Doctor (Doctor Who)

The Doctor is the central character of Doctor Who.

No, his name isn't "Doctor Who". The Doctor's real name is unknown, although he has gone by such aliases as Dr. John Smith (when working with U.N.I.T.) and has said that his university nickname used to be Theta Sigma. He's just generally known, and introduces himself as, the Doctor.

Character background

He is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, who has the power to regenerate his body into a new incarnation when he is near death. This conceit has allowed the character to be played by several successive actors, over a period of more than 40 years.

He travels aboard the Tardis, a ship that can travel through time and space, with companions who are often young human women.

He's over 900 years old, but as his appearance changes with every regeneration, he looks younger now than when he was still in his first body.

His only known family is a granddaughter, Susan, who travelled with him in the beginning of the series.

The Doctors

The Ten Doctors

Original Series: #1-7

First Doctor

Played by William Hartnell, whose failing health led to the idea of regenerating the character in order to introduce a new actor in the role.

Second Doctor

Played by Patrick Troughton.

Third Doctor

Played by Jon Pertwee.

Fourth Doctor

Played by Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor is the best-known among them. His costume is iconic, and he had the longest consecutive run out of all the actors to play the role.

Fifth Doctor

Played by Peter Davison.

Sixth Doctor

Played by Colin Baker.

Seventh Doctor

Played by Sylvester McCoy. The last incarnation of the Doctor in the original series.

TV Movie: #8

Eighth Doctor

Played by Paul McGann, in the canonically-dubious TV movie.

New Series: #9-10

Ninth Doctor

Played by Christopher Eccleston, for the first season of the new Doctor Who series, in 2005.

Tenth Doctor

Played by David Tennant. The current incarnation of the character.

Other Incarnations

The character of the Doctor has also been portrayed by Peter Cushing, as a human scientist, in two movie adaptations of the television series made in the 1960s.

The Valeyard, played by Michael Jayston in "The Trial of a Time Lord", is a possible future incarnation of the Doctor, who embodied his capacity for evil.

The Doctor has also been spoofed several times in comedy sketches, notably by Rowan Atkinson, in "The Curse of Fatal Death".

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