Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 15, episode 7, “Wish World.“Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor goes by the name John Smith for the majority ofDoctor Whoseason 15, episode 7, “Wish World,” but the installment also quietly settles a debate about how fans have referred to the character for decades. Dating back toDoctor Who’s classic era, the show’s protagonist has kept his name a safely-guarded secret. While the topic has occasionally bubbled to the surface, it has largely been a matter of not acknowledging what the Doctor is called.“Wish World” doesn’t solve the mystery of the Doctor’s name, but it does tease a solution for Whovians themselves.
The Doctor calling himself John Smith is nothing new. When blending in with humans, it’s the name he often defaults to. That said, he isn’t always conscious of the fact that he’s masquerading as someone else. For example,David Tennant’s Tenth Doctoractually becomes human in season 3’s “The Family of Blood” two-parter and truly believes he’s John Smith, which is a more similar scenario to “Wish World” than the other times the Doctor has adopted his human moniker.The return of Omega is the focal point of “Wish World,“but the Doctor’s name is still addressed.
Yes, The Doctor Can Also Be Called “Doctor Who”
There is an age-old debate amongDoctor Whofans on the topic of how the show’s main character should be referred to.One argument is that the Doctor should only ever be referred to as the Doctor, whereas some believe calling him Doctor Who is also acceptable, if not preferred. There have been a few instances where characters have referred to the Doctor as “Doctor Who,” but he is almost exclusively referred to as “The Doctor,” or simply “Doctor.” However, Jonah Hauer-King’s Conrad Clark calls him Doctor Who throughout “Wish World.”
Conrad’s new role in Earth’s society places him as the world’s storyteller, and the tales he delivers center around the Doctor - or, as Conrad calls him, Doctor Who.
Conrad’s new role in Earth’s society places him as the world’s storyteller, and the tales he delivers center around the Doctor - or, as Conrad calls him, Doctor Who. While reading from aHarry Potter-inspired children’s book,Conrad tells the story of a character called Doctor Who, who is quite clearly the Doctor. Although I found it a little jarring for the Doctor to be referred to in this way on such a consistent basis, I understood who Conrad meant, which I suppose is the point Russell T. Davies is trying to make: using the name Doctor Who is fine.
I understand both sides of the argument.Doctor Who, while a strange name, would properly make the DoctorDoctor Who’s title character. In everyday conversations about the show, the phrase “Doctor Who” probably comes up more than “The Doctor,” so it’s logical to assume that that’s how some fans would refer to him. Inversely, the fact that he’s rarely referred to as Doctor Who makes those instances seem like mistakes rather than evidence to the contrary. Plus, if the show’s title was a question and not just the name of the main character, it would surely have a question mark.
Other Examples Of “Doctor Who” Being Used As A Name
As I’ve already mentioned, Conrad isn’t the only character to refer to the Doctor as Doctor Who - although he has also called him the Doctor. The show’s history has many examples of similar instances both within the world ofDoctor Whoand in our reality. For instance,certain eras of the show have actually credited the lead actor as playing “Doctor Who,“which would suggest that it’s the character’s name - or at least how otherDoctor Whocharacters would refer to him.
Michelle Gomez’s Missy fakes being the Doctor in 2017’s “World Enough and Time,” but calls herself “Doctor Who.”
Similarly,1970 starred Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor in a story called “Doctor Who and the Silurians,“rather than “The Doctor and the Silurians.” Furthermore, Michelle Gomez’s Missy fakes being the Doctor in 2017’s “World Enough and Time,” but calls herself “Doctor Who.” When Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor clears things up, he says, “Her name isn’t Doctor Who, my name is Doctor Who.” It’s a moment played primarily for laughs, but it still serves as a compelling moment in the argument about the main character’s name inDoctor Who.
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“The Story and the Engine”
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