RTD Suggests Bigeneration Affected Every Doctor, Creating A “Doctorverse”

Russell T Davies has elaborated on the concept of bigeneration, as first depicted in “The Giggle,” and discussed its implications far beyond what was shown on screen.

Speaking on the behind-the-scenes show Doctor Who Unleashed, Davies said: “Bigeneration, we discover, is an ancient myth of the Time Lords where, instead of a new body taking over from the old body, the new body separates from the old body, and both are left alive.”

Davies added: “Bigeneration is a new thing; it’s the 60th. Imagine how much fans love new things, and really rejoice when this happens [laughs].

“Actually, I’ve had this idea for years. I’ve always wanted, instead of going back and meeting old Doctors, I’ve always wanted the Doctor to talk to his new version. Why has it never been done before? How can you resist the two of them having an adventure at the same time?”

On the official podcast, Davies spoke further, indicating it didn’t just affect the Fourteenth Doctor, it affected all the Doctors’ previous regenerations. Davies hinted at “the creation of the ‘Doctorverse’ in the moment of [14’s] bigeneration. It’s much bigger than you think, and I hope it could lead to all sorts of things.”

Davies followed up again on the episode’s commentary track, stating “a whole timeline bigenerated then” after the event occurs. He then imagined how it played out with the other Doctors, whilst speaking with David Tennant and Executive Producer Phil Collinson.

Davies said that Sylvester McCoy’s Doctor woke up in a morgue drawer in San Francisco, with David Tennant jesting that he’s still trapped there. Jon Pertwee’s Doctor woke up on the floor of the laboratory, while Colin Baker’s Doctor dealt with the Rani upon waking.

For the more recent Doctors, including Peter Capaldi’s, the outcome was simpler, as they just woke up in their TARDIS. Davies also mentioned to Tennant that his tenth Doctor incarnation is still out there, implying that there are now multiple versions of Tennant’s Doctor in existence.

It’s important to note that this part was a playful conversation. Since these additional scenarios haven’t actually unfolded on-screen, it’s difficult to consider them canonically official. Though, it could also be argued the “Tales from the TARDIS” segments could provide some evidence that it occurred. Time will tell…