Doctor Who
Summary
Doctor Whodebuted over fifty years ago , featuring over a dozen performers in the lead office of the Doctor thanks in part to the concept of regeneration . An ability possess by their alien race known as the Time Lords , regeneration allows the Doctor to mend otherwise fatal injuries , changing their show and personality in the physical process . inaugurate as a way to recast the role in - creation when the First Doctor William Hartnell ’s health deteriorated , each subsequent Doctor has departed the show with a regeneration .
While some of the regenerations feel like a misanthropical and straight-from-the-shoulder means of carrying the show forward with a fresh star , the most memorable ones have reinforcedDoctor Who ’s overall theme of adventure and joy in the side of the universe of discourse ’s harsher component . The good regeneration even count among the show ’s inviolable sequences , highlighting the manhood of its very alien hero while insert newDoctor Whoactorsand originative direction .
16The Sixth Doctor (1987)
Time and the Rani
Colin Baker was finally give notice from the role of the Doctor , and he refused to return just to be regenerated in season 24 . In the subsequent story , Time and the Rani , the TARDIS is attacked by the Time Lord known as the Rani . The Doctor is mortally wounded and force to regenerate while unconscious .
This regeneration is the worst because it’sthe most cynical software of the storey machine . It ’s a straight-from-the-shoulder effect that removes a performer from the role without any echt emotion or even an on - screen word of farewell . More than any other regeneration , the Sixth Doctor ’s is the weakest .
15The Tenth Doctor (2008)
“Journey’s End”
" Journey ’s End " starts with the Doctor regenerating after being shot by a Dalek in the previous sequence . However , the cliffhanger is promptly undone when the Tenth Doctor just heal himself with the positive feedback energy and wedge the excess power into a written matter of his hand ( that creates a clone of him ) . The 10th Doctor ’s phoney - out positive feedback remains the only metre a Doctor to the full ignore regenerating , making it one of the show ’s most infamous cop - out . However , it does allow Rose Tyler and the doc ’s love story to reach a conclusive ending thanks to the clone , giving it greater emotional heft .
14The Seventh Doctor (1996)
Doctor Who: The Television Movie
After a closely X - long hiatus , Doctor Whoreturned in the form of a TV film . The Seventh Doctor , upon crashing into San Francisco in 1999 , is shot by a gang . accept to a hospital , his alien anatomy leads to the surgeons incidentally killing him mid - mathematical process . While the regeneration is stay by the circumstances ( and subsequentlyfails to give Sylvester McCoy ’s Seventh Doctor a right send - off ) , the frantic pacing and repulsion - tinge face morphing from the Seventh into the next personification of the character at least jibe well into the infamously helter-skelter event of the TV film .
13The Fourth Doctor (1981)
Logopolis
While prevent the Master ’s schemes , the Fourth Doctor is hard bruise by come from a great stature . His worked up last moments give way to the Apocalypse that the mysterious Watcher following them is the next Doctor . The two fuse , regenerating into the Fifth Doctor .
For all his iconic additions to the part , Tom Baker ’s Fourth Doctor still has one of the franchise ’s weirdest regenerations . The wonky particular effects , include a eccentric cocoon as the Doctor ’s body transforms , distract from the emotion of the scene . It ’s a unusual ending to an otherwise self-colored departing tale for the Fourth Doctor .
12The Fifth Doctor (1984)
The Caves of Androzani
After being fatally poisoned alongside his supporter Peri , the Fifth Doctor uses the last antidote on his fellow before buckle under to the toxin . The Fifth Doctor ’s regeneration is a far more internal liaison , with his last moments spent shine on his fallen friends like Adric and enemies like the Master . Thelead - up to his regeneration is more compelling than the event itself , however . His goodbye to Peri is emotionally wrenching , but the dated editing and upshot of his intragroup conflict make his final scene more distracting than move .
11The War Doctor (2013)
“The Day of the Doctor”
A major reveal ofDoctor Who ’s 50th day of remembrance was the cosmos of a secret avatar , who became a warrior during the Time War . John Hurt ’s War Doctor was an piquant demarcation to the Tenth and Eleventh medico in that adventure , at last allow himself to regenerate following their time together . The War Doctor ’s quality emergence across " The Day of the Doctor " break his quick positive feedback more emotional heftiness . Aware he ’ll recede his memory and become acerbate at his perceived failing , he spends his final moment alone but content . It ’s a brief but sweet send - off for one of the shortest - live physician .
10The Eighth Doctor (2013)
“The Night of the Doctor”
In the prequel to " The Day of the Doctor , " Paul McGann ’s Eighth Doctor largely avoids the Time War . severely spite in a spaceship smash and horrified by the conflict , the Sisterhood of Karn give up him to prescribe his regeneration — setting up the origins of the War Doctor . The aroused exercising weight ofthe Dr. choosing to forego his typical noble intention lend this regeneration a sight of power . McGann fully sells the impact of this decision , break by his want to become a Warrior instead of a Doctor . This give his much - malign Doctor a powerful and tragical farewell .
9The First Doctor (1966/2017)
The Tenth Planet & “Twice Upon a Time”
The First Doctor succumbs to old old age after his first face-off with the Cybermen , regenerate without warning . The positive feedback itself is even harsh because the final instalment ofThe Tenth Planetwas lost in the BBC ’s archival wipes . Footage of the positive feedback survived and was spread out upon in " Twice Upon a Time . "
Without the more late adventure , theFirst Doctor ’s regeneration is most memorable for its unprecedented nature . It ’s very sudden , a reminder of how foreign the Doctor is . However , David Bradley ’s performance as the First Doctor hand it greater emotional heft , granting the First Doctor a fittingly bittersweet but hopeful ending .
8The Second Doctor (1969)
The War Games
The onetime positive feedback that survives amply entire , the Second Doctor reform after the other Time Lords of Gallifrey resolve to punish him for his habit of interfering in the result of the world . Despite his protests , the Second Doctor is the only version of the character to be forcibly restore without in reality dying .
The Second Doctor ’s positive feedback is a trippy involvement . While the force may be date , they in reality work in favor of the taradiddle by highlighting that other Time Lords can be effortlessly cruel and irresistibly powerful . The Second Doctor ’s re-formation adds to the lore of the franchisein a compelling way .
7The Ninth Doctor (2005)
“The Parting of the Ways”
The first modern positive feedback , the Ninth Doctor chooses to absorb the Time Vortex energy that would have otherwise killed Rose Tyler . The Ninth Doctor accepts this fate , spending his final minute comfort Rose and declaring that they were both sincerely fantastic before metamorphose into the 10th Doctor . The Ninth Doctor ’s positive feedback has serve as a blueprint for each subsequent one . While quietly heartbreaking , the medico ’s refusal to submit to grief and instead focus on life history highlights the semisweet nature of regeneration . It ’s a tonic balancing act that future regeneration have further refine and improved upon .
