Gallifrey One is pleased to announce our Discussion Panel program track. This is the track of programming that will take place in Program D, one of the western ballrooms, which has been exclusively reserved for Doctor Who panel discussions. As we announced a while back, because this is Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary, we have elected to go with an entire track of nothing but Doctor Who panels, from both classic and new series as well as programs about fandom and our fan community. This is only one track of programming; we have five program rooms and there will be plenty of other things to see at the convention. (Also not included on this list are cosplay panels, science panels or any of our evening panel discussions.)

If you are interested in participating in one or more of these panels, we invite you to email us as soon as possible and let us know. Tell us which program(s) you are interested in being part of, as well as your qualifications if any for speaking on this panel. (Without selecting the panels you are interested in, your application will be dismissed - sorry, we aren't playing the guessing game this time!) Some panels will go faster than others, so feel free to name several (although please note that we are not taking requests for "The Sontaran Experiment" as it is already a moderated event). Also, note that we are only accepting panelists with a current membership and will not offer membership for participating in our program. Enjoy!

The Trial of a Time Lord: They've gone to eleven, and we couldn't be happier. Even though they've all technically been the same character, each actor to portray the Doctor has brought a different style, with nuances and quirks all his own. There's no better example in all of television of a character that's been invented and reinvented over time, and this is our chance to discuss him: the character of the Doctor, the actors who played him, and how he's evolved both on the whole as well as individually over the course of each actor's tenure.

Partners in Crime: It's a Pond farewell... Amy and Rory have gone away for good. Some people are miserable seeing them go; others feel that it's about time. We'd like to say goodbye to the girl and boy who waited, with a discussion about what the characters of Amy Pond and Rory Williams brought to Doctor Who, what actors Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill brought to their roles, and where we feel the show needs to go with its next companion.

A Good Man Goes to War: It was a hard task, and everyone knew writer/producer Steven Moffat would rise to the occasion, filling the capable shoes of Russell T Davies as Doctor Who's show runner. But there's just as much criticism these days as ever, and you cannot please everyone all the time. So why is Moffat the brunt of much of it? And where are the fans just completely *wrong* about it, too? Our panel will review two and a half years of Doctor Who under the reigns of the writer who brought us Blink and The Empty Child, and examine the successes, and not-so-successes, of the Matt Smith era.

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: Fifty years, and here we are: still going strong, back and more popular than ever. But it wasn't always like that; it all nearly came apart after the third season, then possibly after the sixth, then it all went off the tracks after the twenty-second, ended for good after the twenty-sixth, and so forth. The little show that could, keeps going. We'll be using this panel to discuss why. What has kept Doctor Who strong after fifty years? Why do people still tune in? What is, to borrow a phrase, the secret to its success?

Planet of Evil: The vast majority of Doctor Who has been filmed on soundstages in London and Cardiff -- and that includes tons of exotic alien worlds lovingly constructed by BBC set designers, visual trickery by the best of their effects wizards, and tons of green screens and, of course, the legendary Colour Separation Overlay. Whether it's planets far, far away, spaceships with yellow corridors or the interiors of fantastic alien creatures (hello Axos!), it's all been a part of the magic of Doctor Who. Our panel will discuss the best of Doctor Who's studio photography over the years.

City of Death: From Paris and Spain to Amsterdam and New York, and just about every cave system, woodland and gravel pit in the United Kingdom, Doctor Who has been there: on location photography, turning Earth into wonders across the galaxy. But not always with complete success. Our panelists will delve into the greats (and not so greats) of location work on Doctor Who, discuss the most exotic tricks they've ever seen on the screen, and tell you how you, too, can go Doctor Who location hunting far and wide.

The Reign of Terror: Lambert, Wiles, Lloyd, Bryant, Sherwin, Letts, Hinchcliffe, Williams, Nathan-Turner, Davies, Moffat: they are the showrunners, the men and women who have steered the ship of state that is Doctor Who for fifty years and counting. (One's even here this weekend!) We're going to take a look at their contributions to Doctor Who, the trials and tribulations they faced - changing leads, changing formats, changing times - and how they dealt with each of them in succession and turned it into a legacy that will hopefully last for generations to come.

