Never Stay More Than Three Years: Another Dr Who TL

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1963-1966: William Hartnell
1966-1969: Patrick Troughton

1970-1973 Michael Mckenzie

The Third Doctor was a very different and not very pleasant incarnation to his predecessor. His forced regeneration and exile to modern day earth was a source of great humiliation for him and his tenure was largely spent clashing heads with UNIT whilst at the same time trying frantically to find a way to override the locks the Timelords had placed on the TARDIS.

While not outright evil he certainly was ambivalent in his dealings. From attempting to imprison the Master in his own TARDIS whilst using the Master's TARDIS to escape (The Time Warrior 1971) to trying to steal the Dalek's time travel translocator (Day Of The Daleks 1972) the Doctor is more of a hindrance then a help. Lethbridge Stewart is constantly exasperated and often offloads responsibility to Captain Michaela "Mike" Yates (Caroline John).

Its not until he encounters his previous selves that he starts to alter. While trapped in Omega's anti-matter universe he argues with his predecessors and is only stopped from abandoning them when the First Doctor berates him for his attitude. This starts to soften him and after regaining his freedom becomes a more emollient version. He realises how much UNIT means to him and in his final battle with the Master (The Final Game 1973) sacrifices himself to save Earth.

 

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1974-1977 Graham Chapman

If The Third Doctor was an obstruction than the fourth was an oddity. His bearing was one of a slightly offworldly aristocrat. His first outfit was of a dress suit and top hat but that quickly changed to a Sherlockian-style deerstalker. He had a split personality of cool rational detachment switching to outright exasperation and anger over the universe. He also acted as a tutor to companion Penny Samuels (Vicki Michelle) over how life and the universe is not simple. His tenure was dominated by his battles with fellow Timelord Goth (Tom Baker) who turned out to be a disciple of the Master and has sworn revenge on the Doctor. He gave his life to save Gallifey from Goth ( Time Splintered)

 

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1977-1980 John Nettles

The Fifth Doctor was highly reminiscent of his first incarnation in term of his mystery and enigmatic persona. Having regenerated and recovered on Gallifrey he became partially reintegrated back into Time Lord Society. Having Romana (Myra Frances) assigned to him by the high council the Doctor finds himself working as an unofficial agent for the Temporal Investigations Division. This "spy" version of the Doctor was involved in either preventing or allowing certain societies to proceed in their growth. His actions raises the attention of the Cybermen and Daleks who along with Goth try to invade Gallifrey (The Invasion Of Time). The invasion fails but Gallifrey is nearly destroyed. Romana leaves the Doctor to help rebuild the planet. The Doctor gives his life to save companion Sally Sparrow (Janet Ellis) from a huge radiation blast (The Nightmare Planet)

 

[Vahktang]

Graham Chapman?
That’s...ah, umh.
Different.
And interesting.
Carry on, please.

 

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1980-1983 Michael Aldridge

The Sixth Doctor's regeneration was traumatic. The amount of radiation he absorbed whilst saving Sally caused him to use more regeneration energy than normal hence his older appearance. It takes him a while to recover and when he does so he is far more wistful and less cynical than his previous self. Freed of his responsibilities from the TID he embraces life and the universe in all its glory. He takes journalist Jo Grant (Gillian Taylforth) under his wing and acts more as a sage. Along with his previous selves he stops Borusa from gaining immortality at the cost of his own life ( The Seven Doctors).

 

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1983-1986: Ian Mcshane

The Seventh Doctor is a bon vivant and raconteur. He loves to tell stories about his past experiences. While this can be annoying to his companions especially Billie Morgan (Angela Bruce) more often then not the stories contain tips about how to deal with various problems. He is an intergalactic playboy and charmer but can be a man of action when necessary. He is the most physical of the Doctors and often engages in Venusian akido to incapacitate his enemies. His final battle is with a dying Goth who tries to steal his regenerations. (The Final Game)

 

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1986-1989: Richard Griffiths

The Eighth Doctor is a troubled Timelord. From his regeneration onwards he becomes increasingly concerned that something is coming. Something that will change the course of the universe. He approaches issues in a similar way to a lawyer using his immense intellect to overcome problems. He finds a sounding board in Bernice Summerfield (Caroline Langrishe) and the pair travel across time and space to find answers. Its not until he is recalled to Gallifey that the truth comes out. He discovers that the Time Lords through the TID had stolen their time travel technology from an ancient lifeform called "The First" (Genesis of The Timelords) and imprisioned "The First" in a pocket universe. They escape and engage in a war with the Timelords. The Doctor wanting no part in the slaughter escapes but not before being hit by a weapon from a member of The First and regenerating.

