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But it's great to see you here, it's been great occasionally seeing a sign of your success (congrats on the award!). Good to see we've not yet outgrown you! I think it's fair to say that by the time I joined, the tone and feel of the site was already set, and I think you had a large hand in that as well.

Oh, that's so nice! Thanks for saying so. I think a lot of the early tone came from James's love of politics and my love of pop culture. And I think British videogame magazine journalism was a bit influence too.

But I always think the site really found its identity when you came on board. Outgrowing the old "Pokémon UK" name, and thinking properly about serving the growing community on the forums.

All those MSN Messenger meetings about handling issues! Balancing how users liked to use the site with our desire to curate a space with a particular ethos.

Imagine if people applied that kind of thinking to modern social media ...

On a more serious note, it makes me wonder what all the founding fathers of the site are up to these days... but at any rate, let's all have a good one!

Oh, hello! Happy 23rd to the site. Nearly 23 and a half!

Site creator James O'Malley (Psythor) runs a substack about UK politics called Odds and Ends of History.

Second to join was Matt Ward (Pokedude) - and I haven't been able to hunt him down! He was such a brilliant coder, and in those early days PKMN.NET (or Pokemon UK as it was in those days!) really looked so far ahead of the pack as Matt applied his magic touch.

Then I joined! Steffan Alun/Iceduck. These days I'm a professional standup comedian. Last year I won a Pegasus Award at the Edinburgh Fringe for my solo comedy show, and I'm currently touring the new show ahead of THIS year's Edinburgh Festival. Details at www.steffanalun.com if you're interested!

Next, if memory serves, was Jeroen te Strake (Joeno) - a wonderful, diligent member of the forum who proved himself as a mod, became promoted to admin, and ended up being arguably the most significant member of the team, holding the fort as the rest of us got busy. He's still a Facebook friend - he's ten years married and living in London.

Was Mike Harper next? And was his name here Typhlosion? Mike's another Facebook friend, and I know he's maintained friendships with other PKMN.NET people. He's living his best life, with a great social group in Stockport.

Kay Dyson (whose username I forget!) is the last "major" admin I remember, even though I was drifting away when she arrived. She's embraced Pokemon more than any of us, travelling the world as events manager for The Pokemon Company, creating tournaments at which she's also been a brilliant commentator!

It's so nice to see people pop into this thread to connect with their memories. Joining this site was such a happy time for me, and it's been such a pleasure to see members of our community make their way through life.

(And apologies to all the staff I skipped to focus on the ones I remember most!)

I really like them all. Pombon seems especially fresh. I'll probably go Browt, though - that face!

Started my first proper go at breeding in BW this week, and on the train, I just hatched a Modest Larvesta with 31/5/31/31/31/16.  Gutted about that speed!

Or Rowan Atkinson?

With no trace of irony, I honestly, genuinely think Joanna Lumley would make an incredible Doctor if she took on the role full time.  I'm thrilled she did the Children in Need sketch.  I can dream.

The meet was brilliant!  Absolutely everyone was lovely and interesting, without exception - even though it feels like I hardly got a chance to speak to most people!  A very pleasant day indeed.

Great pictures, Kay and Lottie!

My guess for Episode Thirteen:

If this scenario was created from Amy's memories, then if the Doctor can give her a NEW memory, that'll get created as well.  With this new piece of kit, maybe he can reverse everything.

Maybe it's the Doctor himself he needs to put in her head.  After all, that's the one thing in her bedroom that didn't get created.

Also, maybe the Doctor will seal the cracks by jumping into one himself.  That's hinted at in Flesh and Stone.  Amy's memories keep him alive (a running theme throughout this series is that people are kept alive by memories), but the Doctor's unwritten - the entire world doesn't know he exists.

His companions still remember, of course (time-travellers have a different perspective), and all his deeds are still done (after all, the angels still crashed the Byzantium even though they were unwritten).

That's my guess.

