10 Times Doctor Who Has Broken Its Own Rules

During the revival series, particularly during Russell T. Davies' time as showrunner, the destruction of Gallifrey and the Doctor's subsequent guilt fueled many of the major storylines. However, the decimated planet was eventually resurrected by the Doctors in 2013's 50th Anniversary Special - where it was instead trapped in a pocket dimension.

The Doctor's lost planet was an important part of the Doctor's character, but its destruction was effectively overwritten by some clever retconning. Returning to the moment when the War Doctor obliterated Gallifrey, the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors helped summon all of their other incarnations - crossing timelines in the process - and saving their homeworld.

By the end of the adventure, the War Doctor had forgotten that he saved the planet - meaning that the Ninth and Tenth Doctor had in fact been grieving for no reason instead of searching for the planet.

Gallifrey wouldn't stay saved for long, however, with Chris Chibnall opting to wipe it out all over again in his second series. Perhaps Gallifrey will stay dead for good this time, but looking at Doctor Who's fondness for resurrections and retconning storylines, it is doubtful.