The Forgotten

[The Nth Doctor]

I know a lot of people aren't keen on this story (I went back and read some of the comments scattered throughout various threads), but having finally gotten the chance to read this myself, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Is it mostly fluff and full of fanwank? Perhaps, but at the same time I think it's a wonderful celebration and tribute to all of Doctor Who.

I saw one post comparing this story to TNG's "Shades of Grey" and I have to say I completely disagree with that comparison. "Shades of Gray" was a clip show of material previously aired, but The Forgotten's vignettes not only show us events we've never seen before, but those sequences play important roles within the overall story. Yes, there isn't much to the actual story than The Doctor being trapped and tantalized by a myserious villain, but I wasn't really expecting something very deep with this story. Instead, this was a fun story for not just The Tenth Doctor but for all of the previous Doctors. Better yet, we got to see each Doctor in a situation that best represents them: The First in a true historical, The Second in a space adventure, The Third in a wild U.N.I.T. escapade (and Jo actually using her brain!), and so on. Additionally, we get some nice hints to the Time War and an amusing explanation to the whole "half-human" business. The Ninth Doctor's vignette was probably the most touching, reminding me of the climax of "The Doctor Dances" ("Everybody lives, Rose! Just this once! Everybody lives!").

I love the revelation that "Martha" was in fact the TARDIS , who is indeed The Doctor's most faithful companion (although I admit I failed to see the reason why the TARDIS chose to pick Martha in particular). I also loved the brief glimpses of various other companions, including those who don't often get much love or recognition like Steven, Harry, Mel, Kamelion, or Adric. I wish we could have seen all of them, but I know that would have been a bit heavy handed even for this story. At least some of them got verbal mentions (such as Ben, Polly, and Dodo). All in all, I think every companion got some kind of reference except Vicki, Katarina, Sara, Victoria, Liz, and K-9.

I much preferred the villain turning out to be a character we had never seen before, as oppose to the Meta-Crisis Doctor gone bad or The Valeyard (as I thought was the case based on some spoilers I accidentally encountered before reading).

Incidentally, while I was reading this, I had an enormous brain fart in regards to the publication date. The graphic novel came out in April 2009 and for some reason I thought this was prior to series 4 (which made it easier for me to accept why Martha was the companion of choice early on) so I was pleasantly surprised when more and more series 4 references popped up. Sometimes it pays to have a faulty memory (well, maybe not for The Doctor).

In the end, I thought The Forgotten was wonderful but I can understand why it's not being for everyone. That being said, however, I wonder if I enjoyed it more because I read it in two sittings over two days as oppose to six sittings over six months? I noticed this can make a difference sometimes (particularly with shows like LOST and Battlestar Galactica). Have those who didn't like the story originally gone back and re-read it all at once as a whole?

 

[Starkers]

I hate to say this, but what is The Forgotten? Is it a novel or a comic?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

It was a six-issue comic mini-series released from August 2008 to January 2009 and released as a graphic novel in April 2009. The story centers on The Doctor and Martha waking up in a mysterious museum dedicated to his life. You can read more about here

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The graphic novel came out in April 2009 and for some reason I thought this was prior to series 4 (which made it easier for me to accept why Martha was the companion of choice early on) so I was pleasantly surprised when more and more series 4 references popped up. Sometimes it pays to have a faulty memory (well, maybe not for The Doctor).

I had an opportunity to interview Tony Lee about The Forgotten. It was intended, and began publication, as a post-"Last of the Time Lords" pre-"Partners in Crime" story. Somewhere around the scripting of the third issue, Gary Russell made some suggestions that turned it into an epilogue to the fourth season. Lee didn't know the significance of the some of the suggestions at the time (as the fourth season was either in production or just beginning to air).

Additionally, we get some nice hints to the Time War and an amusing explanation to the whole "half-human" business.

It doesn't make any sense. If you watch the television movie, the Doctor would have had to use the chameleon arch on himself prior to the regeneration, plus the Master would have needed some sort of reason to believe that the Doctor had human eyes irregardless of the Doctor's actual ancestry. It's a cute idea, but poke at it and it falls apart. I stick with Occam's Razor in this instance -- the Doctor's half-human. *shrug*

The Ninth Doctor's vignette was probably the most touching, reminding me of the climax of "The Doctor Dances" ("Everybody lives, Rose! Just this once! Everybody lives!").

