Ever since Doctor Who returned to screens in 2005, the show’s modern era has largely stuck to a common post-regeneration rule, but Peter Capaldi strayed from this trend when he took on the role of the Twelfth Doctor. As one of two main Doctors to serve under showrunner Steven Moffat, Capaldi debuted as the show’s title character in 2013, before making his first full appearance in 2014 and leaving in 2017. Twelve is remembered for his blunt personality and thick Scottish accent, but his legacy also includes a canonical occurrence that hadn’t happened since Doctor Who‘s classic era.
Doctor Who‘s modern era brought the franchise out of dormancy for the first time since Paul McGann’s failed 1996 movie. With the introduction of Ncuti Gatwa as FIfteen in 2023, there have been six main actors to play the part since Doctor Who returned. However, of all the actors to play the Doctor since the revival, Capaldi boasts an interesting plaudit in the wake of his introductory regeneration scene. While it could have been seen as a return to a classic era trend, all of his successors have proved this theory wrong.
Peter Capaldi’s Doctor Is The Only Modern Version To Not Spend Their First Post-Regeneration Episode On Present-Day Earth
The Twelfth Doctor heads straight for Victorian-era London
Twelve’s first full appearance was in Doctor Who season 8, episode 1, “Deep Breath.” After Matt Smith handed the keys to the franchise over to Capaldi, the Twelfth Doctor took the TARDIS directly to Victorian London. While this isn’t an unexplored period in Doctor Who canon, Twelve’s first adventure unfolding in any era other than the present day is what makes the episode remarkable. No post-2005 Doctor had experienced this before Capaldi’s, and none have done it since.
Peter Capaldi is most well-known in Doctor Who for playing the Twelfth Doctor, but his history with the show means he has other characters too.
Of course, the term “present-day” is malleable – especially in Doctor Who. However, it largely refers to a story’s primary era aligning with the date the episode first aired. For instance, Christopher Eccleston’s first outing as the Ninth Doctor was in 2005, which was the year in London in Doctor Who season 1, episode 1, “Rose.” That being said, there is some flexibility. For instance, although Doctor Who: The Movie showed Eight’s first adventure was set in San Francisco in 1999, and the film itself was released in 1996, it would be picky not to call this a present-day narrative.
There is some debate about whether Doctor Who : The Movie belongs to the show’s classic or modern era. Either way, it fits the trend of a present-day debut for the Eighth Doctor.
Similarly, Matt Smith’s Doctor initially visits his future companion when she was a child, so he travels back a little further than “present-day” England. Eventually, Eleven returns to the same time as his debut episode’s original air date and continues the story. After Capaldi’s aberration of starting his time in the TARDIS centuries into humanity’s past, both Jodie Whittaker’s Twelfth Doctor and Nucti Gatwa’s Fifteenth started in periods that reflected their respective premiere dates. Even David Tennant’s return as the Fourteenth Doctor upheld this specific trend.
Why The Doctor Usually Returns To The Present Day After A Regeneration
Doctor Who’s complex premise needs to be grounded every now and then
The Doctor’s timeline can quickly get confusing for both the show’s characters and Doctor Who viewers. With the constant traveling into the distant past, far future, and everything in between, it can be difficult to keep track of the show’s cerebral and sprawling premise. Pair that with a main character whose face is always changing, and Doctor Who can become extremely alienating to the initiated. Starting each Doctor’s new era in a familiar setting is a fantastic way to softly reset the show, and almost start from the beginning again.
The show’s canon isn’t reset when a new actor steps into the lead role, but treating each era as its own arc can help split up Doctor Who into more accessible chunks.
The show’s canon isn’t reset when a new actor steps into the lead role, but treating each era as its own arc can help split up Doctor Who into more accessible chunks. Although Capaldi’s first episode proved this technique isn’t essential for the show to make sense, Doctor Who‘s Disney era still opted to add to the trend that Twelve briefly ignored. Gatwa’s debut was a little different, as Doctor Who experienced a slightly more prominent “reboot” than normal as a new generation of fans was welcomed in. As such, it’s not surprising Fifteen started his time in 2023-era London.
Classic Doctors Rarely Spent Their First Episode On Present-Day Earth
Doctor Who’s classic era had far fewer narrative conventions
At the time of airing, William Hartnell’s debut as the First Doctor didn’t count as a post-regeneration episode. It’s only in recent years that Chris Chibnall’s divisive Timeless Child twist retconned the Doctor’s timeline to include previous regenerations. As such, 1963’s “An Unearthly Child” is tough to appraise when it comes to this trend. However, the other classic Doctors were certainly not afraid to immediately explore a range of settings and periods.
Although some of the older Doctors, like Tom Baker’s Fourth, started their tenures by exploring present-day Earth, the show didn’t stick to this pattern quite so strictly during its original run. Instead, it was far more common for incoming Doctors to be thrust into the show’s unfamiliar perils. Doctor Who‘s tweaked formula ahead of its 2005 comeback largely decided this wasn’t a reliable way to introduce a new Doctor, but Capaldi’s debut proves the possibility remains.
