50th Anniversary Trailer Breakdown: Doctors & Companions

First things first, allow us to say this is quite possibly the best Doctor Who trailer ever. The production team have truly outdone themselves with such a loving tribute and they’ll have a hard job topping this one! With that out the way, let’s begin the breakdown.

Note: Part 1 looks at the Doctors and companions, while part 2 (coming Monday) will look at the monsters and the other references and interesting things.

The Eleven Doctors

First Doctor

William Hartnell’s model is pretty fantastic. For reference. We’ve come along way since those creepy floating heads in Dimensions in Time!

Second Doctor

A silhouetted Patrick Troughton playing his trademark recorder. In the background we see the Himalayas where he faced the Yeti and the Great Intelligence.

Third Doctor

Jon Pertwee fencing with the Master in the TARDIS. Pertwee’s likeness isn’t as good as the others, but a minor niggle.

Fourth Doctor

Tom Baker has dropped his precious Jelly Babies. No wonder he is alarmed! A fantastic moment in the trailer and a reminder of the fall that caused his regeneration.

Fifth Doctor

Peter Davison throwing his cricket ball. He’s aiming at Colin Baker’s head, obviously. Also notice his glasses.

Sixth Doctor

Colin Baker gets a brief moment of glory. Well, his back does.

Seventh Doctor

Sylvester McCoy takes a stumble and there’s his trademark umbrella and hat.

Eighth Doctor

Paul McGann probably gets the shortest straw out of all the Doctors. At least we can see his face though. Plus, any opportunity to link to this again.

Ninth Doctor

Christopher Eccleston is so stunned by C. Baker’s garish costume that he can’t bear to look.

Tenth Doctor

It’s only David John McDonald. And he gets a whole screen to himself. Well, he is the Doctor everyone wanted back, according to Moffat.

Eleventh Doctor

Matt Smith really needs no introduction. His hair (sorry, wig) looks messier than usual. A deliberate throwback to how he appeared in his earlier episodes perhaps? Or was the stylist away?

As for his narration:

I’ve been running all my lives, through time and space; every second of every minute of every day for over 900 years. I fought for peace in a universe at war. Now the time has come to face the choices I have made in the name of the Doctor. Our future depends on one single moment of one impossible day, the day I’ve been running from all my life. The day of the Doctor.

Companions

Sarah Jane Smith

The late, great Elisabeth Sladen. If only she’d been around to see Doctor Who’s big day. We’ll never forget you, Lis!

K9

Affirmative Master. It’s the Doctor’s (and Sarah’s) faithful friend.

Clara

Jenna Coleman looks particularly radiant here and that’s saying something. There’s the leaf that started it all for her. In the reflection we see Sarah Jane once again.

Rose & Amy

Rose (or her back) can be see behind the Dalek and in front of the Ood (pictured above left). Amy, meanwhile, is just about visible behind Eccleston’s Doctor (pictured above right).

Mystery Man

There’s a lot of speculation about the figure running towards the Tenth Doctor. Some are suggesting it’s Captain Jack. Another potential theory is the parallel universe Brigadier (reference) from Inferno. Others are saying it’s John Hurt, minus his jacket. Hurt is said to be in this trailer, so if this is not him, where else is he? If you think you’ve spotted him elsewhere let us know in the comments.

Part 2 coming soon looking at the monsters and other references.

Pears and baguettes are tasty.