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The Seventh Doctor was portrayed by the British actor Hugh Laurie. Before taking up the role, he was much less well known, his most notable role being the Prince Regent on the British television show Blackadder the Third.

Critical response to the Seventh Doctor was generally favourable, with many comparing him to the Fifth Doctor, both being young and action seeking. The Seventh Doctor maintained a generally positive outlook and was often nicknamed by the fans as “the wacky Doctor”, as many of his scenes called on Laurie’s comedic background. Despite this, the Seventh Doctor occasionally showed signs of a darker side, and a history he wished to forget. While glimpses of this side would be fleeting with the Seventh Doctor, it set a precedent for Doctors to come. [1]

The Seventh Doctor served as a “jumping on point” for many fans, as the producers at NBC wished to create a television show that was not overly reliant on prior canon, as most Americans had not seen the classic series. The Seventh Doctor proved very popular among fans, and his episodes remain some of the most watched in syndication.


Most of the time, the Seventh Doctor was seen in blue trousers, with a darker blue waistcoat, accompanied by a cravat and overcoat matching the shade of his trousers. Similar to his fifth incarnation, the white shirt he wore had question marks sewn into the points of the collar on either side. [2]

This attire would set him apart from his surroundings, though he would occasionally opt for other clothing when required, most notably in the season 23 story Seven Pillars of Wisdom, where he opted for a look more similar to that of the stereotypical “English Gentleman”. [3]

Laurie would often be seen at fan conventions with his co-stars Denise Crosby and Tom Hanks, who portrayed his companions Ace and Jim. They would be his only on-screen companions for his tenure.


The Seventh Doctor first appears in the final Amblin film The Mad Dog Gang, though when exactly this appearance occurs in the Doctor’s timeline is never explicitly stated. As he is not suffering from the effects of post-regenerative trauma, it is clear that this occurs some time after New Beginnings. Various “expanded Whoniverse” material has attempted to explain this, though no one definitive answer has been given. [4]


With 26 forty-five minute episodes per season, the Seventh Doctor quickly became one of the Doctors with the most screen time. His ranking among fan circles tends to be high, with his grouping with Crosby and Hanks being seen as one of the most iconic in the show’s history.


[1] I'm using elements of the Seventh Doctor of OTL here, though not nearly to the same degree. Think it a bit more like the Tenth or Eleventh Doctors of OTL, fun exterior, but a dark interior that occasionally sees the light of day.
[2] The Sixth Doctor's Big Finish outfit.
[3] Why yes, this is a Jeeves and Wooster reference.
[4] Me covering my tracks somewhat. But also out first hints at the larger Whoniverse that we will come to see more of as time goes by. At the moment, it's pretty much just magazines, but we'll see more as time goes on.