It is quite the task to set up a series premiere for a freshly regenerated Doctor. Introduce a new actor, change the direction of the show, effectively demonstrate the unique traits of the new Doctor, maintain character relationships, and create a clever and exciting story. Doesn’t sound too hard, right? The funny thing is that while this all seems incredibly difficult, Doctor Who always pulls it off. So before we look at Peter Capaldi’s brilliant introduction as the Twelfth Doctor, let’s take a moment to review some of the series premieres for past Doctors and how they’ve set the tone for their respective eras.

First, let’s go back to 2005. “New Who” had a monstrosity of tasks when it returned nearly ten years ago. Not only did it need to deliver the usual list of new Doctor items, it had to sell the general premise to a new generation. What Christopher Eccleston and Russell T. Davies delivered was “Rose,” a funny and equally exciting introduction that won over old Whovians and new fans alike. Though the real story of “Rose” and the series, really, is about Rose Tyler and how meeting The Doctor changes her life, we also get insight into exactly who Nine is and what he will become.

The Ninth Doctor is introduced as an upbeat man with an underlying sadness – The details of which aren’t fully known to new companion Rose Tyler. It’s safe to say this characteristic is shared amongst the newer Doctors. The Ninth Doctor is just perhaps more outwardly expressive of his somberness. Eccleston was, after all, the first to establish the Doctor’s willingness to do right in the universe after experiencing the consequences of the Time War.

In his first episode, The Ninth Doctor doesn’t automatically destroy the Nestene Consciousness when given the chance. Rose even questions why he won’t just throw the anti-plastic into the Consciousness, kill them and be done with it. The Doctor replies, “I’m not here to kill it. I’ve got to give it a chance.” The Ninth Doctor later gets a chance to wipe out the Daleks for good in the finale “The Parting of the Ways” that would cause collateral damage by killing innocent people. Knowing this, the Daleks challenge the Doctor, daring to ask if he would destroy them all, or, is he a coward. The Doctor declares, “Coward. Any day.”

The Ninth Doctor is defined by these kinds of actions since the start of “Rose”. The Doctor didn’t always take this compassionate approach and certainly won’t in later incarnations. But Nine is battle ridden attempting to achieve some sort of redemption. He gives up not in a fit of defeat but acceptance. He gets frustrated but he is not cruel. “Rose” set a tone and character that follows The Ninth Doctor to his end and pushed him to become better.

Going from a specific characteristic to general tone, The Eleventh Doctor’s introduction in “The Eleventh Hour” set up the series in a unique way. In “The Eleventh Hour,” The Doctor is freakishly energetic, running around in an attempt to save Earth without his trusty TARDIS. In what would become trademark qualities of Eleven, he is quirky, slapstick, yet curious and clever. But personality aside, key elements from this episode would later reappear throughout the series, including the consequences of The Doctor choosing Amy Pond as a companion and leaving the night before Amy and Rory’s wedding. It’s fair to say The Eleventh Doctor is the story arc Doctor so far. Story arcs touched previous doctors’ eras but they really rooted themselves when Matt Smith took the reins with Steven Moffat leading the charge. What makes Eleven’s eras unique is that the arcs directly involve The Doctor and his companions. The characters themselves become plot devices and an integral part of the series kicked off in “The Eleventh Hour.” Amy is introduced under strange circumstances with the crack in her wall, The Doctor’s influence in Amy’s life affects Rory and their future daughter River; and in what is the ultimate arc in Eleven’s era, The Silence deliver a warning at the end of the first episode through Prisoner Zero hinting at The Doctor’s eventual demise – which won’t even happen for several years.

Ok, so let’s come back to the present series and how things kicked off with Peter Capaldi. After viewing The Twelfth Doctor’s introductory episode, “Deep Breath,” I am excited to see how this sets the tone for the rest of Series 8. Twelve certainly made a powerful entrance. He is more alien, darker, and mysterious. He is clearly not the kind of person you want to run into but he is also caring. He makes an extraordinary effort to make Clara understand he is still The Doctor even going as far as to contacting her from the in his previous incarnation to help her adjust to the regeneration. He just doesn’t wear his hearts on his sleeve. Still, you truly get the indication that you don’t really know him.

Just where will The Twelfth Doctor take us? Will he always be this mysterious, even to his companions? Will the series as a whole be dark? I guess we will just have to wait and see. But if “Deep Breath” is any indication, we are in for quite the ride.

The Doctor’s Wife (series six, episode four) is by far, to date at least, my favourite episode of Doctor Who. I absolutely love it! It’s fun, quirky and full of the usual adventurey stuff we expect from our favourite time travelling alien. In this episode we finally get to meet his one and only lifetime companion and wife, the Tardis. The one thing that has been there for him, and us, since the beginning of time (and Doctor Who) itself. We meet her in a human form after being sucked from the console into the flesh body by House.

