Peter Capaldi: Doctor Who's Underrated Peak

[@ellisr.kinnear164]

Capaldi felt like an ancient alien who had seen the universe live and die a million times over. He felt like the weight of eternity was on his shoulders and kindness and rage were so well balanced. He's peak. I rewatch his era this year. He was the best

[@Seamonkey555]

This. So well said.

[@Comicbroe405]

Absolutely well written. Especially with how Matt Smith played his Doctor & the way it ended Capaldi perfectly follows that arc on.

[@joelseston2067]

@@ellisr.kinnear164 this has got to be a sick joke yes?!...the best what?!

[@Generic_username69]

To be fair he is 4.5 billion years old and saw the end of the universe

[@C0wb0yBebop]

He did. You just described an episode of him trapped in a crystal mountain.

[@isaacmccreadie5742]

A four hour video essay on why Peter Capaldi is peak. Sign me up

[@loganblackwood2922]

It's taken me three days to finish because I watch it late after work and kept falling asleep.

[@Seamonkey555]

I'm snuggling in to watch this til bedtime.

[@joelseston2067]

@@isaacmccreadie5742 Instead write 'I am clueless' on a piece of paper for 4 hours because Capaldi lost so many viewers Who was nearly cancelled again

[@isaacmccreadie5742]

@@joelseston2067doctor who was also almost cancelled after David Tennant left because people weren't ready for something new, would you blame that on Matt Smith or on the fans and BBC?

[@joelseston2067]

@@isaacmccreadie5742 thats also absolute tosh as both Eccleston,Tennant and Smith won Tv awards and were loved Capaldi was the first to win none..what a surprise!

[@redblueberg]

Wanna know a fun fact? When capaldi was asked "what do you want your final villain to be?" he said "Mondasian Cybermen"

[@David-wq3dq]

best 2 episode arc in all Doctor Who

[@TheGoddon]

I love “do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?” so much.

[@thementalist1213]

Add that to "I have a duty to care" in Heaven sent after Clara found out what the Doctor did to bring her back.

[@ekaterinadobrova1502]

Tell me please, in which Episode is this phrase? I have forgotten... BTW I must say, for me Capaldi is the best Doc also. Love all episodes with him. And thanks to CosmicNite for the great video...so much work has been done

[@thementalist1213]

@ekaterinadobrova1502 The do you think I care for you so little line is from Dark water. The I have a duty to care line is from Hell Bent

[@ekaterinadobrova1502]

@@thementalist1213 thanks!

[@beesbrownies]

Hits every time

[@Sakash52]

Capaldis delivery of "I had a duty of care" was so sweet and heartbreaking when i first saw it. I know it was a vague answer but it spoke volumes by his delivery. What a brilliant actor.

[@JimboDoomface]

Duty of care is taken pretty seriously. Didn't seem vague at all to me. Clara was a teacher with duty of care over her kids and the Doctor was Clara's guide through the universe with duty of care over her. It was the perfect thing to say that she'd understand the responsibility he felt.

[@Comicbroe405]

Calling this whole era as an "underrated peak" is so true. I'm glad that he's getting his due love finally.

[@kevinbutler7619]

I would have appreciated this version of Who much more if I knew what was coming. 😪 Now I have to get the physical copy before it disappears.

[@hagridmary]

It's not underrated though. Literally any online discussion these days heralds Capaldi as the best.

[@chrishawken3302]

Well said my friend.I absolutely loved the Capaldi era.he had it.where as after him leaving we had a pretty terrible few seasons.I know he left because he felt he was getting too old for the part,but so what.look at hartnell.when you see his face when bill gets transformed into a cyber man was frightening.those 2 episodes are without doubt my favorite.Matt smith was brilliant as well.

[@swiftlyginger]

@@hagridmarywhile that’s definitely true, I still think the mainstream viewership isn’t as appreciative of Capaldi, in fact a lot of people I know who watched Tennant and Smith and enjoyed it dropped off before Capaldi.

