How many Doctors was that? How many actors?

[glowing_fish]

After watching "The Day of the Doctor", I am trying to categorize how many Doctors were in the episode. Since this involves spoilers, I will put it behind a cut:

Comments

[jmnstars]

I say only 1 Doctor appeared.

But in 5 different regenerations. :P

[hekatelesedi]

This!

[philstar22]

Agreed. They are all the same man.

[glowing_fish]

Since this is a popular response, I will just throw this out as a theoretical argument:

All of the specials whose title is a reference to multiple regenerations are called "The X Doctors". The Three Doctors, The Five Doctors, The Two Doctors. Not "The Three Regenerations of One Doctor", etc.

...until this one. I guess it is called "The Day of the Doctor", not "The Day of the Doctors".

[cjtremlett]

IMDB lists twelve actors as "The Doctor", some of them tagged as "archival footage".

I like the "1 Doctor but 5 regenerations" answer, too.

[tenthrose]

THREE, I HAVE SEEN THREE DOCTORS

You're missing the configuration where 'The Night of the Doctor' is counted as being part of 'The Day of the Doctor', therefore bringing Eight into the mix. =)

Why count Capaldi and not anyone else in the all-the-Doctors montage, though? Presumably, that picture is ALSO either a promo-pic or from a different episode, the only difference being that it's one that that hasn't aired yet.

[glowing_fish]

I guess because it was specifically shot for this episode? Unless, of course, it wasn't?

But I bet Moffat at least knew that he might need to work a clip in there, so...

I don't know, that might not be the case.

[jackdavfan692]

It might have been. *Nods* My personal guess, though? I think it was taken from some part of the post-regen scene in the Christmas special, since as far as we know, that's the only DW-related filming Capaldi has done so far. But I could be wrong- it may very well have been filmed specifically for TDOTD. There's no way of knowing for sure, unless Moffat, Capaldi himself, or someone else tells us (which likely isn't going to happen :P).

[iscariotjones]

Moffat has said that he wrote in just a short appearance from the Twelfth Doctor when he came up with the script, because he didn't yet know who it would be... And I'm guessing the reason we only saw the top of his head is that they're still finalizing things like his wardrobe and specific take on the character.

[captaintish]

14. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, War Doctor, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, and future/unspecified number/Tom Baker Doctor/Curator.

[iscariotjones]

That's my count, yeah.

[welshgirl15]

This

[nutmeg_44]

Same.

[misterandersen]

I have to admit that if we're going with "only certain incarnations are considered to be the Doctor" idea, then we really should be calling Hurt "The Renegade" as they do in the IDW comics. It makes the distinction far cleaner.

[fardell24]

I've decided on 'Warrior Theta' myself.

[misterandersen]

Indeed. Anything other than a name containing the word 'Doctor'

[dilbert719]

This is one of my peeves with the whole thing. There are so many better names that would have fit JH's character: The Renegade, The Warrior, The Doctor No More... it's so dumb. "Here's a regeneration I don't talk about. He broke the promise, and he lost the right to call himself the Doctor." "So, what's he called?" "The War Doctor."

...what?