It definitely seemed like a (slightly clumsy) hint at the return of the Timelords to me - and why not? We all know that Donna's right, Gallifrey isn't lost forever, that really should be obvious to anyone. Since the start of series one, the Doctor's been insisting that the Time War ended everything, when in fact the Daleks reappeared barely minutes later, we found our first Timelord survivor in the last series, we already know that the Doctor - blinded by grief, loss, and guilt as he may be - hasn't quite got the certainty on this that he thinks he has, and anything could happen.

I don't believe this is necessarily anything to do with the "arc" for this series, or that the rest of the Timelords are about to appear in episode 13, it's just a long-running theme that's been floating around since "Rose", and is being kept alive by the writers in little dropped in snippets like this. They may never resolve it, but I'm surprised to read anyone suggesting that it's ever, truly, been ruled out by the "time war" or anything else. The Doctor is a Timelord, and that Gallifreyan heritage will never be far from the writer's thoughts.

Because the line actually was referring The Doctor's ability to give parental love being gone, and Donna was saying he was wrong about that? Listen to the lines carefully, there's not even the tiniest hint that the Time Lords will return. This is all just a case of overblowing a line that wasn't even heard correctly...

I have listened to the line several times on iPlayer and I have got it right. Unless DT’s pronunciation is that bad.

As I said before I am going to watch it again tomorrow night on BBC3 with the subtitles on and see what that says.

Well I can only suggest you listen to a version with better sound quality, cause you haven't got it right

i still think it is "It'll never come back" but i can see where the "they'll" comes in.

No, it's just an interpretation that doesn't agree with your own. You don't have a monopoly on "right" I'm afraid - you didn't write the script, and you have no greater insight than the rest of us who watched and heard the same line.

I heard it as "that'll", but that doesn't actually make the OP's understanding of the line wrong - I took the same meaning from it. "That" is the Timelord custom, society, community, family, and it follows on from earlier lines about the Timelord's shared knowledge, honour, "suffering", etc.

You can read other meanings into it, but I doubt that's accidental.

Here's the conversation as recorded by WikiSubtitles. Not an authoratative source I know, but I'll believe it. Putting the lines into context:
I'm making no rash judgements!

All right the subtitles on BBC 3 tonight said “It’ll” although to me it still sounds like “They’ll”.

So either;-

1) The subtitle was wrong. (there were a lot mistakes in them)
2) David Tennant’s pronunciation of “It’ll” is a bit odd.
3) The speakers on both my T.V. and my computer are not able to make “It’ll” sound correct. (The T.V. is over 10 years old but the sound system I use with my P.C. is only two years old)
4) My hearing is going. (Well I suppose nearly 30 years of listening to Heavy Metal and other loud Rock music might have slightly damaged it)

Anyway I still think that this episode was foreshadowing future events (either in the finale or the specials). It is they only obvious reason that Martha was there. So she could see Jenny.

RTD said recently he has been sowing the seeds of the overall story arc from when DW returned in 2005. That could lead anywhere, but if we look at all the themes he has presented one of the most enduring is the extinction of the Time Lords. So I agree with you there return is a strong possibility.

However, if they do return I don't think it will be permanent, nor should it be. Wouldn't it be great if the Doctor was forced to go back in time and bring them back only to be left with the decision as to whether they stay back in existence or return the timeline as it should be and wipe them out again? Now that would equal whether the Doctor had the right to wipe out the Daleks in Genesis of the Daleks.

This again maybe your hearing. I heard it as "It'll" the first time bearing in mind the first time i heard it was on iPlayer.

perhaps but more likely when i watched it back after reading this thread and could here what you mean, there was a lot of background noise over David.

Unlikely

Possibly - you lose frequencies every 10 years or so plus noise induced hearing loss which can make you lose max 55dB of loudness. Remember the brain when it comes to hearing is incredible - even if you don't hear the fundamental frequency but hear the harmonics in the note - you will hear the fundamental and know what instrument is playing the note. If you want to hear "they'll" - thats what you'll hear.


I think you're right, there is some foreshadowing but maybe not what you mean it to be.

Something in The Doctors Daughter


me oops

well jenny did at the end fly off, maybe she meets him in future episodes :P