Rate & Discuss 4.6: The Doctor's Daughter

[Dirk Gently]

I get the feeling that this is setting up something important for the season finale in the same way that Dalek did in Series 1.

Suddenly the Doctors isn't the last Timelord left, despite thinking she was dead. Are we looking at a big return of the Timelords for the finale?

Nope, not according to the commentary yesterday. Apparently it was Steven Moffatt that said to R.T.D that they shouldn't kill off Jenny & so they rewrote the ending to what we saw...unless he was trying to put us off the scent...?

[Perry Vale]

Apparently it was Steven Moffatt that said to R.T.D that they shouldn't kill off Jenny & so they rewrote the ending to what we saw...unless he was trying to put us off the scent...?

He probably suggested it as he's taking over for Series 5. Expect to see her back then I guess......

[Dirk Gently]

That's what I was hoping for! Jenny in series 5!

[Logo Polish]

Perhaps if he brings her back he could title the story Are You My Daddy?

The Dancing Banana could be right up his street too.

[Perry Vale]

Perhaps if he brings her back he could title the story Are You My Daddy?

[SiHart]

He probably suggested it as he's taking over for Series 5.

And you know that, how?

Si xx

[Perry Vale]

I don't "know" it, but the rumours keep coming, and from people who seem to be very reliable in the info they impart. We'll see, but I'd be amazed if he didn't, and if indeed he's asking RTD not to kill off characters, this only seems to confirm it, imo.

[Si Hunt]

Hmmm, surely suggesting a good character isn't killed off is a long way from "confirming" he's taking over the show!!

Si.

[SiHart]

I'm not so sure. With his film writing career taking off he might just be too busy to take over Doctor Who. We'll see.

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

Nope, not according to the commentary yesterday. Apparently it was Steven Moffatt that said to R.T.D that they shouldn't kill off Jenny & so they rewrote the ending to what we saw...unless he was trying to put us off the scent...?

Personally I think it was a lot more powerful without that ending. It kind of kills the power of Davids "make the foundation of this society a man who never would".

And as you know Dr Who is filled with enough trap doors to enable you to bring back a really popular character.

[NorthernStar]

7/10, mainly for the warm fuzzies it provided. But the overwhelming feeling really is disappointment.

It was terribly predictable with her death and unknown-to-the-Doctor reserrection lacking any shock value at all. I even guessed what the breath of life thing was.

I assumed she had been made from the Doctor's severed hand, though, so the actual creation of her was a surprise, albeit a badly handled one.

Martha was packed off as quickly as possible to avoid her spoiling the rapport between Donna and the Doctor. I actually liked what they did with her character here, even if it did feel like they were pointedly side-lining her again.

I can't help thinking the whole "Doctor's Daughter" plot should have gone to an experienced Who writer and director. To be honest, I'd have imagined RTD himself would have written her debut and I'm sure the result would have been much more interesting and involving.

[Si Hunt]

even guessed what the breath of life thing was.

Was that even explained in the show? Surely it was just her 'inner energy' re-appearing, which is only predictable because the effect has been used numerous times in the past for the same thing, for example when energy was escaping from the regenerating Doctor in "The Christmas Invasion".

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Here's what RTD said in the commentary:

You know who said we should change the end of the episode? Steven Moffatt. Well, we'd never done an episode where we killed someone off only to resurrect them in the last minute of the story, so I agreed.
Moffo, lovely old Moffo you know what he said? He phoned me up at 3am on the special Moff-phone which is a special phone I keep by my bed.
"What award have you won now, Mr.Moffatt?" I said. I wouldn't dare call him Moffo to his face!
"Shut up and listen to me," he said. "This whole Doctor's Daughter thing is really annoying the fans online, but I hear you're going to kill her off. I'll write a three-line scene where she comes back to life."
"But..." I spluttered, "that'll ruin Greenhorn's story!"
"I don't care," said Moffo. "It annoys the fans! By the way, I wanted the story with the pretty girl this year. I could write a better story in my sleep. And anyone who disagrees, I'll bash them to death with this here Hugo."
And Moffo's idea was a marvellous idea, didn't cock the story up at all!

That may not be verbatim, but you get the idea.

[Nathan]

Going back to Stuart's post, the one thing I think I might defend (having also not really enjoyed this episode much) is the building of the city - the Doctor mentions robot drones making them, moving out from the centre, so logically speaking they would be constantly out beyond where the humans and Hath are. And since they were underground until the end, Martha wouldn't have seen them 'up top' either.

But why did they look so old, and some areas thick with cobwebs?

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Because the set designer though it looked nice.

[Dirk Gently]

Was that even explained in the show? Surely it was just her 'inner energy' re-appearing, which is only predictable because the effect has been used numerous times in the past for the same thing, for example when energy was escaping from the regenerating Doctor in "The Christmas Invasion".

Si.

The breath of Life was the glass ball with the terraforming gases in as far as I'm aware.

[NorthernStar]

The breath of Life was the glass ball with the terraforming gases in as far as I'm aware.

Yup, wot 'e said.

[michael]

ok at work to day one of them said did you hear the blake 7 theme at the end when she flys off just see this bit and yes you can

[Rob McCow]

The Doctor's Daughter's Seven? That'd be a show.

[WhiteCrow]

Of course Jenny will have to end up in Torchwood, where she'll shag both Captain Jack, causing him to regenerate into another actor, because John Barrowman is now too busy testing kids and looking for Nancies to appear on Torchwood in future ...

[SiHart]

Fancy John Barrowman looking for nancies. What are the chances, eh?

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

He's my favourite fruit. Apart from apples.

[Andrew Curnow]

Oranges aren't the only fruit, then.

[Rob McCow]

Conversations we never had - no.120239.

Hath: "blublbubbullubullublbubblub."
Human: "What? You mean terraform the planet first and then send people there? Brilliant! Let's do it."

Shame.

[Perry Vale]

Somebody on Roobarbs' has spotted this.......what's that behind Jenny's shoulder??