Highlights
- Regeneration in Doctor Who is a crucial plot device that allows for the seamless transition of actors in the role of The Doctor.
- Each regeneration brings a unique twist, adding depth and mystery to the character and keeping fans engaged throughout the show’s long run.
- The emotional and visually impactful nature of regenerations, combined with great acting, make them standout moments in Doctor Who history.
Regeneration has been a part of Doctor Who ever since the first actor in the role, William Hartnell, became too old to continue as the show’s main lead. Originally conceived as a way to hand wave away the introduction of a new actor in the title role, regeneration is a plot device that has allowed Doctor Who to become one of the most enduring sci-fi TV shows of all time. Whenever the current actor playing the role of The Doctor wants to leave the show, the writers can simply regenerate the character and bring in a new actor in their place.
Doctor Who has also played with the formula of regeneration many times in the past. Some doctors regenerate in a new way, while others get to leave with a passionate speech. It is these subtle differences that make some regenerations better than others.
6 William Hartnell Into Patrick Troughton
The Regeneration That Changed Everything
- Episode: “The Tenth Planet”
- Release Date: October 8, 1966
- Director: Derek Martinus
Before William Hartnell, fans of Doctor Who had no concept of what regeneration even was. In fact, a lot of the show’s many iconic concepts were not introduced until long after the first Doctor had passed. The show was originally conceived as an educational show, with the main character who piloted the TARDIS not being revealed as an alien until much later in the show’s run, so the fact that Doctor Who has lasted so long is nothing short of a miracle.
However, the only reason the show can keep running is thanks to the great addition of regeneration in those early years. Sadly, William Hartnell was struggling to meet the physical demands needed for the show. Therefore, the writers introduced Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor via a process known as regeneration. The first regeneration isn’t visually interesting, as the camera blurs on Hartnell’s face to focus again to reveal Troughton. However, the show would not be the same without it, and so it has to be ranked highly among fans.
5 Christopher Eccleston Into David Tennant
A Quick Way To Say Goodbye To A Fan Favorite
- Episode: “The Parting of the Ways”
- Release Date: June 18, 2005
- Director: Joe Ahearne
Christopher Eccleston was the first actor to play The Doctor in the BBC’s revival of the show, and he sadly only stayed on for one season. As a result, this regeneration is likely to be the first one that many fans ever saw. With The Doctor taking on the energy of the heart of the TARDIS to save his companion, Rose, he quickly goes on to explain that his species can transform as a way to escape death.
While it is sad to say goodbye to the ninth Doctor, his quick regeneration is one of the best. The character explains the situation, smiles, utters his catchphrase, and then explodes in a burst of light that has accompanied every regeneration since. The change is brief, emotional, and visually pleasing, leaving fans wanting more from this great Doctor.
4 Patrick Troughton Into Jon Pertwee
The Show’s Most Mysterious Regeneration Added So Much To The Idea
- Episode: “The War Games”
- Release Date: April 19, 1969
- Director: David Maloney
As the first Doctor, William Hartnell introduced many fans to the stern and knowledgeable characteristics of the show’s lead. However, it was the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, who brought the silly and childish behavior to the character. Sadly, he would only last for three years, as Troughton left the role in a story that saw the Time Lords finally coming to punish The Doctor for stealing the TARDIS.
This marks an odd time in the show’s history, as The Doctor is forced to regenerate and is then exiled to Earth. The swirling heads during this regeneration fit the second Doctor perfectly, but how he was forced to take a new face still remains a mystery to fans.
3 David Tennant Into Ncuti Gatwa
A New Take On A Classic Idea That Gets To Show The Old Interact With The New
- Episode: “The Giggle”
- Release Date: December 9, 2023
- Director: Chanya Button
Technically, the fourteenth Doctor did not regenerate into the fifteenth. Instead, the writers of the 60th anniversary specials decided to add a new concept to the show called bigeneration. As a result, The Doctor does not completely change into his next incarnation after being shot by The Toymaker and instead splits into two.
This means that the fifteenth Doctor gets to run off into the TARDIS and have more adventures, while the previous one finally gets to retire. Some fans love this new idea, while others are indifferent. Either way, it now means that the show has an excuse to bring back David Tennant again for the Doctor Who 70th anniversary.
2 Paul McGann Into John Hurt
Saying Farewell To An Old Favorite In A Long-Awaited Moment
- Episode: “Night of the Doctor”
- Release Date: November 16, 2013
- Director: John Hayes
The eighth version of The Doctor only appeared on-screen once in the American TV movie from 1996, yet he is still considered canon to the main series. As such, this made the revelation of John Hurt’s War Doctor even more confusing to fans at the end of “The Name of the Doctor” before the Doctor Who 50th anniversary. This special episode was supposed to show The Doctor ending the time war, but this new version of the character would rob fans of a Paul McGann return.
Luckily, the BBC decided to give fans of this Doctor a chance to say goodbye in a mini-episode that aired in the run-up to the anniversary. Since the showrunner did not believe that the eighth Doctor would commit genocide, he told the story of this Doctor crashing a ship and then choosing the form of a warrior to fight in the time war. As a result, this regeneration fills in a plot hole while also sending off a great Doctor properly.
1 Matt Smith Into Peter Capaldi
A Regeneration That Allows The Actor And Character To Say Goodbye
- Episode: “The Time of the Doctor”
- Release Date: December 25, 2013
- Director: Jamie Payne
The introduction of the eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, also marked a big shift in the show, as this first season also introduced a new Doctor Who showrunner for the first time since the show’s revival. Fans instantly gravitated toward this younger, more childish version of the character, and the 11th incarnation was beloved. Sadly, it soon came time for this Doctor to regenerate.
The events leading up to 11’s regeneration are quite muddy and complex for what is supposed to be a Christmas special. Essentially, this version of The Doctor spends his remaining years defending a small town before eventually dying of old age. However, before he finally disappears, Smith gets to deliver a moving speech about his time as the character that feels both true to The Doctor and the actor’s experiences on the show. Then a quick sneeze is all it takes to introduce the next incarnation in a witty and poignant goodbye that is still yet to be topped.
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