Answers!

Someone on the doctorwhoforum.com boards posted an "answer the major controvosies" thread Universe section, if you want to know), asking people to give their theories an all the following points. Well this is my two groznits. And of course, the right two...

Is the Doctor half-human?
No, he's not. He was joking when he told Grace this, and when the Master makes it an integral part of the plot I just have to put my hands over my ears and concentrate on McGann's hair. Especially because the Master has always proved to be a Trustworthy and Reliable purveyor of Honest information...

Were the Morbius faces real?
I have always assumed they were Morbius' past lives. I was completely bemused at first by people who thought they were the Doctor's; I remain bemused because such an odd theory is so popular and widespread. It didn't even occur to me.

How many lives does the Doctor have?
Thirteen. But Rassilon knows what the BBC are going to pull out of the bag in a few years time. The BBC FAQ already says "used to be thirteen, but since the Time War, who knows!"

I know how I would do it. When no. 13 dies, he'd be all "no this is REALLY it this time"; and then he'd regenerate, and he'd be as confused as the rest of us. The new series arc would be based around him trying to figure out what's going on - were the timelords lying? Has someone tweaked his DNA? etc etc.

It does have to be 13, though - there are just so many Doctor quotes stressing the importance of death, and people who seek immortality - the Lazaruses, Mawdryns and Borusas - always get strong disapproval from him.

How old is the Doctor?
It's possible that he fancied Rose from the outset, and told her he was 900 the same way mature ladies try and knock about five years off their age in conversation...not sure of the answer, but it is certainly more than 900.

This is also the place to say I'm unhappy that Jack is now older.

Do the spin-off media count?
Only spin off media which I like. Bad books and bad audios never occur in my canon. Ignoring this, why not? The books have been written by as qualified people as the episodes; and they too have had an overseer judging consistant quality and tone.

Is the Doctor the Other?
Only in Cold Fusion; only because that book's so well written it makes me accept things like Doctor-Patience sex scenes without raising the red flags it might elsewhere. in general, the deities and great evils in the 7th Doc books and episodes seem out of line to me - the Doctor is just a hero, he doesn't need immenant godhood for that.

Is Susan the Doctor's biological granddaughter?
I decided out of the blue yesterday "yes, definitely", and have no idea why. Probably something like "because she's so adorable".

Was the Doctor shagging Romana?
Shagging is a very charged word, don't you think?

Was the Doctor in love with Rose?
The Doctor is in love with all his companions, in one way or another. But Rose, definitely. Post-Time War he's battered and miserable, and most importantly, thinking Like A Timelord: blowing up planets to sculpt the universe how he sees fit, and not having any sympathy for a plastic Mickey. But Rose feels sympathy for single Daleks, and at 19 she is as young and full of life as the Timelords were ancient and unknowable. As the Doc himself puts it, "everything she did was so human". He so needs someone to love him at that point and to give his life purpose again, and she is close to everything that he held dear pre-Time War.

In other words: in other circumstances, of course he couldn't have a meaningful relationship with someone so far below his own level. But love isn't necessarily a rational thing. Doctor 10 acknowledges it himself in Journey's End when he sends her off - he's regained his confidence, and doesn't need her any more. So yes, love - but love borne from a bad place.

Is the Doctor's last name 'Who'?
Eeek, no. And I hate it when members of the general public use Doctor Who as his name, it just grates on me every time even though I know they know no better. And I find myself doing it too when I talk to them, like speaking goo-gaa language at babies.

Do Time Lord's have sex drives
In general, no, I don't think so. The Doctor is a different question, because he's unlike his race in so many ways. He's nowhere near as repressed as them in other ways, and can you seriously imagine that dull lot - more importanlty, that lot who feel it's so important to appear stoic and emotionless - going home for rauncy orgies?

No, don't answer that one. Last of the Timelords seems to suggest the Master also appreciates a more human viewpoint. In any case, assuming they do (they must, to have granddaughters), I think a Time Lord concept of sex would be vastly different to our own. Probably a vigourous, stimulating game of chess would be just as appealing.

This is the basis for my "Doctor and Master are married" theory, incidentally. I think it explains why they won't behave rationally around each other, why they go out of their way to include the other in their plans. But the crux is that the Time Lord equivalent to "marriage" again must be different to ours - it's just the best word I can find to define it. Who knows what sort of deep bonds practically immortal races would cultivate? It certainly wouldn't be based on hawt shagging, I can tell you that much.

Nobody say Pythia. Nobody.

Why did the Doctor never go back to visit Susan?
Same reason he didn't pick up Sarah Jane or go rescue Peri off Thoros Beta (if given the choice, clearly stuck with a bunch of hairy warriors isn't Peri's ideal lifestyle choice). Because he just doesn't look back, and presumably he tells himself that they're all happy without him.

How separate are the classic and new series?
Not at all! It's one series, and always will be.

Did the Doctor use up a regeneration in Journey's End?
Yes, but it's not like the Beeb are going to acknowledge that. He just uses the amount he needs, and siphons off the rest to the hand. "Some" + "rest" = one regeneration.

