Dr. Who Reaction - 12x10 - The Timeless Children
Added 2025-03-08 15:00:07 +0000 UTC
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"I started this with Shelley and the Cyberium, now I have to finish it. Alone.", The Doctor, "The Timeless Children" A controversial episode (and hence a lower than expected rating even taking into account other things) - due to the revelations of the Doctor being the Timeless Child and changing the known story of the Doctor. But the Doctor Who series has always allowed itself to change its history - indeed, the whole introduction of the Time Lord race was like that - although, admittedly, this tine it is a largish revelation to absorb. The Doctor with earlier regenerations and a more important role in Time Lord history also possibly explains an issue that fans had with a particular 4th Doctor story as various mysterious references in some 7th Doctor's stories, so fans could take that into account. BTW: the Master references/mis-quotes Shelly when he says "Look upon my work, Doctor, and despair." "For Gallifrey ... For the Time Lords. ... For the end of the universe itself!", The Master (and Cybermen), "The Timeless Children" Where have we heard (something very close to) these lines before? - Oh, yes, it was "The End of Time" - David's last story - set in the same place - the Citadel of Galifrey. "Recognise the old place? I was thinking I might knock through there, put a wet room there, screening room there. Torture room in the cellar, naturally.", The Master, "The Timeless Children" We, Who viewers, all know about the 12-regeneration limit. Interestingly, that limit was introduced as a plot device in a Classic Who story that was set in the Citadel of Gallifrey as well - actually in the Matrix chamber. And there are references in this episode to that particular story for Classic Who fans to appreciate. "Have a blast of this, Matrix.", The Doctor, "The Timeless Children" Lots of nice images from Classic and New Who for fans to geek-out on when the Doctor breaks out. "Oh, shoot. I should've said, *somebody needs to cut you down to size*, then zapped you. I was just trigger-happy. I'll use it next time.", The Master, "The Timeless Children" The Master is always a great source of fun lines to quote. "Er, Yaz, I can't ... can't get this hat off.", Graham, "The Timeless Children" And Graham is just wonderful. "Are you suffering comfortably? Then I'll begin.", The Master, "The Timeless Children" The quote "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin" is a phrase from a BBC children's radio show "Listen with Mother" - with stories and songs. It originally started as an ad-lib by the presenter but it was repeated and is now a well-known quotation. We've even heard it before in Doctor Who - it was used in "The Idiot's Lantern" by the Wire, and also in "Schol Reunion" by the Doctor when he was the substitute teacher. In this case, the Master misquotes the line for effect as he is about to tell the Doctor a story. "There's loads of robots. Throw a stick in this universe, you'll hit a robot.", The Master, "The Timeless Children" I'm sure a phrase about throwing something and hitting something very common has a very long history. But I always recall a line from comedy writer P G Wodehouse in one of his Jeeves books: "I have no doubt that you could have flung bricks by the hour in England's most densely populated districts without endangering the safety of a single girl capable of becoming Mrs Augustus Fink-Nottle without an anaesthetic." but I mostly recall a line from Douglas Adams in a chapter which he channels his inner P G Wodehouse: "It was not possible to heave a brick on Brequinda in the Foth of Avalars without hitting at least half a dozen Fuolornis Fire Dragons." "And Tecteun proposed that they gene-splice the ability to regenerate into future generations of Citadel dwellers. It would become the genetic inheritance of them and their descendants. But he would restrict the regenerative process to a maximum of twelve times. The Timeless Child became the base genetic code for all Gallifreyans within the Citadel", The Master, "The Timeless Children" I think that explanation from the Master resolves many of your issues with the regeneration limit - the regeneration ability was manually added to the group of people (Shobogans) who would become the Time Lords and the 12-regeneration limit was introduced as part of it. There's a common trope in fantasty fiction that a civilization of immortal beings will get bored and not continue to develop - so it's not something that is necessarily desirable. So I take it that the introduction of this 12-regeneration limit was to provide a longer life-span - without it being infinite. "The universe still needs you, so I suggest you run.", Ko Sharmus, "The Timeless Children"
Andrew Vignaux
2025-03-11 02:29:53 +0000 UTCI really love this finale and this episode. The acting is fantastic and Jodie is amazing as always!!!
DoctorWho
2025-03-09 01:31:07 +0000 UTC