 

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1989-1991,1993: Art Malik (*)

The Ninth Doctor is by far the darkest and most manipulative of all. Combining elements of his first and third personas he seeks to change events for his own agenda. Yet there is a reason for this. He knows that a war between the First and the Timelords will envelop other races. The Daleks, The Cybermen, The Sontarans and the Rutans to name a few and above all the Humans. He knows that Earth's current state wouldn't sustain any kind of attack. Using long forgotten temporal passages the Doctor travels backwards and forwards along's Earth's history covertly speeding up their weapons technology and trying to accelerate alliances between countries. With no companions to restrain him the Doctor blatantly interferes in Earth's development. The climax occurs when Earth (which by now thanks to the Doctor's efforts have established a base on the Moon and planetary defences) is attacked by the First who have detected the Doctor's actions. The Timelords send the Fifth Doctor to assist. The Ninth and Fifth argue bitterly with 9 accusing 5 of starting this by aiding the TID in the first place. The Fifth says he didn't know what the TID did. Somehow both Doctors are able to assist Earth by once again trapping The First in a pocket Universe. But this is not enough. Both Doctors are now of the mind that the Timelords also need to be dealt with. Using a hybrid of First and Timelord technology Gallifrey itself is locked into a pocket universe. This causes the Fifth Doctor to disappear and the ninth to regenerate (The Dark Dimension)

(Editors' note: I know I've cheated a bit with the three years but I realised that I'd reach the 30 year anniversary so in this TL there would be series in 1989, 1990 and 1991 and The Dark Dimension would be in 1993)

 

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1993-1996: Robert Powell

The Tenth Doctor is a broken man. His actions in ending the time war saved many lives but the cost was high. Finding himself back on modern day Earth he is taken back under UNIT's care led by Brigadier Angela Reynolds (Judi Dench) who fear he will never recover. His depression is lifted by Nurse Daisy Carlton (Sarah Vandenburgh) who slowly helps the Doctor regain his drive. The Universe is crippled by the war and as the last Timelord the Doctor feels that he has one role. That as peacemaker. Establishing a base on Earth the Doctor and Daisy embark on a campaign of atonement which is not helped by both alien races bitterly angry at their losses as well as a small but growing group on Earth called Purity who are against alien infiltration. It is the conflict with Purity that leads to the Doctor sacrificing himself to save a peace conference between Earth, the Sontarans and the Rutans (Out Of The Darkness And Into the Light)

 

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1996-1999: Patrick Mower

The Eleventh Doctor is by far the most carefree of all his incarnations. He is an intergalactic playboy who roams time and space enjoying the best the universe has to offer. But as with all his former selves his code of honour forms his soul. He seeks pleasure but believes pleasure comes from good and is willing to destroy evil to ensure good prevails. Along with 18th century opera singer Melanie Bush (Bonnie Langford) The Doctor seeks to uphold all that is good and beautiful. Yet he cannot escape the past. He becomes aware that he is being followed. To his shock he is confronted by a small group of exiles from Gallifrey who hold him responsible for the loss of their world. He tries to find a new planet for them to live on but they refuse saying that they want Gallifrey restored. The Doctor knows that this would also release The First. It is this confrontation which leads to his regeneration.

 

[flippikat]

Y'know.. I'm hoping Adrian Edmondson gets a spot in here. Although he's best known for comedy, he's recently shown an unheralded talent for drama.

 

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Ask and ye shall recieve

1999-2002: Adrian Edmondson

A regenerated Doctor is in shock to find himself back on Gallifrey. His attempts to stop his home-world from being restored dragged him and the TARDIS into the pocket universe. Confronted by Romana II (Alphonsia Emmannuel) the Doctor is informed that the high council is dead and that the planet is in chaos. Martial law is in effect and that the "western continent" has effectively seceded. The Doctor finds himself in role of Lord President and his TARDIS is gone. Romana makes it clear to him that it is his responsibility to restore order. Gallifrey has become a militaristic society and attempted coups are commonplace. The Doctor plays a very dangerous political game trying to restore order whilst at the same time engineering his escape. At first he is alone but slowly gains the trust of his Chief of Staff Nardole (Christopher Biggins). It turns out that the separatists are being led by The Master (Patrick Stewart) who is using the unrest on the western continent to overthrow what little government Gallifrey has left and drag the planet back into the main universe. The Doctor leads an invasion of the continent. The Master is imprisoned. Gallifrey returns to the main universe and the Doctor regenerates.

