Multi Doctor Stories have become a tradition in Doctor Who, especially during major anniversaries. It seems like the 60th Anniversary will be taking a different route with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, but it’s become expected to see several Doctors come together to defeat an enemy. It can be very rewarding to highlight the differences between different incarnations and seeing them learn to work with one another can be a special sight to see. Today I thought it would be a good idea to rank these stories from worst to best. I am only going to be including stories from the main show and also won’t be including Fugitive of the Judoon and the Power of the Doctor. The appearance of additional Doctors in those stories doesn’t play a significant enough role for me to be able to count them as Multi Doctor adventures. Let’s get started!!!
5.) The Two Doctors (1985) written by Robert Holmes
This is by far the worst Multi Doctor story there has been, as it totally misses the point of their appeal. By this point, Patrick Troughton has returned so many times that the fun of him coming back has been torn away and the special nature of Multi Doctor stories is kind of tarnished with only two years since the Five Doctors. Taking place within Colin Baker’s first season, it feels like it’s taking attention and spotlight off him as the Doctor who is still trying to prove himself as the Time Lord. You also have the fact that Patrick Troughton simply does not work as the Second Doctor anymore. With so many years since his era, he has become too old and physically changed to play the role like he once did. He has a different quality to him as an older man and no work is done to justify this and recapturing the same magic just can’t succeed. The joy of a Multi Doctor story is seeing them work together and the chemistry between the Sixth and Second Doctors fails. I enjoy bickering between incarnations, but these two seem to actively resent each other and I don’t enjoy that relationship. The Sontarans, as villains, have an ugly design and are shoved to the side as hench figures and both Chessene and Dastari are poor villains as the actors are given nothing to work with. The 45-minute format means the episodes drag badly and you have no sense of urgency. It is nice to see Jamie back and the threat of the Doctor becoming an Androgum has some weight to it, but it’s a tiring story to sit through.
4.) Twice Upon a Time (2017) written by Steven Moffat
Unlike the Two Doctors Twice Upon a Time does at least feel like it has a purpose, although very little of a point. I understand the potential in a story where the Doctor meets with his first incarnation and examines his future. However, it simply does not fit with the timeline of the Tenth Planet. It ruins the calm and mysterious nature of the change and the First Doctor's confidence in that first regeneration story, which is a shame. The whole story feels like an unnecessary extension to the Twelfth Doctors' story which would have been better off concluding at the end of Series 10. I think David Bradley does capture the essence of William Hartnell’s characteristics and there are some nice individual scenes and character interactions, but the writing of the First Doctor is dreadful. I despise the way Bradley’s Doctor is written as an exaggerated and unlikeable sexist bigot. It’s true that Hartnell’s Doctor had some dodgy moments by modern standards, but the show was progressive by the standards of its time. Bradley’s Doctor here feels like an insincere parody and caricature. It feels like the story is exaggerating the sexism of the time to lift up the progression of the show in 2017, which I don’t like. Bill’s character feels badly extended and serves no purpose and there is no plot or reason to the story. The best part of the story is the heartwarming Christmas Truce scene at the end, and Peter Capaldi's final performance as the Doctor is both magnificent and emotional.
3.) The Five Doctors (1983) written by Terrance Dicks
This may not be as high as some fans would put it, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love the Five Doctors and that it isn’t a story of absolute delight. Terrance Dicks did a tremendous job of putting the story together, given the characters he had to include and everything he had to juggle. It might be the most difficult Doctor Who story which has ever been written, which makes it a miracle that it actually managed to work. The key to the Five Doctors is that you have a well-focused plot. The story assembles a structure designed for all the old Doctors, companions, and villains in an adventure together in an accessible way which is very satisfying. Yet it manages to find a logical way to make that happen whilst also justifying the absence of Tom Baker’s incarnation in an organic way. The Death Zone is an incredibly interesting and fascinating concept with a depth, history, and danger to it that gives the story a central mystery to unveil, which drives and enhances the plot. It gives the story a fulfilling feeling of danger with the Doctors and companions having to fight for their lives with a cool sense of survival against all odds, which justifies the fan service moments. The sheer number of characters creates a terrific broad feeling to the universe and a sense of adventure. The revelation of Borusa as the villain is a surprising one that works well. Phillip Latham asserts himself as a villain terrifically and the way the story explores Time Lord origins and as a result the origins of the Doctor, and the consequences of immortality is appropriate and brave for an anniversary story about legacy with a message about longevity with both reasoning and meaning.
2.) The Three Doctors (1972/73) written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin
The Five Doctors tends to be a favoured story, but I much prefer the Three Doctors, mainly because I prefer a tighter dynamic between Doctors and enjoy seeing them work together. The Three Doctors established the Multi Doctor formula and everything that came after it incredibly, and I think it deserves more praise for it. It creates a good reason to engineer a Multi Doctor story with a severity to the stakes. Having been only a few years since he last played the role, Patrick Troughton slips effortlessly back into his character as the Second Doctor and recaptures the same magic. I think Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton are a perfect match with just excellent chemistry between them. They are total opposites, and I love how they contrast one another as bickering brothers. Hartnell’s Doctor has a fitting role as an elder figure of authority kicking them into action. The character development between the Second and Third Doctors is great, as you see their different working methods and how they learn to work with each other over time, which is rewarding to see. Stephen Thorne as Omega is a very memorable villain of formidable dominance and anger. You feel sympathy and pity for him as a Shakespearean figure who has been wronged and you feel for his reasonings for revenge. It makes sense for an anniversary story to tackle Time Lord origins and where the power of time travel came from as the power behind Doctor Who’s concept. From this, you get a worthy story of emotion and tragedy about the fall of a hero with powerful regret for the Doctor.
1.) The Day of the Doctor (2013) written by Steven Moffat
Quite easily, not just the best Multi Doctor story but the best anniversary celebration. I think the Day of the Doctor is going to be a tough one to beat. I just love the chemistry and the relationship between the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. There is a childish enjoyment of one another's presence that is incredibly humorous to watch and see play out. I like the way the War Doctor is used to poke fun at the modernisation of Doctor Who and how the show has changed in a very self-aware way. This story clearly does the most with the Multi Doctor concept, and I think gets the best use out of it. It’s very powerful seeing the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors representing the stages of PTSD and how the Doctor has been impacted by the end of the Time War and his decision of genocide. It was a clever idea for the War Doctor to be at the centre with the story functioning as Doctor Who’s version of A Christmas Carol, as he sees who he will become as a result of this one action in a meaningful and emotional way. You have a wonderful performance from Billie Piper as the Moment who brings a sense of age, knowledge and humour to the part, and her taking the form of Rose Tyler is very thematically fitting. You have a celebration that cleverly manages to be all kinds of Doctor Who at once as it brings all the different kinds of stories common to the show together; all intertwined into a consistent plot which is a big success, and you also have a very rewarding cameo from Tom Baker as the Curator. Yet at its heart, you have a lovely message about what makes the Doctor as a hero so unique, and it distils what makes Doctor Who so special as it celebrates what the show is all about.
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