# Do you the new Doctor Who will touch upon these two things from the original series? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542 "2010-06-01T20:05:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/1 "2010-06-01T20:05:20Z")
In the episode “Battlefield” it turns out that the Doctor went to another universe where the King Arther legends were apparently real, and he was known to them as Merlin. Do you think they’ll touch on that in the current series? Do you want them to? I don’t know if they will, but I think it would be interesting if they did. There’s also the case of Mr. JJ Chambers…I’m sorry, the Valeyard. With no Time Lord High Council to strike a deal with the Doctor’s…pre 13th incarnation…is the Valeyard a Watcher?..anyway, does that mean that he won’t come into existence? Or since he got away disguised as the keeper of the Matrix, does that mean he exists, but is trapped with the other Time Lords on Galifrey, or he’s roaming the universe and will run into the Doctor in a future episode? Again, do you think they’ll touch on this? Do you want them to? I think they might, and I think they should. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/2 "2010-06-01T21:30:27Z")
If the series runs long enough, eventually they’ll bring back the green bubble-wrap monster. But I predict neither of the story lines will be revisited soon. Returning characters so far have and species so far have been iconic figures from the peak of the series popularity. The stories you mentioned were from the declining years, and are much less likely to be fondly remembered (or remembered at all) by the casual fan. In the case of _Battlefield_, the characters aren’t even strongly associated with **Doctor Who**. Sarah Jane, Davros & Daleks, Cybermen, and Silurians are all indigenous to that universe. Morgan and Mordred are borrowed, and have appeared in countless other works, many of which are better regarded and better remembered than _Battlefield_. As to the Valeyard, wasn’t the most interesting thing about him the reveal of what he was? If he did return, it would be without that mystery. He’d be just another evil Time Lord, and frankly we’ve had quite enough of those for a while. Also, in a recent episodeThe Dream Lord created a distorted version of reality, spoke to the Doctor in a prosecutorial manner, and turned out to be a manifestation of his darker side.That sounds a lot like the Valeyard’s game, so I don’t think they’ll be wanting to repeat any of it too soon. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/3 "2010-06-01T22:20:07Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > As to the Valeyard, wasn’t the most interesting thing about him the reveal of what he was? If he did return, it would be without that mystery. He’d be just another evil Time Lord, and frankly we’ve had quite enough of those for a while. Also, in a recent episodeThe Dream Lord created a distorted version of reality, spoke to the Doctor in a prosecutorial manner, and turned out to be a manifestation of his darker side.That sounds a lot like the Valeyard’s game, so I don’t think they’ll be wanting to repeat any of it too soon. I figured the Dream Lord _was_ the Valeyard. He did say something to the effect that “You know who I am” and what better place for the Valeyard to be hiding than withing the Doctor’s mind? Besides, from what’s been established in the new series, we know that the Valeyard survived. He was the Doctor’s last regeneration and the Doctor survived. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/4 "2010-06-01T22:24:38Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I had the same thought myself. I don’t think they’ve shown that episode on BBC America yet. On Saturday all they did was a marathon that went up to “The Vampires of Venice”. I’m hoping the next episode will be this coming Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/5 "2010-06-01T22:41:54Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > I don’t think they’ve shown that episode on BBC America yet. On Saturday all they did was a marathon that went up to “The Vampires of Venice”. I’m hoping the next episode will be this coming Saturday. Oops. That seems kind of stupid of them. I’m watching them through alternate channels as is, so I’ve kind of lost track of BBCA schedules. Seems like the more of a gap there is between U.K. and U.S. showings, the more likely people are to find other ways of watching. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/6 "2010-06-01T23:27:52Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Oops. That seems kind of stupid of them. I’m watching them through alternate channels as is, so I’ve kind of lost track of BBCA schedules. Seems like the more of a gap there is between U.K. and U.S. showings, the more likely people are to find other ways of watching. No problem. I’ve been reading spoilers from the British Dr. Who thread. Spoilers don’t bother me at all. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/7 "2010-06-01T23:47:05Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Oops. That seems kind of stupid of them. I’m watching them through alternate channels as is, so I’ve kind of lost track of BBCA schedules. Seems like the more of a gap there is between U.K. and U.S. showings, the more likely people are to find other ways of watching. AFAIK, there IS less of a gap this season. Two weeks vs…six months I think? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/8 "2010-06-01T23:49:51Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > AFAIK, there IS less of a gap this season. Two weeks vs…six months I think? Yes, there is less of a gap overall, which I thought was a smart move. But apparently they decided to lengthen that gap mid-season. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/9 "2010-06-02T01:13:33Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Yes, there is less of a gap overall, which I thought was a smart move. But apparently they decided to lengthen that gap mid-season. How odd. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/10 "2010-06-02T14:50:07Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > How odd. Holiday weekend. If they are still running new episodes on the weekend of the 4th of July there probably won’t be a new episode then either. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/11 "2010-06-02T15:22:44Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > How odd. Not really - no one really watches TV Memorial day weekend. * * * Re the OP: I’d like to see more of the Eighth Doctor’s adventures. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/12 "2010-06-02T18:40:14Z")
