The Fugitive Doctor: The Nightmare of the Timeless Child

Yes. We’re actually doing this. Though, if I’m being honest, I really don’t want to.

During his run as showrunner of Doctor Who, Chris Chibnall wrote a storyline that fundamentally changed the entire core of the show’s lore and history. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a particularly good story. In fact, it’s since become renowned as the single worst plot thread in the show’s entire sixty year history.

For those of you who haven’t seen it, let me briefly summarize. Basically, there was this creature called the Timeless Child, who could regenerate. The early Time Lords stole this power from the child, which is what led to them becoming the most powerful civilization in the universe. And it turns out that the Doctor was, in fact, the Timeless Child, and they lived several lives even before the first Doctor.

Which… no. Just no. That’s wrong on just about every level. It’s so bad that everyone pretty much agrees the show should just pretend it didn’t happen going forward.

This wasn’t just some new lore dump, either. We actually met a pre-first version of the Doctor, since dubbed the Fugitive Doctor. Or the Ruth Doctor, by some.

Now, having Doctors outside of the numerical sequence can work just fine. The War Doctor is a fantastic example of this. But the War Doctor was built up to for several years, and his character arc in the 50th anniversary is one of the best in the show’s history. His is a fantastic inclusion that only makes Doctor Who better.

I can’t give the same praise to the Fugitive Doctor. From her inclusion to her characterization, nothing about this version works. It only hurts the show, it doesn’t improve it.

Which is an absolute shame, because she was played by Jo Martin. And she’s really good as the character! She has a very strong presence on camera, and her Doctor captured the character’s natural confidence and wisdom really well. Plus, she just looks really cool. If she were a proper Doctor, the fourteenth, maybe, she could’ve been amazing!

But no. What we actually got was a nonsense plot about the Time Lord Illuminati and the least interesting identity crisis in cinematic history. I can’t even say it had a good or bad ending, because come for Chibnall’s final episode, they drop the plot line entirely!

Also, her characterization in what few scenes she does appear in is very… not the Doctor. Such as when she gets into a brawl with a Judoon squadron and tears the horn off of one. Right. Because that’s what the Doctor would do.

Granted, the third Doctor enjoyed throwing hands a lot, so I guess it’s not that out of character.

I honestly hope Jo Martin gets a chance to play the Doctor again in the future. Cut out the Timeless Child crap, and she could do an amazing job! Unfortunately, due to the overwhelmingly negative reception of the storyline, I doubt it will happen. Which is a shame. If anyone deserves a second chance at the part, it’s her.

The Fugitive Doctor, and the whole Timeless Child storyline, was a mistake. It doesn’t add anything to the show, it only hurts the established canon. I’m all for tossing aside continuity for the sake of a good story, but this ain’t it, chief. Chibnall destroyed Gallifrey again, and this was what we got for it.

Can’t wait to see Russel, the man who destroyed Gallifrey the first time, write up a way to bring it back. It all comes full circle.