[@kylekyleson3971]

@@hagridmary It gets a lot more praise now, but when it was airing, it was seen as a step down from what came before

[@Pikminer-5087]

Peter Capaldi to this day is my default image for what I think "The Doctor" looks like. 'Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind!' is to this day still my life's mantra, absolute words to live by.

[@coruscanta]

Honestly I’m pretty sure that line fundamentally altered my brain chemistry. It expresses so much with so much depth and nuance but is so eloquently succinct.

[@reynshyne]

I fell in love with this grumpy scottish man almost instantly. Best doctor imo

[@ko379]

Love how he starts his run by politely asking Clara (and therefore us) to please give him a chance and see him as the doctor, he needs the help. And that made it hard not to love him right away

[@EveyDeevey]

capaldis regeneration scene is so insanely good. as you point out its him choosing to go on, coming to peace with the fact that he has to leave everyone behind, but its also very melancholic. The line that really stuck out to me is right near the start - "One more lifetime won't kill anyone...except me." its a culmination of a major part of 12's arc - grappling with what he wants versus what's right. In this case, he doesn't want to go on, do it all again, but he knows a world without a doctor is a worse world. So he stays. Its so good. peakder capeakdi

[@jeffcarey3045]

One correction. The Doctor was, at the time, believed to have been born a Shebogan who made it into the Academy. He wasn't born "privileged." It's revealed in the scene where Clara is in the barn when the Doctor is a child. Two adults are arguing about him as Clara hides under the bed to not be spotted. The man says he'll never make it to be a Time Lord or even make it into the Academy.

[@jeffcarey3045]

I should have mentioned this barn was part of a Shebogan orphanage.

[@GG-dt5hh]

If I had a nickel for each Capaldi companion who died, but didn't really die, then roamed the universe with their girlfriend I would have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

[@LisaBeta-42]

Who does not count? Lady Me and Clara started off together in their own TARDIS, Bill Pots was transformed by the Pilot from the Puddle, Nardole lost his head first and then traveled with the Doctor - until helping those Mondassian Crew descendants evading the newest wave of Cybermen and getting incorporated into the glass-consciousness as all the other companions [it isn't even an evil plan...]😅

[@AzguardMike]

its a running trend in New Who to kill or strand the companion, instead of them leave on good terms. Rose - stranded on Petes World Donna - mind fucked Martha and family - traumatized Sarah Jane - radicalized Bill Potts - dead and reborn Amy and Rory - dead via weeping angels Clara - gets herself killed by Raven stopped midway through Capaldi, could not stand Bill Potts. Wanted to return but was told by the show runners and the papers that its not for people like me. Been quite nice actually, done some gardening instead. Had a BBQ. When i see the plot breakdowns, glad i didnt bother, looks like it went downhill. And the ratings enforce that.

[@francisyorkmorgan4631]

​@@AzguardMike Your loss, the Bill Potts series was actually really good. You didn't miss much during the Chibnall era though - mostly dull or badly written. Its getting better again now, though there have been a couple of rough episodes.

[@LiamMonticelli]

@@AzguardMike I don't know who you're trying to convince, but you won't find them here.

[@robbgray7255]

I think it fits better with this Doctor. They like move onto bigger things, traveling the universe. He's like their father and they move out to make their own life.

