“Doctor Who” returned in August with a new iteration of its time-traveling, world-saving titular character. Older and more serious, but just as clever, the new Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, injects the now four-decade-old show with renewed energy.
The 12th Doctor provides a drastic and much needed shift in the “Doctor Who” series, which was relaunched in 2005 with the ninth Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston. A welcomed addition, Eccleston was serious yet quirky, but his character ultimately lacked depth and any truly defining character traits. His stint only lasted a single season.
The 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant, was the perfect embodiment of the role. He was powerful in the subtlest of ways. Taking hold of situations with the cool ease of a Time Lord while maintaining Eccleston's eccentricity, fun and spontaneity. Unlike Eccleston, Tennant had the time to mature the character into the iconic Doctor most people think of today.
But the show's essence comes from a continually changing cast — and after three seasons Tenant was replaced by the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith. Smith's Doctor was more or less an extension of Tenant's character — just as fun, and as quirky as ever. But after an additional three series, the Doctor's character was beginning to grow dull.
This cued the introduction of the series' first married companions — Rory and Amy Pond, played by Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan, respectively — and coincided with a well-received widening of the show's focus onto the Doctor’s companions.
Enter season eight and the 12th Doctor — Capaldi.
Capaldi is almost the diametric opposite of the past Doctors. His character has a dry sense of humour, a controlled and sarcastic manner with a startling callousness toward human life. He’s not young and cute but old, jaded and just a little confusing.
His relationship with his companion, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) — who first enters the series as Smith's companion — is equally unique. Rather than traveling with Clara, the Doctor pops into her life and pulls her away to go off on adventures. Clara’s life is followed independently from the Doctor’s — something never before seen in “Doctor Who,” which opens a whole host of exciting plot lines.
After 7 seasons of similar Doctor portrayals, the writers nailed a fresh take on the iconic character by changing not only the Doctor, but the entire context surrounding the show. This is television writing done right — it takes chances, breaks from tradition and knows when a tired character is ready to be retired.
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