[Joseph_Taylor]

As part of the 50th Anniversary special, I realy want to see Susan - The Doctor's grand daughter - return, and have a storyline that leads to the answer to the question: is she capable of regeneration?

[AdelaideGirl]

In theory yes. I do wonder though if she might be part human or part something non Galiffian? Did the Doctor run away before having a family and create them along the way or did he take off with his granddaughter after losing his wife and child/ren?

[saladfingers81]

I would doubt it. I understand the appeal to some fans but really...does a mainstream audience really want to see such a story? With a relatively new companion and so many stories to tell? Wouldn't make alot of sense.

[CD93]

I'll take anything but a mainstream 50th anniversary.

[Mrfipp]

I'd love to see Susan return, but I don't see that happening in the conventional sense as the Doctor has implied that he no longer has any living family ("Before the war I was a father and a grandfather, now I'm neither, but I'm still a doctor." "I know that feeling.")

However, I would like to see Ian return somehow. Nothing too big and flashy, but something small and simple is what I think would work best. Just a scene that involves the Doctor talking with one of the very first people to travel with him.

[Lady of Traken]

Originally Posted by saladfingers81

I would doubt it. I understand the appeal to some fans but really...does a mainstream audience really want to see such a story? With a relatively new companion and so many stories to tell? Wouldn't make alot of sense.

I do understand your point of view Salad that maybe it wouldnt appeal to everyone but this is the 50th anniversary and the mystery of Susan was what started the whole story off. Modern fans get enough new stories but the past needs to be acknowledged too

I dont feel that Susan actually got a good 20th anniversary story in the Five Doctors spraining her ankle and stuck in the Tardis so their relationship needs to be revisited and updated ( If Carole Ann would do it of course).

If Susan has descendents lets meet them too..Love the idea

[Lady of Traken]

Originally Posted by Mrfipp

I'd love to see Susan return, but I don't see that happening in the conventional sense as the Doctor has implied that he no longer has any living family ("Before the war I was a father and a grandfather, now I'm neither, but I'm still a doctor." "I know that feeling.")

However, I would like to see Ian return somehow. Nothing too big and flashy, but something small and simple is what I think would work best. Just a scene that involves the Doctor talking with one of the very first people to travel with him.

I wasnt around the first time Ian was there but having seen some of the First Doctor yes lets see Ian again.

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by Mrfipp

However, I would like to see Ian return somehow. Nothing too big and flashy, but something small and simple is what I think would work best. Just a scene that involves the Doctor talking with one of the very first people to travel with him.

It would be nice but with William Russell being cast in the Docudrama I've a feeling that we won't see him brought back as Ian.

Originally Posted by Lady of Traken

If Susan has descendents lets meet them too..Love the idea

According to Big Finish she

Spoiler

has a son but he's killed when the Daleks reinvade Earth.

[GDK]

Logically Susan must be either 1) dead (because of the time war) or 2) time locked (because of the time war) or 3) not capable of regenerating (because she's not a (full) Timelord) and probably estranged from the Doctor (because he's neither mentioned her nor visited her).

Any inclusion of Susan would need some nifty explaining.

[Sophie ~Oohie~]

Originally Posted by GDK

Logically Susan must be either 1) dead (because of the time war) or 2) time locked (because of the time war) or 3) not capable of regenerating (because she's not a (full) Timelord) and probably estranged from the Doctor (because he's neither mentioned her nor visited her).

Any inclusion of Susan would need some nifty explaining.

OK, she's been hiding so not dead, she's time locked but escapes (either by herself or when the others do), she is capable of regenerating to some level but it goes wrong because she's not entirely Time Lord and she's looking for the Doctor to see if he can cure it. Sorted.

Spoiler

(Or listen to the audioplays, she's in those and is quite obviously alright and not estranged)

[saladfingers81]

Originally Posted by CD93

I'll take anything but a mainstream 50th anniversary.

so you would prefer a self referential fan w*** fest that ties itself up in knots with meaningless throwbacks to a long forgotten past that appeals only to a few Gallifrey Base dwelling sad sacks and seeks to alienate the millions of family viewers that helped make the show the success it is? Well thank god you're not the show runner as it would be cancelled. This isn't Firefly. It is primetime BBC entertainment. Most people don't give a damn about Susan, or Eight, or the Time War, or the Rani. They want a decent exciting modern story that thrills. For a program that celebrates the endless possibilities of all space and time its fans are sometimes a strangely backward looking bunch.