When we first meet Idris, she comes across as an insane person, greeting the doctor with “Thief! Thief! You’re my thief!” (Idris, series six, episode four). She goes on to say a lot of things very fast about tenses “Are you going to steal me? No, you have stolen me. You are stealing me. Oh! Tenses are difficult, aren’t they?” This very much reminds me of what the Doctor would say when he goes off on one of his rants. Straight away we see how similar they are without really knowing anything about her. I love the character Idris. The way she is portrayed as such an insane being but with such great power as we see throughout the duration of the episode, as we discover with the Doctor who Idris really is.

Another reason I really love this episode is because it gives Matt Smith the chance to face the Doctors past for the first time. This is the first time in his regeneration, the Time Lord faces his past and what he’s lost. It gives Matt Smith the chance to really show how far the character has come, especially in the more recent years since Christopher Eccleston, in dealing with his background and what happened to the time lords. “”You want to be forgiven.” “Don’t we all?”" (Amy and the Doctor). For this regeneration of the Doctor he is looking for forgiveness, he has dealt with what he had to do to the Time Lords during the last two regenerations and now is seeking forgiveness. You can see how hopeful and emotional he is at the idea of there potentially being more Time Lords out there, and nice ones too. When he opens the cupboard to reveal the collection of Time Lord distress signals, you can see how angry and upset he is. He was so full of hope and excitement at the possibility of “having friends” (The Doctor), just to find messages from the long dead. For an actor, being given the chance to play a wide and extreme range of emotions in the first fifteen minutes of an episode is extraordinary and the way Matt Smith shows the contrasting emotions is just beautiful. He manages to put across all the pain and disappointment with his eyes when he is looking at the distress signal boxes. This is such a beautiful piece of acting that adds to the overall feel of the episode. It shows what a brilliant actor Matt Smith is.

There’s a rather dark moment in this episode when we hear of the true extent of what House actually did to the Time Lords that came to the planet, “It’s been a great arm for me, this. He was a strapping big bloke, wasn’t he, Uncle? I got the arm and then Uncle got the spine and the kidneys.” (Aunty, series six, episode four). When the Doctor is looking at Aunties arm he notices the tattoo of another Time Lord, Corsair. He is the Time Lord that, at the beginning of this episode, the Doctor got the distress signal box from, seeing the tattoo really angers the Doctor because it was Corsairs box that gave him the initial hope. What we can gather from what is said by Aunty in this scene, is that House literally ripped the Time Lords apart. He then created the “patchwork people” out of the parts. It’s almost like House is creating trophies, living breathing trophies out of both Time Lord parts and other parts that fall through the rift. It is a really dark concept when you take the idea apart and think about it.

It has always been accepted that the Doctor stole the Tardis and ran away to see the stars, in this episode we hear it from the other perspective, “”And then you stole me. And I stole you” “I borrowed you.” “Borrowing implies the eventual intention to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ever give you back?” (Idris and the Doctor). Hearing it from the Tardisis point of view is just genius. She chose him. The Tardis chose her Time Lord and went to see the stars. It’s always been said that the Doctor stole the Tardis and ran away to see the stars but from the Tardisis perspective she stole a Time Lord and ran away to see the stars, “I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Time Lord and I ran away. And you were the only one mad enough” (Idris). Her Doctor. During this scene when the Doctor realises that Idris is the Tardis he is completely overjoyed, his Tardis living, breathing and talking. As soon as he learns that, he trusts her.
After finding out that Idris is the Tardis, the relationship between them grows and blossoms really fast, after all they have been together through all of time and space, “You’re the Doctor. Focus.” (Idris). She knows that she is dying and when the Doctor finds out he gets emotional, naturally. She tells him to not get emotional and focus because it’s the only way he is going to save her, Amy and Rory, who are trapped in the Tardis that is being flown by House. She knows how he ticks and how he works best and that’s when he’s focused. She makes him rant about being “a madman with a box without a box!” (the Doctor) and in turn works out that he can build a new Tardis out of old bits, eventually saving everyone.

When they are together in the Tardis junkyard, it’s the first time they really talk, “”I just want to say, you know, you have never been very reliable. You didn’t always take me where I wanted to go.” “No but I always took you where you needed to go.”" (Th Doctor and Idris). This is a stunning moment between the two of them where we see that she is in total control, she knows exactly what she’s doing and where she needs to go, despite everything and everyone that the Doctor brings back. When the line, “and bring home stays” (Idris) is said during this argument, my first thought is of Rose. I suppose to me he did literally pull Rose off the street, making her a stray. She was looking for an escape from her everyday nine to five life and when a stranger grabbed her hand and said “run” (Christopher Eccleston, series one, episode one, 2005) she did, and never looked back. In my eyes when he brought Rose to the Tardis it was like brining home a stray as Idris says.

