Why Doctor Who’s Second Doctor Finally Gets A Regeneration Scene 55 Years Later In Colorized Version Explained By EP

Doctor Who executive producer Phil Collinson addresses why Patrick Troughton’s final Doctor Who story “The War Games” was selected as the next classic story to be colorized. The 1969 storyline saw the TARDIS materialize in a mysterious world whose inhabitants had plotted to abduct various soldiers from throughout human history in hopes of forming a powerful army. Released in ten parts from April 1969 to June 1969, “The War Games” saw the Second Doctor’s forced regeneration and exile, bringing Troughton’s Doctor Who era to a close.

Recently, Collinson sat down with Doctor Who Magazine to explain why Troughton’s final story emerged as the next choice for a remastering. He stated that he held the original stories in great reverence, believing that the goal of the colorizations wasn’t to replace the original stories but that they could still stand alongside what the revival had to offer. Ultimately, the goal of these projects is to offer classic stories in a format more accessible to modern audiences. Read his response below:

“I love those stories. I grew up with them. We would never take them away. They are all there for people to watch. It’s just that some viewers, especially younger ones, find it difficult to sit down and watch hours and hours of black-and-white material. I love it and lots of people do. These stories are great. They are as good as anything we’re transmitting now. It’s just that sometimes they need a bit of help to sing to people. That’s what we are doing, and we’re doing it with so much love…

Furthermore, Collinson enjoyed the opportunity to use the colorization to provide a definitive regeneration between Troughton and the following Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), feeling like it had a missing element from the Whoniverse previously. Check out Collinson’s explanation below:

“I was really excited about regenerating Patrick Troughton into Jon Pertwee. It was exciting, because the regeneration was missing from the original, and I really hope it becomes canon now. Whenever they do those montages of all the regenerations, I want this to be in there, because I always felt it was like a missing bit of Doctor Who.”

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What Collinson’s Explanation Means For Future Doctor Who Remasters

Certain Choices Have Left Viewers Debating

Doctor Who’s colorizations have been a welcome surprise since the First Doctor (William Hartnell) adventure “The Daleks” was remastered as part of the franchise’s 60th anniversary. However, the new editions have had their criticisms. Certain editing decisions regarding how the stories were truncated to a feature-length runtime have attracted critiques about what elements were removed.

Furthermore, “The War Games” has become divisive because the remastered version implies that the War Chief (Edward Brayshaw) is an earlier incarnation of The Master. ​​​​​When Collinson defended the remastered version’s retcon, his new statement indicated that he never intended to override what had come before. As such, certain Doctor Who viewers who may have had issues with past remastering may view the color retellings in a better light.

​​​​​Our Thoughts On Doctor Who’s Remastered Adventures

​​​​​The Update Breathes New Life Into Classic Tales

Classic Doctor Who stories getting remastered is no new phenomenon, as many of the show’s older episodes have updated their VFX across various home releases. However, with their television airing and debut during the show’s milestone celebrations, the First and Second Doctor’s colorized episodes have attracted more attention in comparison, especially as current showrunner Russell T Davies has teased these releases becoming a yearly tradition.

As such, while viewers may wonder what classic black-and-white story could be remastered next, Collinson’s response firmly addresses where they are set in the wider Whoniverse. With “The War Games” remastered episode giving Doctor Who a definitive on-screen regeneration between the Second and Third Doctors, some viewers may wonder if other gaps in on-screen Whoniverse lore could be explored next.