News Carole Ann Ford wants to say "Hello, grandma!"

[rhubarbodendron]

at any rate it'd be really cool to have both generations of actors meet in the current series. LOL and just like C.A.F. to have such an idea I hope she gets her wish fulfilled.
Susan was imho one of the best companions at all: witty, compassionate, intelligent. A scientist's mind and a gentle yet strong personality. She was an excellent role model for a generation of Doctor Who fans.
I have to admit that in later series, particularly with the 2nd and 3rd doctors the female companions were often a disappointment to me. They had little else to do than to scream and cling to the male companions or to the Doctor. No comparison to the strong characters of Susan and Barbara.
So if there's any chances of the bosses considering to bring Susan back: YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Do it! =)

 

[Skellington]

Presumably, before there was Regeneration the Gallifreyans would have developed arbirarily good gender reassignment technology, of the kind that would properly reconfigure a person (with the target gender’s chromosomes if applicable). So it wouldn’t technically be impossible for the Doctor to be Susan’s grandma. But that was never the way it was played.

Personally, I’m not opposed In principle to Ford returning; but it should be made relevant to younger viewers, so it should probably say something about the Doctor’s story arc or relationship to family (and even to the concept of family).

 

[Awesome Possum]

Sorry Chris, but while I obviously use the current name and pronoun with friends who've transitioned (which does take some thinking for one who is truly trans, so both and neither he/she apply), if we're discussing stuff from 20, 40 years ago, their then gender is relevant... sometimes. Working through that to the transition is a central part of their identity. Back-dating the change denies that experience, and the difficulties of it.

Actually you just refer to trans people as the gender they identify as, even when referring to them in the past. They were always that gender, even sometimes before they understood it themselves. Implying otherwise is deeply insulting and can be troubling to them because being forced to live as the wrong gender is sometimes traumatic and reminding them of it can bring back those feelings. Also transitioning is not a central part of their identity, it’s a brief period of their lives roughly 1-3 years on average. Most would rather skip it if that were an option.

In this hypothetical reunion, I'm sure Susan would say it once, in shock, as she realized who this young woman in front of her is - "Grandfather?!?" It'd be worth the one time just to see the Companions' eyes bug out when the Doctor acknowledges who she is/was. And she would let it slide, as she was male all the other times Susan had seen her, before gently suggesting amending it to 'Grandparent.'

Why would she be shocked? She’s Gallifreyan too and would well aware that changing gender is common. She might be shocked that the Doctor in particular changed genders given the more modern depictions of his views on women, but would likely refer to her as Grandmother as soon as she recognized her.

 

[Ithekro]

What about Jenny the Doctor's clone-made daughter? She's be confused I think. Susan probably wouldn't be...assuming she has a decent grasp on what her people can or cannot do. However, she could still be on her first face (no telling how much "Time" has passed for her compared to the Doctor, and no telling where she is in relation to the Time War).

 

[Awesome Possum]

I actually got the impression that she died at some point, the Doctor seemed to think his entire family is dead. Although that was when he thought Gallifrey had been destroyed, so I’m not sure if he has assumed they died there or he actually saw them die during the war.

 

[Mr Soak]

Jenny was shot and presumed killed at the end of the episode, but she revived after the Doctor left, via a smidgen of regeneration energy. She then left the planet to have adventures of her own.

 

[Nightowl1701]

I actually got the impression that she died at some point, the Doctor seemed to think his entire family is dead. Although that was when he thought Gallifrey had been destroyed, so I’m not sure if he has assumed they died there or he actually saw them die during the war.

Spoiler: You may not be far off...

As of her most recent appearance in Big Finish, 'All Hands on Deck,' she was living at Coal Hill School in 2213 Earth, living a lonely life after the Second Dalek Invasion of Earth, when she was summoned to Gallifrey to fight in the Time War. Eight tried to talk her out of it, and, well... let's just say they don't part on the best of terms.

And yes, the impression that she died in the Time War is, I think, very intentional. I'm starting to wonder if Big Finish is planning to present Susan's death in battle themselves, in one of the upcoming Time War boxsets, and that's why Moffat (and now, presumably, Chibnall) have been hands off despite demand.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

And yes, the impression that she died in the Time War is, I think, very intentional. I'm starting to wonder if Big Finish is planning to present Susan's death in battle themselves, in one of the upcoming Time War boxsets, and that's why Moffat (and now, presumably, Chibnall) have been hands off despite demand.

Whatever Big Finish does is irrelevant to what the main show does. While Moffat has affinity for what Big Finish does, he is by no means beholden to what they do and nor should he. I don't know what Chibball's feelirgs are about Big Finish, but again, it doesn't matter.

 

[The Wormhole]

Exactly, if Moffat wanted, or Chibnall wants to do anything involving a particular character, they get to use that character and it is Big Finish who need to change their plans accordingly. The tail does not wag the dog.

And honestly, I can't see very many characters caring about the Doctor becoming a woman or needing it explained. Maybe if they bring back someone like Jamie, who IIRC isn't aware of regeneration and is from an era where gender reassignment wasn't a thing. Susan would definitely just shrug and say "hi, Grandma" and need no further explanation.

Doctor Who fandom: we can accept a time machine with an exterior the size of a phone booth and an interior large enough to contain an entire star in a forgotten corner, and we accept that a man can turn himself into a completely different man as a means of surviving death. But when he turns into a woman it's suddenly "now hold the phone, this is completely preposterous! We demand an explanation."

