Doctor Who: 10 Best Historical Figures Who Have Appeared In Nu-Who

Played by Tony Curran.

Vincent and The Doctor is equally one of the most heart breaking and heart-warming episodes of Matt Smith’s era.

Unlike most encounters with historical figures, this time The Doctor purposely sought out Vincent Van Gogh rather than stumbling across him accidently. Similar to sensing trouble when Shakespeare mentions a play that doesn’t exist in the future, here The Doctor and Amy notice a suspicious creature lurking in the background of a Van Gogh painting that shouldn’t be there.

The exploration of Vincent’s depression in this episode is particularly beautiful. Rather than suggest that the invisible Krafayis is the cause of Van Gogh’s troubled life, it instead suggests that his alternative views of the world actually give him the power to see what others cannot. The whole premise of this storyline centres around a beautiful metaphor for the inner demons of depression and how they very much exist despite the fact that they appear invisible or non-existent to the naked eye. Even going as far as to explore the way in which those who try to help can sometimes make a day that much brighter but can also miss the mark entirely in their endeavours.

In a very rare instance, The Doctor actually breaks his own rules in this episode and shows Vincent his future legacy. The moment Bill Nighy’s cameo character delivers his truly touching monologue about the importance of Van Gogh’s work, whilst Vincent himself is overwhelmed by what he is hearing and seeing, is one of the greatest scenes in Doctor Who.

Despite this glimpse of the future ultimately leaving Vincent’s story unchanged, he does maintain a deep connection with The Doctor and Amy, as we see in the opening moments of The Pandorica Opens.