The Shakespeare Code: From Queen Victoria to Agatha Christie, Charles Dickens to Charlie Chaplin, the Doctor's many trips back in time, in both classic and new series, have been a mainstay of the show since its very first year. But historical adventures are always controversial; some like them to be steps back into history with the Doctor and friends as observers, and some like him to get in on the action. We'll have a rousing discussion about the Doctor's many sojourns to Earth's past, explore some of the changes he's made to the timelines (for better or worse) and figure out the most important figures from history he has yet to meet on screen.

The Next Doctor: We all know it's coming... some day, whether next year or a few down the road, Matt Smith is going to leave the show. So, who would be the best actor to take his place? Should it be another youngster, or is an older actor worth looking at? What sorts of companions would be a bonus for these actors? And, let's just face the question: should it, in fact, be a woman? What does the future of Doctor Who really hold?

The Edge of Destruction: We call it disaster today... but back during the 1970s, there were realistic and justifiable decisions made to get rid of tons of old film and videotape that nobody thought would be useful decades down the line. We've learned our lesson since then, but we're still 106 episodes short of a full Doctor Who history. Our panel will discuss the methods being used to track down missing episodes, discuss some of the more bizarre stories about episode recovery, and determine just how in the world we can find missing episodes in someone's attic or at their garage sale.

The Space Pirates: Back in 2005, we weren't certain if we'd ever see the new series of Doctor Who; while it's not legal or justifiable, we all know people who were downloading them back then, and we probably saw a few ourselves. But times have changed: BBC America shows Doctor Who the same day it's transmitted, and iTunes and Amazon.com have them online and available for streaming immediately thereafter. So where do people stand today with all of the widely-available Doctor Who video products completely within reach? How do we consume our Doctor Who in 2013?

The Sound of Drums: What part does music play in our enjoyment of a Doctor Who serial? Would "City of Death" feel the same if it didn't have that beautiful Paris theme? Would the emotional impact of the Doctor's treatment of Martha in "Human Nature" feel lessened without that melodious music behind it? And let's face it, without the classic Doctor Who strings at the start of an episode, would it feel like Doctor Who? Our panelists, who for the past two years have given us terrific analysis of specific bits of Doctor Who music in classic and new series installments, return to discuss the impact it's had on the narrative, on our enjoyment, and on the series' long legacy.

Invasion of the Dinosaurs: From the covers of major magazines like TV Guide to news media coverage to 'event television', the Doctor is everywhere these days. Now that the show's back on the air, there's been an entire new generation of Doctor Who fans brought into the fold. For those of you who have joined fandom with the new show: what has attracted you and made it your favorite? And for those of you from ages past: how do you cope with the sudden influx of fans who just can't get enough? This panel will explore the cross-generational divide, and come to consensus about how possible (and realistic) it is to be a fan of the entire 50 year saga.

Evolution of the Daleks: From the first season, fifty years ago, to the most recent: how has the Doctor's archetypal foe changed throughout the years? Do they still possess the power to terrify children like they once did, and send them behind the sofa? Or have they become nothing but a stereotype? We'll take a look at the long history of the Daleks, from their rather humble beginnings, how they changed the program forever, to their most recent appearances, mad with power and evolving into something completely different... and spend some time talking about Dalek stories we would love to see some day.

The War Games: You may not know it, but there have been three different Doctor Who role playing games released over the years. We'll take a look at their unique systems, how they work, and how one can experience the fun in being inside their own actual Doctor Who adventure! (Later in the day, there will be some demo games to play with the new Doctor Who RPG in the dealers room!)

Silence in the Library: Many fans cherish the way they used to be able to enjoy their favorite classic Doctor Who serials, in the days before videotape and reruns: the Target novelizations. With a collection of nearly every Doctor Who classic story out there, we'll take a look at the best (and worst) of the bunch, the ways the Target books were released (both here and abroad), the differences between them and the televised adventures, and the reasons why a few of them didn't ever make the cut.

The Twin Dilemma: In an age in which every fan out there has a vast network of media to choose from, we will discuss opinions about how to keep podcasting and other fan media relevant, specifically when technology is changing away from "subscribe, sync and download" to more esoteric ways of grabbing your favorite material. And, of course, we'll take a look at the increasing diversity of Doctor Who fandom, which has gotten away from standard media consumption and the "devoted brethren" that have dominated podcasting the past half decade.

