10 Things About Doctor Who That Seem To Confuse Non-Fans

8. Talkin' 'Bout Regeneration

So the Doctor can change his face when he's dying, so what? Stranger things have happened in the series yet it's usually the idea of regeneration that non-fans choose not to get. It's quite simple, really. When an incarnation of the Doctor is injured or elderly, he can transform every cell in his body which quite literally gives him a new lease of life - and a new psychical appearance - in the process.

It was originally developed as a way to keep the show on the air when the First Doctor, William Hartnell, was forced to retire from the role and it seems to have worked out pretty well considering it's still on our screens for almost half a century later. Admittedly it's one of the programme's more unrealistic conventions but why can't naysayers just accept that it's a Time Lord's way of cheating death and get over it?

To date, the Doctor has regenerated fourteen times but their current incarnation, Jodie Whittaker, is actually only the Thirteenth Doctor. One of their predecessors (John Hurt) fought in the Time War which means he doesn't deserve to go by the coveted title but he's still a Doctor nonetheless - he just isn't counted as one of the Doctors, if that makes sense.

Ok, It's actually easy to understand why people get can be confused. Then, there's the question of the Timeless Child and Ruth...