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, the Thirteenth, and now the Fourteenth and Fifteenth!
After Jodie Whittaker’s turn as the Doctor, the character regenerated into, well, back into his Tenth self! Yeah, it’s weird, just roll with it. This “Fourteenth” Doctor only lasted for three episodes to celebrate the series’ 60th anniversary. But there were some historical bits, so let’s check ’em out.
David Tennant, the Fourteenth Doctor Who Historical Episodes
In the episode titled “Wild Blue Yonder,” the Doctor’s TARDIS briefly lands in an apple tree in 1666. That just happens to be where Isaac Newton is pondering gravity. The Doctor and his companion don’t interact with this historical figure, but it’s worth noting.
The last of these three episodes, “The Giggle,” starts in 1925 where John Logie Baird (John Mackay) is inventing an early form of the television and demonstrating it with a short film of a ventriloquist’s dummy called Stooky Bill.
The Doctor and his companion trace a modern problem back to this film, and they realize that Stooky Bill was purchased by Baird’s assistant from an alien being, the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris), who’s out to mess with humanity (aren’t they all?).
Ncuti Gatwa, the Fifteenth Doctor Who Historical Episodes
After those three episodes, things settle down and the Doctor bi-generates (IYKYK) into his fifteenth self, as portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa. He takes over the TARDIS and picks up a new companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). She asks to visit Abbey Road and see the Beatles record their first record in 1963 in the episode, “The Devil’s Chord.” But as prologue, a 1925 piano teacher shows a student the “devil’s chord,” which summons an alien being called the Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon).
Unlike some previous Doctors, Fifteen loves to dress up in historical fashions, starting with this sharp pinstriped, straight-from-Carnaby-Street suit, plus a ‘fro and sideburns. Ruby’s also outfitted in a mod ’60s black and white minidress.
They look a bit more late ’60s than 1963, honestly, but they look GOOD, so I won’t quibble too much.
Ruby’s bouffant is accented with a cute I-bet-that’s-vintage checkerboard barrette.
They meet the Beatles, although I feel like this is a low-budget version.
Cilla Black is probably easier to mimic.
This episode includes a colorful musical number with dancing through the studio.
Miniskirts! Go-go boots! Bright colors! All your 1960s cliches in one shot!
Later in this series, Doctor Who goes Bridgerton in “Rogue” because the Doctor and Ruby attend a ball in Bath, England, 1813. Costume designer Pam Downe talked to Variety about this episode:
“I’d previously done a Regency movie, so I had that information quite fresh in my head. All the cuts they wear are accurate period cuts, but we wanted to push the colors. So my boards would be full of original paintings, but then there’d be a bit of ‘Bridgerton,’ or some sort of contemporary colors or outfits that I’d mix for color. Ncuti’s never really done period before, and when he put that outfit on, I just thought, ‘Only he could get away with wearing white britches and this velvet jacket.’ His stance changed, he just stood up and looked regal. It was a joy to dress him in that.”
They also meet a mysterious bounty hunter named Rogue (Jonathan Groff). He and the Doctor get flirty. They also have lovely waistcoats made of gorgeous damasks.
However, “Rogue” lives up to his name by having a messed-up, inaccurate cravat situation; wearing his hair short, modern, and sloppy; and striding into the ball wearing tall boots when all the other gentleman wear shoes.
Back to the good stuff, like the period details of the Duchess of Pemberton (Indira Varma) with apollo-knot hair and a feather-shaped fan.
Of course, the duchess is actually one of the shapeshifting aliens called the Chuldur who are crashing the ball. Love the bird faces mixed with the Regency costumes.
Ruby plays along, showing off her yellow gown and Regency hairstyle.
In the Fifteenth Doctor’s second season, there’s only one historical episode. The TARDIS lands in 1952 Miami, where the Doctor and his new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) get caught up in a movie-based drama. Belinda wears a very ’50s pinup halter-dress, and the Doctor’s in a trim blue suit with a bow tie. They both have correct ’50s hair too.
She wears a cardigan part of the time. This is also a good view of her period hair and makeup.
Belinda even wears a full crinoline and pointy shoes.
At one point in this adventure, they’re turned into cartoon versions of themselves!
Are you all caught up with Doctor Who?
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I gotta admit, I was kinda annoyed at the lazy 60s cliché costuming throughout The Devil’s Chord. I give the TARDIS crew a pass, and I get why they did it cos it looks better on film, but it was still a wee bit eyerolly. Full blown miniskirts, psychedelia and dollybirdery for early 60s is my personal head necklace/chemise-and-hairpin-absence bete noir…
That dark blue dress with gold laurel wreaths is STUNNING!
Ncuti had a fine figure and wore clothes beautifully. He also had the energy for the role and a marvelously mad smile. The writing killed his series. Not the politics, the awful plotting and dialogue ruined the show.
That is TERRIBLE Beatle casting!