My Speculation for Doctor Who: Season 5/1/31/The One With The Moff

[skywaterblue]

But first: dude, now that scans_daily moved to Dreamwidth it suddenly feels a lot more like home. I should reup my paid time asap.



There's a conundrum here in that the Time Lords must be back in some fashion. RTD has cast half a dozen Time Lord extras, and "The Narrator", a Time Lord name if I ever heard one, is being played by Timothy Dalton. Even without that name, there's a pic of Tennant, Simm and Dalton in Time Lord robes clearly snapped on a filming break.

Besides, it only makes sense. How else to resolve Ten's "Last of the Time Lords" issues without the return of the Time Lords? Hard to imagine ways to pull that off storytelling wise.

So anyway, Time Lords, all well and good the return of Gallifrey ... except that RTD has to hand off to Steven Moffat at the end of this. And Moffat in interviews, seems to think offing the Time Lords was the best idea yet. So here are the options as I see them:

a. The Time Lords are back for good, happy families, suck it Moffat.

They seem friendly chaps. Would RTD really stick it to him like this?

b. The Time Lords are back... and then they die again.

This is a bullshit reboot ending. Why pull this when it's your 'all stop, my lead dies' episode?

c. It's only a dream/a flashback/whatever.

Probable, but narratively wonky because really only the return of the Time Lords solves the essential problem. It might be the sort of stupid that attracts RTD, though.

d. The Time Lords are back. And they're FUCKING PISSED.

This is the best option in my opinion. Satisfyingly draws RTD's era to a close, the Doctor can get over his trauma and redefine himself in their opposition again, Moffat has to accept their return BUT at least he gets a cool plot hook that homages back to the classic era.

What sort of punishment would the Doctor receive? Based on s5 spoilers, he has a working TARDIS still... though actually, what we know of could all be set on Earth in different time periods. Here's what I really think happens: the Time Lords decide he's far too dangerous and mad to contain by taking away the TARDIS. Instead, they exile him to a parallel universe.

This explains why the Daleks seem to not be that familiar with him, why there can be new Silurians, why Amy Pond doesn't seem to know about aliens. The Doctor gets a cool hook in that he can either explore this universe or try and get back out into his home universe. It explains why the TARDIS crashes and has to regenerate - because the TARDIS does none too well with alternate universes. Heck, even River Song - maybe she got trapped in this universe too and that's the secret connection between them.

And Moffat never has to use any old companions ever again, if he doesn't want. It's a fresh slate until the next handoff.

It probably won't happen, but it's a neat way to reboot Doctor Who's continuity without actually doing it, and it would be a fitting fate for the Tenth Doctor, Destroyer of Worlds and Dumper of Exes on the Beach.

Comments

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

I don't plan on watching the next series because, frankly, I don't believe that Matt has the chops for this role, and I'm offended at such a young, slutty companion.

But I am intrigued by your theories and I think a parallel universe works brilliantly. You can always get away with ridiculousness in sci-fi which is why I love it so.

[biichan.livejournal.com]

and I'm offended at such a young, slutty companion.

Um, what? We haven't even seen a clip of Amy yet. Why do you automatically think she's slutty?

[elliptic-eye.livejournal.com]

such a young, slutty companion

…?

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

We know next to nothing about Amy Pond, so I can't judge except to say I find slut shaming really offensive.

I also think Matt Smith is a pretty good actor.

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

Since you're way more spoiled than I, I do hope you're right. It would be so disappointing for the show not to get better with Moffat there.

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

They cast her a boyfriend. My honest opinion is that she is a policewoman... just for whatever reason they have short skirts there.

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

True that. Guess they can't go the Martha route again. And if she definitely is a cop, then fail on the part of the wardrobe people! Unless it is the parallel universe where cops wear entirely inappropriate for the job uniforms!

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking Moffat won't have Eleven interested romantically in the companions because of River Song.

It's the parallel universe where everything's just a little bit sexier?

ETA: Also, current gossip is that Amy Pond is only going to be a one season companion, so if you hate her a lot just have patience?

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

Ugh, River. Sorry, I just can't with her.

OMG!! IF WE GET RID OF AMY CAN WE HAVE THE INTENDANT AS THE NEW COMPANION? BECAUSE THAT IS A VERY SEXY UNIVERSE.

[elliptic-eye.livejournal.com]

Besides, it only makes sense. How else to resolve Ten's "Last of the Time Lords" issues without the return of the Time Lords? Hard to imagine ways to pull that off storytelling wise.

Well, RTD could always use the "it was all a dream" copout to remind the Doctor of just how goddamned much he used to hate them. (With the shot of android!Master in the trailer, though, I'm thinking some weirder, partial resurrection. Regrettably not featuring the Valeyard.)

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

Android Time Lords? That's delightfully cracky.

I don't think a dream sequence goes far enough, but I think it's one of the more likely possibilities floated.