Modern Doctor Who has often been in favour of a method similar to Spearhead from Space when introducing new eras and bringing in new Doctors and companions. Both the Matt Smith and Jodie Whittaker eras, helmed by Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall, aimed for a fresh start with a clean slate. The original series was more fond of a slow transition with familiar elements while creating a new identity. I think the early Tom Baker era under the charge of Phillip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes is the most prominent and had the best success in this method. Today I’m going to be talking about why this can be very beneficial to a new run and is very effective in convincing fans to stick around in a different era.
Phillip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes were not really the creators who discovered this method, as it had been at the centre of the changing ingredients of the show. When William Hartnell left as the First Doctor and Patrick Troughton took his place as the Second Doctor, it was very useful having Ben and Polly as familiar elements to make the transition to a new run feel smooth. The Jon Pertwee era had a new Doctor, companion, setting, and feel but also brought in familiar elements like UNIT and the Brigadier. It’s helpful in keeping familiar viewers invested to retain some aspects of what they recognise as Doctor Who from the past era.
The Third Doctor run had been a sound success, therefore it didn’t make sense when the Tom Baker era came about to have a completely clean slate. You would want to maintain the success that was established during the Pertwee run. The Fourth Doctor era is famous for being the golden era of Doctor Who. The show was able to feel familiar yet new, which made it successful. A lot of this comes from the fact that the Fourth Doctor's opening story, Robot, was still produced under the Barry Letts era of the Pertwee production team and written by the script editor of that run with Terrance Dicks.
You might think that could risk a clashing of interests with having an old team kick off a new run, but it ended up being very important. The reason being the first story still keeps the same feel and tone of the Pertwee era and the same set of characters. A combination of familiar and necessary elements allows for an easier transition for the audience to accept a new actor as the Doctor as their hand is held through the change. It makes things slow and gradual and gives time for the audience to get used to and accept the idea. It makes a lot of sense that rather than overwhelming an audience with change, to keep lots of aspects that were popular during the Pertwee era around in that first story to give it continuity. I feel this is useful to create a good level of connectivity in the main universe.
In Robot, you still have the presence of UNIT with the Brigadier, Sergeant Benton and even Sarah Jane Smith to be able to help it feel like the same show. You're familiar with how Jon Pertwee's Doctor handled situations and worked with the Brigadier and Sergeant Benton. Terrance Dicks uses that familiar aspect and the audience’s familiarity with the formula and characters and uses that well to contrast the Fourth Doctor and show how different he is. The Third Doctor is a fairly grounded figure whereas the Fourth Doctor is a compellingly much more alien, unpredictable, childish and comic character and he works very differently and effectively as a result. Seeing how different Tom Baker’s Doctor is in comparison to Jon Pertwee’s incarnation locks him down as a character very well, and that’s through the subversion of the Doctor in a familiar formula.
Jon Pertwee’s Doctor was a trustworthy and reliable pair of hands, and it makes sense in contrast to have an unreliable and very frantic character and a force like Tom Baker. To see him prove his intelligence and worth to the Brigadier feels meaningful because of the depth of history between them, and the Doctor proving himself to Sarah Jane works for similar reasons. There is an uncertainty in the character relationships with the Doctor that I like slowly softens as the characters develop a trust in the Doctor quickly. The acceptance of the Doctor from the familiar characters creates a want in the audience to embrace Tom Baker’s incarnation as they start to feel okay about the transition.
The continuity of UNIT is well used throughout the run. UNIT had been a massive part of the Pertwee era, and it wouldn’t have made sense for them to just disappear. Therefore, I like the way they are slowly phased out as the show under Phillip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes finds its identity. Obviously, the Brigadier and UNIT are recognised as aspects of the Pertwee era and it’s understandable why the show would want to move on, especially with more of a focus on outer space adventures. I like that the show still sees the value in the continuity of UNIT and its place in alien invasion storylines within the Doctor Who universe for a logical and connected feel between eras. Seeing the Doctor continue as a scientific advisor to UNIT in some capacity in the Seeds of Doom gives him some sense of status and elevated importance as an expert that helps the storyline.
