▁The ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 1 0 ▁spe ci als ▁are ▁five ▁spe ci als ▁that ▁linked ▁the ▁programme ' s ▁fourth ▁and ▁fifth ▁series . ▁They ▁began ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁with ▁" The ▁Next ▁Doctor ", ▁with ▁three ▁air ing ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁concluded ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁with ▁the ▁second ▁part ▁of ▁" The ▁End ▁of ▁Time ". ▁ ▁Doctor ▁Who ▁Conf ident ial ▁also ▁a ired ▁alongside ▁each ▁episode ▁of ▁the ▁spe ci als , ▁continu ing ▁on ▁from ▁the ▁previous ▁series . ▁" The ▁Next ▁Doctor " ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁special ▁to ▁be ▁accompanied ▁by ▁its ▁own ▁Conf ident ial ▁episode , ▁and ▁was ▁considered ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁fourth ▁Conf ident ial ▁series . ▁Al ong side ▁the ▁accomp any ing ▁episodes ▁for ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁spe ci als , ▁three ▁additional ▁Conf ident ial ▁episodes ▁alongside ▁the ▁spe ci als ' ▁episodes : ▁one ▁for ▁the ▁past ▁five ▁Christmas ▁spe ci als , ▁one ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Doctor ▁Who ▁prom , ▁and ▁one ▁for ▁the ▁reve aling ▁of ▁Matt ▁Smith ▁as ▁the ▁Ele vent h ▁Doctor . ▁ ▁Home ▁media ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁Rat ings ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁Pre lim inary ▁figures ▁show ▁that ▁" The ▁Next ▁Doctor " ▁had ▁a ▁view ing ▁audience ▁of ▁ 1 1 . 7 1 ▁million ▁during ▁its ▁original ▁air ing , ▁with ▁a ▁peak