[@LordStormelion]

Capaldi’s doctor is the only doctor I feel really had character development throughout his incarnation as most doctors stay the same personality wise but we watched as the 12th doctor went from a cold old man who didn’t know who he truly was to one of the best incarnations of the doctor ever. It was like he went through all of his incarnations again

[@jorgeortizdelandazuri7318]

Im sorry, what? Tennant with Rose and Tennant at The End of Time are ... Incredibly different characters He starts off as a classic hero. He beats villains in sword fights, he gets the girl, he laughs, doesnt take anything seriously, has fun. In the end he is a broken man who cant even say that he has been happy in his 10th doctkr life. He has lost everyone that he loved, he has hurt people, he is a very tragic hero. Heeven loses sight of himself for a moment. Matt Smith has less development but he also had some. It was kind of rushed, but he did grow out of his "kid" phase , his fear if letting go and endings, he faced hiimself when he finally pushed himself to stop abd think about the past, which he had always been rejecting. He stopped acting as this grander than life confrontational figure after A Good Man Goes to War, letting that go as well. I really think his evolution, his 'growing up' was clear in his story Hell even 9th. He was tormented by the war, deeply hurt. Scared of its horrors and what he had done and in pain. In the end, Rose helps him accept himself and find join in life again. You can say Capaldi has the most development if you want but you absolutely cant say that the others didnt have any

[@killzap895]

@@jorgeortizdelandazuri7318 Adding to your bit on Tennant, he literally goes from lover, to griever, to friend, to unstable, and if we count 14 in this, he goes to family at the end of it all, the man that not too long ago eradicated his entire own race, lost his love interest, wiped the memory of his one true friend, made a woman commit suicide by changing the course of history, went to being a man with a family of his own...."I've never been so happy in my life", thats the 10th's development

[@Corlwow]

Ecclestone had a great one series arc. Prob the second best character development arc for a doctor - Killer to Coward any day. Tennant has fluctuations, needing a companion more and more and then descending into potential darkness just before his life ends.

[@emperorcringe-son4023]

The 6th doctor had some development 😢

[@LordStormelion]

looking back at this comment i feel like saying the 12th doctor was the only doctor that had character development was very very wrong, each doctor changed in their own way, though i do feel Capaldi's doctor had the most drastic character development. His character changed completely by season 10

[@FergusonNGU]

I can’t believe it’s been over a decade since deep breath

[@boiwifeyasmr4U]

A decade will be Fall 2024 😭

[@amacd07]

THERES NO WAY ITS BEEN THAT LONG- I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS ERA AIRED WHEN I WAS 7 😧

[@wolflower]

It's ok, it's actually only been 9 years, 9 months and 12 days if that makes you feel any better!

[@Lily.Hiragashi]

It’s ok one day they’ll make an episode called “exhale”

[@rebelpyroflame]

A decade since......too bad we couldn't produce a worthwhile doctor since 😢:(

[@andyhodgson7882]

One of the best quotes in the show: "Kidneys! I've got new kidneys! I don't like the colour." This implies not only does he now have kidney pain, he also knows the colour of his kidneys. Which makes me wonder how much of his internal organs he can see.

[@PhantomLantern2814]

Pretty sure he’s referring to the color of the lights in the TARDIS.

[@bloodbrothers6556]

@@PhantomLantern2814 it's pretty implied that he was talking about his kidneys

[@ThePsycoDolphin]

Capaldis doctor is the height of the character, and its themes and its plot. It culumates in the single greatest emotional triumph the show ever did. The doctor, haunted by the past, terrified of the future, uncertain of the present, exists as a sad ancient old man suffering enormous pain who, in the midst of the trenches, with eyes full of sadness, lets go, decides to smile a weary smile and live for the future. Its an astonishing piece of character work that Capaldi delivered to sheer perfection. The fact that Capaldi seemingly has no intention to return gives this period an even greater sense of aura, or mystique. This is the doctor who burst onto the scene, suffered and won, then dissapeared sending off his new incarnations. Its brilliant.

[@RIPDavidBear]

The thing that really breaks my heart about the conclusion to Missy's arc is that her fate was sealed without hope, witness or reward. Her entire history in the show was intertwined with the Doctor, and despite her deciding to join him in the end, it was a completely independent decision with only her past self baring witness - she didn't do it to please the Doctor, out of spite or malice or even with promise of reward, she just did it because it was kind, and as you pointed out in the video the true tragedy is that the Doctor never saw this - but in doing so it renders her betrayal the most pure thing. In my headcanon, the Master falls here, never to return to Who again and undo the perfect conclusion to a 3 series long arc...