Terror of the Zygons really functions as a fitting goodbye to UNIT, a loving goodbye to the Brigadier as a character and that era of the show. Having spent time away on outer space adventures with Tom Baker’s Doctor, it feels like the show has changed and developed its own identity with the horror themes and direction away from UNIT and begun to diverge. It therefore makes sense to put that era of the show to bed. Terror of the Zygons has a unique style and atmosphere that fits well with the horror themes of the Phillip Hinchcliffe era. It's different from the Pertwee run and stands on its own, yet familiar enough to maintain continuity. It also makes sense for this to be the swan song for UNIT because it feels like the UNIT characters have gone as far as they can go within this dynamic; especially with the friendship between the Doctor and the Brigadier having developed where they have a healthy respect for one another which I like. These characters used to be opposites and at odds with one another which is what made the dynamic so interesting and entertaining to watch, but at this point there is a valuable friendship between them which feels like an appropriate time to conclude the main role of the Brigadier within the series. It feels fitting with the developed confidence of Benton after the departure of Yates for his character to end here. With his promotion he has a lot more agency and an authoritative role which feels like a good place for his character to conclude.
UNIT still had somewhat of a role in things in stories like the Android Invasion and the Seeds of Doom, and their place did make sense considering the role earth and alien threats played in those stories. However, Terror of the Zygons acted as a chance to say goodbye to UNIT as a regular staple of Doctor Who and there is an emotion to the ending which feels like it’s subtly and appropriately tying a bow on things and bringing things to a conclusion. Benton and Harry do appear in the Android Invasion, but even then it feels like they are there for continuity and not as active characters, which I think was a wise way for Phillip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes to use them.
It wasn’t just UNIT where the audience were eased into a different feel though, but in the stories themselves. The Ark in Space marked the beginning of the Phillip Hinchcliffe era, focusing brilliantly on horror and very human rooted themes and ideas that pushed Doctor Who into darker and more interesting territory. It has an immediately unique style and feel to it, yet the stories of Season 12 were commissioned by the previous production team. Bringing back old favourites like the Daleks, Cybermen, and Sontarans in the first season was a smart move to attract viewers and create a familiar atmosphere.
This does more than what you would expect. With the Doctor facing past enemies, then the writing has to draw upon some kind of past history which, as a result, sees Tom Baker’s Doctor prove himself, selling himself as the same character and melding into the continuity of other Doctors. The Sontarans had only been introduced in the previous season with the Time Warrior, but seeing the Doctor deal with his past history with the Sontarans and with Linx creates some level of connectivity in the character. This is taken to the next level with Genesis of the Daleks, which is an astounding story and one of the best of all time.
Tom Baker has to draw on a lot of past history, trauma and experience in what past Dalek adventures have made of him. This is all incredibly powerful in selling Tom Baker as the same Doctor William Hartnell played back in 1963. You see through Genesis of the Daleks the emotional pain which the Doctor has been caused by the Daleks; his understanding of their menace and evil and his ethical struggle and dilemma and want to do good shows Tom Baker at his best. The struggle with a lifelong menace creates a real lived history to Tom Baker’s Doctor and is one of his best performances in the role. There is an excellent guilt and arc to the Fourth Doctor in the story that tracks with his character and strongly brings out the Doctor's ethics and morality that has been bubbling beneath the surface across Season 12. You needed a menace worthy of that, and I think the Daleks fitted that role perfectly. The Fourth Doctor’s struggle in his right to destroy a form of life has ethical and complicated implications and Tom Baker nails every level of emotion in his performance across the story. His sense of care demonstrates itself excellently with some amazing highlight moments of emotion. The scene where he confronts the right he has to destroy the Daleks is an iconic and very emotional, thought provoking moment for good reason. Through this Tom Baker exceeds expectations as the Doctor in Season 12 and I think the familiar set of villains really helps. Unfortunately, I don’t think he has as much to draw on with the Cybermen, but it's at least another familiar element to create a comforting feeling for the audience.
