Here's everything you need to know about "Time Lord Victorious," the boldest transmedia initiative in the history of Doctor Who. There's a sense in which Doctor Who has always embraced the potential of transmedia storytelling. When the show was canceled in 1989, the Doctor's adventures continued in a range of other media - including comics, audio-books and novels - which frequently tied into one another. And when Russell T. Davies relaunched Doctor Who in 2005, he embraced this transmedia legacy.
In addition to a new range of novels and comics, the BBC also launched everything from mini-episodes on mobile phones to podcast commentaries, video blogs, spinoff TV series such as The Sarah Jane Smith Adventures and the so-called "Lockdown Season" of short stories released on YouTube.
But "Time Lord Victorious" is the boldest transmedia initiative to date: a single storyline that will run through almost every medium (bar TV) over the next few months. Here's everything you need to know in order to keep up to speed with this thrilling new development in Doctor Who lore.
Time Lord Victorious: The Dark Times Explained
"Time Lord Victorious" is a transmedia event set in the Dark Times when the universe was young. The first races were powerful and immortal, including the likes of the Eternals, the Racnoss, the Osirans, the Great Vampires, and the Daemons. Then came the Kotturuh, the so-called Bringers of Death, who allocated every race a lifespan. Naturally, the other races united against the Kotturuh, and soon the universe was locked in war. This period of history is traditionally inaccessible, placed under a Time Lock to prevent any errant Time Lords straying into it. Somehow that barrier has collapsed, though, and multiple incarnations of the Doctor are finding their way into the Dark Times. History itself is in flux, to an unprecedented degree. Ordinarily it would be the Doctor's role to put things right, but the title "Time Lord Victorious" clearly alludes to a period in which David Tennant's Tenth Doctor had highly questionable morality, so it's possible the Doctor himself is actually the cause of this temporal crisis.
Time Lord Victorious Features Multiple Doctors - And Many Legendary Races
The "Time Lord Victorious" event is confirmed to feature three different incarnations of the Doctor: Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor, and David Tennant's Tenth Doctor, as well as companion Rose Tyler. As the Doctor explores the Dark Times, he will find himself encountering the Kotturuh and going up against terrifying but familiar enemies:
- The Eternals, elemental creatures who exist outside of normal time, who fled the Kotturuh in order to retain their immortality, and who last appeared in the Doctor Who season 12 episode "Can You Hear Me?"
- The Racnoss, giant spiderlike creatures destined to hide at the center of the Earth. The Doctor crossed paths with them in the 2006 Christmas Special "The Runaway Bride."
- The Osirans, powerful beings who inspired the legends of Ancient Egypt. Apparently one of their number, Sutekh, struck a bargain with the Kotturuh in order to acquire the gift of death. The Fourth Doctor encountered Sutekh in the classic story "The Pyramids of Mars."
- The Great Vampires, beings apparently too powerful for the Kotturuh to touch, destined to become Gallifrey's sworn enemy. They appeared in the Fourth Doctor story "State of Decay."
- The Daemons, who fought back against the Kotturuh and were almost wiped out. Their last survivor was encountered by Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor in "The Daemons."
In addition, a dangerous new group of Daleks will travel back to the Dark Times in order to establish a colony there.
Everything That Is Part Of Time Lord Victorious
Here's everything considered part of "Time Lord Victorious:"
- A Dalek Awakens, a Dalek-themed escape room that launched in March and appears to have been retroactively added to this story.
- Time Lord Victorious, a two-issue miniseries published by Titan Comics, written by Jody Ho and illustrated by Roberta Ingranata. The first issue released on September 2, and the second issue is due out on October 8.
- Doctor Who: The Official Annual 2021, published by Penguin Random House Children’s and BBC Studios. Released on September 3.
- Monstrous Beauty, a comic book supplement for Doctor Who Magazine #556-558 (published in September, October, and November).
- The Knight, the Fool and the Dead, a novel published by BBC Books and written by Steve Cole. Released on October 1.
- Short Trips: Master Thief/Lesser Evils, an audiobook from Big Finish featuring stories by Sophie Iles and Simon Guerrier. Releases on October 7.
- He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not, a Big Finish audiobook starring Paul McGann and written by Carrie Thompson. Releases on October 14.
- The Enemy of My Enemy, another Big Finish audiobook starring Paul McGann and written by Tracy Ann Baines. Releases on November 11.
- Daleks!, a five-part CGI animation starring Dalek voice actor Nicholas Briggs, releasing on the BBC's official Doctor Who YouTube channel weekly from November 12.
- Echoes of Extinction, a Big Finish audiobook starring Paul McGann and David Tennant, written by Alfie Shaw. Releases on November 27 on vinyl, available on December 4 for .
- Genetics of the Daleks, a Big Finish audiobook featuring Tom Baker.
- The Minds of Magnox, a BBC Audio release narrated by Jacob Dudman and written by Darren Jones. Available December 3.
- Mutually Assured Destruction, another Big Finish audiobook starring Paul McGann and written by Lizzie Hopley. Available December 9.
- All Flesh Is Grass, a novel published by BBC Books and written by Una McCormack. Available December 10.
- Time Fracture, an immersive experience offered by Immersive Everywhere which has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Currently scheduled to run from February 2021, with tickets available now.
Eaglemoss/Hero Collector will also be releasing "Time Lord Victorious" Dalek figurines. There will also be a Blu-Ray collecting episodes of Classic and New Who connected to the arc, namely "Planet of the Daleks," "Genesis of the Daleks," "The Deadly Assassin," "State of Decay," "The Curse of Fenric," "The Runaway Bride," and "The Waters of Mars."
Why Doctor Who's TV Series Isn't Involved In Time Lord Victorious
One thing is missing from "Time Lord Victorious": the Doctor Who TV series itself, and its current stars. The likely reason for this is that the BBC has certain specific constraints as a public broadcaster. The issues faced by Doctor Who were outlined by Russell T. Davies in the May 2005 issue of Doctor Who Magazine, and they will still apply.
"Doctor Who is produced by a Public Service Broadcaster and it is paid for by you, the license payer. As a consequence of this status, the BBC has to be very careful with its merchandising. We are happy for you to enjoy the Doctor off-screen and read the novels, but we must never make that purchase necessary. If you had to buy a BBC novel in order to understand the plot as transmitted on BBC1, then we would be breaking the BBC's guidelines."
It's a frustrating explanation, but it makes sense. And so, ironically, the TV series can't get involved with the boldest transmedia initiative in Doctor Who history.