SUMMARY
- Doctor Who ‘s bi-generation twist continues the tradition of breaking the rule book with new ideas.
- Jodie Whittaker loved the bi-generation twist and praised David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa.
- The bi-generation twist not only led to a fantastic team-up but also addressed the Doctor’s 60-year journey.
Thirteenth Doctor actor Jodie Whittaker shares her reaction to Doctor Who‘s 60th-anniversary bi-generation twist. Whittaker, who portrayed a groundbreaking, optimistic, and energetic incarnation of the Time Lord from 2017 to 2022, made her final appearance in “The Power of the Doctor,” where she regenerated into David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor. Tennant’s Doctor regenerated in the third 60th-anniversary special “The Giggle,” but rather than the physical change, the Time Lord divided into two beings. The Doctor split between his Fourteenth Incarnation and Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, which became known as bi-generation in Doctor Who.
With Doctor Who‘s 60th-anniversary ending shocking audiences in 2023, Whittaker reflected on the pivotal moment with Virgin Radio during the Royal Television Society Programme Awards. Whittaker was quick to praise the surprising scene between Tennant and Gatwa and how it continues the show’s practice of breaking “the rule book“ and rewriting it with new ideas. Check out Whittaker’s full explanation below:
“The Bigeneration? Amazing! I just think what’s so exciting is that with every series and every, you know, every version of The Doctor, the rule book can be ripped up and rewritten. I love that, and that’s my favorite thing about the show.”
How Doctor Who Has Shocked Audiences With Its Regeneration Twists
No Two Doctor Regenerations Are Ever The Same.
As such, no two regenerations have ever been the same and are continually added to the vast lore.
Ever since William Hartnell’s First Doctor regenerated into Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor, regeneration has become a fondly-held passing of the torch tradition. From a forced regeneration as part of the Second Doctor’s exile to Earth to the mysterious watcher haunting the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) in the final moments, the change has rarely been simple for the Doctor. This trend of strange new regenerations continued into the revival era when season 4 left UK audiences stunned when the Tenth Doctor (Tennant) was struck by a Dalek in 2008’s The Stolen Earth.
While the Tenth Doctor expelled the regeneration energy from a previously removed hand after healing himself, season 4’s penultimate episode gripped viewers for a week until the finale “Journey’s End” aired, as Tennant confirmed his departure ahead of the story airing. Whittaker also faced her own regeneration twist in “The Power of the Doctor” as Sacha Dhawan’s Master forced the Doctor to regenerate, hijacking her body as the series delved into the Doctor’s mind during the process. As such, no two regenerations have ever been the same and are continually added to the vast lore.
Doctor Who‘s bi-generation twist stands out among past regenerations. Not only did the sequence lead to a fantastic team-up between the familiar-faced and all-new incarnation against the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris), but it addressed the Doctor’s overall journey across the show’s complete 60-year run. It also paved the way for Gatwa’s future adventures in season 14 and beyond. As such, it is unsurprising how the moment would appeal to Whittaker, as it exemplifies the show’s unique capacity to rewrite its rules to remain exciting and appealing to audiences.