With a powerful set of reliable villains in Season 12, it meant you had something very safe and secure. Season 12 laid the groundwork for Phillip Hinchcliffe and Robert Holmes to take risks and push the show's horror to new levels. The Phillip Hinchcliffe era was a run defined by mostly original villains. You have memorable antagonists like Sutekh, Morbius, the Krynoid, the Zygons and Magnus Greel but I think it was the returning villains in Season 12 that strangely allowed that imagination and sense of growth.
The very key to the familiar aspects of the early Tom Baker run, was Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, who was just magic in the role and a complete delight on screen. I think the key with Sarah Jane was the fact that she added some level of familiarity to the Hinchcliffe era because she had been a companion to the Third Doctor in Season 11 and yet she was fresh enough of a companion to take in new directions. Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen just melded perfectly together. The genuine friendship between them off screen is evident on screen, creating an authentic bond. It creates a combination which is a delight to watch.
They both feel like unlikely friends and the relationship plays upon that brilliantly with the frustration and anger of Sarah Jane at the Doctor's alien nature, but they clearly have a strong affection for one another which runs through all the stories. You have a compelling contrast with the boldness and strangeness of Tom Baker mixed with the grounded humanity of Elisabeth Sladen and that combination meshes excellently. Sarah Jane Smith was already a good character, but she is astounding under Tom Baker’s run. That success wouldn’t have been possible if her potential hadn’t been used through familiar aspects. What made her so good and memorable wouldn’t have been possible if her character had been dropped during the Tom Baker era, which definitely shows the merits of this approach to change.
A big ingredient which made the change to Tom Baker work was the use of Sarah Jane within Robot. The story puts heavy focus upon Sarah Jane and gives her a fulfilling story to tell. Her acceptance of the Fourth Doctor is a great comfort to the audience. Yet the emotional and character centric story of the connection she develops with the K1 Robot was one with good depth and meaning. Making Robot Sarah Jane’s story was a clever distraction and a great way to ease in the Fourth Doctor.
The fact that Sarah Jane does not look up to the Doctor and simply views him as a friend and can challenge him makes her stand strong as a character. It made her irreplaceable and I think it was a good reason why Sarah Jane felt like a part of Doctor Who’s identity and image during that era.
Other eras have certainly tried to replicate the approach to change of the Hinchcliffe run. Season 22 used a lot of familiar villains to ease in Colin Baker’s Doctor. However, I think there was too much of a focus on lore and continuity. Beyond that, I don’t think the use of Troughton’s Doctor helped much when trying to introduce a different incarnation. You’ve also got to remember that whilst Season 12 had a lot of old villains, there were also a lot of fresh elements. The Wirrn, Davros and the K1 Robot helps make things feel new which you don’t have with Season 22.
The best success of replicating the approach of the early Tom Baker era in my view has been the Peter Capaldi run. Deep Breath has a very similar approach to Robot and handles the introduction well. The presence of the Paternoster Gang and Clara keeps things rooted well in the Eleventh Doctor era whilst slowly moving the tone and themes into darker territory, which is well handled. Beyond that, I think the use of Clara in Series 8 has a very similar use to Sarah Jane. Clara, I think, fits the Twelfth Doctor much better and Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman have excellent chemistry together. A lot more work is done in fleshing out Clara as a person and making her a more interesting character so they can make the best use of her. You have a similar direction which shows the merits of the approach.
I think a fresh start can work very well as shown with the Jon Pertwee and Matt Smith eras, but it’s not always necessary. I’m not sure the Jodie Whittaker run needed to make everything an entirely clean slate in the way it did. Bill would have been a good fit for the Thirteenth Doctor, and I am disappointed she didn’t stick around, and I think the use of UNIT and Kate Stewart could have been brought in sooner to inject some familiarity.
Yaz and Dan left as companions at the end of the Power of the Doctor, which, to be honest, I think was a wise move. Yaz had been around a long time and with Dan as more of a comedic side character, I’m not sure he would have worked with the transition of a new era. However, with the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate and popular aspects of the past, I am encouraged that some of these past returning elements could be used to help ease an audience into a new era.
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