Doctor Who: Looking Back At The Alternate Doctors

2. The Valeyard

Doctor Who ValeyardWho Played Him? Michael Jayston When Did He Appear? Season 23€™s The Trial Of A Time Lord story arc It€™s surprising that Doctor Who took twenty-two years to take advantage of its timey-wimey nature and have the Doctor himself be an antagonist. We€™d seen him battle people who looked like him and aliens who had taken his form but The Trial Of A Time Lord was the first time that the villain was a genuine incarnation of the Doctor. Although the Valeyard is evil, he€™s not doing it out of a lust for power or wealth so he still seems at least a little bit like the Doctor we know. Especially since he€™s planning to steal his past self€™s regenerations therefore causing his continued survival to harm nobody but himself. But at the same time, the Valeyard is so removed from who we know the Doctor to be that we never expect the reveal of his true identity (Though it's common knowledge now so the idea of it being a surprise is more or less dead in the water). It€™s a very inventive concept that's bolstered by an excellent performance from Michael Jayston. Though it would have been interesting to see the Doctor pointing out why the Valeyard€™s scheme to steal his own regenerations was completely ridiculous and have the Valeyard try to justify himself.
Contributor
Contributor

JG Moore is a writer and filmmaker from the south of England. He also works as an editor and VFX artist, and has a BA in Media Production from the University Of Winchester.