The True Doctor wrote:
On 09/08/2026 11:39, Blueshirt wrote:
In 1978 it was quite simple:
White = Good
Black = Bad.
What else do you need to know?
Romana could have been got at by the Black Guardian and the
memory of him erased.
If I had been writing it Romana would have been an agent of
the Black Guardian... working alongside the Doctor, but like
a double-agent, working against him at the same time to secure
the Key to Time.
An antagonistic companion! Beautiful and dangerous.
On 10/08/2026 08:42, Blueshirt wrote:
The True Doctor wrote:
On 09/08/2026 11:39, Blueshirt wrote:
In 1978 it was quite simple:
White = Good
Black = Bad.
What else do you need to know?
Romana could have been got at by the Black Guardian and the
memory of him erased.
If I had been writing it Romana would have been an agent of
the Black Guardian... working alongside the Doctor, but like
a double-agent, working against him at the same time to secure
the Key to Time.
An antagonistic companion! Beautiful and dangerous.
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one could stand him.
----
The True Doctor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCngrZwoS0n21IRcXpKO79Lw
"To be woke is to be uninformed which is exactly the opposite of what it >stands for." --William Shatner
On 10/08/2026 14:35, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptcns5jsdmno002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
Romana could have been got at by the Black Guardian and the
memory of him erased.
If I had been writing it Romana would have been an agent of
the Black Guardian... working alongside the Doctor, but like
a double-agent, working against him at the same time to secure
the Key to Time.
An antagonistic companion! Beautiful and dangerous.
That would likely have been better for that one arc. Of course, I
understand why they wanted Romana to stick around.
Maybe that was the original plan, and they reused that part
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot twist with >Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was the Time Lord >President.
----
The True Doctor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCngrZwoS0n21IRcXpKO79Lw
"To be woke is to be uninformed which is exactly the opposite of what it >stands for." --William Shatner
The True Doctor wrote in article <115g26b$ai37$1@dont-email.me>:
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one could stand him.
You guys hate the companions I find interesting. I suspect you
only like the hot babes.
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory arc. They
probably didn't know what to do with him.
----
The meek shall inherit, we're told,
But I'm not so easily sold.
For supposing they should,
It would do them no good --
They'd lose it at once to the bold.
On 10/08/2026 08:42, Blueshirt wrote:
If I had been writing it Romana would have been an agent
of the Black Guardian... working alongside the Doctor, but
like a double-agent, working against him at the same time
to secure the Key to Time.
An antagonistic companion! Beautiful and dangerous.
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one could stand
him.
The True Doctor wrote in article
<115g26b$ai37$1@dont-email.me>:
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one
could stand him.
You guys hate the companions I find interesting.
I suspect you only like the hot babes.
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory arc.
They probably didn't know what to do with him.
On 10/08/2026 14:35, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote:
An antagonistic companion! Beautiful and dangerous.
That would likely have been better for that one arc. Of
course, I understand why they wanted Romana to stick around.
Maybe that was the original plan, and they reused that part
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot
twist with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it
was the Time Lord President.
The True Melissa wrote:
The True Doctor wrote in article
<115g26b$ai37$1@dont-email.me>:
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one
could stand him.
You guys hate the companions I find interesting.
Stop! Don't get any further. Please don't tell us you think
that Turlough was a good companion as well?!
Let me guess, he was misunderstood and you just wanted to wrap
your arms around him?
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory arc.
They probably didn't know what to do with him.
That was pretty much the same with any companion that stuck
around back then, the producers/writers ran out of ideas.
Blueshirt wrote:
The True Melissa wrote:
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory
arc. They probably didn't know what to do with him.
That was pretty much the same with any companion that stuck
around back then, the producers/writers ran out of ideas.
Maybe companions should have planned arcs with planned exits.
They'd never do it, though. Popular companions would be
retained no matter what the plan said.
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot
twist with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it
was the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have
been an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
The True Melissa wrote:
The True Doctor wrote in article
<115g26b$ai37$1@dont-email.me>:
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one
could stand him.
You guys hate the companions I find interesting.
Stop! Don't get any further. Please don't tell us you think
that Turlough was a good companion as well?!
Let me guess, he was misunderstood and you just wanted to wrap
your arms around him?
I did too actually... in my case, around his neck!
I suspect you only like the hot babes.
I suspect you only like the bad boys.
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory arc.
They probably didn't know what to do with him.
That was pretty much the same with any companion that stuck
around back then, the producers/writers ran out of ideas.
The True Doctor wrote:
On 10/08/2026 14:35, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote:
An antagonistic companion! Beautiful and dangerous.
That would likely have been better for that one arc. Of
course, I understand why they wanted Romana to stick around.
Maybe that was the original plan, and they reused that part
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot
twist with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it
was the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have
been an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkeums12k5001@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Melissa wrote:
The True Doctor wrote in article
<115g26b$ai37$1@dont-email.me>:
They tried it with Turlough. Oh, wait... No one
could stand him.
You guys hate the companions I find interesting.
Stop! Don't get any further. Please don't tell us you think
that Turlough was a good companion as well?!