[@LisaBeta-42]

In my head-canon the Doctor sent everybody out with an emergency retrieval transmat, should anything bad happen, during Missy's testing. But Bill got shot without dieing immediately and the Doctor rushed from his control room without any protection. Missy on the other hand got transfered back into her TARDIS cell after the other master had stabbed her: the TARDIS tried to chuck out all those unwanted invading females, which ended in 13th jettinsoned out with part of a console-panel, just to shake her off. Big mistake ( maybe Missy is still incarcerated somewhere inside the transformed new TARDIS?😮

[@dopaminedrought395]

I loved Missy's redemption and those episodes where she's changing. The next iteration of the Master was the biggest disappointment ever. I wish they didn't do ... well, any of it.

[@HiDesert004]

@@dopaminedrought395me too. The past several years really 💩’d on all of it.

[@Comicbroe405]

I think it's pretty well implied that Missy wasn't literally next after Saxon. And considering how this show works no way could they have removed the character entirely. The Spy Master was a proper recurring evil Master that we hadn't yet seen in NuWho. This is not to say anything about how well written Missy is.

[@sscyross]

In some of the extended media (audio stories) there's a character called The Lumiat that you might like to look into.

[@NTNG13]

Capaldi wisely tapped into The First Doctor for his performance in 2 essential aspects: the trickster and whimsical nature of the Doctor and his older man sarcasm and authority. Very enticing to watch a balance between those traits.

[@dennisclapham7540]

Agree, though I also noticed he affected the 'old man' stoop that Peter Cushing added in the 'movie' adaptation. I really enjoyed this 4 hour stint of well produced nostalgia.

[@Reprodestruxion]

And the voice of Tom baker

[@fractarus4729]

“Sir, a 4 hour video essay on the Capaldi series has hit the Fractarus, he will never recover”

[@jackoleen1236]

May the Fractarus rest in peace

[@melissaisloud7404]

Capaldi is my favorite Doctor. Peter was meant to play this exact role at this exact time in his life and history. He was masterful.

[@magnusprime962]

I had grown tired Moffat’s style when Capaldi’s run was airing (it also didn’t help that this was when the streaming rights in the US kept changing hands), so I stopped keeping up with the show. Going back and watching it now though, I really do love the work that was done here. It’s interesting because while I thought Matt Smith’s run started great and deteriorated, I think Capaldi’s run started at okay but grew stronger over time. I love the way Moffat and Capaldi dove into what makes the Doctor tick.

[@Jackson-ub1uv]

One of the most interesting parts about the Doctor's battle against the Cybermen is how _dangerous_ it feels. Usually, no matter how dire the situation is or how much he's surrounded, it often feels like he has a shield around him, one that's made out of his own confidence and intelligence; in The Doctor Falls, however, you somehow _feel_ like he's not going to win, that he's going to be gunned down at any moment, and that each second he's alive is purely down to sheer _luck._ Of course, we _know_ the Doctor will survive, but the whole sequence still makes you feel like this really _is_ his last, final stand, and that it's simply a matter of time until he's killed.

[@lonelystarslibrary9326]

I mean he didn't survive, so you're right

[@LisaBeta-42]

Even before confronting the cybermen alone and blowing up a whole level of that spaceship, regeneration energy had been seeping off his hands: fleeing that rooftop with the master(s) had not been healthy...

[@superevilvillain]

I love how they never shy away from taking the Doctor seriously while still giving him space to be awkward and silly- just because he’s faced Unknowable Horrors doesn’t mean Nardole can’t make fun of him for being a bit dumb sometimes lol

[@ShadowKamehameha32]

"He is The Doctor, of War!" "To be fair, they cut out all the jokes!"