Shame there's no general World Cup one, for those of us enjoying the tournament but not particularly supporting any given team.  I've gone with the Dutch one, though, 'cause even though I'd like England to win, my Welsh brain can't cope with that many St George's Crosses.

Also, I think there's something wonderful about "Come on Dutch people!" as a football cry.

This is incredible work, everyone.  Well done to all involved. 

Oh, good, the Media board's a nightmare to moderate.

Congratulations, Peter!  Hope you love it!

I'm going!  And I expect a big ol' turn-out, please, because I've not managed to attend in years.

Apologies to the members I forced to bring me Coke last time.  I can assure you this might not happen again.

Interestingly, originally, the Doctor WAS going to die for a random scientist (called Geoff).  It was only later that Russell T Davies realised how heartbreaking it'd be to see Wilf's face on the other side of the glass instead.

I suspect the new series starts (with an hour-long first episode!) on the third of April.  Easter Saturday - which I think has had a new episode of Doctor Who every year since 2005.

okay the xmas and new year special was pretty good BUT i'm quite disappointed that he died due to absorbing the radiation, i mean in the whole hype up to it in the whole list of things that could of killed him in that episode, it was that >_<  i mean i really didn't like that =P

Personally, I loved that.  In the end, he doesn't die saving the universe, he dies saving one old man.  Such a lovely, humble death for a Doctor more guilty of hubris than any other.  Loved it!

It's nothing I haven't said to you personally, Jeroen, but I think it's worth responding in public as well.

This site wouldn't be a fraction of what it is now without you.  I strongly suspect it would've died quietly long ago, probably around 2004.

I don't think most posters here will ever know how hard you worked.  Actually, scratch that - I doubt even I really know how many hours you've poured into working on this site.

It's a genuine tragedy to see you leave.  I wish you the best of luck, and hope to see you around as a friend, if not as a colleague.  I hope the site can survive without you, but that's one enormous challenge right there.

[The Empty Child]

Think about it - almost every episode of the season will be The Empty Child-quality

You think?  Moffat is merely the showrunner - other writers will still be writing for the show.  If he follows Russell's pattern, then he'll be writing the first episode, the final two-parter, the Christmas special and one or two others every year.  That leaves at least eight episodes a year for others to write.

And even if that WASN'T the case - bear in mind that Moffat has, in four years, only written six episodes (including two we haven't seen yet).  By contrast, Russell has written twenty-six in the same period, and three of those were extra-long Christmas specials.  Even if we accept that all Moffat's episodes are better than all of Russell's (an opinion I certainly don't share), there's an enormous difference between writing a single strong episode that generally has little relation to the rest of the series and writing six to eight important episodes a year.

I have faith in Moffat, certainly, but don't expect every episode to be up to the standard of The Empty Child, because that episode's an exception, and probably not the rule.

there'll be no needlessly-sappy romance stories,

Did you not see The Girl in the Fireplace?  If anything, Moffat is MORE guilty of sappy romance than Russell is.  Check out Coupling and Jekyll if you get a chance.  Moffat's work is FULL of romance.

no ridiculous first episodes,

Again, it's unlikely that Moffat's first episodes will be radically different to Russell's.  They're bound to be different in style, but Moffat's been very vocal about his admiration for Russell's work, so don't be too surprised if he keeps the Big, Bold and Fun format of season openers.

and best of all, less DoctorxRose music videos on YouTube!

Thing is, shipping is an enormous part of fandom these days.  Pokémon's a good example - plenty of Ash-Misty shippers, not to mention Misty-Brock, Jessie-James, and pretty much any other pairing you can think of.  It's probably a safe bet that Moffat's Doctor-companion pairing will generate a great many shippers, because romantic lead characters make the show more popular.  The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances is full of shipping - Rose/Jack, Rose/Doctor, Jack/Doctor.  The Girl in the Fireplace is a love story, as is Blink.

Good riddance, RTD, you jerk.

I'm sure I don't need to mention that without Russell, the show wouldn't be back, and Moffat wouldn't be taking over ...