'Doctor Who' Shows How to Keep Secrets in a Social Media World

Imagine if Apple had been able to keep a new product completely under wraps until the moment Tim Cook unveiled it. Or if Facebook suddenly announced it was buying Twitter, and not a soul at either company leaked a single detail in advance.

That kind of surprise would approach what fans of the long-running British science-fiction show Doctor Who were feeling Thursday, when one of the show's mini-episodes — usually a throwaway five-minute scene intended to hype an upcoming show — added one of the most significant plot developments in Who's history, leaving long-time watchers slack-jawed.

Warning, Whovians: This is a spoilerific story! If you haven't seen the mini-episode in question, watch it now. Read more...