"The stuff that ..."

[scarfman]

Includes discussion of casting and of trailers revealed at ComicCon.

The Dalton voiceover for the End of Time trailer states that everyone on Earth is having bad dreams. Well, I wondered from the start, when I read that Dalton was (rumored to be) playing a Time Lord High Councillor, whether his appearance and Simm's were to be in flashbacks. But dreams make more sense. If the Master were genuinely coming back, he'd have to have regenerated into a new face, wouldn't he? And if it were a flashback then the Master wouldn't be in John Simm's face. But in a dream he'd still be wearing a face the Doctor would identify as his, and most likely the most recent. And in a dream is the only place the current incarnation of the Doctor might have a meeting with a Time Lord High Councillor*.

Which makes me wonder whether all the other returning characters for whom we've seen location photo spoilers (and perhaps one or two more who'll've only shot studio scenes) are genuinely appearing or will only be in dream sequences.

* Unless Rusty's bringing back Gallifrey for a departing gesture.