Er, you are aware that the “original series” ran from 1963-4, aren’t you? By the “Battlefield” episode, in 1989, they were on the 7th damn Doctor, and God knows what number series. Anyway, with respect to the true “original series,” I watched the _Vampires of Venice_ episode last weekend on BBC America, with the new 11th Doctor (they seem to getting through them much faster than they used to - 3 since the reboot!), and noticed that at one point he flashed some sort of ID card showing the picture of the first (and to me, still the true) Doctor, as played by William Hartnell. It did not make much sense in terms of the plot, but was rather a nice little homage, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/13 "2010-06-02T19:02:11Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > In the episode “Battlefield” it turns out that the Doctor went to another universe where the King Arther legends were apparently real, and he was known to them as Merlin. Do you think they’ll touch on that in the current series? Do you want them to? > > I don’t know if they will, but I think it would be interesting if they did. It sounds like an interesting story, but the current doctor is far too young to play Merlin. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/14 "2010-06-02T20:10:20Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Er, you are aware that the “original series” ran from 1963-4, aren’t you? In American English, “series” generally refers to the full run of a TV program, which is divided into seasons. Actually, if you’re going to be a stickler about terminology, even the BBC refers to the 1963-64 run of episodes as “Season 1.” > [@](#): > > By the “Battlefield” episode, in 1989, they were on the 7th damn Doctor, and God knows what number series. Season 26. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/15 "2010-06-02T22:53:33Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Returning characters so far have and species so far have been iconic figures from the peak of the series popularity. The stories you mentioned were from the declining years, and are much less likely to be fondly remembered (or remembered at all) by the casual fan Dammit are the Ice Warriors not iconic enough in their seething, heavy breathing anger for the casual fans? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/16 "2010-06-03T00:03:39Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Dammit are the Ice Warriors not iconic enough in their seething, heavy breathing anger for the casual fans? ☹ They’ve been mentioned in passing as the (apparently former) inhabitants of Mars, but you’d have to really go way back to find anyone who’d call them iconic. **TWDuke** mentioned the Silurians. Now that even the BBC can afford halfway decent special effects, isn’t it high time the Doctor paid a visit to the Mesozoic? We ought to see the Silurians and the Sea Devils in their prime, and have the Doctor face again one of his worst dilemmas: that for the human race to have ever existed, the SIlurians must die. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/17 "2010-06-03T02:38:25Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > If the series runs long enough, eventually they’ll bring back the green bubble-wrap monster. Bwahahahaha I remembered being scared by that episode when I was a little kid. Saw it with Mrs. Devil a while back and got a good laugh. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/18 "2010-06-03T02:49:13Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > In American English, “series” generally refers to the full run of a TV program, which is divided into seasons. That makes sense in America, where a “season” of a show typically does last for about a season, i.e., about a quarter of a year. A British “series,” however, typically runs for a much shorter period, although it may return for another series later in the same year, or the next year. They do not (generally) last for a season, so the American terminology is not appropriate. I watched the first series (well, some of it) of Dr Who, in 1963-4, and series is what I, and the BBC, would have called it. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/19 "2010-06-03T03:21:16Z")
I don’t know what the BBC **would have** called it, but what the BBC **does** call it is “[Season 1](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/season1.shtml).” The BBC also uses “[original series](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/)” to refer to the entire run of the program, pre-revival. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542/20 "2010-06-03T09:17:38Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > I don’t know what the BBC **would have** called it, but what the BBC **does** call it is “[Season 1](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/season1.shtml).” > > The BBC also uses “[original series](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/)” to refer to the entire run of the program, pre-revival. And fanspeak uses Season X to refer to the old ones, while Series X to refer to the new ones. (Although the diehards refer to the current season/series as Season 31 to emphasize that they are in the same continuity.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-the-new-doctor-who-will-touch-upon-these-two-things-from-the-original-series/541542.md?page=2)