I just started watching the new series 2 weeks ago and I'm almost halfway through Season 4! Needless to say, I absolutely love the show
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Okay, I know the ginger thing. In Battlefield (back in the old days when every story had four episodes) The Doctor was told he was Ginger in a future life. In that life he will be Merlin. (yeah that Merlin.) so that is why he always wants to know if he's ginger, because if he is, he'll be Merlin soon.
I think it's only in the novelisation that we learn that Merlin!Doctor is ginger.
The prologue in Marc Platt's novelisation of Battlefield describes Merlin as having 'a head of unruly red hair' (quote, page 6), wearing a 'tatty embroidered Afghan coat' (quote, page 7), and a 'floppy hat of brown felt' (quote, page 7) with a 'saffron Katmandu bandana' (quote, page 7). -- TARDIS Data Core.
Hooray, Series 4! So much love for Donna and Martha and Grandpa Wilf. My theory is that because he changes body, that also changes the chemistry of his brain and the way it's wired, which is why his personality changes even though he has the same memories. Also, I imagine the experiences in his life also change him. I think for the War-haunted Ninth Doctor coming up against the Daleks again in his last story and giving his life to save Rose's were pretty cathartic moments for him, which led to him being a bit more light-hearted and less guilt-ridden in his next incarnation. As for why he wanted to be ginger, it's probably just that he's never been before and reckons it would be a nice change.
Also, if you're barrelling through the episodes, make sure you don't miss these two gems, which are mini-episodes that aired during a charity show, Born Again fits between the first series finale and The Christmas Invasion, and Time Crash between the third series finale and Voyage of the Damned:
Also make sure you are watching the Christmas specials, OP! I missed them the first time around because the site that I was streaming the show on classified them as a separate series.
I love Time Crash! Even when I first watched it and wasn't familiar with Classic Who, David Tennant and Peter Davison play off each other so well :)
I think the shifting of brain chemistry is as good an explanation as any. Of course the *real* reason is that there's so much more potential in letting each new actor run with new possibilities than in trying to make everyone rehash William Hartnell.
I didn't remember anything in Battlefield about descriptions of Merlin's appearance. (Beyond "It is not your aspect but your manor I recognize.") But I suppose it could be there. Personally, the first I remember any mention of being 'ginger' was Tennant's first appearance tossed in with spontaneous quoting of The Lion King. :)
There has been no explanation for why his personality changes. Personally I think of it as like re-shuffling a deck of cards and drawing new ones every time he regenerates, thus different traits become prominent or fade back.
Of course the real-life reason is each actor having his own style and wanting to play it differently, and this of course helps keep the show going.
No explanation for the ginger thing, either, except perhaps that it's the only hair color he hasn't had (that's natural to Time Lords or humans, anyway).
The changes in personality, think of it this way; remember what you were like 10 years ago? I don't know how old you are, but ten years ago I was a completely different person. Listening to Avril Lavigne, watching the final season of "Angel", wearing a stupid leather trench coat to go see "Kill Bill Part I" in the theaters, playing games on my Sega Dreamcast because nothing could ever top SEGA, they'll be making game consoles FOREVER...
...And now I'm a completely different person. I wear less hats now. I don't play video games much at all, preferring tabletop games. I read a lot more comic books than ever before. The me of 203 wouldn't even recognize the me of 2013.
And that's how The Doctor Works... he just does the change all at once :)
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The prologue in Marc Platt's novelisation of Battlefield describes Merlin as having 'a head of unruly red hair' (quote, page 6), wearing a 'tatty embroidered Afghan coat' (quote, page 7), and a 'floppy hat of brown felt' (quote, page 7) with a 'saffron Katmandu bandana' (quote, page 7).
-- TARDIS Data Core.
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My theory is that because he changes body, that also changes the chemistry of his brain and the way it's wired, which is why his personality changes even though he has the same memories. Also, I imagine the experiences in his life also change him. I think for the War-haunted Ninth Doctor coming up against the Daleks again in his last story and giving his life to save Rose's were pretty cathartic moments for him, which led to him being a bit more light-hearted and less guilt-ridden in his next incarnation. As for why he wanted to be ginger, it's probably just that he's never been before and reckons it would be a nice change.
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Born Again
Time Crash:
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I love Time Crash! Even when I first watched it and wasn't familiar with Classic Who, David Tennant and Peter Davison play off each other so well :)
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I didn't remember anything in Battlefield about descriptions of Merlin's appearance. (Beyond "It is not your aspect but your manor I recognize.") But I suppose it could be there. Personally, the first I remember any mention of being 'ginger' was Tennant's first appearance tossed in with spontaneous quoting of The Lion King. :)
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I love how he started to quote The Lion King and then realized what he was doing. Too funny!
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Of course the real-life reason is each actor having his own style and wanting to play it differently, and this of course helps keep the show going.
No explanation for the ginger thing, either, except perhaps that it's the only hair color he hasn't had (that's natural to Time Lords or humans, anyway).
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So, they have to have a ginger doctor eventually!
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...And now I'm a completely different person. I wear less hats now. I don't play video games much at all, preferring tabletop games. I read a lot more comic books than ever before. The me of 203 wouldn't even recognize the me of 2013.
And that's how The Doctor Works... he just does the change all at once :)
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