Doctor Who’s Bi-Generation, Explained

Throughout Doctor Who’s history, regenerations have been established, as this is how the character evolves when a new actor is hired. This has been achieved in various ways over the years, always creating some exciting scenes and allowing the show to be freshened up consistently to bring new levels of entertainment to audiences. However, when it was time for Ncuti Gatwa to take on the role, BBC did something completely different.

In the 60th anniversary episode of Doctor Who, a bi-generational scene took audiences by surprise. Two Doctors stood side by side in a monumental scene that could have a long-term impact. However, it was a confusing situation that leaned heavily into the show’s science fiction aspect.

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What Was Doctor Who’s Bi-Generation?

The bi-generation was how Doctor Who brought Gatwa’s version of the Time Lord into the show without changing David Tennant. In a typical regeneration, Tennant would have transformed into Gatwa to kickstart the Sex Education star’s time on the hit show. However, that wasn’t what happened here, as Gatwa’s character ended up peeling out of Tennant to the point where both of them stood side by side in the same universe simultaneously. It meant that there were technically two Doctor’s on planet Earth at once, with both men having the same abilities and incredible intelligence.

Up until this moment happened this rare variant of regeneration was simply considered to be a myth. They ended up being pulled apart by Donna to make the moment official, keeping Tennant’s character alive despite him being hit with a galvanic beam from the Toymaker. This was done by the built-up regeneration energy being internalized rather than pushed out, and it’s something that created a scene fans will likely always remember and talk about.

What It Meant For David Tennant’s Doctor?

The bi-generation was unique because it meant there were two Doctors existing at the same time. Rather than Tennant going away for good, he was kept alive. On top of that, he also has his own Tardis, as the two Doctors managed to duplicate the time-traveling machine. His character was dealing with a lot of emotional trauma, which meant he was ready for a break from trying to save the world. He went on to live with Donna in her family home to be part of them and live a relatively ‘normal’ life.

While he’s not been shown traveling around the universe trying to save people, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been happening. There could easily be a world where Tennant’s character is doing exactly that. Either way, he is still around and exists in the current timeline that is taking place with Gatwa. It opens up a lot of storyline possibilities, especially for one of the most popular versions of the Time Lord to ever exist.

The Bi-Generation Could Save Doctor Who As A Show Amid Rumors

Given recent rumors surrounding the future of Doctor Who and Gatwa’s role as the Time Lord, BBC might be looking to tap into the bi-generation in the near future. It has been reported that Gatwa is considering stepping from Doctor Who after his upcoming second season in the role. On top of that, BBC is even contemplating axing the show and putting it on the back burner for a few years. That would be a huge decision to take place given how popular Doctor Who is around the entire world. However, with viewership down in the last season, considerable thought has been placed into the show’s future.

That is where Tennant and the bi-generation could be used. He is already one of the favorites with several betting sites to replace Gatwa in the lead role and return to the show one final time. Tennant is someone who has been brought back several times, whether for one-off appearances or for more significant roles such as the 60th-anniversary run. That’s because he has a loyal fanbase who loved his time on the show and will always return to see what he does next in the role. If Gatwa does decide to move on, bringing Tennant back would prove to be a popular decision that might stop the show from being axed.

The bi-generation would make that possible with ease because there would be no need for regeneration as is normally the case. Instead, Tennant could shoot a scene with Gatwa’s character to allow him to become the primary focus. This would also keep Gatwa’s version in the universe to possibly return at some point as well. Doctor Who is a show that’s always about changing and moving forward, but sometimes a glimpse of the past and a hit of nostalgia is what people need. While it would very much be seen as an emergency band-aid for Doctor Who, it might be enough to see the show survive.

Doctor Who

Created by

Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson

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Cast

William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Ncuti Gatwa

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