The Doctor Who Chronicle 1.0 - Introduction
In this first series of The Doctor Who Chronicles, we will profile each of the eleven incarnations of one of Sci-Fi’s greatest characters, comparing their traits, whims and development.
No matter how big a story is, it always has a beginning. After almost fifty years, the chronicle of a certain unnamed Doctor has been an epic journey that millions have followed and many more have joined along the way. With any decade spanning programme, the origins are sometimes virtually unknown to newer followers. Doctor Who is not just any programme through. It has a title character who can regenerate and completely change his character, a license to go anywhere in time and space and some of the greatest science fiction villains the genre has seen. Why would any fan of the show not want to delve into the archives to discover where it all started? There are actually a number of reasons why some younger fans do not want to trek into the archives of the show. The simple fact that the early shows were in black and white is one of the biggest sticking points there is a whole generation who believe that if it isnt in colour then it isnt worth bothering with. Similarly, wobbly sets and the sometimes unintentionally funny special effects make many run a mile, those spoiled by superior effects unable to watch men in flimsy Cybermen suits. Their loss really. I was one of those people who discovered The Doctor through the revamped series in 2005, and who initially considered the programme to be ok. However, David Tennants arrival in the show made me change my mind. The Doctor suddenly became more unpredictable, outlandish and brilliantly clever. Having only known two incarnations of The Doctor, the question arose like it had been there all the time; a question that would, much more recently, be called the first question hidden in plain sight by the head of Dorian in the final episode of the latest series. Doctor Who? In this first series of The Doctor Who Chronicles, we will profile each of the eleven incarnations of one of Sci-Fis greatest characters, comparing their traits, whims and development. How are each of the Doctors identified by a single item or quirk? What constant thread runs through all of the Doctors? What significant events shape the way each Doctor is moulded and subsequently forced to regenerate? And what of the Doctors enemies? His friends and companions? The places he visits and the technology he uses? All of this and more will feature later in the series, but for now there is only one place to begin in a scrapyard at 76 Totters Lane, where a somewhat familiar police box is discovered for the first time, along with its elderly-looking owner. Next The First Doctor William Hartnell (1963-1966) 