Today, whenever sci-fi fans are talking enthusiastically about time paradoxes in time-travel storylines, it’s tempting to evoke the immortal words of the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) and say: “Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey.” This phrase comes from the famous episode “Blink,” in which predestination paradoxes save the day. But, arguably, the better, and more mind-blowing Doctor Who paradox happened in 2015 with the two-part story “Under the Lake” and “Before the Flood.” Eight years ago, on October 10, 2015, Doctor Who threw down with one of the best bootstraps paradoxes of all time, giving other sci-fi franchises — like Loki Season 2 — a near-perfect model of how to make sense of the infinite loop of the bootstrap paradox. Spoilers ahead.
In the opening moments of “Before the Flood,” the 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi) gives a now-classic illustrative example of how a bootstrap paradox works, and why it’s logistically confounding. In a very rare breaking of the fourth wall, the Doctor relates a hilarious (and untrue) account of a time traveler who is such a fan of Ludwig van Beethoven that he goes back in time to meet Beethoven, only to discover Beethoven doesn’t exist.
In the Doctor’s story, the hypothetical time traveler becomes Beethoven, because he happens to have all of Beethoven’s sheet music from the future. But the question is, as the Doctor says, “Who composed Beethoven’s 5th?”
Sometimes called an ontological paradox, the bootstrap paradox is the moment when the result of time travel creates a thing, a person, or an object in which the first origin of said thing is unclear. With all the pruning of timelines in Loki, and the god of mischief pulling himself out of various timelines, the implications of the bootstrap paradox can get exciting when you have various realities overlapping and an entire Marvel Cinematic Universe in chaos. But, what makes Doctor Who’s approach great is in its smallness. When time paradoxes start to have multiverse-altering impacts, the stakes, arguably, can get a little muddled. But in “Before the Flood,” Doctor Who centers its stakes around how information is birthed through paradoxes.
Written by Toby Whithouse, the two-part episode largely involves an alien invader called The Fisher King and an underwater base that is overrun with ghosts. Worse still, the ghosts can convert their victims into ghosts, which is part of a complex invasion plan. At some point, the Doctor’s ghost appears from the future, which makes the audience think the Doctor will lose at some point. However, it’s all a holographic ruse, so the Doctor can give himself and Clara a specific message. But, how did the Doctor know what message to send via his hologram ghost? The answer is time travel. Which, creates the bigger question: Where did the message come from in the first place?
The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) gets ready to make a paradox. BBC
In “Under the Lake” and “Before the Flood,” the Doctor wins the day through a battle of information and information paradoxes. He defeats the Fisher King through misdirection, but also because he has information the Fisher King doesn’t. But, the true ace of the Doctor’s sleeve is the bootstrap paradox itself. This wasn’t the first time Doctor Who leaned on this idea in the Steven Moffat-era of the series — in the 2010 Matt Smith episode “The Big Bang,” the Doctor gets himself out of the locked box of the Pandorica because he puts his sonic screwdriver in Amy Pond’s pocket after he’s gotten himself out with said sonic.
Nothing about this makes sense from a linear cause-and-effect point of view, which is why the bootstrap paradox is such a compelling — and often hilarious — time travel trope. What’s interesting about “Before the Flood,” is that Doctor Who is a time-travel show that often seems to break its own rules about time travel. In this episode, the concept of how the paradox “works” is laid out in the Doctor’s monologue, and then, the rest of the episode demonstrates how the Doctor uses that paradox to save the day. Now, if Doctor Who did this kind of thing with every single episode, it would get old, which is why, curiously, the famous time-travel series is often not centered on time paradoxes. Seriously, you can probably count the number of episodes from the pre-2005 Who era that are actually about time paradoxes on one hand.
Loki Season 2’s bootstrap paradoxes only scratch the surface of Doctor Who’s paradoxes. Marvel Studios
Other time travel sci-fi series — from 12 Monkeys to Loki — have employed bootstrap paradoxes in all sorts of unique ways. But, if you’re looking for a masterclass in mind-bending plot twists, combined with down-to-earth stakes, this modern classic of Doctor Who just keeps getting better, year after year. Unless of course, Toby Whithouse just read this article and is about to pop back in the TARDIS to the year 2015.
Doctor Who currently streams on Max. The contemporary series will air on Disney+ at some point in November 2023 with the debut of the 60th anniversary specials.
8 Years Later, ‘Loki’ Remixes a Time-Travel Trope Another Sci-Fi Show Already Perfected
- Advertisment - 
Recent Comments
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on The Rev. Al Sharpton to lead protest after Florida governor’s ban of African American studies course
on Sports World Hails ‘Superwoman’ Lindsey Vonn for Her Grand Comeback Despite Career-Changing Injury
on San Mateo County Community College District sues five companies over role in ‘pay to play’ scandal
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on ‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Violet’ Fan Theories Suggest Legendary Time Travel, Alternate Dimension Plot
on Joe Manchin and Tommy Tuberville introduce bill on name, image and likeness rules for college sports
on Inside the Michael Jordan ‘Air’ movie, plus why NFL, others are buying into the sports film industry
on If you’re a frequent traveler, these wrap tops from Aday will revolutionize your on-the-go wardrobe
on How Does Jack Nicklaus Travel? Exploring the Private Jets Owned by the ‘Golden Bear’ Over the Years
on Hollywood Reporter: Tom Cruise negotiated with movie studios over AI before the actors strike began
on Ford Blue Cruise: US regulators investigate fatal crashes involving hands-free driving technology
on Dozens of boats cruise the Seine in a rehearsal for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 26
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Boise State vs. Air Force live stream, odds, channel, prediction, how to watch on CBS Sports Network
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Carlos Sainz’s Soccer Fanboy Emerges as Spaniard Shares Defining Moment With This Real Madrid Legend
on Biden: ‘At this point I’m not’ planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on Ahead of big sports weekend, dispute with Disney leaves millions of cable subscribers in the dark
on A heavy wave of Russian missile attacks pounds areas across Ukraine, killing at least 4 civilians
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on Army vs. Coastal Carolina live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez Spreads Joy and Sportsmanship to the Youth of Loma de Cabrera
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year, more than in 2019
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on Dave Portnoy: Taylor Swift’s security should ‘drag Kim Kardashian to jail’ if she attends Eras Tour
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports, Serie A announce new TV rights deal; Paramount+ to air over 400 Italian soccer matches
on Cam Newton’s Violent Public Incident Draws Hilarious Reaction From 3x All-Star: “Where Do I Sign Up
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Angel Reese Launches Foundation Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Sports & Financial Literacy
on A weaker dollar, skyrocketing prices and ‘record’ visitor numbers: Good luck in Europe this summer