Doctor Who: 8 Stories That Would Have Made Wonderful Regeneration Stories

7. "Let's Kill Hitler"

Technically, yes, this is a regeneration story for Melody Pond, but it would have made a pretty good regeneration episode for the Doctor as well. By the time this episode aired, even show runner Steven Moffat hadn't any idea that he would invent a hidden incarnation of the Doctor. So everyone watching this episode figured the Doctor had at least one, maybe two (if they were quick to forget Russell T. Davies' wasting a regeneration on Tennant), regenerations left in him. Series 6 had been building up to the "fall of the eleventh," as well, so it would have come as an unexpected yet inevitable shock, and for added effect, the TV trailer featured a skeleton hand holding the sonic screwdruver, so fans weren't sure just what to expect. Really, the only reason the Doctor didn't regenerate in this episode was because of the inexplicable "regeneration disabled" sequence. In fact, the only reason the Doctor survived at all was River's giving him her remaining regenerations. It would have made perfect sense had the Doctor's body reacted to the sudden surge of River's regeneration energy by actually, you know, regenerating. On top of all that, it would have rounded Amy and Rory out as companions: no matter how close either of them grew with the Doctor, they never got to see a regeneration other than River's. It's hard to say where that would have left the rest of Series 6, but it would have been exciting nonetheless.