Does The War Games lead into Season 6B or Spearhead from Space?
Spearhead, as far as I know. I've never liked the Season 6B idea, though I admit it's never been explained to me by someone with all the info so I'm ready to be convinced.

What is the regeneration between Romana I and Romana II all about?
I always presumed that the Doctor was just very, very bad at regeneration - the way some of us are just never going to use our singing voices the way Freddie Mercury can. I also think because the Doctor tends to die violently or in a stressful situation, and alone, his regenerations are incredibly random - it's a process designed to be undertaken by mild Timelords who die naturally or surrender their bodies when it's getting close, and in the company of others who we know can help (Planet of Spiders, Cold Fusion). Romana, on the other hand, may just be better at regenerating - we don't know the circumstances, so maybe she comes to a rational Timelord decision about death. And in any case, the Doctor is there to help. I think being able to choose shape is a byproduct of being very good at regenerating.

What does it mean that the Valeyard is between the Twelfth and Thirteenth incarnations of the Doctor?
Well, you all know my theory - it's Tennant mk 2 from Journey's End! His cosy life with Rose doesn't work out, getting domestic drives him crazy, and he's already proved himself genocidal. He's human - thus really needs those regenerations - and perhaps it's the ultimate expression of Time War guilt, to stop the destruction of Gallifrey? the Valeyard certainly seems incredibly fond of the place (one of those handy bouts of amnesia can cover the fact he already knows the Trial fails). This puts him between the Tenth and the Eleventh, but it's possible the Master's memory was dodgy as the sentiment is the same.

Why doesn't Sarah Jane refer to the events of The Five Doctors in School Reunion?All multi doctor adventures take place in a weird, out of canon place - maybe more handy amnesia?Surely, the same thing which means the Fifth Doctor hasn't actually lived through the Death Zone experience 3 times already?

When were the UNIT stories set?
Doesn't matter really, except to massive continuity nerds - who are probably more informed than me to answer.

Did Susan invent the word TARDIS and does the D stand for Dimension or Dimensions?
Susan was always a weird child - the fact that all other Timelords refer to TARDISes means there is a wealth of evidence against one single line in Unearthly Child. Susan probably knew what she meant. Dimensions makes more sense to me.

Did the Doctor erase any Dalek events (e.g. TV stories) from the Timeline during: Genesis of the Daleks
I don't think so. The circular nature of time accommodated him - for example, Davros does not admit the existence of life beyond Skaro. The Doctor's very appearance is therefore in fact responsible for all off-Skaro Dalek adventures before or after. In other words, the Doctor was always there, and if he influenced events, the influence was already part of the fabric of time. This is also echoed by the fact the Timelords sent him to destroy the Daleks to avert the Time War, yet the Time War was also caused by his being sent to destroy the Daleks by the Timelords.

Should the actor be credited as Doctor Who/Dr Who (as Seasons 1 to 18 and Eccleston era) or The Doctor (as Seasons 19 to 26 and Tennant era)?
Sweet felgercarb, The Doctor of course - Doctor Who makes my brain curl.

What are the titles of Serials A, B, C, D (and for that matter Serials E to Z) and what are titles of the second Pertwee story and the McGann story?
Can't A-D just be the names on the DVD cases? It makes things far simpler, and I don't have to do so much remembering. Second Pertwee story tends to be The Silurians when I talk about it, while the McGann fluctuates depending on how I feel - normally The Movie or The TV movie. The Enemy Within very rarely, only when I'm in a bad mood.

Who is the Doctor saying Merry Christmas to in The Daleks' Master Plan: The Feast of Steven?
Though I presume the audience at home, I haven't seen this episode so can't say.

Are any of this list companions (list omits the story The Next Doctor): Katarina, Sara Kingdom, TARDIS-trip-less Liz Shaw, any of UNIT, Kamelion, Grace, Adam, Captain Jack, Mickey, Astrid, Jackie Tyler?

Katarina and Sarah - I know nothing, only that I like Adric's statistic as the only ever dead companion. It gives him some much needed status in the fandom.
Astrid - see above. If Astrid is a companion, you really need to count people like Will and Jane in The Awakening or Olvir and Kari in Terminus - those people the Doctor picks up when his proper companions are absent. I forsee the specials complicating this issue greatly.

Liz Shaw - definitely! Primary female helper-outer for four episodes.
Grace - while it might be unfair to class Grace as a companion and Astrid not, as the only TV representative of an 8th Doctor companion she kinda has to count. Although I agree this is pushing it.

UNIT - here's my theory. Companion implies playing a subserviant role to the Doctor, tagging on his coat tails, following his lead. The Brigadier never did this - he was a character in his own right with his own agenda. Benton and Yates are the Brigs' companions.
Captain Jack - I would have said yes in S1 - but now, he's more like the Brigadier. Part of the wider Whoniverse which sometimes just turns up. This is reinforced by the way he shows up in Utopia and Stolen Earth, and also Torchwood proves he has ongoing life and objectives outside the Doctor, much as UNIT do.

