Way back in the early days of this blog, I wrote a series of posts about the historical costumes in Doctor Who. This British science-fiction/fantasy TV show first ran from 1963-1989), and I’ve written deep-dives on a few of those episodes. But I really started cataloging the show’s historical costume adventures with the 2005 reboot, and I’ve covered the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh, and first season of the Twelfth Doctors. Now I’m finishing up with the rest of the Twelfth Doctor, and here’s the Thirteenth!
Following Peter Capaldi‘s turn in the TARDIS, Jodie Whittaker became the first woman to play the role of the Doctor. The series also had a new showrunner/writer Chris Chibnall, giving the storylines a different flavor. Some of that featured overarching themes about the Doctor’s origins and home planet, which are rather convoluted, plus the costumes are either modern or sci-fi, so not relevant here, whew! Luckily for our frock flick purposes, the Doctor took a few trips back in Earth’s history during these three seasons, so let’s review.
Jodie Whittaker, the Thirteenth Doctor Who Historical Episodes
In season 11’s third episode, titled “Rosa,” the TARDIS takes the Doctor and her companions to 1955 Montgomery, Alabama. It’s the day before Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus, which will kick off the boycott crucial in the Civil Rights Movement. And a racist from the future is trying to stop that history from happening.
In addition to using appropriate period costumes, the production made an effort to recreate the bus from the era, referring to the original on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. Also in this episode, the Doctor’s companion Ryan (Tosin Cole) has a meaningful meeting with Martin Luther King Jr. (Ray Sesay).
In the sixth episode of this season, “Demons of the Punjab,” the Doctor takes her companion Yaz (Mandip Gill) and the others to explore Yaz’s grandmother history during the partition of India in 1947. They learn of the grandmother’s thwarted marriage, plus aliens, of course.
It’s hard to judge the costumes because, to me anyway, these salwar kameez look like they could be from the ’40s or modern. The form hasn’t changed much, but maybe the fabric has? As always, we don’t do uniforms so I can’t judge Preem’s other than it seems OK.
Two episodes later, the group lands in 1612 Lancashire for “The Witchfinders.” This episode features the always delightful Alan Cumming as King James VI and I, who had been involved in witch trials and even wrote an anti-witch tract, “Daemonologie.”
James looks pretty good here — got the right hat at least! The gown on this lady, who’s supposed to be a wealthy landowner (taken over by aliens), is nice, though I’m personally annoyed by that white lace. It’s also on James’ collar, because that’s the most generic “Venise lace” you find everywhere. There’s nothing actually wrong with it except I’ve seen it too often, so this is a me problem.
However, the crappy fit on this gal’s bodice is definitely a costume problem! Could they not find something that fit in rental stock? Did someone skip a fitting?
The following season, in an episode titled, “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror,” the Doctor ends up at Niagara Falls in 1903, meeting Nikola Tesla. He’s working on a wireless power transmission system that causes some controversy with both normal human locals and mysterious not-human types (aliens!).
The Doctor continues to wear her standard outfit for the series’ run, but her companions all take to historical garb with decent 1900s-style suits and proper hats.
In the seventh episode of series 12, “Can You Hear Me?” the Doctor takes a solo trip to Aleppo, Syria, in 1380, where she rescues a woman from an alien.
Someone who’s an expert in 14th-century Syrian clothing, speak up and nitpick how accurate these costumes are!
Back in my wheelhouse with the next episode, “The Haunting of Villa Diodati” is set during that iconic summer in 1816 when Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (later Shelley), her stepsister Claire Clairmont, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and Dr. John Polidori all stay at the Villa Diodati in Switzerland. But instead of telling scary stories, Percy Shelley has gone missing. The Doctor’s companions again dress for the period, though I can’t stand Yaz’s bonnet. Sure, accurate but also derpy.
The poet gang has nice costumes though. LOVE the embroidered waistcoat on Dr. Polidori (Maxim Baldry).
In season 13’s “War of the Sontarans,” the Doctor and her companions seem to land in the middle of the Crimean War, where they meet Mary Seacole. Of course, it’s not really the 1850s on Earth, but at least Seacole looks right.
With some chicken-hatted military of the period, because I know someone out there loves this stuff.
The final season and a half of this Doctor’s tenure tells a single story arc that was confusing as all hell to watch IMO. But in the S13 episode, “Survivors of the Flux,” the three companions Dan, Yaz, and Jericho travel around the world in 1904 on an important mission, and they dress the part.
What a smart menswear-styled 1900s outfit on Yaz — this really fits her personality and the activities she’s doing.
The Thirteenth Doctor’s penultimate episode is “Legend of the Sea Devils,” which takes place in 1807 China. This is one of those rare times when the Doctor herself dresses to blend in with the historical period!
Other characters have elaborate costumes, like legendary sailor Ji-Hu (Arthur Lee):
And the pirate leader Madame Ching (Crystal Yu):
That’s about it for historical costumes with the 13th Doctor. In the next part of my series, I’ll look at the 15th Doctor, with a brief mention of the 14th.
Who’s your Doctor?
Find this frock flick at:
The 17th landowner lady is O’brien from Downton Abbey :))
I guess I have to start watching again.
Do love 9, 10 and 11 …
My son and I have reached the Jodie Whittaker incarnation in our watch-through of all nu-Who. I really like that so many episodes (at least in series 11) have the Doctor and co. engaging with significant historical events that have repercussions in today’s world, including the US civil rights movement, and Partition and its legacy.
Completely OT, but I recently discovered that Dr Polidori was the uncle of Dante Gabriel and Christina Rossetti.
It’s weird to think that at the time of his disappearance Richard had been a widower for eighteen months, having married Anne de Mowbray when he was four and she was six!
Sorry, that was a response to the Princes in the Tower…
We’ve just reached Series 12. In episode 2, the Doc meets Ada Lovelace and Noor Inayat Khan. And of course the Master prances around dressed as a Nazi.