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Nathan Martin Ms. Green Rhetoric 406 11/8/2013 The Toll The Doctors Regeneration Has On Viewers. In the television show Doctor Who, there are usually debates about characters and politics in the show among the fans. Whether its a new companion or some new creature that is arguably a metaphor for a war going on in the world, there is always something to disagree about. However, above all else, the one thing whose argument will last forever is the regeneration of the Doctor. Regeneration creates a new Doctor for fans to discuss, and gives them the ability to hate a new Doctor, love a new Doctor, and have a favorite Doctor that tops all other Doctors in their opinion. What happens when the Doctor regenerates? According to the Tor, Regeneration can
be confusing for even the most ardent Doctor Who fan. Our intrepid hero literally becomes a new person

(Emily Asher-Perrin, Tor.com). The process begins when the Doctor is on the brink of death. The Doctor has regenerated for many different reasons such as: Dying of old age like the first Doctor, being forced to regenerate like the sixth Doctor, getting shot like the seventh Doctor, and getting radiation poisoning like the tenth Doctor. Regeneration allows him to change himself, healing him, but in the process he loses his personality. When the Doctor changes, he loses his former body and gains a new one. This change sparks argument in the fan base and fans are usually always discussing pros and cons of a new Doctor. A friendship is the best way to describe viewers attachment to the Doctor. When the Doctor regenerates, for some viewers it is like losing a close friend. They get closely attached to

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a Doctor, his quirks and style. Whether its David Tennants trainers and his use of Allonsy, or Matt Smiths bowtie and fez, every viewer has something they enjoy about a certain Doctor. However, when viewers lose that they can get angry, ...the problem is that Matt Smith is now, and always was riding the wave generated by Eccleston and Tennant. He has not appreciably contributed distinction or uniqueness to the character (David Michael Daniel, whatculture.com). Daniel discusses how the eleventh Doctor is bland. Matt Smith, the eleventh Doctor, hasnt shown any quirks that blow his predecessor, David Tennant, out of the water. Matt Smiths first episode was his time to shine, to catch the audiences attention. However, all that viewers see him do about his antics is introduce his bow tie and his love for custard and fish sticks. It wasnt a very quirky first episode it was slow and drawn out with minimal craziness. Tennants first episode was enjoyable by fans because he had to gain both the respect of Rose and the approval of the viewers. Smith had nothing to prove to a companion, so all eyes from the audience were on him. Starting with a clean slate he had to do his best to prove to the audience that he was worthy enough to be the new Doctor. In the end however, every viewer has their own opinion. This results in some viewers hating the new Doctor, yet, some learn to enjoy his presence. When one loses a friend, however, they often gain a new one. This reigns true when the Doctor regenerates. Though some people dismiss a new Doctor, there are some that enjoy the new Doctor more than the old one. They let go of the old friend and accept their new one in loving arms. My favorite Doctor was Eccleston and when he regenerated I was heartbroken, but after watching a few episodes with Tennant I began to enjoy watching him (awaywiththefangirls.tumblr.com). Some people give up after their favorite Doctor leaves, but this viewer watched a few of the new Doctors episodes and learned to like the new Doctor. A

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new Doctor doesnt exactly mean the death of the old Doctors personality. The new Doctor still has memories of all his past lives, and sometimes taps into them when trying to solve a problem. Just because a viewer likes the new Doctor it doesnt mean that they dont like a former Doctor as much. Regeneration of the Doctor gives fans the ability to decide which Doctor is truly their favorite, and with the many different Doctors they have many to choose from. With all the different Doctors, each viewer gets the choice of his or her favorite. Regeneration of the Doctor creates multiple personalities, and the different personalities create a Doctor for everyone. Though viewers may like every Doctor, there is one Doctor that will truly be their favorite. This is the Doctor that they will always enjoy the most, the one that they will watch their episodes over and over. Its usually the Doctor that makes the greatest impact on the viewer. It could be the way they act, a viewer just cant get them out of their head, or how they saved the world a certain time. In many cases its the They were my First Doctor scenario. This is when a viewer gains a love for the first Doctor they ever watched. Fans explanation for this decision of loving their first Doctor the most usually consists of, Matt Smith is my favorite Doctor because he was my first Doctor (youmustbethedoctor.tumblr.com). Matt Smith was this viewers first Doctor, and your first Doctor is usually the Doctor who gets you involved in the show. Its no surprise that Matt Smith is their favorite because he made an impression on them that caused them to love the show. With the end of a Doctor comes the beginning of argument. Doctor Who fans are consistently arguing about the different Doctors. A viewer gets to decide how they feel about a certain Doctor. Some viewers may hate a Doctor because they are bland, unoriginal, and riding the fan train from the former Doctor. On the other hand, many viewers learn to love a new Doctor through watching their episodes and finding the points where they use the knowledge of

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an old Doctor and take them back to their time with them. The greatest thing about regeneration though, is that with so many different Doctors there are so many choices for ones favorite Doctor. Whether it is a new Doctor, or an old one, each viewer sees each Doctor differently. Even though, this may cause debate, viewers need to stand by their feelings and fight for their Doctor. It keeps the fan base of Doctor Who alive.

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Works Cited Daniel, David Michael. "11 Things Doctor Who Is Getting Wrong With The 11th Doctor (And How To Fix Them)." WhatCulture RSS. N.p., 25 Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Nov. 2013.

Asher-Perrin, Emily. "Not Some New Man: The Hidden Pattern Behind the Doctor's Regenerations | Doctor's Regenerations | Tor.com." Not Some New Man: The Hidden Pattern Behind the Tor.com. Tor.com, 29 Aug. 2012. Web. 08 Nov. 2013.

Natedontfly. HEY DOCTOR WHO FANS CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME OUT!?!?!?! Natedontfly.tumblr.com Tumblr, October 28, 2013. November 5, 2013.