10 Weird Early Versions Of TV Characters You Totally Forgot About

Most Doctor Who fans are aware Peter Capaldi appeared in the show prior to his stint as The Doctor, playing Pompeii citizen Caecilius in The Fires Of Pompeii. However, added into the equation is Capaldi’s time as John Frobisher in Doctor Who spin off Torchwood as well.

Russell T. Davies, the original showrunner of the revival series, claimed Frobisher was a direct descendant of Caecilius, and thus only exists because of the Doctor’s intervention in saving him and his family.

Steven Moffat, who wrote Frobisher’s final episode and replaced Davies as showrunner, confirmed this theory and said Frobisher’s suicide was a way of time righting itself after Caecilius was saved. Better late than never.

As for The Twelfth, his link to Caecilius is not familial, but emotional. The Doctor chose Caecilius’ face to remind him always to save people, just as he did with Caecilius in The Fires Of Pompeii.

As is to be expected of a show with such a wibbly wobbly lore, they did a great job of justifying why three seemingly disparate characters are all played by the same man.

This isn’t the only time The Fires Of Pompeii was involved in some Doctor Who casting funny business either...