Do you think we'll ever see an episode/story where the Doctor visits's his family?

We know that Susan is his granddaughter, so he must have a son(s) or daughter(s).

I think it would be interesting to find out why there has been little or no mention of his family since his first incarnation.
Did Susan ever mention her parents, and why was she staying with her grandfather?

I always had a theory that the Master may actualy be the Doctor's son.

I wonder if they'll ever explain this...

A nice idea but I doubt it. The new series seems keen to present the Doctor as a lone wanderer without family of home. It's probably the better for it - and truer to the spirit of the show as it was concieved. Whether Susan was actually his grandaughter has been questioned by various fans over the years, along with his reasons for leaving Gallifrey.

In the later years, the writing team attempted to recapture dome of the mystery of the character hinting at ancient Gallifreyan history, through references to the Doctor being more than just a TimeLord in 'Remembrance of the Daleks' and 'Silver Nemesis'. After it went off-air, some pf these themes were picked up in the spin off book series 'The New Adventures' which were punlished by Virgin from 1991 through to 1995/6. Take a look at the offical BBC website for the serialisation of the novel 'Lungbarrow' for tales of the Doctors home. Of course, none of the books are 'canon' as far as the TV series is concerned and it may well go on to contradict them in time.

Re. the Master - due to Roger Delgado's untimely death, the great revelation regarding the origins of the character were never made and the production went on to use him in a different way. Look up details of 'The Final Game' if you want to know more, there's some info on The Hidden Planet as well as details of tons of other stories that never got made. It's worth a look.

Thanks for the info, I never knew what they intended to do with the Master. Looks like it would have been an intersting story if it got made

You're welcome - I've a mind full of useless information!

I love the idea of 'The Final Game' but I feel that the series would have been very different afterwards. It might have been a real watershed moment in the show. Had Roger Delgado survived that car crash perhaps Jon Pertwee would have stayed on longer - I've read that his death really took the shine off of the show for JP as they were great friends. Mind you. had they offered him a bit more cash for a 6th season things could have been different too - Tom Baker might never have been cast in the role!

I don't think it's really credible that The Master could be The Doctor's Son. When the Character is first introduced in "The Terror of the Autons", a Time Lord is sent to warn The Doctor of The Master's impending arrival. On hearing the news the Doctor says "That Jackanapes! Well all he ever does is cause trouble!" Hardly the sort of reaction one would make even if his estranged and wayward son was coming back. A father would surely always be pleased to see his son?
The Time Lord reminds the Doctor that the Master's degree is of a higher order than his own, to which the Doctor retorts that he was a late developer. I think this revelation places them as contempories, we kow that they are both Prydonians from the Deadly Assassin, so they could be related, perhaps brothers or cousins, but that has never been suggested in the show so why bother now? The Master works excellently well as the Doctor's Moriarty, which was the original brief so he doesn't need to be related.
As for "The Final Game" I had heard the plot synopsis before but not in such depth. Very Interesting. That would pose a bit of a problem for "The Trial of a TimeLord" wouldn't it?
I just want to see the Master back, more evil than ever and soon. Also he should be on an earlier regeneration than previously seen, or from the Time War got a whole new cycle of Gallifreyan Lives.

The_Master.

I remember reading that the original plan was to have the Master revealed as the Doctor's brother, but the death of the actor put paid to that.

If the Master is resurrected for the new series, I think it might be a good idea that they bought the idea back - if nothing else, it would explain why the Doctor was always allowing the Master to escape.

Yes, I remember that theory from a long time ago as well. I think the reason why the Doctor sometimes lets the Master escape though is probably best explained by the theory that they were once friends. They have a mutual repect of each other and are quite competitive at times, and I don't think either one of them would really want to lose that. Perhaps the Doctor admires the Master for the fact that at least he isn't another stuffy Time Lord but a maverick like himself, although an evil one. They also use each other quite alot over the years.
Unfortunately over the course of the series the character changed from being an evil nemesis to being something of a pantomime baddie.
I'm not against them being related to each other as such, I just can't see the point of it, I think it's a bit too cosy for the show. In short if they do it I hope they do it well.
The_Master.

Sorry but for me, the whole notion of the Master being related to the Doctor would be five billion times worse than the suggestion that the Doctor is half-human!

"But that makes them... half human."

"Those words are blasphemy.!"

"Do not blaspheme! Do not blaspheme! Do not blaspheme!"

I've told you a million times, don't exaggerate!

I'm not!

I can understand that, I really can.

I was just thinking that, with RTD introducing some 'soapy' elements to the programme, I could quite see him bringing this into it.

Actually, I like the idea posted previously that they were once friends but due to an unforseen side-effect of the Doctor's good intentions, the Master was left full of bitterness and resentment and turned to the "dark side."

Yes. If he's brought back (and I've yet to be convinced that this is a good idea) I hope the explanation - if one is given - is something along those lines.

that site won't open for me

its ok its working now

Having just had a look at episode one of "Terror of the Autons" the Time Lord refers to the Master as "an old acquaintance".
Surely that is the matter settled, he is not related to the Doctor.
IMO he is not even a little bit human, let alone half human, and he is definitely not related to the Master.
Regarding his family, we know that some members exist besides Susan though from Episode One of "The Tomb of the Cybermen", fortunately he doesn't elaborate further though.
Family wouldn't suit him, it's Dr Who not Eastenders. There's already too much family borrowed from Rose.
The_Master.

It's all drama, and I for one would like to see the Doctor's family... and I don't see the problem with him being half human... nor with him kissing anyone....

According to the novels the Doctor and the Master were very close friends at University, along with just about every every other Time Lord in the backstory

I know the novels aren't canon, but it'd still be a bit annoying for RTD to ignore their established continuity to that extent

I disagree. The novels should have no influence on the TV series in my opinion.

I agree with Cuilean. The novels aren't canon, but they are the nearest thing to it, and in this instance they merely elaborate on what was established on TV. The Master, The Rani and The Doctor were all contempories at university. Nothing more nothing less.
Whether RTD shares this opinion remains to be seen.

While I do agree with you in principle, I think that there are too many people out there who have an idea in their head of that particular part of the Doctor's backstory... and to just dismiss that would p*ss them off royally. And we know what p*ssed off OG people are like(!)

At least the "Half-human" revelation didn't actually go against anything in the non-canon part of DW lore. Having the Master as the Doctor's brother definitely would.

EDIT: And it's canon as well...

From the BBC Episode Guide for "The Sea Devils"

I agree with Stuart - if nothing else, not everyone will have had access to the novels.

However, RTD has all of the novels (they're clearly visible on the bookshelves behind him in certain interviews) and he's even written one or two of them, so I suppose it's evens whether he uses anything from the novels in the tv series continuity.

I would say he wouldn't, though - for reasons of access - even though the novels were sanctioned by the BBC.

There is the same problem with the 'Star Trek' novels.

Although the novels have to conform to continuity established in the tv series (and have to be approved by Paramount), Paramount feel they are not under any obligation not to contradict anything that happened in the novels.

I don't see this as a 'problem'.

Ignore the novels - problem solved!

I'm afraid I don't have a link for it, but I distinctly remember an interview with RTD before series 1 started, saying that he likes the novels (and possibly the CDs) but wouldn't consider himself at all bound by them, for exactly the reasons stated here: that many people won't have access to the often complex on-going plots in them.

The TV series should always stand on its own two feet. Books, CDs etc should be a possible extension.