There are so many great examples of multi-Doctor stories in the series that, looking ahead to future stories, it’s difficult to say where the idea can be taken. To examine the future of multi-Doctor arcs, let’s take a look back at those stories that have come before and ask if there could be, or should be, multi-Doctor episodes in the future of the show.
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The History Of Multi-Doctor Stories
The first time multiple Doctors were seen together on screen was in the story “The Three Doctors,” from Season 10 of the show in 1973. In the 4-part serial, the power of Gallifrey and the rest of the Time Lords is being drained through a black hole. The perpetrator is Omega, a Time Lord engineer who created their ability to travel in time and who was presumed dead. In actuality, Omega has been trapped in an anti-matter universe and is now seeking revenge for being stranded. To defeat Omega, the Time Lords break all the rules and bring the First and Second incarnations of the Doctor (William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton, respectively) through time to team up with the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee). At the time, the storyline was criticized for its padded story and predictable resolution, but praised for the chemistry between Troughton and Pertwee.
Another multi-Doctor arc that critics and fans alike panned was the story of “The Two Doctors” featuring the Sixth Doctor traveling back in time to save the Second Doctor from a geneticist looking to steal the secrets of time travel from his genetic code. The story was slammed for being a heavy-handed advert for vegetarianism and not much else. It was also criticized for its thin story and glorified portrayal of violence.
Despite the negative reviews for the stories above, there have been successful multi-Doctor stories in the show’s history. One of the show’s biggest, boldest and most Doctor-filled episodes was the show’s 50th anniversary special, “The Day of The Doctor,” which aired in 2013. In the special, audiences are finally shown the conclusion to the Time War and also get to see an incarnation of the Doctor not seen before, the War Doctor (played by John Hurt). In fact, every incarnation of the Doctor is present in the episode (if only for a few moments) as they team up to put Gallifrey in stasis in a pocket universe in order to put an end to the Time War. The episode was loaded with references to past episodes, lore tidbits, and fan-favorite characters, including the return of the Zygons. The Tenth, Eleventh, and the War Doctor incarnations all appeared together onscreen, while previous incarnations were portrayed digitally and through archive footage. Critics applauded the story and its execution, and the plot changed the trajectory of future seasons.
Recent Multi-Doctor Stories & Potential For The Future
Where most multi-Doctor stories bring back previously-seen incarnations, the most recent double-Doctor story with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor uses a bit of a different take on the idea. In series 12 episode “Fugitive of the Judoon,” the Judoon have descended upon Gloucester looking for a fugitive and walled off the town using a force field. During the course of the episode, the Doctor meets Ruth Clayton, who turns out to be a previous incarnation of the Doctor who used the chameleon arch to conceal herself. Meanwhile, Thirteen’s companions come across returning fan-favorite Captain Jack Harkness, who has a message for The Doctor.
The involvement of a previously unknown Doctor was a huge surprise for viewers and ties into the Timeless Child story and the revelation that The Doctor doesn’t have a limit on regenerations. In fact, this episode ties into the reveal that there have been many previous incarnations of the Doctor that she is unable to remember. The storyline was another huge turning point for the series and built on the way that the Doctor can continue and regenerate ad infinitum.
Looking ahead to the future of the series, how likely is it that there will be more multi-Doctor arcs in the future? Given the history of the stories, both good and bad, it’s more than likely that audiences will see future stories where more than one Doctor appears onscreen at the same time. There’s not only a history of multi-Doctor stories in the show, there are also many stories in the expanded Doctor Who media universe. There are multiple audio dramas, books, and comics that have more than one Doctor featured, especially in the Big Finish audio dramas.
Storylines that involve several incarnations of the Doctor excite audiences and capture their imaginations. With the introduction of the Timeless Child plot points and the Doctor’s ability to regenerate potentially without limit, the scope for stories featuring more than one Doctor has opened up even further. The potential for plots featuring previously unseen versions of the Doctor, with different actors making cameos, is almost endless. With the excitement that always surrounds casting the next Doctor, that alone is an assurance that multi-Doctor stories aren’t going anywhere.
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