During the same scene Idris brings up the fact that the Doctor never reads instructions, “”There’s a sign on my front door. You have been walking past it for 700 years. What does it say? “That’s not instructions!” “There’s an instruction at the bottom. What does it say?” “Pull to open” “Yes. And what do you do?” “I push!” “Every single time. 700 years. Police box doors open out the way.”" (Idris and the Doctor). This is just brilliant! It has always slightly confused me that despite the sign that says “pull to open” the Doctor pushes. For Idris to mention that basically makes the episode for me. That moment is witty, well performed and extremely well written. It’s one of those quirky moments that only ever happen in Doctor Who. I love this because it shows how childish the Doctor is in comparison to the Tardis. She “exists across all space and time” (Idris) and is infinite and completely brilliant. She knows the Doctor like no one else and knows how to make him work best and get the best results, this is really shown in this scene between them. It shows their complex relationship of 700 years of time travel with three simple words “pull to open”.

Neil Gaiman, the writter of this episode, in my opinion is a masterful wordsmith. The script writing for Idris is beautiful and intelligent. It completely portrays how the Tardis would sound if she could talk. Completely insane but a total genius, kind of like the Doctor. When she is in the cage and muttering almost gibberish she says lines that she later says to the Doctors, “like a nine-year-old trying to rebuild a motorbike in his bedroom” (Idris). This is very subtle and clever script writing showing how much the Tardis really does know and plans ahead. Gaiman is one of my favourite writers and this episode contains his flare and passion for creating unique and different worlds that can capture the imagination. Yet also keeping the eccentricity that Doctor Who is known for.

The idea of using a past control room is fantastic, it’s another moment where we see that the Tardis literally knows everything. By archiving the past and future control rooms she always has a record. It is a very amazing moment when Amy touches the controls and the room lights up, it’s a little look back at the past two Doctors control room. This is also the first time we see more of the Tardis than just the main control room, we get to see corridors and the last control room too. It’s nice to see a bit more of the Tardis and have a slightly better idea of how much bigger on the inside she really is. There is literally an entire world in that blue box.

When the four of them are reunited again, the Doctor introduces Amy and Rory to his Tardis, “”She’s a woman and she’s the Tardis.” “Did you wish really hard?” “Shut up! Not like that.” “Hello. I’m…… Sexy”" (The Doctor, Amy and Idris). This is a fabulous moment between the four of them, it basically shows how the women in the Doctors life really do know how he ticks. Despite being so closed about a lot of things, he can be so easy to read and understand too. In this moment you can see that. Amy entirely understands him and what he’s like in the same way Idris does.

Towards the end of the episode when Idris dies, she is sat talking to Rory. We later find out what she was saying, “the only water in the forest is the river” (Rory). We later find out that she is actually referring to the big reveal that Melody Pond is River Song. Even when she was dying she was trying to warn the Doctor of what is about to come and how far he is about to fall.

The final moment between the Doctor and Idris is utterly moving, “”There’s something I didn’t get to say to you.” “Goodbye?” “No, I just wanted to say… hello. Hello, Doctor. It’s to very, very nice to meet you.”" (Idris and the Doctor). The entire conversation they have is so moving, I would quite happily quote it all! We see how much they really do love each other despite never ever speaking before. She is always there for him, she always listens and she’s his home. This final conversation and final goodbye is so fitting and perfect. As she vanishes whispering “I love you” (Idris), you know how special and powerful their bond is. It will never be broken. As Amy says, “It’s always you and her, isn’t it? Long after the rest of us have gone. A boy and his box off to see the universe.” (Amy). Those three simple sentences sum it up for me. Just a mad man with a box.

Well after writing this, I have fallen more in love with this episode, it’s so perfectly Doctor Who. We finally get to hear things from the Tardisis point of view, “this is when we talked” (Idris). We get to see a brilliant story, with genius script writing, and an intimate ending. It’s a story on its own. To date this is my favourite episode. I met Neil Gaiman at a book signing and I thanked him for this episode and he said it was a pleasure writing it. Whenever I watch it, which is a lot, I remember that and you can see it in the script. See the pleasure on screen. This is the time we met the Doctor’s wife, and it’s my favourite adventure. “Being alive right now is all that counts” (The Doctor), so be alive.

Editorial written by Beth Willicome

The ‘Bad Wolf’ arc began in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper leading us through the story of the big, Bad Wolf. Although the actual words appeared throughout the series in the form of posters, graffiti and even as the name of a TV corporation, it was played so subtly, that I wonder if many noticed it as a recurring theme, let alone to have the significance it has in our minds today. I certainly didn’t notice it during my initial viewing of the series, but now, as I re-watch the first series of New-Who, I can’t help but remark how prevalent those two words were throughout.

During the first series of New-Who, the words ‘Bad’ and ‘Wolf’ appeared throughout. Of course, by the end of that series finale, we all learnt the true meaning of those words and the consequences they had for Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor leading to a ‘fantastic’ closing speech from the 9th Doctor and a Tennant-themed regeneration (‘The Parting of the Ways’, 2005). But what is the effect of the Bad Wolf arc on the show past the first series, and why is it still recognisable today?