 

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2002-2005: Nicola Walker

The thirteenth doctor has to cope with a multitude of changes. Not only has she to cope with the trauma of a cross-gender regeneration but also ensuring that Gallifrey is restored fully. After signing a peace treaty with the western continent allowing it to form a federation with the east and overseeing Romana's installation as Lady President the Doctor returns to Earth which is now a member of a four world alliance with the Moon (now renamed Luna), Sontara and Rutan Prime. Once again allying with UNIT as their scientific adviser (under the name of Jane Smith) The Doctor spends her time travelling back and forth across Earth's history accompanied by Chris Parsons (Paul Nicholls) whilst all the time trying to avoid her ninth self but unable to do so fully. She finds herself in the position of not stopping her previous self from interfering in Earth's development (Paradox). An attempt by the Daleks to destroy the alliance is foiled by the Doctor but at the cost of her incarnation.

 

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2005-2008-Joanna Lumley

The Fourteenth Doctor sought a quieter life after the chaos of her recent incarnations. Basing herself as a history teacher in Coal Hill Comprehensive she initially succeeds in her wishes but she realises soon that the history books differ from her own recollections. Travelling to specific small events she discovers that somehow some of The First has survived and are slowly changing history to ensure that the Doctor's actions are reversed. Reluctant to ask for help from the Timelords she turns to Alex Lethbridge Stewart (Paul Fox) and the two embark on a course of sabotage. Despite their actions they are eventually found by the First and use the Doctor's TARDIS to pull their homeworld back into the universe. A Second Time War ensues but its the efforts of the Alliance alongside the Timelords that the First are defeated and their homeworld destroyed. But the Doctor is fatally injured...

 

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2008-2011: David Suchet

The fifteenth Doctor is by far the most carefree. Cutting links with Gallifrey and Earth he becomes a seeker of new experiences. Travelling to the outer edges of the Universe the Doctor delights in finding whole new lifeforms but finds new horrors as well. He encounters the Scaroth a race of mutants who harvest organs from their victims to deal with the effects of a devastating plague. Fleeing a Scaroth ship with T'Leth ( Daniela Denby-Ashe) the Doctor embarks on a cat and mouse chase from the Scaroth who seek his organs and regenerative capabilities. It is those capabilities that end up destroying the Scaroth but at the price of a regeneration (Harvest).

 

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2011-2014: Idris Elba

The sixteenth Doctor mirrors his third and fifth incarnation in his mystery and aggression. By far the most alien version the Doctor starts his life aware on a level indescribable to non-Gallifreyans of dangers that had hitherto remain unburied. He knows there is something wrong and is afraid. He feels that whatever he has to face must be alone. Yet despite this finds himself travelling with Maisie Brown (Georgia Taylor). His greatest challenge is that from Time itself which starts collapsing around him. He joins with his previous selves (except 1, 2 and 4 to repair damage to his own timeline which was caused by his constant visits to Earth (The Year Of The Doctor *). The energy used by the Doctor to repair the damage leads to his regeneration

(*-Editor's Note: The Year Of The Doctor was the 50th Anniversary Series and featured the last appearance of Richard Griffiths as the 8th Doctor. Elba's last episode on New Year's Day 2014 was a tribute to Griffiths)

 

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2014-2017: Jim Broadbent

The 17th Doctor is tired. His exertions in his previous incarnations plus the damage caused to his timeline have combined to leave him in a far weaker state then he has been in for a long time. He walks with a shuffle and is found in a chair whilst the TARDIS is in flight. His low mood is eventually lifted by Tina Moore (Michelle Keegan) who finds a kindred spirit in the Doctor. Both are outsiders and have struggled to deal with the status quo. The Doctor's mental powers are also in question. While he does solve problems it does take longer. His enemies seek to take advantage of his laxity and the Doctor suffers some appalling defeats. This unleashes an anger in him that he can't control and he effectively commits suicide when he uses the TARDIS to create a black hole in the core of Skaro (Rapture The Heavens).

 

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2017-2020: Sean Pertwee

The eighteenth Doctor...that's all he knows. Everything else is a blur. Not sure how he survived the destruction of Skaro or where he is the Doctor struggles to understand who he is. Constantly haunted by a voice in his head which he knows isn't his The Doctor finds himself visiting times and places in his past yet its all wrong. He sees worlds change that didn't change, People die who shouldn't have died. Its as if the Doctor is running from something...or someone. The only companion is the voice in his head. Eventually its revealed that the TARDIS returned to Gallifrey a split second before Skaro was destroyed but the Doctor is in a deep coma. He was psychically linked to the Matrix in an attempt to repair the damage to his brain and allowing him to come to terms with his actions. The voice was that of Spandrell (Stephen Fry) a 'cerebro-counseller' who linked with the Doctor's damaged mind to guide his recovery and it is the last face the Doctor sees before he regenerates. (Coda)


Editor's Note: That's it. I can't take the TL forward because it would then be future history. Thanks for reading.