Doctor Who? (or the Doctor's name)
- Thread starter Whofan
- Start date
It should never be revealed.
Maybe it should be something barely pronounceable, and if they ever continue the series it can become a running joke. Alternatively, it could be a name that sounds extremely rude in English.
Of course, it could just be a name that we've heard before. Probably not Gandalf or Yoda, though.
Of course, it could just be a name that we've heard before. Probably not Gandalf or Yoda, though.
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The thing is, it's not like you can ask his original creator. So it would just be one writer/producer attempting to put their mark on the show - which the next one might come along and deny anyway.
Of one day someone might do it just to see fandom implode
Season 4 would suggests it starts with a 'W'
Of one day someone might do it just to see fandom implode
Season 4 would suggests it starts with a 'W'
I don't think it will ever end permanently. I'm going to sound like a rabid fan now but I really believe that Doctor Who is now up there with Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Peter Pan, King Arthur etc. as one of the all-time great British iconic stories and characters. Those other examples are all from literature, but I think we're just at the point now where TV as a medium has been around long enough for a story like Doctor Who to have begun to pass into the same level of popular culture. It has already transcended its original medium into audio plays, books, comics and video games, and thus will probably outlive the popularity of television. Its popularity will no doubt wane again and it'll be rested for periods, but I don't think it'll ever again be off the air for as long as 15 years, and in 100 years people will still be watching the latest Doctor via holographic download.
Any production team would be foolish to come up with a definitive "final episode" for something like Doctor Who, even if it were supposedly to be coming to an end, as any such "end" would undoubtedly be temporary. The show has a format that means it can go on forever, and I think it will go on for as long as telling stories is a popular pastime.
Any production team would be foolish to come up with a definitive "final episode" for something like Doctor Who, even if it were supposedly to be coming to an end, as any such "end" would undoubtedly be temporary. The show has a format that means it can go on forever, and I think it will go on for as long as telling stories is a popular pastime.
It'll never happen. It would violate the No. 1 rule of the show. And it will be impossible to come up with a name that will satisfy people. Cannot happen.
And it's not like there's this secret document out there with the guy's name. Apparently Peter Falk was told Columbo's first name, for example. But there's no such secret conversation happening with Matt Smith.
Same goes for Spock. We know he has a second name, but we'll never learn it. We found out Uhura's first name, and that was bad enough because it violated an aspect of Roddenberry's conception of the character, that her name meant "Freedom", full stop.
We've already seen the novels take an ill-advised stab at giving the Master a name - Koschei. And if you feel like saying "bless you" after reading it, you're not alone. They wouldn't dare fill in this blank in Doctor Who.
And as noted, Doctor Who won't end. If the BBC cancelled it tomorrow then we'd eventually see Matt Smith contracted by Big Finish, and guys like Paul Cornell would continue to write novels, and we'd end up with companies like BBV reactivating and starting to make independent films again (following the Hugo-nominated precedent of the Trek fan films).
Alex
And it's not like there's this secret document out there with the guy's name. Apparently Peter Falk was told Columbo's first name, for example. But there's no such secret conversation happening with Matt Smith.
Same goes for Spock. We know he has a second name, but we'll never learn it. We found out Uhura's first name, and that was bad enough because it violated an aspect of Roddenberry's conception of the character, that her name meant "Freedom", full stop.
We've already seen the novels take an ill-advised stab at giving the Master a name - Koschei. And if you feel like saying "bless you" after reading it, you're not alone. They wouldn't dare fill in this blank in Doctor Who.
And as noted, Doctor Who won't end. If the BBC cancelled it tomorrow then we'd eventually see Matt Smith contracted by Big Finish, and guys like Paul Cornell would continue to write novels, and we'd end up with companies like BBV reactivating and starting to make independent films again (following the Hugo-nominated precedent of the Trek fan films).
Alex
I concur. Doctor Who, perhaps boosted by those scary pepperpots, has entered the common vernacular and informed the grammar of the imagination, as in the usage if the phrase "TARDIS-like" as a synonym for "unassuming but surpirisingly capacious".
Or something.
"Space Gandalf".
Pronounced 'Throatwobblermangrove'.
His real name will be revealed to be...
...wait for it...
...Who.
That's right, the series has been actually telling us his real name from the very beginning!
...wait for it...
...Who.
That's right, the series has been actually telling us his real name from the very beginning!
Actually, that name isn't bad albeit that it's borrowed from Slavic folklore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koschei
I think the Doctor's name should be "Qui", pronounced "Key". Who'd have thought he was French?
I don't think it will ever end permanently. I'm going to sound like a rabid fan now but I really believe that Doctor Who is now up there with Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Peter Pan, King Arthur etc. as one of the all-time great British iconic stories and characters. Those other examples are all from literature, but I think we're just at the point now where TV as a medium has been around long enough for a story like Doctor Who to have begun to pass into the same level of popular culture. It has already transcended its original medium into audio plays, books, comics and video games, and thus will probably outlive the popularity of television. Its popularity will no doubt wane again and it'll be rested for periods, but I don't think it'll ever again be off the air for as long as 15 years, and in 100 years people will still be watching the latest Doctor via holographic download.
Any production team would be foolish to come up with a definitive "final episode" for something like Doctor Who, even if it were supposedly to be coming to an end, as any such "end" would undoubtedly be temporary. The show has a format that means it can go on forever, and I think it will go on for as long as telling stories is a popular pastime.
I could see it happening, but only if they planned on rebooting it from the beginning.
The name is such a trivial part of the character that it doesn't really matter. Any name would end up being insignificant, irrelevant, and possibly annoying. Best case scenario is that it doesn't irritate fans. So, there's very little motivation to provide a name.
Although, I just thought of one, it could be a ratings stunt. But, if the show gets into a state where it needs to do that, it's bad times already!
Mr Awe
Although, I just thought of one, it could be a ratings stunt. But, if the show gets into a state where it needs to do that, it's bad times already!
Mr Awe
The only way I could see the Doctor's real name being revealed is part of a ratings ploy if the series has entered into a bad time. Otherwise I don't think it will ever be revealed.
It should remain a secret.. I can see it being one of those things like the true recipe for Coke.. It's been kept deep inside a BBC vault since the first season...
It's always bugged me how the series/popular folk lore have argued about the "Who" part of the name.. Tradition suggests that "Who" is just part of the name of the show and not his proper fake name, but the title credits in the early seasons have the character listed as "Dr. Who"...
It's always bugged me how the series/popular folk lore have argued about the "Who" part of the name.. Tradition suggests that "Who" is just part of the name of the show and not his proper fake name, but the title credits in the early seasons have the character listed as "Dr. Who"...
^ The difference is the recipe for Coke actually exists. I don't think there's ever been an agreed or definitive name for The Doctor.
