Winter is Coming
Fansided

Doctor Who: Six and Twelve – the same story told differently

By James Aggas

facebooktwitterreddit

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

Last week, the Sixth Doctor’s era was broadcast on Twitch. We take a look at the similarities between Six and Twelve, and how things were improved with the later Doctor.

Watching the Sixth Doctor’s era again on Twitch, it was hard not to see the similarities with another Doctor. One who started out as aggressive and rude at first, but slowly grew to be warmer and more likable over time. I am, of course, referring to Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor.

I’m not the first to make this comparison. Even Colin Baker himself has said in interviews that Capaldi’s character was similar to Six’s. Especially after the first season.

However, while it’s not hard to see that there’s similarities between the two, it’s also not hard to see the differences, either. Was one Doctor’s development from rude and abrasive alien to lovable hero more successful than the other? Let’s take a look.

The costume

One instantly clear difference between the two is the costume. While Twelve occasionally changed his look, it was usually something simple. Maybe not always classy, although his initial look of jacket and white shirt certainly was. But always simple.

It certainly made cosplaying easier for fans of his Doctor. More importantly, however, is the fact that it didn’t draw attention away from his actual character.

Six’s costume, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. The moment you saw him, that multi-colored nightmare was hard to miss. And it kept drawing attention for all the wrong reasons. Whereas with some Doctors, their costume merged into their character seamlessly, the patchwork look always worked against Colin’s Doctor.

Making Twelve’s costume so simple and basic, and even interchangeable, helped audiences to take his Doctor a lot more seriously on-screen than Colin’s.

The Sixth Doctor and Peri occasionally seemed to have a difficult friendship. But was there something stronger beneath the surface?

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

Six and Peri

However, just as these two Doctors have one key difference between them, we also come back to one of their similarities: their relationship with their initial companions.

In each Doctor’s case, they had a companion carried over from their previous incarnation. In both cases, they would share a lot of banter with their companions.

With Six and Peri, there were moments, especially in their first full season together, where you had to wonder why they were still travelling together. Many times, they wouldn’t just banter but actively argue, and their personalities just seemed to clash so completely.

However, over time, their relationship improved. They were more affectionate towards each other, and the Sixth Doctor grew to be more openly caring. It’s another reason why it’s so disappointing that Colin Baker’s run as the Doctor was far too short.

In his second (and last) full season, while he’s still arrogant and flawed, he certainly became more likable over time. Especially his reaction when he believed Peri had died. That’s a really crucial moment, and truly shows how much Six cared (perhaps even loved, in a non-romantic sense) for his companion.

The Twelfth Doctor’s and Clara’s relationship also had a difficult beginning. Did that improve over time?

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

Twelve and Clara

Twelve and Clara also had a difficult relationship at times, particularly in their first episode together. But they also had a strong one, too.

One clear difference between their relationship and Six’s and Peri’s was that, while the Sixth Doctor practically tried to keep it a secret that he liked his companion, Twelve made it clear from his first episode that he needed Clara.

However, they still had their problems, particularly in the first season. The two would argue. Sometimes it would be close to banter. Other times, however, it would be grossly insulting.

More from Winter is Coming

I think this is one of the key faults in how Twelve was written. Now, it’s one thing to have problems dealing with people. Sometimes, he would be very upfront if someone was going to die. And he would show no sympathy when he told them.

But because he was so focused on saving the majority, those moments actually worked. And some of the banter that he shared with Clara was funny to hear, from time to time.

However, there were times when the writers simply tried far too hard when it came to the insults. There were a number of comments that referred directly to Clara’s appearance in a very negative way. One particularly bad example is when Clara at one point asks how she looks, the Doctor’s response is:

"Short and roundish, but with a good personality."

That just seemed to take things a little too far. Especially as it wasn’t the only comment he made that was targeted at Clara’s appearance. It also became incredibly hypocritical by the time we got toTwice Upon a Time.

Twelve telling One that he shouldn’t be saying such awkward things basically felt like Moffat saying, “See? No matter how awkward the Doctor’s comments in my era were, they were never as bad as in One’s!”

This is one of the key areas that was actually handled better in the Sixth Doctor’s era. While that had many problems, overall, the banter between Six and Peri was better written and more satisfying to hear.

The Twelfth Doctor was a very different man towards the end of his life than he was at the start.

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC.)

Development

However, after the awkward first season, Twelve did get better and improve over time. It’s debatable how natural that development was, but overall, Series Nine had a great balance. It made him considerably lighter, especially when we see his Doctor playing electric guitar while riding a tank in the middle ages.

But he still had his more socially awkward moments, which were definitely appreciated. My particular favorite was him reading from pre-written cards to apologize after getting too excited when several people had already died.

This is one other thing that both Doctors had in common: they improved over time. Twelve was essentially a very different man in his final season compared to who he was in his first.

With Colin Baker’s Doctor, we actually saw a great deal less of this on screen, and that’s the tragedy. Especially when you look at the final story that he worked on, Terror of the Vervoids. (Not the last story that was broadcast, but the last story made, at least.)

Because that’s when you get a glimpse of where Six is going. You clearly see that he won’t be so arrogant forever. In a glimpse of his future, he’s charming, funny, even lovable. It’s a shame that we didn’t get more of that side to his Doctor on-screen.

Colin Baker’s Doctor has had many adventures in the audios, including a regeneration story in The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure.

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/Big Finish Productions.

Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.)

Expanded universe

On the plus side, the expanded universe have handled the Sixth Doctor brilliantly. First in the Nineties, when his Doctor was explored in original novels as published by Virgin and later BBC books. These stories essentially lead a renaissance for Colin’s Doctor.

But it’s with Big Finish that his journey is the most exciting. Colin finally portrays the Doctor he wanted to portray in those stories. He’s a great deal kinder and more approachable. Not that he doesn’t have his occasional moment of arrogance or anger from time to time.

But what’s really fantastic is how those emotions are used, particularly his anger. When he’s at his best, Six has a very clear moral compass compared to many other incarnations (especially his very next one). When facing evil and injustice, he shows such open outrage, it’s almost reminiscent of Tennant’s Doctor.

It’s a shame that much of this development wasn’t put on screen, like Twelve’s. But it is satisfying that we got it in some form. Even better, it’s great to know that when Doctor Who tried to tell the story of a difficult Doctor again, they succeeded more with Twelve. Maybe not entirely, as Twelve’s journey still had its problems. But overall, it was much better handled.

Regardless of whether it’s on or off the screen, both Doctors have had wonderful development, and emerged as truly brilliant Doctors.

River Song and the Classic Doctors – how well does it work?. dark. Next

Do you agree with this analysis? Are you a fan of either Six or Twelve? Do you have a particular preference? Let us know in the comments below.

Home/Doctor Who
Keep scrolling for more content below