Should the Doctor have more then 13 Regenerations?

[The Flyattractor]

Should the Doctor have a limit on the # of lilves He can have or should it be unlimited?

How do you feel?

[min min light]

If it's unlimited the show ends, right? So he shouldn't have a limit. Either that or he should have Time Lord babies.

[The Flyattractor]

......Uhhhhgghhhh! Why did I suddenly have a nightmaric flashback to "The Doctor's Daughter".....

[Girlbot]

I vote that he should have an unlimited number of regenerations. I don't want it to end. But it would be nice if they could find a way to keep a doctor for a little longer before he regenerates.

[Blencathra]

I think he should have unlimited as well. I think it would make an interesting story as to how he acquires them. Also it would be a good idea to clarify the situation for once and for all.

[Starfist]

I would love it if the series continued with more rengenerations. But I'm sure there must be a finite number.

[maneth]

It's such a success that I don't think it makes sense for the BBC to stop producing it now. AFAIK the 12 regenerations limit was never a biological one, rather one imposed by the council of the Time Lords (or whatever their leaders were called), last seen in The End of Time. But since the other Time Lords are back fighting the Time War, the Doctor doesn't need to worry about them.

[Crazedwraith]

Of course they're unlimited. You don't think the BBC would ever stop making Doctor because of a plot point within the show do you?

[min min light]

Yes, basically his regenerations number will depend on his ratings number and nothing else.

[Brother Freyr]

This question is just another way of asking, Do you want the show to continue beyond the next two actors who play the Doctor. (Yes, I do.)

[cosmichobo]

It's such a success that I don't think it makes sense for the BBC to stop producing it now. AFAIK the 12 regenerations limit was never a biological one, rather one imposed by the council of the Time Lords (or whatever their leaders were called), last seen in The End of Time. But since the other Time Lords are back fighting the Time War, the Doctor doesn't need to worry about them.

I've seen this reasoning bandied about a lot, and to me, it doesn't make any sense. It's not like the Time Lords had Death Squads that go round Gallifrey/the Universe reaping any Time Lords that reach the end of their lives... Or as if some big button has been waiting all these years to be pressed that suddenly releases the 13 life rule. The only logical way it could function IMO, as witnessed by the appearance of the Master in Deadly Assassin, is that there is a physical limitation built into Time Lord DNA...


What we learned from Classic Who -

The Deadly Assassin

The disfigured cloaked figure we later learn to be the Master is talking to his hidden friend...

THE MASTER: You do not understand hatred as I understand it. Only hate keeps me alive. Why else should I endure this pain? I must see the Doctor die in shame and dishonour. Yes, and I must destroy the Time Lords. Nothing else matters. Nothing!

The Doctor is talking with 2 fellow Time Lords about the Master having run out of regenerations...

ENGIN: After the twelfth regeneration, there is no plan that will postpone death.

Mawdryn Undead

A group of people have stolen Time Lord tech with disastrous results... and need something that the Doctor has...

DOCTOR: Don't you understand? If I did, it would be the end of me as a Time Lord.
TEGAN: What do you mean?
DOCTOR: I can only regenerate twelve times. I have already done so four times.
TEGAN: So?
DOCTOR: Don't you see? Eight of them, eight of me.

The Five Doctors

Lord Borusa has gone a little stir crazy...

DOCTOR 5: Oh, I understand. You want to be President throughout all your remaining regenerations.
BORUSA: Oh, you underestimate my ambition, Doctor. I shall be President Eternal, and rule forever.
DOCTOR 5: Immortality? Oh, that's impossible, even for a Time Lord.

Now admittedly yes, this promise is made...

CASTELLAN: We can offer you an alternative to your renegade existence.
BORUSA: Regeneration. A complete new life cycle.

Again, I don't see the Castellan writing to the Death Squad, excusing the Master from a reaping... Or him pressing some button on a control panel, and viola - 12 new regenerations... Rather I see them taking him to some special Zero Room or some-such, or using a metamorphic symbiosis regenerator as mentioned in Mawdryn Undead, and altering his body to be able to regenerate again.


Now... to actually answer the question...

110% I want to see them acknowledge the 13 life limitation, and I want it to be the subject of at least a small arc... building to a season finale which quite frankly they could even end similarly to The War Games, with the Doctor's fate rather unknown as his 13th body dies...

Of course, subject to ratings, the Doctor will find a way to go on... (Energy from the Eye of Harmony, powers of the Keeper of Traken, Rassilon's ring, something we don't know yet...) But...

Seeing the direction Tennant's Doctor ended up taking - reluctant to take on new companions, then getting over confident... I think it would actually be a good opportunity to bring some of that back, however then have some "great" reason for the Doctor to NEED to continue... and thus have some journey to find an answer to the limitation, and a reason to use it.

[The Flyattractor]

I would guess my thinking is "At what point would it be come ridiculous? Like Up next its the 47 Doctors together for the first time ....this year..

[AtlantisStargate]

Oh yes i believe the doctor should, but it all depends on the BBC rating and production and whatnot haha

[Morgania]

Did River give him her regenerations or was that just be cured?

[cosmichobo]

Did River give him her regenerations or was that just be cured?

Hot debate. I say cure.