Not alone?

[Jamie McCrimmon]

If Romana was in e-space, she could have avoided the time war. If the Master and the Rani survived and came back, could Romana be brought back to the new series? If so, would you be in favour of the idea?

[Captain Tancredi]

The trouble would be that the books and audios have played around so much with Romana. If you read, say, 'Blood Harvest' (can't see that one presenting you with many problems somehow- it's a sequel to 'State of Decay'!), 'The Shadows of Avalon' and 'The Ancestor Cell', you'll get my meaning.

On the other hand, it might be interesting to just have some random female character turn up, get to the end of the episode and say "You still haven't recognised me, have you, Doctor?".

[Jamie McCrimmon]

Does the tv series follow on from books and audios?

[Dirk Gently]

No, not really. Romana could come back I would have thought.

[Jamie McCrimmon]

I think it would be awesome to bring back Romana!

[Captain Tancredi]

Not even Russell T Davies is allowed to answer that question- seriously.

It's perhaps more the case that the books written in the 1990s and up to 2005 saw themselves as taking place in between 'Survival' and the Paul McGann movie (basically all the Virgin New Adventures), and between the movie and some yet-to-be-determined point prior to 'Rose' where the Eighth Doctor regenerates. The audios take place at random points in between the Fifth and Eighth Doctors' eras, depending on the Doctor/companion combination.

None of this is allowed to influence the production of the current TV series- BBC rules are quite strict on not using tie-ins to tell background story, the idea being that the licence payer shouldn't have to pay extra to understand what they're watching. So the Time War happens off screen and we may never know exactly what happened to the Eighth Doctor- there's an unknown period of time in between 'The Gallifrey Chronicles' (the last Eighth Doctor book) and 'Rose'.

[Larry]

The trouble would be that the books and audios have played around so much with Romana. If you read, say, 'Blood Harvest' (can't see that one presenting you with many problems somehow- it's a sequel to 'State of Decay'!), 'The Shadows of Avalon' and 'The Ancestor Cell', you'll get my meaning.

?".

ah but that opens up that big favourite argument being are the books and audios cannon or should they be treated as a completely seperate stream of Doctor Who.

[Kaybee Bailey]

If there's a good story with a point to bringing her back, then why not? I felt that when the Master died and the Doctor claimed he would know if there were other time lords left it was just another thing he's been sure of, ready to be wrong.

[JohnMan]

It would be neat if the books were cannon, I just don't think that would be possible. At least not ALL of them. The most obvious reason is the "Family of Blood" episodes. They were taken from the books, thus eliminating at least some of them from Dr. Who cannon. It would be possible to have somebody go through, and choose which were cannon, but man... that is opening a whole can of worms. Though I hate this, the best option would be to either let the fans choose themselves what they consider cannon, or bring McCoy and McGann back and do some sort of "official" Dr. Who history. I doubt that will ever happen though...
So anyway, it's probably best they just leave that era of Dr. Who alone. I would LOVE IT if they brought McGann into the series to team up with Tennant, in some sort of way to show us the fans what happened in the Time War. Man, I would LOVE it if McGann showed up and did ANYTHING on the show. Like all people from Dr. Who past, the longer it takes to happen, the less likely it will. Still, I can dream...

[Perry Vale]

I would LOVE IT if they brought McGann into the series to team up with Tennant, in some sort of way to show us the fans what happened in the Time War.

What makes you think McGann was in the Time War?

[Rob McCow]

At least not ALL of them. The most obvious reason is the "Family of Blood" episodes. They were taken from the books, thus eliminating at least some of them from Dr. Who cannon.

Even that's not set in stone - who's to say that the Doctor wasn't having a similar adventure in a school a few miles down the road from the one in Family of Blood?

I totally agree that they should be left alone though, not least because they're almost all out of print now. Also because about 300 books were published.

Can't we have Benny Summerfield in the new series?!?!!

[duncan]

What makes you think McGann was in the Time War?

My guess would be that in Rose, it was hinted that The Doctor had not long regenerated. He looked in the mirror and made some comment about his ears if I recall?

[Dirk Gently]

That's what I was going to say, Duncan. There is a mirror in the TARDIS, Teninch uses it in TCI so the implication is that a regeneration has very recently happened.

[JohnMan]

To Perry Vale,

Well, from the Fox movie, it couldn't have been McCoy. He was sent by his people to dispose of the Masters remains. It has been publicly stated that Chris was Doc 9, and Tennant is Doc 10. Also, Duncan was right, the episode of ROSE made it seem as if he just recently regenerated.... so, I have no idea who else it could have been if it wasn't McGann. What's your thoughts?

To Rob, ah... you could I guess say the Doctor was having a similiar adventure (concerning the story of Human Nature/Family of Blood) The only thing is that I some of the story was left unchanged, and I believe some of the names were left alone... You could use your argument, I suppose, but I dunno... to me personally, it just doesn't seem satisfactory.

