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An essential guide to the many regenerations of "Doctor Who"

An essential guide to the many regenerations of "Doctor Who"

This post was originally published on Audible.com.

The history of Doctor Who—a long-running British television series about a time-traveling, shapeshifting alien known as a Time Lord—is quite the storied one. It debuted in 1963, got canceled in 1989, was revived ever so briefly in 1996, made a triumphant return in 2005, and now continues to enthrall audiences to this very day in 2024, as Ncuti Gatwa leads the series as the first Black iteration of the title character.

For the uninitiated, these iterations are a major part of the charm of Doctor Who: Every so often, the character regenerates, taking on a new form played by a totally new actor—well, usually, but more on that later. In this article, we'll run down all the main Doctor Who regenerations, detailing who played them, who they shared their adventures with, and even some appropriately themed Doctor Who audiobooks that allow you to dive right into the adventures of whichever Doctor most strikes your fancy. Allons-y!

The First Doctor

William Hartnell was the original Doctor. Over the course of his run, he was joined by a variety of companions, including his granddaughter, Susan; humans from Earth's future, such as the pilot Steven and the orphan Vicki; and humans from Earth's past, such as the Trojan girl Katarina. Recognizable by his all-black ensemble and long gray hair, this Doctor could be quite the curmudgeon, but he loosened up a bit as time went on (Well, whatever "time" may mean to a time traveler...)

The First Doctor Box Set

The Second Doctor

After Hartnell's health issues forced him to bow out, Patrick Troughton stepped up to become the new Doctor, along with multiple companions, and, I am so sorry, but it must be said: the worst haircut ever sported by any Doctor. Beyond the bowl cut, Two was notably the first Doctor to confront the Ice Warriors, Martian reptiles who would go on to become allies to future Doctors.

Doctor Who: The Dominators

The Third Doctor

Unlike the other Doctors, Three, played by Jon Pertwee, spent most of his time stuck on Earth after his fellow Time Lords shut down the TARDIS, the phone-booth-shaped vehicle he uses to travel through time. His best-known companion is Sarah Jane Smith, a journalist who later got her own spin-off show, The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Doctor Who: Harvest of Time (3rd Doctor Novel)

The Fourth Doctor

Instantly recognizable by his whimsy and oversized scarf, Tom Baker's Doctor is one of the most popular, and he remained on the show for longer than any other actor to date. His somewhat moody iteration of the character was joined by his previous incarnation's companion, the ever-popular Sarah Jane.

Doctor Who: The Nest Cottage Chronicles

The Fifth Doctor

Peter Davison plays Five, who dandily dresses like Raffles the Amateur Cracksman. In addition to his human and alien companions, he befriended a robot named Kamelion, who ended up dying horribly—a fact the real-life cast and crew were actually pretty happy about, since they could never get the thing to work properly.

Doctor Who: Time-Flight

The Sixth Doctor

Colin Baker's brightly dressed Doctor unfortunately has the dubious distinction of being one of the shortest-lived regenerations in the show's history. This was due both to the character's unpopularity (fans considered this iteration far less likable than previous Doctors) and behind-the-scenes shenanigans at BBC. His companions were Peri Brown, a college student, and Mel Bush, a computer technician.

Doctor Who: River of Death

The Seventh Doctor

Seven was played by Sylvester McCoy, whose version of the Doctor veered between showy curiosity and deep reticence. Though many modern fans enjoy Seven's adventures, he was much less appreciated at the time the show aired, and so McCoy's tenure didn't last much longer than Colin Baker's before the show was canceled altogether.

Doctor Who: Human Nature

The Eighth Doctor

Doctor Who was briefly revived with Paul McGann, who appeared for a single episode in 1996, in the title role. Friendlier and more outgoing than many of his predecessors, Eight won enough fans to earn multiple appearances in other media, including the audiobook described below. His sole companion was cardiologist Grace Holloway, a different kind of doctor.

Doctor Who: The Teeth of Ice

The Ninth Doctor

The New Who era officially kicked off in 2005. Christopher Eccleston depicted Nine as someone struggling with unresolved trauma and resultant mental health issues who, as a result, sometimes struggled to connect with others. But one person he most certainly did connect with was Captain Jack Harkness, an endearing conman who became so popular that he received his own spin-off series, Torchwood.

Doctor Who: Ninth Doctor Novels

The 10th Doctor

Of all the actors who played the Doctor, David Tennant probably has the most enthusiastic fanbase. He also has some of the most memorable companions, including Rose Tyler and the headstrong Martha Jones, notably the first Black woman to join the Doctor on his travels. Together, they took fans on plenty of rollicking adventures and taught us all to fear the Weeping Angels.

Doctor Who

The 11th Doctor

Matt Smith is another one of the more popular contemporary Doctor Who actors. Eleven can be touchy and irritable at times, but he is always well-dressed in tweed jackets, bow ties, and the occasional (very cool) fez. Eleven's companions include Amy Pond, who once thought the Doctor was her imaginary friend; Amy's husband, Rory; and River Song, an archaeology professor whose mysterious origins were slowly revealed over many episodes.

Doctor Who: Eleventh Doctor Tales

The 12th Doctor

Peter Capaldi effortlessly picked up where Matt Smith left off. Twelve was much less temperamental than his predecessor, but could be quite aloof in his demeanor. Reflecting the change in mood also meant a return to a darker, more simplistic costume choice. In addition to appearing on Doctor Who, Capaldi also made an appearance on the short-lived spin-off series, Class, about the recurring Doctor Who setting, Coal Hill Academy.

Doctor Who: Silhouette: A 12th Doctor Novel

The 13th Doctor

The concept of Doctor Who taking on a female form had been floated for years before finally becoming reality in 2018. Jodie Whittaker's version of the character had a far more warm and welcoming vibe than Capaldi's did and also the best use of suspenders to date. Her companions included Yaz Khan, a police officer, and Dan Lewis, a volunteer at a food bank.

Doctor Who: The Witchfinders

The 14th Doctor

Up until 14, the Doctor had been played by a new actor with every regeneration. But this time around marked a major departure, with the 14th Doctor being portrayed once again by fan-favorite David Tennant. In addition to bringing back the old cast of companions, this iteration was the first to state explicitly on-screen that the Doctor is nonbinary, though the concept previously came up in a comic book featuring Thirteen.

Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder

The 15th Doctor

And so, we finally come to Ncuti Gatwa, the current Doctor and the first actor of color to play the role. First appearing alongside Fourteen in the prior season, he now goes on his own adventures with Ruby Sunday, who joins him in the midst of searching for her birth mother. Though still new to the franchise, Fifteen is already among the most fashionable, charismatic, and fun of all the Doctors.

Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road

Eileen Gonzalez is a freelance writer from Connecticut. She has a master's degree in communications and years of experience writing about pop culture. She contributes to Book Riot, Foreword Reviews, and Popverse.

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