[@unityedits3722]

Rewatching New Who, I was waaaay too hard on Nardole the first time around

[@TheMajinHermit]

While Capaldi's era in general is pretty well regarded these days, Bill is still criminally underrated.

[@dickottel]

we know Moff isn't too good at writing women and we only had 1 season with her 🙁

[@junker-f3m]

genuinely an all-timer companion. a real down-to-earth change of pace after Clara and Amy, with a great arc set up and executed perfectly across the shortest run of a regular companion in nu who. always been one of my favourites, even when i was younger and less hot on the Capaldi era overall

[@Borrisssa]

So true

[@AaronTheHarris]

If anything Bill is a return to form from before Moffat, where the companion is a normal person who grounds the doctor like Rose and Donna.

[@TheMajinHermit]

@@AaronTheHarris Donna still had some of that "Destiny" BS with the whole Doctor Donna thing (I still really like Donna)

[@leelee42069]

the season 10 finale is my favourite finale in the whole show. wonderfully dark, has john simm, what happens to bill is so devastating to such a happy and laidback companion. the dystopia in world enough and time is beautifull done, i literally got chills when the nurse turned down the volume on the cries of pain. i just... god its perfect

[@Elnidax]

The difference in quality between twice upon a time and the woman who fell to earth is UNBELIEVABLE. Moffat wrote some convoluted shit, but you can tell he loved and cared about the show and Peter truly embodied the doctor

[@MrJpc1234]

Moffat was an excellent episode writer.....I think he was always batter off being limited to an episode rather than as a showrunner

[@Jackson-ub1uv]

Capaldi had some of the best scripts, best speeches, best acting, and _the_ best TARDIS in Doctor Who.

[@alyzu4755]

I got a chance to tour the TARDIS set in 2015. It was GORGEOUS! 😍

[@Jackson-ub1uv]

@@alyzu4755 I _wish_ I was that lucky. The best I can do is Garry's Mod.

[@alyzu4755]

@@Jackson-ub1uv If it makes you feel better, at one point I stood at the top of the stairs, thought to myself "I could be on this show", then immediately fell down said stairs. 😂

[@Jackson-ub1uv]

@@alyzu4755 Damn, you could've been the next Matt Smith

[@alyzu4755]

@@Jackson-ub1uv 🤣🤣🤣 Our tour guide, who also works as a PA on the show, told me "Don't worry, Matt Smith used to fall all the time".

[@MrRjhyt]

I always loved the Capaldi doctor, he gave the best speeches. His regeneration one felt like it was capping of the entire show rather than merely his arc. I felt sorry for Chris Chibnall having to follow that. *"Never be cruel, never be cowardly.... hate is always foolish…and love, is always wise... Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.'*

[@jamiebowler4693]

“Never eat pears”

[@thefonzkiss]

@@jamiebowler4693 wtf was that about?

[@jamiebowler4693]

@@thefonzkiss one of things he says in his regeneration speech

[@Moonshine_Victory]

@@thefonzkiss I think it's a reference to something 10 says in the Human Nature/Family of Blood two-parter where he instructs Martha to never let him eat pears cuz he hates them

[@rknowling]

Capaldi was the Doctor who made me realise that adult men need role models, mentors and heroes just as much as young guys- and just as much as girls. Some truly Shakespearean performances: Doctor Who at its best transcends viewer agegroups. Thankyou for your time and hard work creating this tribute! ❤

[@averyeml]

That scene with the tank and the guitar is my FAVORITE Capaldi scene! Not just because it really is just the best fanservice, because it just shows the range the character can go through and how deeply thrown he is by what he’s going through.

[@heliopyre]

I liked the maturity he brought back to the character

[@TomFisher-s1p]

So glad Under the Lake is getting the appreciation it deserves. One of my all-time favourite episodes of Doctor Who.

[@matthewlacey4198]

Oh I fucking love that two parter, one story that really makes use of time travel other than the plot device by which they arrive at a place, and going to a secondary location... and they weave both those things together

[@jacobg2662]

Modern classic story with a modern classic doctor

[@myke1914]

I think so too, but I also get ridiculed for loving a town called mercy.