Yeah, concerning the books as cannon. It seems the best is to just leave it alone. The books didn't touch the "last great time war" and thats all the series really needs to explore since "Survival" of the old series.

Also, I WOULD still love to see McGann show up... I personally believe he would have been an incredible Doctor. Thats my opinion and I'm sticking to it! lol. I seem to remember also that Davies, the head hancho, really liked McGann also. It seems to me the teaming would be both a ratings boost, and a fun adventure.... even if they didn't mention the time War. Tennats Doc could just say something along the lines of "...I used to wear that smile a lot... until... the war. At that time, I had no idea on what was coming..." Something along those lines. Me, being a fan, would LOVE IT! Ah well. I'm dreaming!

Thanks!

[Larry]

What makes you think McGann was in the Time War?

i've always felt that the general consensus of opinion felt that it was the 8th Doctor, who was in the Time War.

[Dirk Gently]

I have no idea who else it could have been if it wasn't McGann. What's your thoughts?

You can't ask Perry that! He can't stick the movie & he doesn't think it's canon.

[JohnMan]

Larry,

I've never heard other wise. Who else believes, (and why?), that there was another Doctor in the Time War?

[JohnMan]

You can't ask Perry that! He can't stick the movie & he doesn't think it's canon.

Doh! Oops. Sorry.

I don't want ANYBODY to say it was Peter Cushing though.

[Captain Tancredi]

I think it would be awesome to bring back Romana!

I think the other thing they'd need is somebody who can play off the Doctor as well as Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward did. Shame they've already used Sophia Myles...

"Well, it's very nice to see you again, Madame de Pompadour, but..."
"You still haven't guessed, have you, Doctor?"

[Zbigniev Hamson]

The best option would be to either let the fans choose themselves what they consider cannon...

Yes, that's worked well so far

[Stuart Wallis]

I think the other thing they'd need is somebody who can play off the Doctor as well as Mary Tamm and Lalla Ward did.

I'm reminded of the story where they were casting for the radio version of Hitchhikers'. They were talking about why don't we use someone with a voice that was Peter Jonesy in style. Then eventually someone realised that they might as well use Peter Jones.

End of parable.

[Perry Vale]

To Perry Vale,

Well, from the Fox movie, it couldn't have been McCoy. He was sent by his people to dispose of the Masters remains. It has been publicly stated that Chris was Doc 9, and Tennant is Doc 10. Also, Duncan was right, the episode of ROSE made it seem as if he just recently regenerated.... so, I have no idea who else it could have been if it wasn't McGann. What's your thoughts?

Hello Johnman

It was Eccleston of course. The episode ROSE also implies heavily that he's been travelling for some time in this incarnation (Titanic, JFK assasination etc.), so he can't have just regenerated. The only obvious explanation is that he's checking his appearance in the mirror in Rose because he fancies the pants off Billie Piper (as evidenced for the next two series), and is vain about his ears. If he'd wanted to check his regeneration, he'd have already done so with the mirror in the Tardis (as mentioned above), that Tennant later uses.

You can't ask Perry that! He can't stick the movie & he doesn't think it's canon.

I can't stick the movie?!?! I used to stick it at the end of my dvd collection, as a great bookend, but haven't been doing so since 'Survival' got released. I actually really enjoy the TVM, it's one of the funniest ways to spend 90 minutes, just for the wrong reasons that's all. It ain't great Doctor Who, but that's not why it isn't canon.

[Logo Polish]

I think it's possible to make too much out of the supposed "hint" of a regeneration in Rose. The Doctor looks in a mirror and comments on his appearance. You don't need to have only just regenerated to do that. People do that sort of thing all the time in the real world. Yes, he might have just done, if you want to think that, but it's hardly final clinching proof on its own.

The fact that there might be a "fan consensus" about McGann's Doctor having taken part in the Time War only proves that that's something a lot of fans prefer to think. I don't think there's anything that makes it impossible for it to have been Eccleston's Doctor involved.

I also think his actions in it, as described in Dalek, sound more characteristic of Eccleston's Doctor than McGann's, although that may just be my feeling.

[JohnMan]

Well hey, I don't like the Fox movie either. Though I disliked it, there were two things I did enjoy. McGann as the Doctor, and the way the Tardis console room now looked. Besides those two, you can wipe some mustard on the rest of the movie, and throw it away. That's my opinion.

So, it comes down to what I stated earlier in that each fan has to basically "pick and choose" their own history from "Survival" to the Time War. Even if you want to throw the Fox movie away, McGann's Doctor is still cannon. His face was in the "Journal of Impossible Things," which appeared in the episode "Human Nature."

Possible Spoiler
I recently read a link which stated that McGann's Doctor will cameo in the season finale of Series 4. The episode is supposed to reveal some facts of the Time War. If this is true, then our friendly argument is settled! lol Time will tell if its true or not.

[Larry]

Larry,

I've never heard other wise. Who else believes, (and why?), that there was another Doctor in the Time War?

just comes from reading threads on other forums - but it is some thing that will always be open to debate untill we get a definite answer from RTD.