Firstly, for both fans and the Doctor, Bad Wolf means one thing: Rose Tyler. Those words are a constant reminder of her triumphant sacrifice for the man she barely knew, but loved to the end of the world (and yes, she’s been there, so she knows). Who can forget the moment when she stepped out of the TARDIS sporting gold eyes and a distinct glow uttering the words ‘I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself’ (‘The Parting of the Ways’, 2005). The speech provided so many answers and created a lot more questions; Rose ‘brought life’, not only to the world she was saving by eliminating the Daleks, but to one very special American: Captain Jack Harkness. For Rose, ‘Bad Wolf’ means being completely and utterly faithful to the Doctor, and it also shows an expansion of the companion role; Rose takes matters into her own hands by properly and intelligently saving the Doctor. She proves that the companions don’t have to be idle, and wait for instructions from the Doctor, they can take action themselves. To put it short, Rose Tyler created a new style of companion which completely fit in with New-Who and one that has continued; Martha joined UNIT in defiance of being the subordinate companion, poor Donna showed the Doctor that villains don’t have to be killed in order to save the day (‘The Runaway Bride’, 2006), and Amy Pond was never afraid to tell the Doctor when he was going too far (‘The Beast Below’, 2010).

Aside from being a signifier of Rose Tyler, ‘Bad Wolf’ is, apparently, the universal code for ‘danger’. Not just your run-of-the-mill type danger commonly seen in a Doctor Who episode, ‘Bad Wolf’ should only be used in a dire ‘it’s the end of the world as we know it’ style condition. Think Daleks: think ‘Bad Wolf’. Saying ‘Bad Wolf’ is infinitely quicker than saying ‘please help, we’re in a bit of a pickle here’; ‘Bad Wolf’ is the Doctor’s own ‘code red’. Take 2008’s ‘Turn Left’ for example. In a major development of the series (which had been hinted at throughout), Rose Tyler returned in Donna’s parallel universe being all enigmatic and mysterious. Popping up with blue light and electricity sounds, Rose guided Donna through the traumatic parallel world proving that she needed to make the same decision she did in the normal world by turning left. But arguably more important than Donna’s choice, Rose had a role to play in that episode – she had to communicate to the Doctor that the universe was disappearing. Pretty big message which she chose to convey through those two, immortal words: ‘Bad Wolf’. As Donna strained to remember what Rose said to her, we (and probably the Doctor) all held our breath as we knew, we just knew, ‘Bad Wolf’ was the message; and shall we never forget the 10th Doctor’s face upon hearing those words for the first time in years.

Of course, we most recently come across the Bad Wolf arc in ‘The Day of the Doctor’ (2013), with Billie Piper reprising her role as the Bad Wolf girl, but not how we would expect. When photos and trailers were released with Billie and her golden eyes, an internet storm was produced, leaving many suspecting why our beloved Rose had gone all Bad Wolf on us again. A quick little spoiler note, although I’m fairly certain every Whovian in the land has seen ‘The Day of the Doctor’, Rose wasn’t Rose; Billie played ‘The Moment’ or rather, the conscience of The Moment. Why it took the form of Rose, let alone Bad Wolf Rose, was never really explained. For me, I reckon it was an easy way to get one of the best-loved companions back in for the 50th. This wasn’t really a bad result either; it was much easier to have Rose in the form of The Moment which was relevant to the story as opposed to wasting valuable narrative time detailing how Rose and the half-Doctor-half human version were getting on. However, maybe having The Moment in the guise of Bad Wolf Rose did have a purpose; after all, as I said above, ‘Bad Wolf’ should not be used lightly and what the three Doctor’s (or should that be all thirteen?) did was massive. Not only did they change their own timeline, but they changed the timelines of Gallifrey, the Daleks, and many, many more planets which were affected by the Time War. The events of ‘The Day of the Doctor’ were game-changing, and so big that they would demand the kind of ‘Bad Wolf’ warning discussed above. When John Hurt shouts ‘oh Bad Wolf girl, I could kiss you!’, it’s safe to say that all of our heartstrings tugged at David Tennant’s pained and confused face at the memory of Rose, but maybe this was more than just a reference to his lost love; that mention of the Bad Wolf girl serves as a reminder to the Doctor of how serious the consequences of his actions could potentially be.

Aside from the basic narrative meaning of ‘Bad Wolf’, those two words mean a lot more to Whovians; it is the signifier of a successful return to the BBC for Doctor Who. That storyline and the characters who brought it to life meant that almost ten years later, Doctor Who is still as popular, if not more so, as when it burst back onto our screens in 2005; I for one would be very surprised if a small reference to it isn’t made in next year’s ten year anniversary of New-Who. So to answer the question posed in the title, ‘who’s afraid of the big, Bad Wolf?’ Certainly not me and here’s to many more years of the Bad Wolf�� Maybe even a couple of Cybermen, Weeping Angels and Daleks too.

Editorial written by Helen Daly

When Peter Capaldi was announced as the 12th Doctor in August last year, the internet exploded; mainly because the thought of Malcolm Tucker flying the TARDIS and having choice words with the Daleks was overwhelming. Some were surprised at the casting of an older man in the role of the Doctor whereas others saw it as natural progression to move from young to old. Capaldi and series eight will burst onto our screens later in the year, but just what effect will he have on the show?