[@matthewlacey4198]

@@myke1914 really? I love A Town Called Mercy, the homage to Westerns, and I'm a sucker for a villain or antagonist character who's a mirror image of the Doctor Jex is great, he justifies what he did the same way the Doctor justified his actions in the Time War, even the Gunslinger is a sort of reflection of the Doctor, he's a victim of the wartime actions of the Kahler, same way the Doctor's a victim of his own wartime actions (although that parallel is a little looser), cursed to walk the universe alone

[@myke1914]

@@matthewlacey4198 I know, it’s genuinely my favourite Matt smith episode and I think they get the western feel so right, even the technology added feels right, the tone is so good, the genuine tension of the characters panicking, the gunslinger is by far the most badass design of any new foe in the series, from the voice and the teleporting to the point of view terminator style stuff. The Doctor goes through so many emotions because he’s facing himself and this is all pre-50th special so he hasn’t undone that wrong yet. Plus to have sci fi legend Ben Browder in it just lifts it, the closest we’ll ever get to the Doctor meeting John Crichton. And he is so good as the aging tired moral centre of the community. Amy challenges the Doctor, Rory does some heroic stuff. Beautiful scenery, explosions, saloons. But like I said, I genuinely get ridiculed for liking it by almost everyone I know that likes dw. You’re the first person I’ve ever heard speak overwhelmingly positively about it.

[@Peter-wq5oo]

Cannot wait for this video to blow up and more people start to appreciate Capaldi’s era

[@Cosmic_Nite]

let's hope so 🙏

[@harrybarker3441]

They already do. Too much in my opinion

[@CrystalWong]

I think Hell Bent is a perfect sendoff with Clara. Clara, already perhaps the most influential of all The Doctor's companions (in terms of the impact on his own narrative), practically becomes The Doctor herself, with all his hubris and arrogance. The complaints about the negation of Clara's fate in Hell Bent, against her immediate and tragic death in FtR is that there weren't any consequences for her recklessness and hubris in S8 and 9, that she was robbed of a tragic and fitting end, that irrefutable death was necessary because she was aiming to be someone bigger than herself, and because death would have brought her back to the more humbling grounds where she belonged. The only other companion who had similar aspirations to leave Earth behind and be among the stars, exploring the universe, and saving worlds was Donna. And she actually got the power to be like the Doctor. Instead the narrative up until that point "punished" her by making her lose all that experience. I guess the question I want to ask is why does death have to be a consequence of aspiring to be something more than you are, aspiring to be a Doctor? The fact that Clara wishes to wield her newfound freedom and power in the same way is surely noble - after all, we see most others with the same kind power as the Doctor use their power for ill. Clara is right to want to be like him, and it's right that she gets to be - the universe is that much more hopeful because of this. In that sense, she's The Doctor's greatest triumph. Hell Bent was very inspiring. In Moffat's eyes, the Doctor was never a privileged status but something aspirational and that one can lose in their own lifetime (the War Doctor). Keeping with that meaning, writing a story where a working class woman (a teacher) with no prior privileges but just armed with a love for stories, kindness towards children and misfits, and an ardent desire to travel (and a whole lot of flaws like the Doctor), can actually become like the Doctor and given the privileges of the Doctor (a TARDIS and a companion) is quite amazing. It also showed 12 as a marvelous regeneration, one who was always kind and inspiring (despite his outward grumpiness) and his big success is Clara, who took the inspiration and became like him. It is no wonder that in TUAT, he decides to regenerate after he regains memory of Clara, who signified hope and what the name of the Doctor means, and was his greatest triumph.

[@DaveKraft1]

Perfectly said. There is nothing more gratifying and validating for a teacher than for a student to become their Best Self. Definitely my favorite Dynamic Duo.