[Sophie ~Oohie~]

Originally Posted by saladfingers81

so you would prefer a self referential fan w*** fest that ties itself up in knots with meaningless throwbacks to a long forgotten past that appeals only to a few Gallifrey Base dwelling sad sacks and seeks to alienate the millions of family viewers that helped make the show the success it is? Well thank god you're not the show runner as it would be cancelled. This isn't Firefly. It is primetime BBC entertainment. Most people don't give a damn about Susan, or Eight, or the Time War, or the Rani. They want a decent exciting modern story that thrills. For a program that celebrates the endless possibilities of all space and time its fans are sometimes a strangely backward looking bunch.

Couldn't it be mainstream but with references to the past as well? I don't want you and CD93 to have an argument and get either or both of you banned.

[TEDR]

Originally Posted by Sophie ~Oohie~

Couldn't it be mainstream but with references to the past as well? I don't want you and CD93 to have an argument and get either or both of you banned.

I think School Reunion has probably set the template for that — nobody minds if a fan favourite is brought back, as long as it's for the purpose of telling a new story and not just so they can say 'look who's back' in the Radio Times. The return of Sarah Jane was about what it's like when eventually the Doctor leaves you behind, so what new stories do we think could be made of a return for Susan or Ian?

[So 3008]

Originally Posted by saladfingers81

so you would prefer a self referential fan w*** fest that ties itself up in knots with meaningless throwbacks to a long forgotten past that appeals only to a few Gallifrey Base dwelling sad sacks and seeks to alienate the millions of family viewers that helped make the show the success it is? Well thank god you're not the show runner as it would be cancelled. This isn't Firefly. It is primetime BBC entertainment. Most people don't give a damn about Susan, or Eight, or the Time War, or the Rani. They want a decent exciting modern story that thrills. For a program that celebrates the endless possibilities of all space and time its fans are sometimes a strangely backward looking bunch.

Any other episode? No. I felt the Nimon reference in The God Complex was unnecessary but pleasing fan-service. I would have much preferred a dedicated card for Nick Courtney at the start of S6 instead of the shoe-horned in Brig reference in Wedding of River Song that stood out like a sore thumb, but for the 50th?

Yes, that is exactly what I want and exactly what it should be. If it isn't going to be a self-referring, fan pleasing celebration of that 'long forgotten' history then what is the ****ing point They might as well skip the anniversary, ignore the birthday and just go straight onto the Christmas special and into Series 8.

And it seems Moffat somewhat agrees with me, as shown with the rather pointless return of the Great Intelligence. Was that anything other than fan-service? I'm sure they/it will appear again for a greater purpose but why bring that villain back at all? How many of those casual or family viewers were clambering and wetting themselves for an origin story to a long forgotten 60's villain that appeared in all of two stories that don't even exist anymore? Why didn't Moffat create a new villain and not reuse one that hasn't been seen in 40 odd years? Why? Because it's the 50th anniversary....

[saladfingers81]

Originally Posted by So 3008

Any other episode? No. I felt the Nimon reference in The God Complex was unnecessary but pleasing fan-service; I would have much preferred a dedicated card for Nick Courtney at the start of S6 instead of the shoe-horned in Brig reference in Wedding of River Song that stood out like a sore thumb, but for the 50th?

Yes, that is exactly what I want and exactly what it should be. If it isn't going to be self-referring, fan pleasing celebration of that 'long forgotten' history then what is the ****ing point?

They might as well skip the anniversary, ignore the birthday and just go straight onto the Christmas special and into Series 8.

And it seems Moffat someone agrees with me; as shown with the rather pointless return of the Great Intelligence. Was that anything other than fan-service? I'm sure they/it will appear again for a greater purpose but why bring that back specifically? How many of those casual or family viewers were clambering and wetting themselves for a origin story to a 60's villain that appeared in all of two stories, long since lost? Why not create a new villain and not one that hasn't appeared in 40 odd years? Why? Because it's the 50th anniversary....

I would love plenty of references to the past. Even some returning characters. But TEDR said it best above me. There needs to be a STORY. Why in the middle of the current arc and history of the show would they go back to tell a tale that doesn't need to be told? It shouldn't happen. And it won't. Foe good reason.

The reason for the anniversary is to celebrate an amazing television program and piece of cultural history that became that through being something new and different and forward thinking. A tedious exercise in navel,gazing nostalgia wouldn't do that. It would go against the very beauty of the show.

