Seventeenth Doctor

The **Seventeenth Doctor** is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme *Doctor Who*. He is played by Sean Kelly in three series of the show, as well as four specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other *Doctor Who* spin-offs. Kelly's time as the Seventeenth Doctor is highly regarded among fans of the show and is generally regarded as among the most iconic incarnations of the character, alongside David Tennant and Tom Baker.

Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a millenia-old alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels in time and space in the TARDIS, frequently with companions. At the end of his life, the Doctor can regenerate and completely transform his physical appearance and personality. Kelly's portrayal of the Doctor is that of a silently twitchy, sometimes unstable adventurer. The Seventeenth Doctor is often used as an allagory for depression, grief, and anxiety, which the Doctor's confident nature must battle with in this incarnation.

This incarnation's companions include 17th century pirate Tilly Lewis (Mia Daines) who first appeared in the show as a male pirate in disguise, as well as Alfie Jenkins (Michael Christie), a comedian who had been enslaved in an alternative version of the 21st century. The Seventeenth Doctor eventually departs with both companions (in Series 1's "Heal Thyself" with Alfie and in Series 2's "Dust and Starlight" with Tilly) before having to go off and fight the Caliban War. The three series of the Seventeenth Doctor's run form a loose arc, which culminate in the Caliban War and the impacts of the universal conflict.

## Overview

Russel T Davies announced in 2027 that he would be stepping down as showrunner, before the regeneration of the Sixteenth Doctor. Upon Aneurin Heyark's appointment as the full time showrunner following the Sixteenth Doctor's open-ended regeneration in the 2028 Christmas special, Sean Kelly was officially cast. He made his first appearance in the show in the Series 1 opener "Legends, Part 1", when the newly regenerated Doctor woke up on a Carribean beach in the 1700s. This was his first full episode in the role and the first Doctor not to feature at the end of the previous episode since Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor in 2005. Following his debut appearance in "Legends, Part 1", Kelly remained at the head of the show through the 2030, 2031, and 2032 series.

Kelly portrayed the Doctor in four specials. The first three were during his original run as the Seventeenth Doctor, with a fourth appearance in the 75th Anniversary special in 2037. The specials were:

* 2030 Special: "Doctor Who and the Napoleonic Adventure" on 23 November 2030
* 2030 Christmas Special: "Doctor Who on the Polar Express" on 25 December 2030
* 2031 Christmas Special: "Men of the Line" on 25 December 2030
* 75th Anniversay Special: "Known as the Doctor" on 23 November 2037

### **Voice**

The Seventeenth Doctor speaks with a northern accent, based on Sean Kelly's Yorkshire origins. Kelly said in a 2031 interview that "his accent was not up for discussion" upon his casting, with Aneurin Heyark defending the decision to keep his accent. Kelly joins the Ninth and Thirteenth Doctors to become the third Doctor with a northern accent in the role.

### **Costume**

The costume of the Seventeenth Doctor was one of the less static of previous incarnations. His look primarily consisted of corduroy trousers in varying colours, along with a trench coat of some kind (typically a mac, but sometimes a wool-blend coat and in varying colours). His costume is infamous for the carrying of a brown leather satchel, which he wore on his back. Within his satchel, his Doctor famously carried a pair of binoculars, a stethoscope, and his sonic screwdriver.

The Seventeenth Doctor's hair was a brown, shaved style, though this grew throughout the series of his run. He also infrequently had a light beard or stuble.

## Appearances

### **Television**

#### Series 1

The Sixteenth Doctor regenerates into the Seventeenth Doctor at the conclusion of the 2028 Christmas Special, though he does not appear until the subsequent episode, "Legends, Part 1", in which he meets his primary companion Tilly Lewis (Mia Daines). After promising to take the disguised pirate "beyond the seas", the Seventeenth Doctor encounters Alfie Jenkins (Michael Christie) in an alternative 21st century world, dictatorially controlled by 'the Ministry' ("Twenty-First"). Amongst other first-series (2030) adventures, the Doctor, Tilly and Alfie save Lakia, the first dog in space, in the two part episode "Rover's Depot" / "Doctor Who and the First Dog in Space". In "Under London Town", the Doctor stops a Slitheen mob gang from taking over the world, inadvertantly causing the Great Fire of London. The Doctor and his companions are summoned to Earth by UNIT to fight an AI programme which attempts to convert the world into rudimentary Cybermen in the two-part story titled "Silver". While investigating "the Ministry", the Doctor and his companions get separated as the Doctor becomes stranded in the 1960s with the Beatles in the episode "Across the Universe", where they assist the Doctor in stopping an infection (which was used as an allagory for the HIV epidemic). In order to get back to his time, the Doctor deliberately creates a time paradox in "Operation: Paradox" in order to alert the Reapers and bring him back to the 21st century, where he is warned of the cost of his actions. In the final two episodes, "Doctor Who in the Curse of History's Cause" / "Heal Thyself", the Doctor, Tilly and Alfie are confused when the mysterious "Minister" appears to save the day during a world-ending nuclear situation involving the Soviet Union and the United States. The Doctor defeats the Minister, who is later revealed to be a disciple of Caliban, returning the time line to its proper self. Alfie departs the TARDIS to return to his family in the restored 21st century, upon which the Doctor and Tilly are zapped back to the 17th century by the Reapers.