[@yareyaredaze588]

I didn't read it but I agree

[@foxesofautumn]

I’m not sure where you’re getting kindness for children from. Whenever we see her with her students she seems straight up annoyed with them and utterly unphased by their fates. Clara always seemed emotional distanced from everyone including Danny and her students. Trying to paint her as someone who cares as much as the Doctor never worked for me. The groundwork laid for her said the opposite.

[@chemi169]

Sometimes I like to imagine that Davros is a fairly common Kaled name and that the boy the Doctor met in the minefield was just some random kid with the same name.

[@Cosmic_Nite]

unfortunately davros confirms in the episode that the child was him but that is absolutely hilarious

[@MrGreaves]

So happy seeing this video. In recent years, this has easily become my favourite era of Who (discounting expanded media). And Capaldi is definitely THE best Doctor for me. While I find it easier to revisit the Tennant years for nostalgic reasons, this is the peak of DW quality for me and I'm increasingly saddened that it's over as every day goes by.

[@altinaykor364]

Tennant era wasn't just good for nostalgic reasons. I watched the show recently and I'll chose him and 2005-2010 era over everything else. Capaldi era is second best, because it's redemption and feels much more like the continuation of Doctor's life after Tennant left

[@soundgal_sine_qua_non]

My absolute favorite Doctor. Husbands of River Song is my comfort episode. I appreciate the toxic dependency of Twelve and Clara way more than the flirty vibe of Eleven and Clara (dude, you're the Doctor that got married. Don't cheat). Bill and Nardole with Twelve were superb and one of my top TARDIS teams.

[@DJYunkHank]

wibbily wobbly timey wimey things means the doctor and river songs relationship is very strange. the further forward he goes the less river knows about him, the further forward river goes the less he knows her. imagine being married to someone that forgets more and more about you until they ultimately don't know who you are. I wouldn't count it as the doctor cheating as he will never be with the person he married ever again.

[@mistercleff8819]

@@DJYunkHankI hate the fact the doctor got married to River song hahaha. It’s a cute romantic plot but like… they can’t keep it up realistically. So the doctor and her girlfriend from 13 is also cheating for example. Is weird

[@SleepyHarryZzz]

As far as I'm concerned The Doctor and River have a pretty obviously open relationship, even to the level of getting emotionally involved in others.

[@drewcampbell8555]

The chemistry between Peter Capaldi and Michelle Gomez was simply wonderful, and possibly the biggest reason the show could sell the unlikely reconciliation of the Doctor and the Master. Thoroughly enjoyed your essay. Top marks!

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Capaldi was the greatest actor to ever be the Doctor. Other actors played the Doctor, but Peter Capaldi was the Doctor.

[@Frostylongcat]

Thiiiiis. That's the most simplified way to say it all in one sentence. He WAS the Doctor. I didn't even need an episode that get used to him as the character, that was just him.

[@JamesLanePhoto]

I love this comment

[@manjackson2772]

Tom Baker is the same way. He just IS the Doctor

[@DonHbankz]

Yep

[@bugginonthewall]

YES

[@vordoch]

As someone who watched older actors play the Doctor when i was younger he felt like a return to form, i loved Capaldi from the get go, never underrated for me I loved his run! My favourite Doctor personally.

[@imaginarysea]

I love your voice/style and am now on my second viewing of this 3+ hour video. Capaldi is my favorite Doctor and Bill is one of my favorite companions (Rory is another fabulous and underrated companion IMO). I can't wait for a deep dive of the full 15th Doctor season!

[@talkaboutnowt6644]

Petition for Jenna Coleman to be the next Doctor and act like she did in Flatline without the writers ever addressing it lmao

[@ThatCoalSoul]

Clara tried being The Doctor and it got her killed ...the assistant is The Doctor's equal ...until someone zaps them with ...a sci-fi thingy!

