Regeneration (TV story)

Story notes

• Before his "regeneration", the K9 seen is identical to the models originally used on Doctor Who. According to K9 creator Bob Baker, this is meant to be K9 Mark I, last seen on screen on Gallifrey with Leela. This implies that K9 Mark I survived the Last Great Time War. However, K9 Mark I was destroyed in the Big Finish Productions audio drama Gallifrey: Imperiatrix, which is set prior to the events of the Time War. If that story is to be reconciled with this one, it is possible that Romana rebuilt Leela's K9 unit against her wishes.

Writing on K9's regeneration unit, resembling Old High Gallifreyan.

• The regeneration unit has writing on it which reads, in part, "δ³Σx²". In the 1972 behind-the-scenes book The Making of Doctor Who by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke, "δ³Σx²" was given as the Doctor's name. Thus, the writing on the unit would seem to indicate that the Doctor installed it in K9.
• K9 informs Professor Gryffen that much of his memory was damaged in his self destruction. K9 no longer seems to remember the Doctor. Whether he remembers his former mistress, Leela, or Romana and her K9 model, the Mark II, is yet to be seen.
• When Professor Gryffen triggers a piece of music stored in K9's memory, K9 informs the professor he cannot name the tune. The three notes played are the first three notes of the Doctor Who theme song.
• The day before this episode was broadcast, another K9 appeared in SJA: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith.
• This episode was originally to be rebroadcast on 3 April 2010 to start the series. However for an unknown reason The Korven was broadcast instead.
• On its broadcast on Network 10 in Australia and Disney XD in the UK, June is the only character to be credited. However, on its broadcast on Five, the supporting cast is credited as well.
• Professor Gryffen's laboratory and home is in a disused police station which still bears the exterior appearance of its former purpose (police lamp next to the front door, signage, inter alia); the building is shown in The Cambridge Spy to have been an active police station as recently as 23 November 1963. This parallels the TARDIS' exterior appearance as a 1963 police box.

Production errors

to be added

Continuity

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.

• The first K9 is an alternative to the K9 Mark I that first appeared in DW: The Invisible Enemy.
• Regeneration is the first of three parts, the second being Liberation and the third being The Korven.
• K-9 informs Professor Gryffen that much of his memory was damaged in his self destruction. K-9 no longer seems to remember the Doctor. Whether he remembers Romana and Leela is yet to be seen.
• K-9 Mark I dies by self-destruction to kill hostile aliens and save humans in London; K-9 Mark III met his end in a similar fashion in DW: School Reunion.

Home video releases

This episode is featured in the following DVD sets:

• Series One complete box set, released in Australia on 29 September 2010. [1]
• A "vanilla" DVD called The Bounty Hunter, containing Regeneration, Liberation, The Korven, The Bounty Hunter, Sirens of Ceres and Fear Itself, released in Australia on 29 September 2010. [2]
• K9: Series 1: Volume 1, containing episodes 1–12, released in the UK on 31 January 2011 and in the US on 30 March 2011. [3], [4]
• K9: Ultimate Collectors Edition, containing the full first series, scheduled for release in the UK on 11 June 2011. [5]

• 

  Complete Boxset
  (Region 4, Australia)

• 

  The Bounty Hunter
  (Region 4, Australia)

• 

  Series 1, Volume 1
  (Region 0, sold in UK and US)

• 

  "Ultimate Collectors Edition"
  (Region 2, UK)

External links

• Official K9 web site