HUGE Doctor Who news coming tonight! [Spoilers]

[Morrus]

It would be trivially easy for the show to handwave away the "twelve regenerations" thing. Indeed, they could simply ignore it and move on - the new series seems to be free to use anything from the old continuity it likes while simultaneously discarding anything it doesn't like.

But my question is this: why on Earth would they want to?

There's huge dramatic potential inherent in the Doctor nearing his last regeneration - amongst other things, he knows that at some point he's going to become the Valeyard, someone he really doesn't want to be. But there's other stories there - how does he face his impending death? What if, confronted with the horrors of the "lost incarnation", or the atrocities perpetrated by the Valeyard, or whatever, the 'last' Doctor decides he doesn't want to go on, and starts actively seeking his death? Conversely, what if that 'last' Doctor decides he does want to go on - what to lengths will he go to acquire a new regeneration cycle?

There's got to be a story there, and it's something they've never really done before (which, after 50 years, is saying something). IMO, they would be mad to just handwave it away or ignore it - far better to tell the story.

I'm not convinced there is dramatic potential - unless the viewer really did believe that the BBC was going to cancel the entire show. The viewer knows they won't do that, do there's no real tension. We know it's not the end.

 

[delericho]

I'm not convinced there is dramatic potential - unless the viewer really did believe that the BBC was going to cancel the entire show. The viewer knows they won't do that, do there's no real tension. We know it's not the end.

Surely the same is true of every Batman film and every Bond film, and for the same reason? And, in fact, almost all films and TV everywhere - the death of the lead character is incredibly rare.

 

[Umbran]

But my question is this: why on Earth would they want to?

Because the "what do I do as I near my death" is apt to come across as hackneyed?

There's huge dramatic potential inherent in the Doctor nearing his last regeneration - amongst other things, he knows that at some point he's going to become the Valeyard

Except that so long as the Time Lock is in place, that future isn't going to happen. Indications are that, should the Time Lords get out, becoming the Valeyard will not be the biggest issue on the Doctor's plate.

But there's other stories there - how does he face his impending death?

Since the BBC is hardly going to cancel a popular show, we know he *isn't* facing his death, though. The meta-issue reduces that plot to mud, I'm afraid.

 

[Morrus]

Surely the same is true of every Batman film and every Bond film, and for the same reason? And, in fact, almost all films and TV everywhere - the death of the lead character is incredibly rare.

Exactly. That's why all those Batman and Bond films don't tend to hinge the very plot around the main character's death. Because there would be very little suspense. They hinge the plot around other things.

 

[Morrus]

Because the "what do I do as I near my death" is apt to come across as hackneyed?

They kind of explored that with Tennant's last year. He knew it was coming; the "four knocks" and all that. It was just a regeneration, not a full death, but that technicality aside, the themes were similar..

 

[Umbran]

They kind of explored that with Tennant's last year. He knew it was coming; the "four knocks" and all that. It was just a regeneration, not a full death, but that technicality aside, the themes were similar..

Yep. And it made his last line wonderfully poignant.

But now that one's been done.

 

[Herschel]

The diner schene with Wilf was great and yeah, why try to top it when it won't add anything.

I had a weird dream last night that Lee Pace was named the new Doctor and actually pulled off a tremendous Brit accent. He was chosen over Marton Csokas, Jamie Bamber and Domnhall Gleeson.

 

[sabrinathecat]

Also, the Valeyard was a distillation of the Doctor's dark aspects that built up, not an actual future version. The High Council promised to give him the rest of the Doctor's regenerations.
In the Big Finish story, The Wormery, a future aspect of another Time Lord attempts to steal the regenerations of a past self as part of a larger plot of universal domination.

 

[Orius]

That was a rule imposed by the Time Lords (they also offered the Master a whole new set of regenerations) who aren't around any more. They're not going to cancel a show because of a throwaway line in an episode 30 years ago when it can be changed with another simple throwaway line. Besides, he's already said (in a Sarah Jane Adventures ep) that he can now regenerate 504 times.

Like I said, I don't follow Who very closely; the local PBS station used to air the classic show on and off in the past but not on a regular basis, and the current stuff is imported on cable which is quite frankly a waste of money. But anyway, it sees like they've already addressed that possiblity too. Plus, I understand the Queen's a fan, and they probably don't want to upset her by cancelling the show again.

 

[Morrus]

Plus, I understand the Queen's a fan

Really? Is that a scoop?