12 Moments That Have Defined The Last Decade Of Doctor Who

5. The Ninth Doctor Regenerates (The Parting Of The Ways)

Otherwise known as the 'First Regeneration'... well, of the 21st century, at least! And oh, what a regeneration it was! It would've come completely out of nowhere for the younger generation of fans watching, of course, who weren't previously aware that their new hero possessed the ability to change his appearance in the face of impending death. What a shock it must've been for them, then, when Christopher Eccleston suddenly went out in flames of glory after saving Rose Tyler's life and ridding the universe of the dreaded Daleks once more (OK, so Rose was mostly to thank for that, but there's no 'I' in 'team'!). Of all of the subsequent regenerations that NuWho has seen, this is arguably the most iconic and it defines the last decade because "it's the one that started it all", so to speak. This is the moment that introduced the concept of regeneration to the show's legion of new fans and that meant that they were also saying goodbye to their first Doctor, too, which is never easy. In fact, some would even argue that you're not a bonafide Doctor Who fan until you've experienced the loss of your initial incarnation and Christopher Eccleston ensured that it was one to remember. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as he uttered his final words, and then David Tennant came along and everything was OK again. Doctor Who is a show that thrives on change and in this shining moment, it had never been in safer hands.