Doctor Who: Why do we love regeneration stories?

Regeneration stories, while hardly regular, are a key part of Doctor Who. But what makes them so special, particularly the best ones?

On Good Friday, we looked at all of Doctor Who‘s regeneration stories and ranked them, from worst to best. As we went through every single Doctor’s exit story, we had to ask ourselves: what is it about regeneration stories that we love so much?

What instantly leaps out to us is that there’s no other series that can even have a regeneration story. It’s a very unique concept, at least, as far as TV is concerned. There’s no other series where a significant re-cast is to be expected, certainly none where it’s actually a part of the story! When a major character is re-cast in other TV shows, it’s usually ignored, at least story-wise.

But in Doctor Who, major stories are (usually) built around it. It’s something of an event, when a Doctor regenerates. Not just in Doctor Who itself, but even for the BBC. You’ll generally see regeneration stories promoted much more heavily than your typical Doctor Who episode.

For example, months before we have the story, the BBC usually makes it a huge thing when the new Doctor is announced. Set dates are announced for the announcement, and the media usually goes into a frenzy. Articles are written speculating over who the new Doctor will be, before many more articles are written over what the new Doctor will be like when we find out who it is. So even outside of the core fandom, regeneration is a pretty big deal.

To some, The End of Time is an absolutely perfect regeneration story. But that’s not true for all fans…

(Image credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

What makes a great regeneration story?

Initially, this doesn’t seem like an easy question to answer, because there are so many different kinds of regeneration story out there. Even in just the New Series, you have stories as big and epic as both The Parting of the Ways and The End of Time.

But then you have stories much more reflective and on a smaller scale with Twice Upon a Time. Stories that are less focused on saving the universe and are more introspective.

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To make things even trickier, like practically everything else in Doctor Who, fans will see and like different things from the same stories. For example, for some fans, The End of Time is easily the best regeneration story ever, due to a magnificent performance from David Tennant and having a regeneration that genuinely feels like a death.

However, on the other hand, there are others who think The End of Time is one of the worst because the regeneration feels too much like a death. More than it should do, in their eyes.

Which begs the question: should regenerations have some reassurance to them, reminding us that the Doctor will go on, regardless of what form his/her next incarnation will take? Or should the story go for maximum heartbreak and make regeneration itself feel like a death? Personally speaking, I lean more towards the former, although I still enjoy a great deal about The End of Time.

Great final stories

Regardless, perhaps it is easy to identify what makes a great regeneration story. Ideally, we want something that’s respectful towards that particular Doctor, and brings out the very best in that incarnation. Something that will make us miss them when they’re gone, all while we’re preparing ourselves for the newcomer.

This may mean bringing back old foes or familiar faces, such as what we got with all the New Series regeneration stories. But it could also allow for something completely different. Something original. Many of the Classic Doctors faced brand new monsters in their final stories, after all. The story that topped our list featured completely original characters and villains, with the exception of brief cameo appearances at the very end.

Essentially, we’re looking for good solid stories. Stories that, at their best, remind us why we loved that incarnation in the first place, and make us feel sorry to say goodbye to them. Of course, if we’re excited to see the new Doctor, then that’s an instant bonus.

What do you think makes a great regeneration story? What is it about the idea that makes us fans love them? Let us know in the comments below.