I wouldn't say he was "good," but I was pretty interested in his
arc the first time through.
He was always obviously strange, and I have my doubts about that >characterization choice. "The weird one is secretly bad" is a
mainstream trope, and SF is usually kinder to misfits, often
romanticizing those who are different.
Let me guess, he was misunderstood and you just wanted to wrap
your arms around him?
No thanks. :-)
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory arc.
They probably didn't know what to do with him.
That was pretty much the same with any companion that stuck
around back then, the producers/writers ran out of ideas.
Maybe companions should have planned arcs with planned exits.
They'd never do it, though. Popular companions would be retained
no matter what the plan said.
----
The meek shall inherit, we're told,
But I'm not so easily sold.
For supposing they should,
It would do them no good --
They'd lose it at once to the bold.
The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote:
The True Melissa wrote:
Turlough did go off the rails after his introductory
arc. They probably didn't know what to do with him.
That was pretty much the same with any companion that stuck
around back then, the producers/writers ran out of ideas.
Maybe companions should have planned arcs with planned exits.
They'd never do it, though. Popular companions would be
retained no matter what the plan said.
I certainly think companions, like Doctors, have a limited shelf
life.
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot
twist with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it
was the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have
been an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor
could have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
The story we actually got is also good, of course.
----
The meek shall inherit, we're told,
But I'm not so easily sold.
For supposing they should,
It would do them no good --
They'd lose it at once to the bold.
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot
twist with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was
the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have been
an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor could
have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
The story we actually got is also good, of course.
Maybe companions should have planned arcs with planned exits.
They'd never do it, though. Popular companions would be retained
no matter what the plan said.
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot twist
with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was
the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have been
an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor could
have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode to SAVE
Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
--The story we actually got is also good, of course.
(Remember, I have yet to see the full arc as it is!)
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot
twist with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was
the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have been
an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor could
have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode to SAVE
Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
The story we actually got is also good, of course.
(Remember, I have yet to see the full arc as it is!)
----
Daniel70
On 12/08/2026 8:17 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
<Snip>
Maybe companions should have planned arcs with planned exits.Yeap, A planned Arc .... with a definite Exit .... which could be
They'd never do it, though. Popular companions would be retained
no matter what the plan said.
adjusted if the Companion proved Very Popular!!
----
Daniel70
On 13/08/2026 13:06, Daniel70 wrote:
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot twist
with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was
the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have been
an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor could
have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode to SAVE
Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
No. It would have had to have fitted into one story as part 7.
The story we actually got is also good, of course.
(Remember, I have yet to see the full arc as it is!)
----
The True Doctor https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCngrZwoS0n21IRcXpKO79Lw
"To be woke is to be uninformed which is exactly the opposite of what it >stands for." --William Shatner
On 13/08/2026 13:06, Daniel70 wrote:
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote:
That should have been the way they went with it then...
I think Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black
Guardian would have been an interesting dynamic during
the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The
Doctor could have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode
to SAVE Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
No. It would have had to have fitted into one story as part 7.
The True Doctor wrote:
On 13/08/2026 13:06, Daniel70 wrote:
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote:
That should have been the way they went with it then...
I think Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black
Guardian would have been an interesting dynamic during
the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The
Doctor could have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode
to SAVE Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
No. It would have had to have fitted into one story as part 7.
Seven-parts stories are too long.
Season 16 (which was 26 episodes) could have been 6 x 4-episode
stories with a two-episode 'epilogue' story to deal with Romana
being duped by the Black Guardian into thinking she was
assisting the Lord President... a battle ensues at some stage,
Romana gets 'killed' in the process... and then has to
regenerate into Lalla Ward for Season 17.
On 13/08/2026 13:06, Daniel70 wrote:
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot twist
with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was
the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have been
an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor could
have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode to SAVE
Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
No. It would have had to have fitted into one story as part 7.
The story we actually got is also good, of course.
(Remember, I have yet to see the full arc as it is!)
On 13/08/2026 10:36 pm, The True Doctor wrote:
On 13/08/2026 13:06, Daniel70 wrote:
On 12/08/2026 8:59 pm, The True Melissa wrote:
Blueshirt wrote in article <xn0ptfkohmsezv1002@post.eweka.nl>:
The True Doctor wrote:
[quoted text muted]
later.
Maybe they changed their mind and decided not to do the plot twist >>>>>> with Romana working for the Black Guardian thinking it was
the Time Lord President.
That should have been the way they went with it then... I think
Romana [unknowingly] working for the Black Guardian would have been
an interesting dynamic during the Key to Time series.
"Unknowingly" would have been a good twist as well. The Doctor could
have freed her from the Black Guardian's sway.
Might that have been an additional Episode in the Arc??
Six Episodes to gather the pieces then an additional Episode to SAVE
Romana from the influence of The Black Guardian??
No. It would have had to have fitted into one story as part 7.
Sorry, that was what I was trying to suggest.
----The story we actually got is also good, of course.
(Remember, I have yet to see the full arc as it is!)
Daniel70
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