Ah, the Christmas Truce. There's at least two other Doctors there (maybe not in the comic, but in other stories), and Paul McCartney, too.

In the end, I thought The Forgotten was wonderful but I can understand why it's not being for everyone. That being said, however, I wonder if I enjoyed it more because I read it in two sittings over two days as oppose to six sittings over six months?

I was meh on the story (it's a little thin on plot, and I like plot) at the time. I read it in singles, which was actually really exciting because it felt like it was big and important. However, it was also frustrating because of delays and art changes. In a single sitting. I liked the singles, because it was more like watching a six-parter. The issues ended with little cliffhangers. Reading it in a single sitting is like watching the movie-style compilations on PBS on a Saturday afternoon.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

The graphic novel came out in April 2009 and for some reason I thought this was prior to series 4 (which made it easier for me to accept why Martha was the companion of choice early on) so I was pleasantly surprised when more and more series 4 references popped up. Sometimes it pays to have a faulty memory (well, maybe not for The Doctor).

I had an opportunity to interview Tony Lee about The Forgotten. It was intended, and began publication, as a post-"Last of the Time Lords" pre-"Partners in Crime" story. Somewhere around the scripting of the third issue, Gary Russell made some suggestions that turned it into an epilogue to the fourth season. Lee didn't know the significance of the some of the suggestions at the time (as the fourth season was either in production or just beginning to air).

Thanks for that behind the scenes information. I'm a little disappointed that there was no significant reason for Martha being chosen by the TARDIS, but I can accept the decision being because she was "one of the recent companions."

Additionally, we get some nice hints to the Time War and an amusing explanation to the whole "half-human" business.

It doesn't make any sense. If you watch the television movie, the Doctor would have had to use the chameleon arch on himself prior to the regeneration, plus the Master would have needed some sort of reason to believe that the Doctor had human eyes irregardless of the Doctor's actual ancestry. It's a cute idea, but poke at it and it falls apart. I stick with Occam's Razor in this instance -- the Doctor's half-human. *shrug*

Hm, when you put it that way...

Give me some time and I'll think of some crazy out of left field explanation that goes in the complete opposite direction of Occam's Razor.

But I refuse to believe The Doctor is actually half-human. I'm stubborn that way.

The Ninth Doctor's vignette was probably the most touching, reminding me of the climax of "The Doctor Dances" ("Everybody lives, Rose! Just this once! Everybody lives!").

Ah, the Christmas Truce. There's at least two other Doctors there (maybe not in the comic, but in other stories), and Paul McCartney, too.

Oh, yeah? Which other Doctors (and from what stories)? And how is Paul there, too?

In the end, I thought The Forgotten was wonderful but I can understand why it's not being for everyone. That being said, however, I wonder if I enjoyed it more because I read it in two sittings over two days as oppose to six sittings over six months?

I was meh on the story (it's a little thin on plot, and I like plot) at the time. I read it in singles, which was actually really exciting because it felt like it was big and important. However, it was also frustrating because of delays and art changes. In a single sitting. I liked the singles, because it was more like watching a six-parter. The issues ended with little cliffhangers. Reading it in a single sitting is like watching the movie-style compilations on PBS on a Saturday afternoon.

I can understand and appreciate that. I love Doctor Who cliffhangers as much as anyone (and I'll agree that The Forgotten's were a bit tame), but at the same time I also enjoy ingesting such stories all at once. Maybe I'm crazy, but I love watching The War Games all in one sitting (well, maybe with a few breaks here and there, but you get my drift).

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Oh, yeah? Which other Doctors (and from what stories)? And how is Paul there, too?

Paul McCartney's "Pipes of Peace" video is set in the trenches during the Christmas truce. Paul plays both a British soldier and his German counterpart, and they meet in No Man's Land.

