Understanding
Where do you begin understanding the twist Chris Chibnall brings to Doctor Who? According to this article from Looper, The Timeless Child twist is as good a place as any. So, according to what we see in season 12, the Doctor is not a Timelord at all. He/she is a child from another race with the ability to regenerate when he/she dies. Ok, why bring this out now? Doctor Who is over 50 years old, and this is hidden information until now. You tell me where Chibnall gets this? Is this new or part of the original canon?
So let’s ask the question, is the Doctor a Timelord or not a Timelord? According to what airs during season 12, he/she is not a Timelord. This is the first real explanatory mention of the Timeless Child, and there is confusion for some fans. Chibnall wants to increase interest but is the right way? With this information, the Doctor is immortal. But that means Clara asking the Timelords for another 12 life cycles is mute. There is not any need for her to ask. So, Moffat and Chibnall aren’t on the same page.
Confusion abounds because this means there are other incarnations. Hence, Chibnall brings in Ruth. Ruth looks to be an even older incarnation of the Doctor. So, William Hartnell’s Docter is not the first. How many are there before him/her? See, answering that question becomes difficult. Who knows? Then you ask the question, how old is the Doctor for real? Where do you go from here? Yeah, there is mention of how old he/she is, but this changes that.
Another question, if he/she is not a Timelord, why hide that from him and fans? What is the point in all of this? Does Chibnall hope to gain the interest of new fans? Does he want to keep older fans watching? Some fans are confused and need an understanding. One might say it is a lot to consume in one season.
