This is the most controversial episode of Doctor Who ever. The Timeless Child arc comes to its climactic reveal telling us the Doctor was the Timeless Child who had the power of regeneration and whose DNA was used to create the regenerating ability in all Timelords.
The biggest complaint people have seems to be that they feel it means William Hartnell was not the first Doctor and that it changes the lore hugely. I actually don't see it as that terrible in terms of the lore simply because I choose to interpret it in a way that I find acceptable rather than the way Chibnall seems to have intended it. In any case, though, I still have issues with how this episode fumbles the presentation of the storyline's conclusion.
We hear the whole explanation of the Timeless Child storyline being narrated by the Master alongside images from the matrix. Chibnall's insistence on constant spoken exposition is a major weakness of his era and whilst Sacha Dhawan is superb, having this as a long chunk of spoken exposition (yet again) is not the best way to do it. They could have simply SHOWN us the story in flashback.
The rage the Master feels about the Timeless Child would have been given greater context if HE was the Timeless Child (maybe even with the Doctor having been Tecteun in a previous life and experimenting on the Timeless Child who became the Master) or perhaps them BOTH being "Timeless Children" found together and experimented on. I would have liked some involvement from the Master in the backstory.
As it is, unlike many fans, I can accept having a pre-Hartnell existence but would have liked that to be confirmed as a very separate existence where they were not known as the Doctor and didn't travel in a police box TARDIS. It could easily have tied in neatly with the Lungbarrow/Cartmel Master-Plan type scenario talked about and widely accepted since the 80s where one of the first Timelords, known as The Other, ends up being thrown into the "looms" which ultimately causes their DNA to be reborn as the Doctor. I don't like that this story reveal leaves the suggestion that the Fugitive Doctor came before the First Doctor. That isn't expressed clearly in a way that couldn't be explained differently in a future story though.
I like to believe that the Timeless Child incarnations are an entirely separate life, known as the Other and that the Fugitive Doctor is actually a secret, hidden incarnation between the 2nd and 3rd Doctors tying in with the Season 6B theory.
My head-canon is that the Timelords halted the 2nd Doctors forced regeneration in the War Games and offered him the option of coming back to Division and going on missions for them. He accepted and the Season 6B theory comes into play with the 2nd Doctor travelling for many years on missions. My theory is the 2nd Doctor finally regenerated into the Fugitive Doctor and continued on missions for Division but she learned of the secret Timelord origins and realised she disagreed with Division's manipulation of the universe so rebelled and went into hiding. When she is recaptured she is forced to regenerate into the 3rd Doctor and has memory of life as a Division agent erased and placing him in 2nd Doctor clothing to help hide the truth.
If I use my "head canon" then I have no major objection to the earlier existence as The Other who was rebooted as a baby who is essentially an entirely new person who grows up to be the First Doctor. Even if we accept the Fugitive Doctor was before Hartnell it is clearly expressed that the Doctor was forced to be reborn as a baby with no memories who grows up to be the Hartnell Doctor. I am satisfied that this means Hartnell is the start of a new life and therefore still the "first" and the "original" of a new existence
I have a problem with the way it is revealed both due to the spoken explanation and the unnecessarily controversial way it is left for fans. I also have a problem with the way it was confusingly previewed as a story of a police officer in Ireland. That was needlessly convoluted and muddies the waters further.
The Cyber-Timelords are a bit odd too. If they regenerate wouldn't they correct their cybernetic alterations?
I also am not keen on the final scenes with Ko Sharmus getting shot and pressing the button AFTER being shot. Pure unlikely luck which could have so easily failed. Why wasn't he pressing the button BEFORE he was shot? That would have been far better.
I rate this episode low for Doctor Who due to the clumsy and overly controversial culmination of the previously intriguing arc. I personally do give it some credit though as I found the episode dramatic, exciting and fascinating in a way at times, very well acted, beautiful looking with great effects and good music. I am ok with the lore addition IF I interpret it my way. So I won't judge it quite as harshly as some fans do perhaps as it IS open to interpretation and is open to be improved in future stories. The Master could even be tricking the Doctor, in theory. But I cannot credit Chibnall or this episode very much in terms of writing quality when I am having to do so much work to make the story work for me!
My Rating for this episode: 4.5/10.
Series 12 Episode Ranking: 10th out of 11.
