Changes

===[[Peter Davison]] (1981-1984)===

===[[Peter Davison]] (1981-1984)===

The fifth Doctor became something of a vulnerable character, which was a conscious decision by the production team (led by John Nathan-Turner) to remove the aura of invincibility that they had felt was becoming part of the Doctor's characterisation with Tom Baker. Shown to be a keen cricket fan, the Doctor was arguably more human than any of his predecessors and often relied more on his companions to assist throughout his missions.

The fifth Doctor became something of a vulnerable character, which was a conscious decision by the production team (led by John Nathan-Turner) to remove the aura of invincibility that they had felt was becoming part of the Doctor's characterization with Tom Baker. Shown to be a keen cricket fan, the Doctor was arguably more human than any of his predecessors and often relied more on his companions to assist throughout his missions.

===[[Colin Baker]] (1984-1986)===

===[[Colin Baker]] (1984-1986)===

The sixth Doctor was premised around being the antithesis of his predecessor, with his garish and colour-mismatched costume reflecting the vast contrast with the mild-mannered fifth Doctor. In terms of characterisation, the Doctor became something of an unstable character, often violently responding to people and events around him.

The sixth Doctor was premised around being the antithesis of his predecessor, with his garish and color-mismatched costume reflecting the vast contrast with the mild-mannered fifth Doctor. In terms of characterization, the Doctor became something of an unstable character, often violently responding to people and events around him.

===[[Sylvester McCoy]] (1987-1989)===

===[[Sylvester McCoy]] (1987-1989)===

===[[Paul McGann]] (1996)===

===[[Paul McGann]] (1996)===

McGann played the role for a television movie, with the creation of a new series by US producers dependent on the success of the movie. This was never made. The Doctor himself was perhaps more human than any other, with the revelation that he was "half-human" on his mother's side and displaying far greater emotional response than in the past.

McGann played the role for a television movie, with the creation of a new series by US producers dependent on the success of the movie. This was never made. The Doctor himself was perhaps more human than any other, with the revelation that he was "half-human" on his mother's side and displaying far greater emotional response than in the past.  McGann would not be seen as the Eighth Doctor for another 17 years, until ''The Night of the Doctor,'' the minisode prequel to the 50th anniversary special, where he regenerated into his next incarnation.

 

Prior to the 50th anniversary, it was believed that at some point between the 1996 movie and the 2005 series restart, the Eighth Doctor regenrated into the Ninth Doctor during the Time War.  However, in the minisode prequel ''The Night of the Doctor,'' it is revealed that the Eighth Doctor regenerated into another incarnation called the War Doctor.  In ''The Day of the Doctor,'' which is the 50th anniversary special, the War Doctor is shown to be someone who has seen much, as this incarnation fought in the Time War.

===[[Christopher Eccleston]] (2005)===

===[[Christopher Eccleston]] (2005)===

The first Doctor in the "new series" created by [[Russell T. Davies]], Eccleston's portrayal saw much of the eccentricity of the past integrated into the ninth regeneration of the Doctor. An indefinite amount of time has elapsed since he was last seen on television screens, and it is clear that the events of the Time War have scarred him: he is the last of the Time Lord race. His character reflected a manic unpredictability that saw him capable of both compassion and apathy while maintaining a love-hate relationship with humans.

The first Doctor in the "new series" created by [[Russell T. Davies]], Eccleston's portrayal saw much of the eccentricity of the past integrated into the ninth regeneration of the Doctor. An indefinite amount of time has elapsed since he was last seen on television screens, and it is clear that the events of the Time War have scarred him: he is the last of the Time Lord race, or so he thinks. His character reflected a manic unpredictability that saw him capable of both compassion and apathy while maintaining a love-hate relationship with humans.

===[[David Tennant]] (2006-2010)===

===[[David Tennant]] (2006-2010)===

The next actor to play the Doctor was also well-known beforehand ([[Casanova]], [[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]). His portrayal was more humorous and vivacious than Eccleston's. Yet, much anger and survivor's guilt was still present in his character. He destroyed the daleks again in "The Parting of Ways". Tennant was the first actor to be credited as "The Doctor" as opposed to "Doctor Who", a trend which [[Matt Smith]] kept.

The next actor to play the Doctor was also well-known beforehand ([[Casanova]], [[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]). His portrayal was more humorous and vivacious than Eccleston's. Yet, much anger and survivor's guilt was still present in his character. He destroyed the daleks again in "The Parting of Ways". Tennant was the first actor to be credited as "The Doctor" as opposed to "Doctor Who", a trend which [[Matt Smith]] kept.

===[[Matt Smith]] (2010-)===

===[[Matt Smith]] (2010-2013)===

Matt Smith is the youngest actor to play the role, and his portrayal of the Doctor was again very different. Despite being such a young actor, his character often has the feel of an old, wise man. He is much more eccentric and "alien" than his previous two incarnations, and while he seems to have mostly resolved his anger and survivor's guilt towards the time war, he can display a scary amount of anger towards percieved injustices (as with all Doctors), or towards those who have hurt his friends. This particular Doctor is being hunted by a mysterious religious order known as "The Silence", who believe that "Silence will/must fall" if the oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight, should ever be answered - "Doctor Who?".

Matt Smith is the youngest actor to play the role, and his portrayal of the Doctor was again very different. Despite being such a young actor, his character often has the feel of an old, wise man. He is much more eccentric and "alien" than his previous two incarnations, and while he seems to have mostly resolved his anger and survivor's guilt towards the time war, he can display a scary amount of anger towards percieved injustices (as with all Doctors), or towards those who have hurt his friends. This particular Doctor is being hunted by a mysterious religious order known as "The Silence", who believe that "Silence will/must fall" if the oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight, should ever be answered - "Doctor Who?".

==Political and Social Themes==

==Political and Social Themes==