47
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How did the original/classic Doctor Who end?
How did the show originally end? Was it known at the time this would be the final series or did it just 'stop'?
The show was cancelled at some point during production of Series 26, which aired at the ...
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26
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Who is the Doctor who broke the promise?
It was the War Doctor.
Also known as the Eight-and-a-Halfth Doctor, or the Doctor who wasn't really the Doctor, or the Warrior. Played by John Hurt:
He broke the promise that made him the Doctor, by ...
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25
votes
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Why does Doctor Who pronounce "Van Gogh" differently than Wikipedia's audio pronunciation?
It's a common mistake. Brits often pronounce it as Goff and Americans often pronounce it as Go. The BBC, home of Dr. Who, even commented on it and included the correct enunciation:
But what is the ...
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23
votes
How could Matt Smith become the 13th Doctor in the first place?
Because Time Lords are allotted thirteen regenerations.
That's basically all there is to it. There was never any problem with the Doctor having thirteen faces; the first time he really broke the ...
- 8,350
17
votes
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Why was Doctor Who not filmed in HD when Torchwood was?
In part, it was down to Russell T Davies not wanting to do Doctor Who in HD after having bad experiences with Torchwood.
"I'm fighting it off," Davies said at a Broadcast event in London. &...
- 434
14
votes
Is the 8th Doctor really half-human on his mother's side?
Considering the nature of the show, everything is canon, and can change at any moment via timey whimey wi... er, time travel.
8's movie is obviously canon. As are some if not all of his Big Finish ...
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12
votes
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Was regeneration planned right from the start of Doctor Who?
The rumor you heard is true - reincarnation in Doctor Who was, in fact, the result of difficulty with (and the failing health of) William Hartnell. According to Wikipedia:
The concept of ...
- 4,147
12
votes
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Why do these shots from a 2005 Doctor Who episode look blurry?
I'm ignoring the accusation that these shots "look bad" which is pure opinion. I actually quite like the first ones, the second is just 'standard fayre' for this type of shot.
These are ...
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12
votes
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Origin of the titles "Doctor" and "Master" from Doctor Who
Most Time Lords seen during both the classic episodes as well as the new series seem to have adapted to using these titles with a few rare exceptions, like Rassillion. Some are even clear titles being ...
- 2,769
11
votes
Is the 8th Doctor really half-human on his mother's side?
The 8th Doctor is indeed half human and canon at the same time.
The movie is now generally considered canon, and its star - actor Paul McGann - as one of the eleven actors to officially play the ...
- 944
10
votes
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Why wasn't the room with the crystalline Spantium being reset?
He was only meant to go there once, and it's the only room connected to the outside.
Room 12 has a markedly different appearance to the rest of the castle: in particular, the unusually smooth walls ...
- 8,350
10
votes
Why does Doctor Who pronounce "Van Gogh" differently than Wikipedia's audio pronunciation?
Doctor Who provides the typical mistaken pronunciation of Van Gogh common in British English.
Wiki provides the native pronunciation of the name in Gogh's native language, Dutch. Which is not English ...
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9
votes
Accepted
Is the John Simm version of the Master returning to Doctor Who?
Yes.
This was confirmed by the BBC all the way back in April. From this article:
"I can confirm that it's true, thanks to the power of time travel I'm back," Simm said. "It's always a pleasure to ...
- 8,350
9
votes
What is the deal with the name of the Doctor Who Series 10 companion (Bill)?
Bill is short for William, which has various female forms, and could be a nod to William Hartnell (who portrayed the first incarnation of the Doctor).
Bill is extremely rare for girls, but Wilda, ...
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9
votes
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What is the deal with the name of the Doctor Who Series 10 companion (Bill)?
From a Radio Times interview with Steven Moffat, about his final episode as showrunner:
How far back did you plan to bring back the first Doctor? In the last series there seemed to be lots of ...
- 6,221
9
votes
Is Peter Capaldi the only Doctor to play another role in Doctor Who?
As I remember, Colin Baker was a Time Lord, Commander Maxil, in "Arc of Infinity" in 1983, and was the the 6th Doctor in 1984 to 1986.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Baker1
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7
votes
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What computers and keyboards are in the eleventh Doctor's console?
One appears to be an old National Grid keyboard
This promotional image:
appears to have been identified on the TARDIS builders blog, although the keys are in a slightly different position, so may be ...
- 6,191
7
votes
How did Rose make Jack immortal?
This is answered in Series 3 Episode 11, Utopia - the first episode of the main show in which we find out about Jack's immortality.
Liath's answer is correct, but for one missed point: it was due to ...
- 8,350
7
votes
Accepted
Does Doctor Who have an end game to the overall story of the season?
The episodes do indeed connect, although this may not be immediately clear. Unlike other shows, the "big bad" is not usually a particular person or people, but an event.
Although the individual ...
- 5,580
7
votes
Accepted
What technique was used to create this effect?
Seeing it in action, I agree with Paulie D that it is actually 2 stills and the effect is probably applied by hand in some way. Given that it was filmed in 1977, there were no affordable computer ...
- 5,182
7
votes
Accepted
What was erased from Jack Harkness's memory?
You are correct in saying that The issue was never brought up again in either Doctor Who or Torchwood.
Jack's missing memories were somewhat addressed in Big Finish Productions' audio play series: ...
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7
votes
Origin of the titles "Doctor" and "Master" from Doctor Who
Since @Mario has addressed the question in-universe, I thought I'd discuss the real-world origins. As Wikipedia notes with a now invalid link to a 1970 internal memo,
The Master's title was ...
- 311
6
votes
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How did Captain Jack Harkness keep on the TARDIS?
You are working under the assumption that the TARDIS moves using inertial forces. I.e. there is a force that acts on the TARDIS, moving it around like a car.
You are expecting Jack Harkness, or anyone ...
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6
votes
Accepted
When and Where are all the Doctor Who Christmas Special set?
Note that anywhere I note a presumed date, I am basing it off the apparent pattern of basing present-day settings in the year following the year of publication.
Season Two: The Christmas Invasion - ...
- 1,453
6
votes
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MCU connected to Doctor Who?
There is no connection between the MCU and Doctor Who that I am aware of. Several actors have played characters in both but that is about it. The only other connection is that Doctor Who Weekly was ...
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5
votes
Accepted
Why does the First Doctor wear a ring on his small finger?
The ring on his right hand has various special powers; it functioned something like a sonic screwdriver, only before the sonic screwdriver entered the show. From Wikia:
The Doctor wore the ring on ...
- 8,350
5
votes
Accepted
Are "The Girl Who Died" and "The Woman Who Lived" two parts of a single story?
Officially, yes and no.
Before the series started airing, pre-production publicity said that The Girl Who Died and The Woman Who Lived would be two parts of the same story, although a more loosely ...
- 8,350
5
votes
Accepted
What were the three words represented by 3W?
Yes you did. It's "don't cremate me". The selling point for preserving the bodies.
CHANG: Over time, Doctor Skarosa became convinced these were the voices of the recently departed. He believed it ...
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