Doctor Who 2007: The Sound of Drums

Raven Crowking · Jun 26, 2007

horacethegrey said:
Well, I've not seen Planet of the Spiders yet, but I am familiar with the character of K'anpo Rinpoche. But I'll take your word for it that Kanpo was able to control his regeneration. One question though, was that scene at least treated seriously and not like Romana's regeneration?

Pretty much.

In PoS, K'anpo and Cho-Je are both present. When K'anpo regenerates, he merges into and becomes Cho-Je. This concept was later used, in Logopolis for the 4th Doctor's regeneration into the 5th (with the Watcher).

Seriously though, even if a Time Lord had control over his regenerative process, could he actually have control over what type of personality he'd gain once it was done?

I doubt it.

This is why I roll my eyes when people complain that the Master isn't acting like the Master of old. I can accept the fact that John Simm's portrayal won't be everyone's cup of tea. But please don't tell me that this isn't the Master he's playing. He IS the Master. He regenerated. If the Doctor can have different personalities during his ten incarnations, why can't his arch nemesis?

Well, the Master didn't exactly regenerate under controlled circumstances either, did he?

The Grumpy Celt · Jun 26, 2007

Maybe regeneration is a skill. When it comes up the Time Lord makes a skill check. If he passes, then he gets to pick his new form. If he fails, then the GM selects the form or roles on a New Time Lord Body Table. And the Doctor didn't put any skill points in that, saving his points for things like all the knowledges, while Romana did put points into it. Maybe the Master felt having a little pointy beard had become gouche. Maybe while Time Traveling he saw "vote for" posters of Harold Saxon and chose to look like that.

And I still say what ever the Master has planned with the Toclafane will be steeped in bitter treachery against everyone involved.

Flexor the Mighty! · Jun 26, 2007

Mallus said:
Is it just RTD's particular brand of camp that you don't like, because camp has always been a hallmark of the Docor Who experience (now that's a name for a cover band!), not to mention that the 'strength' of the writing over the years can best be described as a species of oddball charm.

I guess, becuase you are right there is plenty of camp in the Doctor Who show from day 1. I just don't like how RTD writes stories, his plots are not very good IMO and when he does have a decent idea the execution is bad.

horacethegrey · Jun 26, 2007

Raven Crowking said:
Well, the Master didn't exactly regenerate under controlled circumstances either, did he?

Even so, it doesn't change the fact that he regenerated and gained a new body and personality to go along with it. Remember, this is the first time anyone has seen the Master regenerate in the whole history of Doctor Who. Thus I consider all the Masters we've seen, from Roger Delgado to Derek Jacobi, to be the same incarnation. Simm truly is "the Master Reborn", since this is the first regeneration he's achieved in a long time.

Felon · Jun 26, 2007

Plane Sailing said:
Tough if it's a pet peeve of yours, because people are entitled to use whatever form of words they want in expressing their thoughts.

Don't tell other people how to post. Mods will take things up as and when it is necessary, thanks.

That's a bit testy, Plane, especially for you. Do we have our perception filters set up to tune out sarcasm? The remark was not so much an imperative on how to post as it was a rejoinder to the derisive tone of starting a post with "uh...you do realize..."

Indeed, even take literally, it was a polite request not a command.

horacethegrey · Jun 26, 2007

There was no sarcasm or condescension in my reply to you Felon. I was simply trying to relate my opinion in the kindest manner possible. If you interpreted it as such, my apologies.

Felon · Jun 26, 2007

horacethegrey said:
Seriously though, even if a Time Lord had control over his regenerative process, could he actually have control over what type of personality he'd gain once it was done? We're talking about a living being changing it's entire physical makeup on a cellular level. That's bound to affect your mind any which way you look at it, what with a different brain structure and all.

This isn't hard science, Horace. Exactly because regeneration is in essence doing something biologists would describe as impossible, it work any way the writer wants. As I've stated recently, this show is fantasy, complete with magic wands and wardrobes of teleportation, concealed behind a very thin disguise of science fiction.

This is why I roll my eyes when people complain that the Master isn't acting like the Master of old. I can accept the fact that John Simm's portrayal won't be everyone's cup of tea. But please don't tell me that this isn't the Master he's playing. He IS the Master. He regenerated. If the Doctor can have different personalities during his ten incarnations, why can't his arch nemesis?

I counter your roll of the eyes with a snort of my nostrils (or something like that). He's no Master. Portraying the character as a constant makes the character work. He's evolved into a foil for the Doctors--not just one Doctor, but whoever takes up the mantle. When I watched the first series, it was quite the big deal for fans to see how the current torchbearer would stack up against the classic arch-nemesis. But if he's changing peronalites are erratic, then there is no classic arch-nemesis. It's just some new villain. Who cares at that point?

Raven Crowking · Jun 26, 2007

Flexor the Mighty! said:
And yes this is the Master, the only Master out right now. For me he's just not a very good one, a typical example of the camp and weakness of RTD's writing.

I honestly found his combination of camp and menace quite effective. I was rivetted watching the first two parts of the series finale.

Felon · Jun 26, 2007

horacethegrey said:
There was no sarcasm or condescension in my reply to you Felon. I was simply trying to relate my opinion in the kindest manner possible. If you interpreted it as such, my apologies.

No no, I just thought we were making light banter. Perhaps "condescension" was too harsh a word. Teasing a bit. I guess I should apologize if it was taken any other way.

Felon · Jun 26, 2007

Raven Crowking said:
I honestly found his combination of camp and menace quite effective. I was rivetted watching the first two parts of the series finale.

Sooo, gotta ask...were you a big of Jim Carrey's Riddler in Schumacher's Batman Forever?

Becasue that's really the vibe I was getting.

"Was that over the top? I never can tell!"

Doctor Who 2007: The Sound of Drums

Raven Crowking

First Post

The Grumpy Celt

Banned

Flexor the Mighty!

18/100 Strength!

horacethegrey

First Post

Felon

First Post

horacethegrey

First Post

Felon

First Post

Raven Crowking

First Post

Felon

First Post

Felon

First Post

Similar Threads