Thanks, WindSparrow. I knew about time lords choosing their own names, had a slight feeling about the look, but thought that the timing is not really up to them (what if they get killed twice? Can one regeneration be enough for two deadly wounds?).

And from where do you know those wonderful things? Past Doctor episodes? Future Doctor episodes? Who is Romana? There wasn't any secret Doctor season somewhere, like Doctor 3 1/2, right?

Romana was a Time Lord who was also a companion during one of the Tom Baker (Doctor #4) series in the 1970's.

Windsparrow is a longtime Dr. Who fan.

Dr. Who has been on tv (with a 15-year gap) since 1963.

grins

Shir, love, Doctor Who has been on TV since 1963. David Tennant is the tenth on-screen incarnation of The Doctor. They stopped making it in 1989 (although there were still books coming out, and radio plays etc etc, and one movie). Romana was a companion back in the 1970s, and she regenerated during that time.

I agree that the plot was messy because of the decision to bring in such a huge supporting cast, but...I actually quite liked the way they finally used that hand-in-a-box, and I was okay with Rose getting to keep the human Doctor (although lots and lots of people agree with you on that one!). If you're a shipper, then it's having your cake and eating it - I mean, there is NO WAY canon was going to give Rose and The Doctor a happy ending, but this way she gets the closest thing she can hope for. And he gets to truly lose her, and have his poor wee emo heart broken all over again.

(I'm not a shipper, because...well, the Doctor's had SO MANY companions, and many of them have been awesome, and so being all OTPish about Rose would feel weird. Rose is great, but so were lots of other people.

I think you might enjoy the very awesome vid Handlebars, by Flummery - it's a study of how the Doctor uses and abuses his power. But - oh, crap, it's not at the place where I had it bookmarked any more. Um. Anyone else got an updated link, or do we think it's gone?

Sounds Official:

Stargate SG-1 film #3 has a go for filming this fall.

O'Neill-centric, it seems.

I think you might enjoy the very awesome vid Handlebars, by Flummery - it's a study of how the Doctor uses and abuses his power. But - oh, crap, it's not at the place where I had it bookmarked any more. Um. Anyone else got an updated link, or do we think it's gone?

[link]

Dr. Who has been on tv (with a 15-year gap) since 1963.

Oh, I knew that. I just thought the new series was designed so that new people (like me. Only on earth since 1985, so, you know, no chance I could watch it in real time) could get into it without too much effort. It seemed, to a new series only watcher, that the time lords can't alter their regeneration, that's all. I knew I'll have to watch the old series sometime... humm. Maybe now.

there is NO WAY canon was going to give Rose and The Doctor a happy ending

Exactly. Star crossed lovers means you never get a happy ending. And I'm OK with that. In the end, with all of his decision making for others, the Doctor is the one who is making himself be alone. And for that, he can kiss my ass. He's responsible for this.

And thanks for the link!

Oh, that vid was beautiful. And not helping me much with my DT crush.

I usually dislike fanvids - I know it's a matter of taste, but I hate most of the music the fans attach to it, and it makes it ridicules to me. I mean, how many My Immortal Buffy fanvids are there, dammit? Where ever I go, I seem to fall on yet another B/S fanvid with this song. So I find it hard to take most of them seriously (which doesn't mean I don't appreciate or see the effort that was made while making it).

I just thought the new series was designed so that new people (like me. Only on earth since 1985, so, you know, no chance I could watch it in real time) could get into it without too much effort. It seemed, to a new series only watcher, that the time lords can't alter their regeneration, that's all. I knew I'll have to watch the old series sometime... humm. Maybe now.

I think moments like that are meant to make the new viewer ask... so that it lures you into watching the historical Who. I'd love for you to do a watch-and-post. And then see you go back and re-watch the new stuff. I can't say much of what I expect from your reaction, without spoiling it - I suppose, other than how brilliantly Tennant has blended historical elements with the newer face of Who. You can look forward to saying, "OH! So that's why...." more than a few times.

Have you had the opportunity to see any of the Children In Need mini-specials?

I end up in such weird places, shipper-wise. I'm never in tune with anyone else. Since I didn't start watching Buffy until after Angel premiered (which I started watching because of dear, departed Glenn Quinn), I had no emotional investment in Buffy/Angel. I could care less. I did, however, hate the thought of Angel/Cordy because the writers completely mucked that up-- all through S2 of Angel, they'd been weaving the threads together for a really lovely return to Cordy/Wes and then they completely went off course. (I will say, however, I adored morally!ambiguous! Wes with Lilah).

Which is a roundabout way of saying, I never got into the whole Rose/Doctor thing. I didn't start rewatching Who with any regularity until partway through S3-- the times I saw Rose and of course, then with Martha, there was just too much hero worship going on. There's already an inherent imbalance going on, what with him being a Time Lord-- no need to make it worse. Which is why Donna was just the absolute perfect companion. She was in awe of what he was able to show her, the things he was able to do, but she was never in awe of him. She was the closest thing to an equal that I think he encountered (outside of perhaps River Song, but we don't really know enough about her).

At the same time, however, I can't see them as a "couple." Companions, yes--they were splendid that way-- she completed him and was his human side moreso than Rose or Martha-- but it couldn't have gone on forever because the Doctor knows it ultimately wouldn't have fulfilled her. She deserves to have a real life.

I think, in a way, losing Donna is ultimately more heartbreaking to him than losing Rose.

I'd like to see what I can do with a Donna coming into her own without the Doctor's influence.

Isn't this what Turn Left was about?

I thought Turn Left was a very clever foreshadowing of what would her fate would be. It's comforting, in a way. She really *doesn't* need the Doctor to be brave and caring and empathetic and full of humor and courage. She made hard choices and sacrificed herself, never having met the Doctor, only this crazy woman who said that there was a chance for a better world.

But not as much as she'll ever be alive, with the Doctor.

Remind me again, why did he say not to say anything to her, after getting her back home? Because to me, take away from her the hope that she can be someone better is horrible.

I honestly do not agree with this. I really believe that she has the inherent character to be awesome with or without that skinny spaceman. She IS ALREADY "someone better."

But to answer your question, the Doctor's reasoning to keep this entirely from her was because any memory of it would trigger the life-ending brain 'splosion that he was trying to save her from.