As for the other Doctors, my memory's on the fritz this morning. There's one story in A Christmas Treasury that takes the Doctor to the trenches. And there's a fourth Doctor novel that mentions that he was there. That's what my memory is telling me this morning. Which means it could be entirely wrong.

 

[23skidoo]

I'm surprised so many people dislike this story. People have been clamoring for a 10 Doctors story for ages, and when one is finally presented to them on a silver platter -- and in the only format possible, now that the novels are current-Doctor only -- they turn their noses up at it.

I thought it was great, and they even took a few moments to address a couple of longstanding issues like the TVM's half-human question.

Alex

 

[Stevil2001]

People are allowed to want quality in the things they enjoy, surely? I mean, I wanted to see the Brigadier in the modern Whoniverse, but that doesn't mean I'm automatically required to make passionate love to Phil Ford for penning the disastrous Enemy of the Bane.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I love Doctor Who cliffhangers as much as anyone (and I'll agree that The Forgotten's were a bit tame), but at the same time I also enjoy ingesting such stories all at once.

Tony Lee's cliffhangers in the ongoing Doctor Who comic have been better. From the Doctor being tied to a train track as the locomotive rolls on, to crashing on a desert planet, to confronting Finch and the Krillitane, he's got a pretty good sense of pace and tension.

I just wish the artwork were better. *sigh*

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Yeah, the artwork (except issue 1 which was quite good), especially in issue 3, almost took me out of the story. At least it wasn't as atrocious as Rising Stars, Volume 3. *shudder*

 

[Turbo]

I liked the singles, because it was more like watching a six-parter. The issues ended with little cliffhangers. Reading it in a single sitting is like watching the movie-style compilations on PBS on a Saturday afternoon.

I have to ask, do you think that watching an entire serial on DVD in a single sitting is also like watching the movie-style compilation? Because if that's the case, then there's really only one Doctor Who serial that I'm ever going to watch in more than one part ("The War Games"). I even watched "The Invasion" in a single evening. And the only reason I'm watching "War Games" separately is because I have Disc 1 from Netflix right now and won't get Disc 2 until at least Tuesday.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I have to ask, do you think that watching an entire serial on DVD in a single sitting is also like watching the movie-style compilation?

No, because the movie compilations were different.

Watching episodes of a serial back-to-back still has the cliffhangers intact. The movie compilations were often reedited for a different flow.

Sometimes I'll watch a serial in multiple parts. Sometimes I'll break it up. It depends on my mood.

 

[Turbo]

Well, then, I'm a bit confused as to how reading the entire graphic novel is different from watching an entire serial on DVD, as the cliffhangers are still there. (Unless they've done something stupid, like remove the cliffhangers for the compilation.)

 

[14thDoctor]

I love the revelation that "Martha" was in fact the TARDIS , who is indeed The Doctor's most faithful companion (although I admit I failed to see the reason why the TARDIS chose to pick Martha in particular).

Because the TARDIS is in love with the Doctor as well.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Well, then, I'm a bit confused as to how reading the entire graphic novel is different from watching an entire serial on DVD, as the cliffhangers are still there. (Unless they've done something stupid, like remove the cliffhangers for the compilation.)

You usually can't tell that you've reached the end of a chapter in a collection, unless there's some artwork notation or the artwork changes drastically.

IDW shoves the covers in the back.

 

[matthunter]

I love the revelation that "Martha" was in fact the TARDIS , who is indeed The Doctor's most faithful companion (although I admit I failed to see the reason why the TARDIS chose to pick Martha in particular).

Because the TARDIS is in love with the Doctor as well.

While that's a good point, there are a few other reasons the TARDIS chose Martha - because hardly any of his other modern companions would make sense - Rose is back in the parallel universe (and the dimension cannon shouldn't work now that Davros' scheme was stopped), Donna shouldn't remember the Doctor without her head imploding and if a false Jack showed up the Doctor would surely notice the lack of the "wrongness" he feels around the good Captain due to his immortality.

Sarah-Jane, perhaps, but then you wouldn't have to have her asking questions about the Third and Fourth Doctors (or have to write yourself out of why she doesn't remember Five from the Death Zone...)