What's with this fetish for wanting Omega and the Rani back?

[23skidoo]

I've been noticing a trend. It's been going really since the show came back, but it's gotten worse since RTD dug the Macra back out of obscurity in Gridlock. And that is this constant speculation/blind hope that Omega and the Rani are coming back to Doctor Who. I just watched a shot-by-shot analysis of the 2011 "Coming Soon" trailer on YouTube and the guy kept going on about how he thinks this shot means Omega is coming back and that shot means River (or Amy) is the Rani. (I'm not bothering spoiler coding that because it ain't gonna happen.)

A couple years ago it was "Donna Noble is the Rani" and Omega was going to be the big bad in The Stolen Earth.

Before that, Rani Chandra of Sarah Jane Adventures was going to be the Rani because, well...

And before that Rose was going to end up becoming the Rani because of being abandoned at the end of Doomsday.

I mean, OK, RTD set precedent by the surprise appearance of the Macra. So it's not impossible that Steven Moffat could pull another obscure villain out the hat. But why exactly is everyone pulling for these two?

Omega appeared twice: The Three Doctors and Arc of Infinity, plus a shoutout in The Five Doctors. Neither of those stories are really considered classics: Three Doctors is only fondly remembered because of the reunion aspect and the fact it finally allowed the Third Doctor to cut his strings to earth. Arc of Infinity is remembered primarily for the Amsterdam filming and the guest appearance by Colin Baker. (Yes I know Omega appeared in audio dramas, too, but 99% of the audience is only going to know the TV appearances. Ditto the Rani.)

The Rani fares even worse: her three and only appearances were in stories that are generally considered among the worst Doctor Who stories of all time: Mark of the Rani, the notorious Time and the Rani (I just read a 1987 issue of Dreamwatch Bulletin (DWB) and I swear the critics of Enterprise just cut-and-pasted the comments made there about McCoy's debut story), and Dimensions in Time, which was so bad the fanbase actually successfully rendered it non-canon even in the eyes of the BBC (Trekkies, try as they might, haven't managed that trick with Spock's Brain, or Enterprise, now have they).

There are plenty of better-regarded old-school villains out there that could be brought back. Why the constant push for those two?

I mean, hey, if Moffat and his team come up with a kick-ass story that brings back the Rani or Omega, more power to them. But I'd rather they create new villains if possible, myself. Or if they want to feature an obscure one, let's see the Terrible Zodin (who was already namechecked in The Sarah Jane Adventures anyway).

Alex

 

[Winterwind]

I don't share in this "fetish" as you call it.

I couldn't care, one way or the other, if either Omega or The Rani return. If either did, I just hope it'd be a decent story.

 

[Skellington]

The Rani: Rubbish name, rubbish character. River would kick her ass, too.

Omega: Kind of imposing, but I'm not sure that that the viewership would be impressed by yet another pompous, melodramatic Time Lord. It would have to have some hook, perhaps pertaining to the Doctor's own story arc.

 

[Starkers]

Sorry people want to bring Rani back?

I never even knew she'd left Bannerman Road??

Seriously though I could care less if we ever saw the Rani again, but Omega could prove interesting...

Or you could just create a new villain...

 

[Cutter John]

I think at the point 'Bring back the Rani!' is more a fannish joke than anything else.

And I could care less about Omega. I'm up for some Black Guardian action.

 

[OmahaStar]

So I'm the only one who liked the Rani? In Mark of the Rani, she was fantastic. She was every bit the Master's equal and superior. Since the Master is supposed to be the Doctor's equal and opposite, this would make the Rani greater, right?

Time and the Rani, I haven't seen since it was on PBS many many many years ago, and don't honestly remember anything about it, except that I was disappointed with this great character suddenly doing an impression of the obnoxious Mel.

Destinations in Time ... Come on, there's no story there, nor is there a plot. It is an excuse to get all of the surviving Doctors, with companions and bad guys, together for one quick adventure in the name of charity. It also gave us the only on-screen appearance of Alastair and Six. Despite what Alex says above, it could not possibly become non-canon because of supposed fan outcry. There is NO Doctor Who canon. That's a Star Trek thing, and Doctor Who has never subscribed to it.

Rani Reaps the Whirlwind was decent, though I was hoping for more delicious evilness from the Rani. Instead, it was more like "I'm a scientist, don't these people understand?"

 

[Winterwind]

I never said I disliked the Rani. I just said I couldn't care one way or the other. Bring her back. Don't bring her back. Either way I'll still watch the show.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I like the Rani and Omega. Old school campy villains. Didn't know they weren't allowed in Doctor Who anymore...

 

[DWF]

I wouldn't mind seeing either one return but somebody had to be building that TARDIS in The Lodger.

 

[captcalhoun]

bring back the Monk and the War Chief!!

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Well they're Time Lord villains who are not the Master. It makes them relevant and relatively fresh, so I guess that explains why people would like to see them again.

 

[The Wormhole]

A couple years ago it was "Donna Noble is the Rani" and Omega was going to be the big bad in The Stolen Earth.

There were people who thought Omega was going to be the villain in The Stolen Earth? I thought everyone was guessing it would be Davros even before there was logical reason to

Before that, Rani Chandra of Sarah Jane Adventures was going to be the Rani because, well...

And before that Rose was going to end up becoming the Rani because of being abandoned at the end of Doomsday.