Capaldi was 55 when he was cast as the Doctor, coincidentally the same age as the man who started it all, William Hartnell. When Capaldi entered the stage in August 2013 and clutched his jacket just as the first Doctor did, it’s fair to say, the Whoniverse squealed a little as they realised that not only was this casting going to be completely new and inventive, but it’s going to take the show right back to where it started in 1963. So far we’ve had two glimpses of Capaldi’s Doctor. The first being those eyes that flashed on the screen for the briefest of moments in The Day of the Doctor (2013) which instantly signified an ‘oncoming storm’ that the Daleks have spoken of for many years. The second clip of Capaldi in the role was shown at the end of The Time of the Doctor (2013); after Matt Smith’s heart-breaking departure in the Christmas special, Capaldi came bursting on to the TARDIS shouting about the colour of his kidneys. At this, anyone who had their doubts about Capaldi being too old surely should have gone to sit in a corner and think about what they had done. There’s a kind of neatness to the whole affair that fifty years after the show began with a 55 year old Doctor the show would return to casting a 55 year old Doctor to ensure the 100th anniversary. It’s the kind of legacy –ensuring move that should leave all Whovians feeling safe in the knowledge that Capaldi’s casting was for the good of the show.

In terms of the chronology of actors, Capaldi’s casting makes sense. Following the superb Doctor that Matt Smith gave to us, it would be questionable to cast another young Doctor in the role. The theme of casting a completely different Doctor to their predecessor has run pretty much throughout. When Patrick Troughton took over the role which Hartnell not only made famous, but owned, he was younger (46). It seemed like an essential move; Troughton simply had to inject his personality and a new sense of life into the role. Following from the 2nd Doctor, Jon Pertwee and his fighting style erupted into the role when he was 51 thus proving that older, doesn’t necessarily mean less energy. Carrying the baton after Pertwee was the beloved Tom Baker at his youthful age of 40, meaning he was the youngest of the four. Baker became one of the most loved and iconic Doctors of Classic Who which thus prompted the issue of how to continue the show. Enter the brilliant Peter Davidson (at 30, the youngest Doctor until Matt Smith) to introduce his youthful vigour into the role. The Doctor moved from young back to slightly older with Colin Baker and his colourful get-up thus proving that you don’t have to be the youngest to wear the snazziest outfit. From the second Baker to the 44 year old McCoy; here we see a break from tradition where the ages of the Doctors are not dissimilar (but the styles are undoubtedly different). Next is the 8th Doctor, Paul McGann at 37 returning to the old versus young debate. Bringing in the New-Who was the 41 year old (and quite frankly ‘fantastic’ – see what I did there?), Christopher Eccleston. Following on from his perfect reinvention of the

Time Lord, enter the 34 year old, delightful David Tennant with his unforgettable 10th Doctor. When Tennant announced his departure in 2008, just like when Tom Baker left, everyone wondered who would, and who could replace him. It seems like Moffat and his gang took inspiration from Tom Baker’s successor and cast the youngest ever Doctor, the 29 year old Matt Smith as the amazingly quirky and beautifully portrayed 11th Doctor.

So what I’m trying to say from this investigation of the chronology is that age doesn’t really matter when it comes to playing the Doctor (let’s not forget John Hurt’s enigmatic portrayal of the War Doctor at the age of 74). From Pertwee’s fighting to Colin Baker’s ‘Technicolor Dream Coat’, and from Hartnell’s refined attitude to Tennant’s romantically charged escapades, the Doctor can be anything the actors and the writers want him to be. Be it quirky, serious or simply alien, age doesn’t matter for the actors playing the Doctor.

A similar debate was held when Matt Smith was cast; some thought he would be too young to play a 900 year old alien, but weren’t they proven wrong? Smith was not only an incredible actor, but his ability to convey the juxtaposition of the old, yet young-at-heart Time Lord was inspired. Therefore, a question: what is the correct age to play the Doctor? Answer: it doesn’t matter one tiny little bit. As Capaldi recently revealed in an interview, he himself feels ‘too young’ to play the Time Lord; and with claims like that, I think he’s completely right. Like his predecessors, Capaldi will take Doctor Who into a new dimension. Perhaps the 12th Doctor will have a more mature outlook on time travelling, maybe at an attempt of attracting a mature audience which may have been lost in the more light-hearted episodes of New-Who. We can speculate all we like, and let’s be honest, Whovians do it well, but we’ll have to wait until Doctor Who returns to our screens later this year to see exactly what direction Capaldi will take the show; my only wish is that I could travel in time to autumn to see Capaldi’s grand debut. But hey, to paraphrase Madame de Pompadour (The Girl in the Fireplace, 2006), I guess some of us just have to take the slow road.