(Rating for Ascension of the Cybermen: 7.5/10. Therefore rating for overall 2-part story = 6/10.)
The biggest complaint people have seems to be that they feel it means William Hartnell was not the first Doctor and that it changes the lore hugely. I actually don't see it as that terrible in terms of the lore simply because I choose to interpret it in a way that I find acceptable rather than the way Chibnall seems to have intended it. In any case, though, I still have issues with how this episode fumbles the presentation of the storyline's conclusion.
We hear the whole explanation of the Timeless Child storyline being narrated by the Master alongside images from the matrix. Chibnall's insistence on constant spoken exposition is a major weakness of his era and whilst Sacha Dhawan is superb, having this as a long chunk of spoken exposition (yet again) is not the best way to do it. They could have simply SHOWN us the story in flashback.
The rage the Master feels about the Timeless Child would have been given greater context if HE was the Timeless Child (maybe even with the Doctor having been Tecteun in a previous life and experimenting on the Timeless Child who became the Master) or perhaps them BOTH being "Timeless Children" found together and experimented on. I would have liked some involvement from the Master in the backstory.
As it is, unlike many fans, I can accept having a pre-Hartnell existence but would have liked that to be confirmed as a very separate existence where they were not known as the Doctor and didn't travel in a police box TARDIS. It could easily have tied in neatly with the Lungbarrow/Cartmel Master-Plan type scenario talked about and widely accepted since the 80s where one of the first Timelords, known as The Other, ends up being thrown into the "looms" which ultimately causes their DNA to be reborn as the Doctor. I don't like that this story reveal leaves the suggestion that the Fugitive Doctor came before the First Doctor. That isn't expressed clearly in a way that couldn't be explained differently in a future story though.
I like to believe that the Timeless Child incarnations are an entirely separate life, known as the Other and that the Fugitive Doctor is actually a secret, hidden incarnation between the 2nd and 3rd Doctors tying in with the Season 6B theory.
My head-canon is that the Timelords halted the 2nd Doctors forced regeneration in the War Games and offered him the option of coming back to Division and going on missions for them. He accepted and the Season 6B theory comes into play with the 2nd Doctor travelling for many years on missions. My theory is the 2nd Doctor finally regenerated into the Fugitive Doctor and continued on missions for Division but she learned of the secret Timelord origins and realised she disagreed with Division's manipulation of the universe so rebelled and went into hiding. When she is recaptured she is forced to regenerate into the 3rd Doctor and has memory of life as a Division agent erased and placing him in 2nd Doctor clothing to help hide the truth.
If I use my "head canon" then I have no major objection to the earlier existence as The Other who was rebooted as a baby who is essentially an entirely new person who grows up to be the First Doctor. Even if we accept the Fugitive Doctor was before Hartnell it is clearly expressed that the Doctor was forced to be reborn as a baby with no memories who grows up to be the Hartnell Doctor. I am satisfied that this means Hartnell is the start of a new life and therefore still the "first" and the "original" of a new existence
I have a problem with the way it is revealed both due to the spoken explanation and the unnecessarily controversial way it is left for fans. I also have a problem with the way it was confusingly previewed as a story of a police officer in Ireland. That was needlessly convoluted and muddies the waters further.
The Cyber-Timelords are a bit odd too. If they regenerate wouldn't they correct their cybernetic alterations?
I also am not keen on the final scenes with Ko Sharmus getting shot and pressing the button AFTER being shot. Pure unlikely luck which could have so easily failed. Why wasn't he pressing the button BEFORE he was shot? That would have been far better.
I rate this episode low for Doctor Who due to the clumsy and overly controversial culmination of the previously intriguing arc. I personally do give it some credit though as I found the episode dramatic, exciting and fascinating in a way at times, very well acted, beautiful looking with great effects and good music. I am ok with the lore addition IF I interpret it my way. So I won't judge it quite as harshly as some fans do perhaps as it IS open to interpretation and is open to be improved in future stories. The Master could even be tricking the Doctor, in theory. But I cannot credit Chibnall or this episode very much in terms of writing quality when I am having to do so much work to make the story work for me!
My Rating for this episode: 4.5/10.
Series 12 Episode Ranking: 10th out of 11.
(Rating for Ascension of the Cybermen: 7.5/10. Therefore rating for overall 2-part story = 6/10.)