Kameleon - no, he's more of a walking plot device. A bit like the Doctor's hand - in the TARDIS, and forgotten about until it causes trouble. If he'd actually had an adventure, not just an introduction and exit, I'd think about it.
Adam - same rules as Kameleon. He comes, he goes, he is forgotten.

Mickey and Jackie - the modern UNIT, there to back up the Doctor and companion while not actually taking part. Jackie definitely not. Mickey is more important, yet not quite attatched enough to the Doctor to count.

Does Shada count as one story (whether it is canon or not) and how many stories is The Trial of a Time Lord (one, three, or four)?

I know nothing of Shada; however, Trial is one. It's listed as parts 1-14, and while the individual titles are handy for discussion, it would also take up half my top ten if I had to name them individually. Plus I don't like Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp or Terror of the Vervoids as separate entities - I like them as part of the trial framework, and for the "trial-y" bit scattered throughout.

Is any of the BBC TV programme Doctor Who, which is neither a Christmas Special nor part of season, canon e.g. Shada, The Five Doctors, Dimensions in Time, The 1996 TV Movie, Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death, Pudsey Cutaway, Attack of the Graske, The Infinite Quest, Time Crash, Music of the Spheres?

Definite yes:
The Five Doctors
The TV Movie
Pudsy Cutaway
The Infinite Quest
Time Crash
All are of a high quality and uphold the same internal fiction as the parent show.

Definite no:
Attack of the Graske (opens up "am I a canon companion?" can of maggots)
Curse of Fatal Death (funny, but obviously not canon)
Dimensions in Time (just bad, bad, bad)
Music of the Spheres (was that the sound of the fourth wall breaking?)

No comment on Shada, which I haven't seen.

The Season 3 story The Ark seems to describe a different end of the Earth to the one described by the story The End of the World, how can that be?

Olympics broadcast schedule confusion...

a)What is the correct way to watch Resurrection of the Daleks - the broadcast 2 episodes of 45 minutes or the intended 4 episodes of 25 minutes?
You may as well just ask the best way to watch episodes full stop. However you like - if you tend to watch stories one part at a time, then do it one part at a time; if you watch all in one go, watch all in one go. Viewing recommendation? Two 45 minute chunks seems to be most satisfying to me.

b) What is the correct way to watch Season 25 - the last-minute-decision broadcast order of 7H, 7L, 7K, 7J ending on The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (with all the continuity problems) or the intended order of 7H, 7J, 7K, 7L ending on The Happiness Patrol (without those continuity problems)?
No idea whatsoever. A better question would be whether you should slot Ghostlight after Fenric as shot, which makes continuity sense with Ace's forshadowing of Gabriel Chase; or put Ghostlight first, which screws up that line but seems better thematically with the sense of completeness at the end of Curse of Fenric.

31. What does Jackson Lake count as, a companion or something else? And if he is a companion, what does that make his companion, Rosita?
Jackson is as much a companion as Astrid. There's Linear Time, where we live, and Circular Time, where the Doctor lives, and what I'm going to call "Sarn Time". Sarn Time allows two things which contradict each other to exist in the same universe, and make sense even though they shouldn't. It allows Peri and the Doctor to have five years of adventures between Planet of Fire and Caves of Androzani, and still allows the Doctor to throw off his life for a girl he's only known for 48 hours, and for neither of those things to seem strange when looked at side by side. Or that the Master dies in Planet of Fire, and is alive in Mark of the Rani, and again these things can coexist and not contradict. Christmas episodes take place in Sarn Time. You can shut off little bits of your mind, and the bizzarest things make sense. It's the only way to cope...


ngs that happen at Christmas are flexible.




Some responses from the thread I liked

The doctor's age: "in relative terms, he could lop off a whole century and still not be lying about his age as much as some humans do! Also, wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey; countless anomalies in his life would throw off his accuracy."

On death: "I do agree that a final death will give the story more meaning but I don't believe that has to come after 13. In fact it could be made stronger by a Doctor who can't understand why he's not dead and is scared by deaths new found unpredictability"

On half-human: "Not literally no, but possibly metaphorically. I personally choose to believe that he feels his extended time with humans and on earth has lent him more human qualities. Or possibly always regenerating around humans has given him a slight bit of human makeup each time he regenerated so near to them. But I don't believe that one of his parents were human."

On the UNIT dating: "Last Thursday. Every single one of them."

On Timelord sex: "Yes, but they don't obsess about it like humans. Either they only reproduce in their first incarnations or they're not in such a hurry since they live so long." "*points* Over there. On the top half of the console, next to the warp drive."

Why doesn't SJ remember: "The Time Lords wiped her memory of the event." "They probably wiped Tegan and Turlough's minds, too - note that they refer to the Eye Of Orion at the start of Warriors Of The Deep, but not to Gallifrey."




And someone who merely posted a screencap from the end of Gone with the Wind.