Canon challenge: Steven Moffat asks which was the first time the Doctor was confirmed to be alien

[ibishtar]

So in the first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, the Doctor says he's from another time and another planet, but that doesn't mean he couldn't be human

Comments

[dbskyler]

Interesting question! Well, he must be said to be not human the first time he regenerates, right? So the question is, did it happen in any First Doctor episodes before his regeneration? Anyone know?

[sue_denimme]

I've just completed a rewatch of the Hartnell era, and while I wasn't looking specifically for evidence of his alienness, I'm pretty sure you're right, that the first *definitive* indication was the regeneration.

(Edit) Of course, someone could say "maybe he was just a human who had somehow gained that ability". In which case I would point to Spearhead from Space, when the two hearts and having non-human blood were first stated.

[ibishtar]

Interesting if Spearhead from Space was indeed the first time, as you'd think it would have been addressed in the Troughton era, what with the aftermath of his regeneration, or with the advent of the Time Lords in The War Games.

[sue_denimme]

In Power of the Daleks, it's pretty much just, "I've been renewed, oh look an ADVENTURE!" No explanations. Also not sure about any other possible info during Troughton's tenure.

The War Games has no clear indication that the Time Lords couldn't just be super-advanced future humans who know how to time travel and "live forever barring accidents". Though the Doctor does say they are "an immensely civilized race", and you'd think if they were human he would mention it, but then again, knowing him...

I guess it's debatable.

[that_therapist]

Someone needs to sit that man down and tell him to keep his ideas to himself.

[ibishtar]

I'm just hoping that it's just an idle pop quiz, and not like the time he was all "you should go back and count the number of regenerations trololol."

[that_therapist]

Oh, I agree. He managed to get away with the War Doctor cos he managed to cast John God Damn Hurt as the Doctor. He made one of the hugest changes ever to the character and the show's history with that. Any more huge attempted changes like this, and Moffat is just looking for us to stroke his ego.

I'm also worried about Moffat's HUGE GAME CHANGING CLIFFHANGER THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING!... again schtick. We've seen 15 seconds of Twelve, and he's already wanting to get us excited about what's happening 25 episodes down the line.

[ibishtar]

I love John Hurt, but the entire concept of the War Doctor annoys me and IMO that whole plotline was totally inappropriate for the 50th, which should have been a chance to give Paul McGann's Doctor another proper outing instead. Can't say I've ever cared for any of Steven Moffat's cliffhangers, so.

[wunnerwmn]

Sounds like he's giving a teaser for the first Capaldi episode, or maybe even the direction of the show with the new set of regenerations. "Clara, be my pal and tell me...am I a good man?" "I don't think I know who the Doctor is anymore". Maybe they're going to focus on his alien-ness (if that's a word) this coming season. I just hope they're going to back off on this "the Doctor is a god" stuff.

Anywho...it's an interesting question, hope he springs the/his answer on everyone. My pre-4th Doctor knowledge is sketchy at best.

[katie_9918]

I love it when Moffat gives out fandom assignments. That doesn't happen nearly enough these days.

[finding_neo]

So, I guess the Judoon were wrong? Source, "Smith & Jones." The protagonist drank the Doctor's blood, the Judoon scanned her and found her to be alien, when she thought the Doctor was human, so she drank his blood to mask her own alienness. They had also scanned Martha after a "DNA transfer" kiss and were uncertain if she was human.

Give us something more difficult, Moff.