10 Biggest Controversies In Doctor Who History
2. Chris Chibnall Rewrites The Doctor's Backstory
Because we're still so close to the blast radius, this one might feel like a bigger controversy than it actually is. That being said, there's no denying that the events of Series 12's The Timeless Children sent shockwaves through Who fandom.
The recent Chris Chibnall-penned finale revealed that the Doctor isn't just an ordinary Time Lord who stole a magic box and ran away: she's actually the Timeless Child, a being with the ability to regenerate infinitely.
As a result, Whittaker isn't technically the Thirteenth Doctor, and William Hartnell isn't technically the First Doctor - the character has had countless other faces across her lifetime. In addition, Chibnall revealed that the Timeless Child's DNA is what gave the Time Lords their regeneration powers, meaning that the Doctor is basically a god, responsible for the creation of the Time Lords as we know them.
The decision to completely rewrite Doctor Who history was certainly a bold one, but the majority of fans weren't exactly supportive of the change. Completely overhauling who the Doctor is - almost sixty years into the show's run - felt like a slap in the face to hardcore Whovians. Imagine if DC suddenly decided to change Batman's origin story.
Proving how controversial the twist was, it was even criticised by two former Doctor Who creatives. Classic era script editor Andrew Cartmel said that it "depletes the mystery" of the show, while Russell T Davies tweeted a subtle jab during a rewatch of Journey's End, right at the moment where the Doctor and his allies save the day.
We'll have to wait and see how Chibnall plans to deal with the aftermath of The Timeless Children in Series 13 (and the upcoming special), but for now, this huge canon alteration has a big chunk of the Doctor Who fandom up in arms.