Telly Stuff: Doctor Who Theories & Thoughts

Donna will be back. Donna has to be back. I say this not as a particularly grieving fan - I appreciate what they were trying to do with Donna, who as written is a wonderful character, but could never get past my discomfort with Catherine Tate's acting style (though she pretty much justified her casting by doing a great impersonation of Ten - who is written to annoy the hell out of me, but I can stand it because I like David Tennant as an actor and personality, if not in this role).

But Donna will come back because dramatically, you can't leave the story like that - with a character who learned nothing, gained nothing, who didn't change at all, because for her none of it happened. That's just not how popular fiction works: there are rules, there are expectations and while people might accept it for now, at some level if it is never resolved you end up tainting the perception of the show (like Buffy, or any other TV show which ends up with an ambiguous or defensive reputation).

I'm not saying Tate will come back, as that may not be possible (though they got Billie Piper back, which at one time seemed unlikely, because they equally couldn't leave Rose broken and weeping at Bad Wolf Bay). But at some point, there will be something that refers to Donna, that lets the Doctor - and us - know that she was alright: she may not have remembered, but something seeped through and changed her. Perhaps the lovely Bernard Cribbins could deliver that message. Or they may take the option of scooping up her stuttering sort-of-husband in some 51st Century adventure and having the Doctor drop him off near Chiswick, telling him to go find her. Something.

They have to.

I got to watch the last episode with a group of Doctor Who fans which was unusual for me - usually I watch telly alone, in advance, and can't really discuss it as no one else is at the same point as me. Though no preview discs were issued for this finale making me, quite happily, have to watch it live, normally I wouldn't have anyone around who cared about it, so it would still be a solitary thing. But what a difference it makes when you do! While there were a dozen flaws in the episode (and DoctorDonna's Amazing Ability To Press Buttons Which Conveniently Saved The Day was a total cheat), it was tremendously entertaining to watch with people ready to pick up on every point - whether good or bad - literally sitting on the edge of our seats completely engaged.

But reading over some online discussions today was so depressing (check out the Guardian Organ Grinder blog which is already characterising this as the "whole concept of regeneration has been cheapened" tendency). Not because I mind that many people don't seem to have enjoyed it as I did, but because I just wish they had. And I wonder if it was the communal experience that made it work for me. Because even though I can and do find fault with certain stories, actors and characters, I love that so many people are engaged with it. It's the same reason that I so loved reading the Harry Potter books, knowing that millions of people all over the world were doing the same at the same time - even though, in themselves, they were fine but not ever going to be my favourites.

If a preview disc had been available, of course I would have dutifully watched and reviewed it. But I am SO GLAD that they weren't, even if this contradicts what I'm actually paid to do! And I'm so glad that, even with the whole timey-wimey nature of telly these time-shifted, Sky+/Tivo/YouTube/BitTorrented days, there's still a place for a communal, unspoiled sharing of a story. That's brilliant.

I also have many theories and ideas ...

Doctor 10½ - a human, actually called Doctor Who (not The Doctor), who builds a time-travelling ship called Tardis (not The TARDIS) and has granddaughters, adventures in his world, fights Daleks … sound familiar? Squint a little and you could even imagine an old David Tennant resembling Peter Cushing.

Torchwood – now with added Martha (having now realised that nice as he was, Dr Tom was only a rebound relationship) and Mickey … well, that’s it. Martha + Mickey: not their first loves, but not each other’s second choice. I really do want to see this. But Mickey had his own rebound from Rose …

Jackie and Pete – staying together for the sake of baby Tony and trying to repair the damage done to their relationship by her brief mad fling with Mickey. It was caused by their mutual confusion in the new universe, AltPete’s obsession with making money and Jackie’s kindness when Mickey’s gran died. Rose, eventually, forgave her mother – but she just couldn’t forgive Mickey, who figured it would be best for all concerned if he left that dimension entirely.

Wilf and Mr Copper – they meet and team up to become the best darn pub domino team in London.

Harriet Jones, GC (that’s George Cross) – awarded posthumously, because now everyone knows who she really was.

Somehow, somewhere in space and time, Joan Redfern is thinking: "Huh. I didn't get my own Clone John Smith. And we were engaged and everything!"

I could be totally wrong, I usually am (I clung for far too long to my “Rose as Wendy in Peter Pan” ending speculation) but from the Christmas trailer I’d say Dervla Kirwan = evil, David Morrissey = a (one-off) male companion for a Doctor probably feeling like a break from female ones for a while.

And two borrowed theories others came up with: confused post-regenerative Eighth Doctor said he was half-human simply because his jumbled brain (which sees "all that is, all that was, all that ever could be") accidentally saw ahead to the creation of Ten 1/2.
The Rift in Cardiff was (both retrospectively and from now on) caused by anchoring the TARDIS to it to pull Earth home.

Oh, and because it can't be said enough: Adrian Lester for Eleven (or Twelve, or whatever we're up to now). You know it makes sense!