Editorial written by Helen Daly

The recent casting of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor has split the Doctor Who fandom down the middle; some praise the new direction and see it as a welcome change of pace, while others view it as a step backwards for the show, even going so far as to stop watching it as a show of their disapproval. But is this criticism justified? Is Doctor Who really so far gone from the time in which its lead actor could be over forty? But more importantly, has the age of the lead actor ever actually impacted the quality of the program?

Emphasis on the Doctor’s age has been present since the beginning of Doctor Who. In 1966, the choice was made to replace lead actor William Hartnell with an actor more than a decade younger than him. This was considered by many to be the saving grace of the show, breathing new life into Doctor Who much in the same way regeneration breathed new life into the Doctor. Patrick Troughton brought with him to the show a new kind of wit, charm, and energy largely made possible by his comparative youth.

Years later, when Doctor Who had long since become a household name thanks to the likes of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, producers shocked viewers by casting Peter Davison in the role as the Fifth Doctor, seventeen years younger than his predecessor and the youngest actor to play the Doctor to date. Until this point, the Doctor had consistently been portrayed as a grandfatherly figure. Now, the Doctor had a new way of interacting with his companions and the world around him, showcasing new dimensions of his character. The revived series had a similar effect with the casting of Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, who broke Davison’s record as the youngest actor to portray the Doctor.

But how does the age of the actor impact the character? Susan once described the Doctor in his first incarnation as, despite his outward appearance, an adolescent by Time Lord standards. This is confirmed later by the Tenth Doctor who once said “Back when I first started at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important like you do when you’re young” (Tenth Doctor, Time Crash, 2007). Assuming this line of thinking, we see the start of the Doctor’s journey stemming not just from a desire to see the Universe, but also from the need many of us feel when we’re young to break free from conformity and discover ourselves. This gives fans another level they can connect to the Doctor on; not just as a grandparent or caretaker, but as someone they can relate to as well.

After meeting his fifth incarnation, the Tenth Doctor reminisces about when he was that Doctor, noting that at that point in his life he had grown in maturity, being less concerned with coming off as important and more with adventure and just enjoying himself. This insight portrays Davison’s incarnation as the Doctor’s idealized self, again, in a way many can relate to: having the wisdom that comes with age coupled with the energy and spirit of youth.

To this date, the oldest actor to portray the Doctor has been John Hurt as the War Doctor, and this was utilized in his characterization. This was the Doctor who was forced to engage in the Time War, and thus was the most worn down out of all his incarnations. Where past Doctors such as the Fifth and the Eighth physically embodied the benefits of age and experience, the War Doctor embodied the harsh realities associated with adulthood.

Hurt’s incarnation was followed by Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith, three more young Doctors. Eccleston, the oldest of the trio, portrayed the Ninth Doctor as a shell-shocked survivor of the Time War, and represented a transitional period in the Doctor’s life. Coming to grips with what the War Doctor experienced, the Ninth Doctor wished to return his life to the way it was before the Time War, taking companions and having adventures. As noted by the War Doctor, the Doctor’s next two incarnations were, as a result, more extreme

versions of this mindset, possessing much more childlike demeanors; desperate to reclaim their lost youth. This again represents a common symptom experienced by those worn down by age: the attempt to overcompensate with the childishness associated with youth. These two incarnations were questioned on this by the War Doctor, who asked “What is it that makes you so ashamed of being a grown up?” (War Doctor, the Day of the Doctor, 2013).

The climax of the Day of the Doctor saw all thirteen incarnations of the Doctor, including Peter Capaldi, come together to undo what the Doctor saw as his greatest mistake: the destruction of Gallifrey and the Time Lords. The choice to include all thirteen Doctors was more than a mere exciting moment to end an anniversary special on, but is in fact deeply symbolic. The Doctor takes control of his life, guiding it to an outcome he can actually be proud of. Utilizing every incarnation, it is as if the Doctor’s life has now been on the right track from the very beginning.

Enter Peter Capaldi. With these recent developments in the show, Capaldi’s casting makes perfect sense. The Doctor was triumphant in his endeavor; the Time Lords were saved and the immense weight of their demise was lifted from his shoulders. Finally able to let go of his self-loathing, the Doctor is, as the War Doctor would put it, no longer ashamed of being a grown-up. Regenerating into an older looking man is an outward reflection of his acceptance.

Not only is Peter Capaldi’s casting sensible within the narrative of the show, it is also vital to the overall message Doctor Who sends. Seeing the Doctor not only come to grips with his age but embrace it after painfully trying to hold onto the past, again, something many of us suffer from in our later years, teaches viewers that adulthood isn’t something to be feared and dreaded, the end of the best time in our life. Instead, it should be the thing we strive for, since adulthood is the sign that we are complete as people. The casting of the Twelfth Doctor is not only a boon to the show because Peter Capaldi is a fantastic actor with immeasurable talent, charm, wit, and charisma, but because formulaically, it contributes to the time honored tradition Doctor Who has of turning its viewers into smarter, wiser, better human beings.

Editorial written by Stephen Bernardi

Steven Moffat has revealed he wasn’t surprised when Chris Eccleston turned down the chance to return for The Day of the Doctor.

