Noobs & the Whovian

Noobs & the Whovian


141 Timey Wimey #15 – The Skull

February 07, 2021

Opening

Live from Master Closet Studios, you’re listening to the only podcast on the internet that went back in time to kill its own first season: Noobs and the Whovian.

This is the podcast that introduces a whole new generation to Doctor Who by watching an episode each week and discussing it from the perspective of a dad who’s seen it before, and two sons who haven’t. Except when we don’t, because this week we won’t!

Welcome to episode 141, Timey Wimey #15 – The Skull 

It is in the public domain, so you can find the free e-book at Project Gutenberg.

Super-short Recap 

This is the one where a guy goes back in time and becomes the thing he was trying to stop.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Who’s responsible for this?!

* Author – Philip K. Dick* Wrote the short stories that became: Blade Runner, Total Recall, The Minority Report, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly, Next, & The Adjustment Bureau* The Man in the High Castle* There’s some thought that The Terminator takes a lot of cues from Second Variety

Noobs and the Whovian is brought to you by R5 Website Management. Get world-class hosting, domain registration, and security at a great price. Use the code “noobs” at checkout for 15% off your entire order.

Where do I know that guy from?

* NONE

Wait, what happened?!

* Here, we’ll discuss the overall story, especially plot holes or missing info* I feel like there was a section missing where they explained that he was going to go back in time* The whole story was kinda short on details

Time travel details:

Method:

* A spherical crystal cage with a wheel* Philip K. Dick was sparing with the details in this story

Rules

* Can you change the past?* The “what are the rules of time travel” section of this story was very short and basically was ¯\_(ツ)_/¯* “We’ll be awaiting the outcome. There’s some philosophical doubt as to whether one can alter the past. This should answer the question once and for all.”

* Definitely a predestination paradox

Who’s who?

* Redemption?* Does Conger redeem himself?

What have we learned today?

* Causing the curse* I just listened to an episode of Podcastle where they covered Tim Pratt’s Another End of the Empire. It was a new take on the old trope of the oracle prophesying doom and the hero trying to prevent only to end up causing the prophecy to come true.* I just realized that this time travel trope is essentially the sci-fi version of that same fantasy trope!* You even have the paradox in both. * If you didn’t go back to kill the Founder, you never would’ve become the Founder.  * If the oracle didn’t tell you your doom, you never would’ve caused it.* Like the Oracle and plate of cookies in The Matrix.

Is that how that works?!

* Corbin, is there any science you want to address?

Random stuff we noticed

* What’s with all the hate on beards?!* It ended kinda abruptly