You mention the use of the GI? Yep. That struck the balance well. A nod and a wink to the hardcore fans that didn't matter to those who didn't get it. I will say it again...alot of people are shouting out names they want to see come back as if that's job done. Its not. I challenge someone to actually put forth a plausible plot to go with it. That will fit in a seventyish minutes of prime time TV. No one can. But hey! Who cares!

[Mrfipp]

Whatever the story will be, I think it needs to be able to stand on its own without relying too much on the past (otherwise we'd get another 'Journey's End'), but because this is the 50th year special, it'd be odd to not include anything before 2005.

What we need is something that pays tribute to the past fifty years, but without it taking over the plot.

[CD93]

Originally Posted by saladfingers81

so you would prefer a self referential fan w*** fest that ties itself up in knots with meaningless throwbacks to a long forgotten past that appeals only to a few Gallifrey Base dwelling sad sacks and seeks to alienate the millions of family viewers that helped make the show the success it is? Well thank god you're not the show runner as it would be cancelled. This isn't Firefly. It is primetime BBC entertainment. Most people don't give a damn about Susan, or Eight, or the Time War, or the Rani. They want a decent exciting modern story that thrills. For a program that celebrates the endless possibilities of all space and time its fans are sometimes a strangely backward looking bunch.

Yep. I could handle that. I'm glad I'm not the showrunner, too. Trying to please fans has driven Moffat to become obsessed with tall buildings.

[Sara_Peplow]

It will be interesting to see how they manage to combine the past and the future. He has another more reacent addition to his family. Jenny after 5 years he still doesn't know his daughter survived and is doing the same job he does. Running, saving people and fighting terrible creatures. What a great anninversary present that would be for him. Georgia 5's daughter and 10's wife is pregnant so don't know if it would work but they could try. How cool would it be for her to be reunited with her dad and also meet Susan and step mum River ?. 3 time ladies in the same room girl power!.

[PJ68]

i would love susan to come back for an episode. it is actually odd he has never visited his granddaughter

i think if they knew how dr who would pan out they would never had made her his granddaughter

[JohnnyForget]

Originally Posted by PJ68

i would love susan to come back for an episode. it is actually odd he has never visited his granddaughter

As 90%, or maybe even more, of the Doctor's life since he and Susan parted company at the end of "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" has been off-screen, how do we know he hasn't visited her?

[johnnysaucepn]

There's no point in bringing back Susan for the sake of it - as has been said, what would it do other than pander to nostalgia? The question is, what kind of story could accomodate her appearance?

"School Reunion" wasn't just about the nod to the past - it was about Rose coming face-to-face with what it means to be a companion, and the realisation that she's not as irreplacable as she thought she was.

What could the Doctor learn about himself from a re-uniting with Susan?

[GDK]

Originally Posted by Sophie ~Oohie~

OK, she's been hiding so not dead, she's time locked but escapes (either by herself or when the others do), she is capable of regenerating to some level but it goes wrong because she's not entirely Time Lord and she's looking for the Doctor to see if he can cure it. Sorted.

Spoiler

(Or listen to the audioplays, she's in those and is quite obviously alright and not estranged)

Sorry. That doesn't cut it for me. Too obvious I'm afraid. And you can't expect the show itself to respect audio books as canon, no matter how good.

There would have to be a good reason in-story to involve Susan again and there would have to be an explanation for the lack of contact.

I know we don't get to see all the Doctor's activities (far from it) and I know the real-world reasons why we've never seen her or even be mentioned since the character left, but still, Susan would naturally get mentioned now and again so the lack of that would need an in-story explanation in my book.

[jrmswfc]

With a time machine that seems to work these days (instead of pitching up randomly like it used to), there's no reason why any former companion couldn't be visited and have a cameo (even if they weren't played by the original actor, although of course this would almost defeat the object - I wouldn't mind seeing a young Leela again though ). Apart from Sarah in the new era, and Susan in the Five Doctors, I can't think of any old companions who then made another later appearance? Maybe one of you experts could, though.

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by GDK

There would have to be a good reason in-story to involve Susan again and there would have to be an explanation for the lack of contact.

Even if you ignore the books and audios it was stated on television that the 10th Doctor visited every companion he ever had before he regenerated.

So unless that did not include Susan for some reason (possibly Timelocked) then he has been in contact with her during NuWho.

[ocox]

Only if her acting has improved since the WH era.