 

[Awesome Possum]

It has nothing to do with believability, it's sexism. Some men see women as something lesser than them, so they have issues with the hero of a story being women. In the Doctor's case, they see someone as great as the Doctor taking a step down.

 

[The Wormhole]

I know, but I figured we should acknowledge the In Denial crowd. "I ain't sexist, I just ain't comfortable in a world not controlled 100% by Man. White Man at that. But I ain't racist neither."

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

RTD should've brought the Brig back, Moff shouldve ABSOLUTELY brought Benton and Ian Chesterton (particularly the latter) back, Chibnall simply must find a way to bring Susan back, before its too late.

 

[starsuperion]

It has nothing to do with believability, it's sexism. Some men see women as something lesser than them, so they have issues with the hero of a story being women. In the Doctor's case, they see someone as great as the Doctor taking a step down.

Not everyone sees it that way. I for instance think the agenda and politics behind the presentation and the way the casting went was based on identity politics and virtue signalling, and a mellenial ploy, coupled with my disdain for the acting style of Whitaker is why I think the casting of her was a big mistake. Would they have cast a different woman, and left all the divisive preachy political stuff behind, I would think better of the new season coming in Oct. But for now, no..I see this as a disaster and a continuation of dogmatic ideological memes forced into the series, which will continue to drive many hangers on from the traditionalist wing of the fandom away. Same as had been done in the Capaldi era, and really started by season 8 in Matt Smith's reign. There are other legit reasons for being skeptical of the new series that has nothing to do with Jodie Whittaker's gender.

This regardless of how one feels, percieves, and suspiciously suspects that the reason is sexism. It's hard to know what's in a person's heart, even trying to link their comments to something with no real proof. I feel it's better to leave labels behind in that instance, and debate on substance.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Not everyone sees it that way. I for instance think the agenda and politics behind the presentation and the way the casting went was based on identity politics and virtue signalling, and a mellenial ploy, coupled with my disdain for the acting style of Whitaker is why I think the casting of her was a big mistake. Would they have cast a different woman, and left all the divisive preachy political stuff behind, I would think better of the new season coming in Oct. But for now, no..I see this as a disaster and a continuation of dogmatic ideological memes forced into the series, which will continue to drive many hangers on from the traditionalist wing of the fandom away. Same as had been done in the Capaldi era, and really started by season 8 in Matt Smith's reign. There are other legit reasons for being skeptical of the new series that has nothing to do with Jodie Whittaker's gender.

This regardless of how one feels, percieves, and suspiciously suspects that the reason is sexism. It's hard to know what's in a person's heart, even trying to link their comments to something with no real proof. I feel it's better to leave labels behind in that instance, and debate on substance.

What a loud of bullshit.

Yes, that is sexism. Sorry that you’re convinced yourself that it isn’t, but it is. All this complaining about agendas and identify politics is a narrative that only exists in your head. They cast a woman, if you have a problem with that, it’s because you’re sexist. Especially since you’re acting like like they’re trying to shove something down your throat. They aren’t, they just cast a woman. Either get over it or stop watching the show, the world is moving past your outdated views and we’re far better off for it.

Invent all the conspiracy theories you like, it will not change the fact that it is entirely based in sexism and every single person can see it.

 

[starsuperion]

What a loud of bullshit.

Yes, that is sexism. Sorry that you’re convinced yourself that it isn’t, but it is. All this complaining about agendas and identify politics is a narrative that only exists in your head. They cast a woman, if you have a problem with that, it’s because you’re sexist. Especially since you’re acting like like they’re trying to shove something down your throat. They aren’t, they just cast a woman. Either get over it or stop watching the show, the world is moving past your outdated views and we’re far better off for it.

Invent all the conspiracy theories you like, it will not change the fact that it is entirely based in sexism and every single person can see it.

You Can't just invent conspiracy and call everyone who doesn't agree with you sexist. It doesn't work that way.

(lol I was gonna say sweetie, because I'm nice to everyone, even those I disagree with, but I didn't want it to be taken as sexist condescension. Heck. I don't even acknowledge a female anymore, wouldn't want more then 5 minutes of looking in that direction to be taken as internalized predatory behaviour. )

 

[Awesome Possum]

You Can't just invent conspiracy and call everyone who doesn't agree with you sexist. It doesn't work that way.

(lol I was gonna say sweetie, because I'm nice to everyone, even those I disagree with, but I didn't want it to be taken as sexist condescension. Heck. I don't even acknowledge a female anymore, wouldn't want more then 5 minutes of looking in that direction to be taken as internalized predatory behaviour. )

You’ve the one claiming there is an agenda like a paranoid person.

Now I’m done with you, I don’t want to waste anymore of my time. Don’t forget to wear the shiny side of the tinfoil on the outside. It blocks the SJWs from controlling your brain.

 

[dahj]

I don't even acknowledge a female anymore

 

[CorporalCaptain]

to drive many hangers on from the traditionalist wing of the fandom away

Sounds like a win-win scenario.

 

[marillion]

Question.. And maybe this has been answered elsewhere, but it just came to me. Do we know that Susan is an actual Timelord/lady? Wasn't it established that rank and file Gallifreans don't regenerate, because that is something reserved for the Timelords and ladies? So even though the Doctor is her grandfather, does that automatically mean she can regenerate simply due to her being of noble kin?

 

[cultcross]

You Can't just invent conspiracy and call everyone who doesn't agree with you sexist. It doesn't work that way.

Physician, look to thine own wound.