Doctor Who 2007: The Sound of Drums

[Felon]

Uh... you do realize that he just regenerated no? So of course he'd be different from the Master you'd know, much like David Tennant's Tenth Doctor is different from Chris Eccleston's Ninth.

You do realize that when you're typing a post, you actually have as much time to compose your thoughts as you need before submitting it. Thus, there's no need to start off with "uh..." like you're trying to think of what to say. Please pass that on to all the other folks who do that. That'll make it one less pet peeve in my universe.

I do appreciate what they were going for, but a spaz is not the ideal foil for another spaz, and that's evident here, because the Master's zany antics came at the expense of the Doctor's own puckishness. Notice how the Doctor stops being his manic self. He adopts a sober, brooding personality, he acts curt towards his companions, he loses his sense of humor, he never grins once. He becomes...The Batman!

 

[horacethegrey]

Well other than the Doctor most Time Lords have control over their regenerations to a much larger degree than the Doctor who pretty much went in blind due to involuntary regeneration when his body was damaged. Romana was able to control her regeneration to a very fine degree.

Like some Who fans, I take Romana's regeneration being cannon with a grain of salt. If you'll recall, Romana's change only happened because Mary Tamm became pregnant and she had to be replaced with Lalla Ward. Since it was so abrupt, the show's makers decided to play it for laughs. It was so silly that I can hardly count it as a regeneration altogether. Sorry, my suspension of disbelief only goes so far.

Don't get me wrong, I find the scene quite funny, but in my mind regeneration is a process that Time Lords have very little control over.

You do realize that when you're typing a post, you actually have as much time to compose your thoughts as you need before submitting it. Thus, there's no need to start off with "uh..." like you're trying to think of what to say. Please pass that on to all the other folks who do that. That'll make it one less pet peeve in my universe.

Sorry, but that's close to how I talk in person and I'm sticking to it.

I do appreciate what they were going for, but a spaz is not the ideal foil for another spaz, and that's evident here, because the Master's zany antics came at the expense of the Doctor's own puckishness. Notice how the Doctor stops being his manic self. He adopts a sober, brooding personality, he acts curt towards his companions, he loses his sense of humor, he never grins once. He becomes...The Batman!

But the Master has always had that effect on the Doctor. This isn't a Dalek or a Cybermen that he can normally outsmart and ridicule for good measure. This is a fellow Time Lord who can match him in many ways, and hurt him in others. Why should he ease up against such an adversary?

Besides, everyone knows that the manic, happy go lucky Doctor is just one side of him. There's the darker part of his nature thats lonely, melancholy and oftentimes ruthless. The Family of Blood certainly saw that part of him, as did the lone Dalek in season 1. The Master is just one of latest to bring out this hidden side of the Doctor.

 

[WizarDru]

Another possible anagram...

A Conflate (to meld, bring together)

 

[Plane Sailing]

You do realize that when you're typing a post, you actually have as much time to compose your thoughts as you need before submitting it. Thus, there's no need to start off with "uh..." like you're trying to think of what to say. Please pass that on to all the other folks who do that. That'll make it one less pet peeve in my universe.

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.

 

[Raven Crowking]

I'm still leaning more towards the last humans going to Utopia, though. It truly would break the Doctor's heart that a) this is what became of them when he helped to send them off, and b) he will have to make a choice between either allowing the humans existing on modern Earth to die or destroying the last remnants of humanity from the future.

Me too. I just rewatched Utopia last night, and there are some things to suggest it.

(1) The Master takes the data chip re: Utopia with him.

(2) The Paradox Engine. What could be more paradoxical than future humans wiping out their ancestors?

(3) The Toclafane talks about it being cold, and having to run.

(4) It is said in Utpoia that there are diamonds in the sky. Obviously, a time period with stars.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Like some Who fans, I take Romana's regeneration being cannon with a grain of salt. If you'll recall, Romana's change only happened because Mary Tamm became pregnant and she had to be replaced with Lalla Ward. Since it was so abrupt, the show's makers decided to play it for laughs. It was so silly that I can hardly count it as a regeneration altogether. Sorry, my suspension of disbelief only goes so far.

Don't get me wrong, I find the scene quite funny, but in my mind regeneration is a process that Time Lords have very little control over.

Remember that we've never seen the Doctor regenerate under anything remotely close to ideal purposes, whereas Romana did so. In The War Games the 2nd Doctor claims that he has a "right" to choose his new appearance...clearly something he thought himself able to do. In The Christmas Invasion, it is made clear that during the first 24 hours of a Time Lord's regeneration cycle there is a certain fluidity to their form (this has been a fan explaination for Romana's regeneration for a very long time), allowing the Doctor to regrow his lost hand. Finally, in Planet of the Spiders we do see one other Time Lord regenerate under fairly controlled circumstances. And it is clear that K'anpo Rinpoche chooses to become Cho Je.

So, overall, I'd say that there is more control possible than the Doctor ever gets to use, but the process is still a bit dodgy.

BTW, it was nice of them to give us a bit more of a classical Master (in Utopia) before they regenerated him. I also liked the flash of red lining on the Master's suitcoat at the airport in The Sound of Drums; a very nice melodramatic touch.

RC

 

[horacethegrey]

Remember that we've never seen the Doctor regenerate under anything remotely close to ideal purposes, whereas Romana did so. In The War Games the 2nd Doctor claims that he has a "right" to choose his new appearance...clearly something he thought himself able to do. In The Christmas Invasion, it is made clear that during the first 24 hours of a Time Lord's regeneration cycle there is a certain fluidity to their form (this has been a fan explaination for Romana's regeneration for a very long time), allowing the Doctor to regrow his lost hand. Finally, in Planet of the Spiders we do see one other Time Lord regenerate under fairly controlled circumstances. And it is clear that K'anpo Rinpoche chooses to become Cho Je.

So, overall, I'd say that there is more control possible than the Doctor ever gets to use, but the process is still a bit dodgy.

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?

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 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?

 

[sniffles]

I've always thought that the Doctor, being someone who likes surprises and generally dislikes predictability, has deliberately eschewed his potential ability to exercise more control over his regenerative ability.

And, as has been pointed out, he's usually not regenerating under the best of circumstances.

This is true of the Master as well, at least in this instance. He'd

Spoiler

just been shot, his mind was probably a bit muddled after having been disguised as a human for at least 17 years,

and considering all the things that have happened to him in the past he's probably gone a bit mental. I think some inconsistencies in his personality are to be expected.

I felt RTD did a good job of balancing the humorous aspect of the Master with his more sinister qualities. I always prefer a villain with a sense of humour to a pompous one.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

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?

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 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?

Yes it was quite serious, it was the 3rd Doc's final episode.

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.

 

[Mallus]

For me he's just not a very good one, a typical example of the camp and weakness of RTD's writing.

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.