Thinking About The Doctor
Prior to 2005 Doctor Who, to me, was just a name. Something that echoed in the cultural background of British TV shows. This was at least partly because I was only six years old when the long original run of the series ended in 1989. And so in 2005 I went from being a newcomer to being a fan. Not just because it’s good sci-fi, but because it’s sci-fi that isn’t afraid to make you think.
** Warning: Spoilers Below **
And if any Doctor Who episode has posed questions surely the series four finale has. Not only do we see the Osterhagen Key – a kill switch for the entire earth in case human suffering becomes too great – which leaves us with all kinds of questions.
We also get Davros, creator of the Daleks, who compares the Doctor’s companions to his own Daleks. Davros created the Daleks – their emotions engineered out of them – to fight for him. But he claims the Doctor’s companions are no different. And with Martha ready to use the Osterhagen Key and Jack, Sarah Jane, and Mickey ready to blow up the Dalek base, the argument isn’t as one sided as it might seem at first.
And finally, as the icing on the cake, the many repeated shots of the Doctor’s spare hand that have filled series four turn out to have been leading up the perhaps the biggest question of all: is there more to being a person than genetics and memories, or, in other words, why the two Doctors we end up with act so differently at key moments. What indeed is a person?
I don’t claim to have the answers to these questions, or to be any closer to them because of Doctor Who, but I love the show for asking them.
If your only exposure to Dr Who is the current series, then I’d suggesting using the year or so with less new Who to catch up on the classic series.
Trust me..it’s worth every last second.
I may well do that Michael. Although without a TARDIS of my own finding the time for it is probably going to be a struggle.
Good points.
When I went to the Eastercon in London, March this year they had a fun panel discussion called “The doctor – Saviour or Trickster God?”
When it comes to authority figures, the Doctor has a tendency to come in, do his stuff and leave others to live with the consequences – a bit like The Shadows of Babylon 5 coming in, tipping over the anthill and leave the chaos behind for people to sort out.
What I like as well – this is a show that does not take itself too seriously. While it at times has good satire – it can make good fun of itself as well.
Jarsto:
Now that the season finale has run in the U.S., we can talk a bit more freely. We have been seeing that hand longer than Season 4.
The hand was cutoff in “The Christmas Invasion” which aired Dec. 25, 2005 in England. It was retrieved by and frequently seen with Capt. Jack on Torchwwod before the Doctor got it back at end of season 3.
The big questions include how many times will Davros return from the dead, how many times will Dalek army be rebuilt. We have seen the last of them several times before.
Dalek’s were first seen in the second Dr. Who story, which began in Dec. 1963.
The season finale was the first time I recall seeing two copies of the same Doctor. There have been specials that brought together multiple Doctors along with some of their companions.
Glitch–Rose seems a bit unsure if Doctor will live when he is killed. The Doctor says he is leaving Rose with a copy of the Doctor “just the way you met me.” This is odd because Rose was introduced in Season One (new math) when Christopher Eccleston played the part. Rose saw him die and regenerate as David Tennant. Sarah Jane has also seen a regeneration.
As to the theme of Jarsto’s post, long ago the Doctor was accused of causing trouble by showing up while he sees it as being drawn to times and places where he is needed. We saw this same set of interpretations of Gandolf’s travels in “The Lord of the Rings.”
True – we have seen the severed hand several times since the Christmas special, but more often in season/series 4, I think
The Gandalf analogy is not too bad. I seem to remember that it is really more the TARDIS deciding when and where to go. Can someone confirm that ?
On another note, the episode “Blink” written by Steven Moffat ha won this year’s Hugo award in the category “Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.
Interesting that “Doctor Who” has now won the award in three consecutive years, all with the same writer : Moffat.
I am certainly looking forward to Moffat taking over from Russell T. Davies as showrunner in 2010.
As to “the hand”, yes, originally severed off in the Season 2 Christmas opener.
This ended up in the possession of Capt. Jack Harkness, so for at least 1 season of Torchwood it was proudly on display in the Torchwood headquarters (watch also, Torchwood).
What annoys me about the bit about the hand and the Doctor’s regeneration:
1.) the Doctor has never had the ability to choose his regenerated form, so keeping his looks is something wholly new.
2.) Now that the Doctor has regenerated again, does this mean that Tennant is both the 10th and 11th Doctor? If we decide to keep Old Series continuity (such as it is), does that mean the doctor only has 2 regenerations left? Or (and this seems more likely), do we chuck out the bit about 12 regenerations and give the Doctor the ability to live forever unless he chooses not to? It’s very confusing.
3.) with Donna having now merged DNA and memory with the Doctor, will her offspring carry Gallafreyan traits (ie. like a spare heart)? Will we even see Donna again? Very unsatisfying.
With that, we do now seem to have a Doctor out on his own, so who will he eventually meet up with and form a new companionship? We’ll see, I suppose.
I’m looking forward to it.
Quote :
“2.) Now that the Doctor has regenerated again, does this mean that Tennant is both the 10th and 11th Doctor? If we decide to keep Old Series continuity (such as it is), does that mean the doctor only has 2 regenerations left? Or (and this seems more likely), do we chuck out the bit about 12 regenerations and give the Doctor the ability to live forever unless he chooses not to? It’s very confusing.”
I think that the writers will find a way around the 12 regenerations, and find an “explanation”, however far fetched.
And yes , as in the classic series, companions will come and go (or be left behind).
I think we have to bear in mind that, in a sense, there is no such thing as *canon* in Doctor Who. There are simply too many inconsistencies and revivals of old foes.
I think the doorway for Donna is still open, the writers will have to be quite creative to do it in a credible way.
I am curious how the cybermen will return in this year’s Christmas special.
Quote:
“I think that the writers will find a way around the 12 regenerations, and find an “explanation”, however far fetched.”
Agreed. The Master has had 15 or 16 regenerations now, and except for the most recent, those were all old school Who. So, yes, no matter how far-fetched, there will be an explanation.
This, however, raises an intriguing question. When they choose to increase the number of regenerations, will the doctor begin having ethical dilemmas. Will these additions to his normal life span be cause for more drama.
I look forward to finding out.
Jim,
I don’t see it as a Glitch. I think it more she feared the Doctor she loves is going to change. What will happen when he changed?
There is a TV episode (The Deadly Assassin) where the Master effectively resets his regenerations by wearing the Sash and the Great Key of Rassilon and reveals the Eye of Harmony located beneath the Panopticon floor. I’m sure if he could do it the Doctor could – if it ever becomes an issue or even plot point.