The showrunner told journalists at the Celebration that the Ninth Doctor actor was “very gentlemanly” when he turned down the invitation to appear in the landmark special.

“We did a couple of meetings and I had this giddy moment where I thought ‘Would he actually do it?’” he said.

He continued: “He was very measured and kind about it. He’s a good bloke. If you look at his career, this is not what he does. The Ninth Doctor does the battle, not the party.”

Chris himself has previously said he would “never bathe in the same river twice”.

The Day of the Doctor will premiere on TV and in 3D cinemas worldwide tomorrow night.

Share your 50th anniversary hopes and dreams in our dedicated discussion…

Puffin’s 50th anniversary e-book series continues this month as the Eighth Doctor steps into the spotlight.

In the new adventure, Spore, our beloved Time Lord faces a flesh-liquefying virus, and WhovianNet.co.uk recently caught up with the author to find out more about the story, which is available to DOWNLOAD from tomorrow (Friday).

Alex Scarrow is the writer behind novels including Last Light, The Candleman and the popular sci-fi series TimeRiders.

Thanks Alex for your time! Visit his site here and follow him on Twitter @AlexScarrow.

Q) Hi Alex. How did you get involved in the Doctor Who e-book series?
A) I was approached by Puffin, my publishers for the TimeRiders series. They thought with that being a time travel series that this Doctor Who anthology would be a good match-up for me.

Q) Are you a long term fan of the series?
A) It has been an on-off love affair since childhood. I’m a fan of the classic Pertwee era, partly because those episodes were far more terrifying than the later Baker/Davidson/McCoy era. They felt more like Quatermass. Of the reboot stuff, my favourite season was the first one with Christopher Ecclestone playing the Doctor.

Q) And when did you first realise you were interested in writing?
A) When I was 9! I used to hand-write exercise books full of short stories.

Q) Drawing from your own personal experiences, what advice would you give to any aspiring writers reading this?
A) First of all, if you’re going to go for writing a full length novel, make sure you have your ending clear in your mind. Most important thing, that. If you have a clear ending, then your book will have a direction of travel and you’ll be far more likely to finish it. Secondly, I think it’s originality that is the trump suit. I’ll say that again so that it’s nice n’ clear. ORIGINALITY IS THE TRUMP SUIT. Ideas… original, fresh, ideas. That’s what commissioning editors are looking for more than anything else. Writing style/technique can be worked on, polished, improved, but a dull, samey, me-too idea is just that and will languish in the slush pile along with all the other dull, samey, me-too ideas.

Q) What was the inspiration behind featuring a flesh-liquefying virus?
A) I love plague stories. So what’s cooler than a virus that can ‘think’? I love gory gooey stuff!

Q) If you hadn’t written for the Eighth Doctor, which other incarnation would you have liked to have explored?
A) I’d LOVE to have blagged writing a story for the new Doctor! I love Peter Capaldi. I think he’s the perfect choice. I think it signals that Doctor Who is going to start ‘growing up’ again and becoming darker and slightly more cerebral. I do hope so.

Q) How did you approach the story in terms of the the research aspect?
A) I have a micro-biologist friend who helped me with some of the sceincey-wiencey stuff. But to be honest the Von Neumann idea has been a classic sci-fi trope for decades.

Q) What did you set out to achieve with Spore?
A) I wanted to write a dark and creepy story that felt like it really could happen in this world. Something that felt grounded and real. With an imminent Bird-Flue epidemic heading our way within the next decade, sheeesh… Spore might feel like it’s a bit too much like real life.

Q) Finally, have you got any other projects you can tell us about?
A) Yes. I’d love your readers to give my other series ELLIE QUIN a look on their kindles. Best way of describing it is… it’s like ‘Hitchhikers Guide meets Bridget Jones’. Or maybe ‘Thelma and Louise’ in space. It’s a thriller set in a colourful universe. I think they’d enjoy it. And of course, TIMERIDERS. I’m sure some Whovians may have heard of that by now!

Share your 50th anniversary hopes and dreams in our dedicated discussion…

A new Doctor Who novel, Dark Horizons, is published this month! We recently caught up with its author, Jenny Colgan, to find out more about what her adventure has in store.

In the story, islanders living on a windswept Northern shore believe the worst they have to fear is a Viking attack – then the burning comes, consuming everything in its path. While the Doctor is just looking for a game on the Lewis chess set, he instead encounters people under attack from a power they can’t understand. Why do the burned still speak?

Read our exclusive Q&A with Jenny below. Huge thank you for answering our questions!

Q. When did you first realise that you wanted to become an author?
A. Well, I kind of always would have LIKED to have done it, but I wouldn’t necessarily have considered it any more likely than being a pop star or a ballerina or something. It doesn’t normally happen to comprehensive school girls from Ayrshire. So it was a total thrill when it actually did happen.

