also, didn't she say something to the Doctor to the effect of "some history needs to be lived, not told" when he asked who?

My guess is that the "good man" she kills is The Doctor.

Listen to her speech to him about how she won't tell him... he has to live it...

Yes but living history doesn't mean that he will need to die in order to "experience" it. Perhaps he becomes friends with someone she kills. I still don't believe it's that obvious. :/
~

She is the Rani - the similarity is too strong.

Jany