I remember one person suggesting Rani from SJA was the Rani, but I also remember that person being mocked and ridiculed for it. Aside from that, the only speculation of the Rani returning were the ones who believed it was her who took the Master's ring in Last of the Time Lords. Though to be fair, RTD did help fuel that fire.

Though to be honest, aside from the aforementioned examples, I haven't noticed much demand to bring the Rani back. Omega yes, as well as the Valeyard seem to be fandom's top picks for return appearances. Hell, some people insist the Dream Lord is the Valeyard.

I mean, OK, RTD set precedent by the surprise appearance of the Macra.

If I remember correctly, RTD's original intention was just to use alien crabs for Gridlock. Since Doctor Who already had alien crabs, he decided to use the Macra, since why create new aliens who are just going to be similar to them?

However, RTD did have a knack for bringing back classic era characters or aliens unexpectedly. I mean, back in 2009 if someone told you Rassilon was returning for two of the coming specials, would you have believed them?

 

[diankra]

Time and the Rani is the worst story ever made, full stop, only one I've ever turned off sort-of-thing. But the Rani as originally outlined - amoral, not evil - could be a good villain. But she's not well known enough to be worth bringing back, particularly with the way it messes up the 'No other Time Lords' thing.
Ditto for Omega, really. Though 'The First of the Time Lords versus the Last of the Time Lords' does have a certain poster-line ring to it.

 

[Skellington]

Ditto for Omega, really. Though 'The First of the Time Lords versus the Last of the Time Lords' does have a certain poster-line ring to it.

Good point. Also, if his name is Omega, does that mean that the Doctor's name is Alpha?

 

[Cutter John]

I like the Rani well enough. Its just a damn shame the three stories she was in all sucked. What a waste.

 

[Rarewolf]

The Rani fares even worse: her three and only appearances were in stories that are generally considered among the worst Doctor Who stories of all time: Mark of the Rani, the notorious Time and the Rani (I just read a 1987 issue of Dreamwatch Bulletin (DWB) and I swear the critics of Enterprise just cut-and-pasted the comments made there about McCoy's debut story), and Dimensions in Time, which was so bad the fanbase actually successfully rendered it non-canon even in the eyes of the BBC (Trekkies, try as they might, haven't managed that trick with Spock's Brain, or Enterprise, now have they).

To be honest it's only the more extreme arms of fandom who've ever seriously suggested DIT is canon. Some of us play along - treating the story as a is a bit of harmless fun - if you are the right age you can be just as nostalgic for it. Perhaps you need to have grown up with Dr Who and Eastenders. Look how often people ask when its coming out on DVD, even though for contractual reasons it never will.

You can explain it away if you want to. Most chose not to

The irony of me being a McCoy fan and Enterprise despiser hasn't been lost on me. Despite it souring the milk of Star Trek for me, I can appreciate it - for allowing me to understand 'bashing' your favourite shows.

I think the thing with the Rani is, the 80s created too few in the way original reoccurring villains. (Even the toys are struggling) The Mara, Rani and Sil. That's it isn't it? Glitz isn't really a villain. For all his claims of the Memory cheats, JNT exploited the past far more than his predecessors, rather than adding to the legend.

Omega, at least in the Three Doctors was something of a tragic villain. It's one of my favorite Pertwee's - has two great cliffhangers, and a villain with a purpose. Arc did the character no favours. Another odd thing about JNT's returning villains - he recast and redesigned half of them, yet got Michael Kilgarriff to reprise the Cybercontroller - this time using the modern costume and his own voice! It's not as if people could even watch Tomb again, as it was missing then. Yet he didn't get Stephen Thorne back as Omega.

I generally steer clear of the big spoiler threads (I have the section blocked on GB) but I suppose they are the last reoccuring characters left untapped. Maybe Sil, but I can't see him being bought back. There's a few alien races of course - like the Ice Warriors.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Why is something that people are interested in seeing all of a sudden referred to as a 'festish'? I get the meaning and intent of the word in this case but find it rather unnecessary and inaccurate. I would say fans are interested in seeing Omega and the Rani because they're aspects of Classic Who that would be intriging to see revisited in current Who. The Rani in particular as another Time Lady...the Master survived, Rassilon survived and was revived by the Time Lord Council...I see no reason why these two couldn't work in current Who (getting tired of calling of New Who...it's five years old now).

 

[Cyke101]

A couple years ago it was "Donna Noble is the Rani" and Omega was going to be the big bad in The Stolen Earth.

There were people who thought Omega was going to be the villain in The Stolen Earth? I thought everyone was guessing it would be Davros even before there was logical reason to

There's logic, but the OP is asserting that there's a bit of illogic sometimes in fans' wanting to see Omega or the Rani. And that I agree with.

 

[Whofan]

Has the Rani appeared in any Big Finish stories? I know she's been used in independent audio stories and also in a few of the books. They don't even have to really use Kate O Mara, they can just explain she regenerated or something (This would also work for the TV series, of course).

 

[Atticus]

Has the Rani appeared in any Big Finish stories? I know she's been used in independent audio stories and also in a few of the books. They don't even have to really use Kate O Mara, they can just explain she regenerated or something (This would also work for the TV series, of course).

No she hasn't. Back when Gary Russell was in charge it was because he said only Pip n Jane should write for her, but don't know now.

Personally I think the idea of a Time Lady causing havoc would be great, like a Who Catwoman. Only thing is at the moment that'd be a bit close to River, so the chances of it happening any time soon are very remote.