Q. What advice/tips would you give to any aspiring writers out there?
A. Okay, well, here it is, but no one ever likes it, okay? I’m warning you. It’s just got to get done. I knew so many people starting out who were so talented and never got published in the end because they simply couldn’t get the words on the page at the right time. If you want to write for a living, you need to know this: research isn’t writing; going to writing courses isn’t writing; playing with Scrivener isn’t writing, ‘planning’ isn’t writing, sticking stuff on index cards isn’t writing, messing about on the internet isn’t writing; even editing isn’t writing (you do that when you’re finished all the writing). If you find yourself doing anything to avoid the actually typing of the words, then maybe it’s not for you. Sorry, I know, it sounds SO awful, doesn’t it? All I can say is, I’ve been making a living at this for a decade and a half; people ask me all the time, and that’s the only wholly honest answer I can give, because I’m not trying to hawk you vanity publishing or writing courses.

Q. You are best known for your romantic comedies. What was it like taking the leap to the sci-fi genre for this Doctor Who novel?
A. Well, this will sound weird, but actually not much. All I ever try to do is write a cool story in a cool way. You’re more likely to face death in this one, but the principles – to keep the story moving, to keep the pages turning by themselves – is exactly the same.

Q. Were you a fan of Doctor Who when you were growing up?
A. Oh, not at all, I just thought why not have a shot… oh, I’m only joking! Of course, I’ve always been passionate. The first ones I really remember properly are the brilliant final Tom Baker years with the second Romana and City of Death and Warriors Gate, so I came on board at a good time. Then a second cousin visited from Canada and she was a mad fan too and we both made each other worse. When I was ten I entered a W.H. Smiths competition to ‘Meet Doctor Who’ and I won! I got to meet Peter Davison on set at Television Centre in London, who was charming and told me not to look inside the TARDIS as I’d only be disappointed. I also had short hair back then and he called me ’son’ – they didn’t really have girl Whovians in those days I don’t think. I read somewhere subsequently that David Tennant entered the same competition and lost. Heh heh heh. Although I think he kind of recovered.

Q. So what can fans expect from Dark Horizons?
A. Vikings, longships, enormous conflagrations, chess, famine, a kidnapped princess and a dead TARDIS at the bottom of the ocean. Will that do for starters?

Q. How did you writing your very own tie-in novel for the series come about?
A. My friend Naomi Alderman had done one which I liked, and it had never occurred to me before. Then I got in touch with BBC Books and proposed some ideas and they thought about it and made me promise not to make the Doctor do any kissing and then we were on. That’s missing out the part about me begging repeatedly by the way.

Q. Dark Horizons features the historic Lewis Chessmen set. What made you choose to include them in your novel?
A. I love the Lewis Chessmen, I think they’re stunning; even though the set is nearly a thousand years old, the faces are so recognisably human and quirky and interesting. And also, there’s loads of theories about who and what they were for, but nobody really knows for sure. Which seemed like a cool mystery the Doctor might enjoy. We already know he likes chess and Scotland.

Q. What would you say are the most exciting and challenging parts of writing a Doctor Who novel?
A. It was all exciting. The first time you even type the words ‘The Doctor left the TARDIS’ or whatever, you’re already so far into your childhood dreams it’s just incredible. I nearly exploded when they sent me the cover. As for challenging, the big one is the passing of time. On TV a lot of the adventures are wrapped up in the space of forty five minutes, but in the book you have a much broader canvas to work on, but it takes place over several days, or, as in Dark Horizons, even weeks.

Q. Dark Horizons is a brand new adventure for Matt Smith’s Doctor. Did you enjoy being able to convey his various characteristics and traits on page?
A. Well, I hope I’ve caught him. I love Matt, he’s so patently alien before he even opens his mouth. Also I was interested in how he moves: Christopher Eccleston had this real solidity about him. If he fixed something it stays fixed; he was quite scary. David Tennant was this amazing fizzy ball of charisma, he never stopped for a second, unless he was totally furious. Matt is actually very graceful I think. I know he used to play sport and it shows. Chris really couldn’t dance, but I bet Matt can (I am basing this on no evidence at all, by the way).

Q. Have you got any other Doctor Who projects lined up for the future?
A. I shall return to begging mode and keep my fingers very tightly crossed!

Dark Horizons is released on 5th July. Pre-order it now! Our review will be up tomorrow.

Congratulations to Matt Smith, who was named as the Most Stylish Man of the Year at last year’s GQ Men of the Year Awards, as voted for by readers of GQ Magazine!

He recieved the award for his fashionable portrayals of the Doctor and Christopher Isherwood in Christopher and his Kind, as well as for always looking trendy off screen too.

At last year’s awards he won Best Actor, however this year that title went to Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch.

Christopher and his Kind - the one-off drama starring Matt Smith - has been released on DVD today.

The drama, which aired on Saturday, tells the story of celebrated author Christopher Isherwood, who escapes the repressive English society and the suffocating relationship with his mother (Lindsay Duncan) for the decadent and politically unstable world of 1930s Berlin. 

The DVD is available now, at the RRP of £19.99.