The Celestial Toymaker: With fifty years of Doctor Who merchandise out there, some of our experts will take us on a tour of the highs and lows of Who products (and yes, we're sure the Underoos are going to come up sooner or later). We'll take a look at personal favorites and votes for the worst ever from both the panelists and the audience, and answer the time old question many of us have pondered: can you really ever have *too* much sparkly tat, old buttons and mile-long scarves?

The Five Doctors?: Let's face it... although he claims he takes only the best and brightest, there's a case to be made that the Doctor prefers his companions to be a bit thick. Dr. Liz Shaw, Dr. Harry Sullivan, Dr. Grace Holloway: all short lived, all criminally underused. When Martha Jones becomes a doctor, our hero spends most of his time telling her off and disapproving. And Dr. River Song will only visit and not commit to traveling with him. So, we put it to you: does the Doctor hate qualified people, or can the writers simply not write for academic characters, preferring screamers and ciphers? We will take a critical look at the nature of Doctor Who companions, what works best in the context of the show, and ponder why it is that the 'best and brightest' run away quickly.

The Pandorica Opens: The "wilderness years," between the classic and new Doctor Who series, there were few options for fans to get their fix. For fans of the Doctor in print, though, it was a virtual gold rush: the acclaimed Virgin Publishing New & Missing Adventures, later superseded by the BBC Eighth and Past Doctor Adventures, gave us years of stories "too broad and too deep" for the small screen, full of breathtaking new companions and villains that to their fans were just as real as the ones we saw on television. Our panelists will delve into the world of the Virgin & BBC Books eras, debate the merits of Benny, Chris, Roz, Fitz, Anji, Sam and the villainous Sabbath, and discuss where it impacted the world of Doctor Who forever.

The Myth Makers: Big Finish Productions has filled the gaps between the stories, between the seasons, even between the Doctors themselves with original adventures starring Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann for over a decade, with classic companions and new favorites, including the stalwart Edwardian adventuress Charley Pollard, inquisitive Dr. Evelyn Smythe and street-smart Lucie Miller, among many others, alongside him. We take a look back at the best of the Big Finish audio adventures and explore its impact on Doctor Who canon.

Enlightenment: 2013 will finally see the completion of Doctor Who on DVD, as far as it can currently go. With stories reconstructed via animation, restored through technical wizardry such as VidFIRE and even brought to viewers in color for the first time since its debut, it's been a great run. Our panel will discuss the technical achievements of the people who brought us those DVDs, talk about some of the best value-added content like the original documentaries and special clips, and give us some insight into how that amazing colorization work on the Pertwee era was done.

Love & Monsters: Doctor Who fans love a party, in person or online... but when has it gone too far? We have online communities galore, but why do people continue to discuss shows they admittedly don't care for anymore? Why do they keep watching even if they haven't enjoyed it for years, and how long should they stick with it? Is it unfair to heavily criticize a property while the other viewers are still enjoying it -- or is it, as others claim, a necessary part of the fan process? We'll take up the debate about when fandom goes too far, and when it's stopped being fun.

The Happiness Patrol: We all have our guilty pleasures... Doctor Who has always had its share of controversy, and sometimes you simply love what everyone else hates, or vice versa. So, it's time for the gloves to come off. Our panel will moderate a free-for-all discussion about the things you just need to get off your chest: a favorite story nobody else seems to like, a favorite companion we believe is the best ever, a favorite Doctor we challenge anyone to beat. Here's your chance to bare your soul.

Tooth and Claw: You're a fan video editor, a podcaster, a blogger, a fanzine-ist. You're a knitter, you're jeweler, you're a cosplayer. You're a writer, an actor. But most importantly, you're a fan, and you have your own mark to make on Doctor Who fandom. But where do you get started? We're putting together a collection of Doctor Who fan experts to give you as broad a view of how to move beyond watching your favorite show as possible.

The Sontaran Experiment: One hour, with one brief: to create the perfect Doctor Who story with nothing but the assembled audience and a moderator. The sky's the limit: any Doctor, any companion(s), any villains, any heroes, even Gallifrey itself isn't out of bounds. The results will be put together in a paragraph to be presented during Closing Ceremonies at this year's convention. Get your thinking caps on!