[@GG-dt5hh]

While maybe not "The Doctor" I wouldn't say no to a spin-off of Clara, Me, (and Willa, if we're using Finish canon) doing their own Doctor lite stuff in a time traveling Diner, ala SJA.

[@alphamineron]

Petition for you to have your entitlement to opinions revoked

[@tescomealdeal5699]

@@GG-dt5hh why you? what makes you so special?

[@samgoogleplex4444]

@@tescomealdeal5699 ha ha

[@one_for_one]

Waiting 2 hours to drop the subtlest of mavity jokes. This is what premium content looks like

[@emmylynnd1429]

i’m so glad i wasn’t the only person to notice it 🤣

[@Jellybelly98]

What joke, it's always been mavity of course 😉

[@RenaHeart]

When I lost my mother in 2019 I found myself rewatching heaven sent over and over. It helped me process my grief and i will always be greatful to this show for just existing.

[@poppyfrancis7338]

Capaldi's Doctor is the most human iteration of the Doctor if you ask me. He retains his eccentricities but here, this entire era is the Doctor coming to terms with the entirety of the person he chose to become, not entirely ready to accept that he can be good while not always making the best or even just good decisions, that his heroics aren't lessened by his past, and that while he isn't infallible, its his refusal to just give up that really keeps the Earth safe, more than his hyper alien intelligence and time traveling technology.

[@danielwieczorek1186]

You have inspired me to change a little. A person 3 years younger having a similar obsession to me does something about it and creates a beautiful video. Thank you.

[@trainsurfer7593]

He was the greatest doctor and I'll die on that hill. This - THIS - was a fantastic video, setting out the pros and cons of the Capaldi era very fairly. It was obviously a passion project and it shows. Bravo sir. Bravo!

[@andrescarnederes2295]

I'm glad to see that his era is getting the love it deserves. He had so many good episodes and he was ALWAYS on top form. I sorely miss Peter Capaldi. He is KING. He was born for this role and he wasn't wasted in any way. And he left at the best moment, he wouldn't have fit in at all during the chibnall era. Here's hoping that he returns for Big Finish!!

[@JohnFromAccounting]

The reason Davros exploits the Doctor is because his villainous nature gets the better of him. It wasn't a trap, Davros was being genuine. But no matter how much Davros tries to justify himself, he will always be a villain. Keep in mind that Davros is based on the Nazis, and having viewers sympathise with space Hitler would be a mistake. If Davros was justified, it would destroy the purpose of the Daleks.

[@missingaria2503]

Thank you for doing this. As someone who is another long time fan of both 12 and Clara, and has long had Capaldi my favorite Doctor, it makes me so happy to hear someone else who gets it. I'm a veteran medic and have always related the most to the Capaldi era. He just feels like an "old, tired, war veteran" and I appreciate that. To me, he represents the depression stage of the grieving process, that time period when you keep going even when you don't want to care/feel anymore. When I got back from Afghanistan I had to take things one step at a time, one day at a time. I developed an exercise that I did every day where I would consciously make myself find at least 1 good thing that happened that day and focus on it. "A song I like came on the radio, so it was a good day," saying it and thinking it but not yet able to feel it. Eventually it got me to a point where I could start to feel it again, even on the less good days. Clara dies and 12's world is rocked as, all of a sudden, his fundamentally toxic way of avoiding caring is gone. He suddenly has to acknowledge that, in spite of how he's been trying to appear otherwise, he actually cares an awful lot. Heaven Sent perfectly sums up what that time period felt like for me, and I think anyone who's gone through a profound loss of self/a loved one can probably relate. You don't necessarily succeed at getting past your grief on that first day, or the second, or the 573rd. Even when you do overcome it that doesn't mean you forgot about it or you aren't sad anymore, it just means it's not this impenetrable wall in front of you anymore. He achieves that goal, and he does it because the countless past versions of him who ultimately failed didn't actually fail. Ultimately, "failures" that those past versions were, they pushed forward and focused on success. Or, to put it another way, each of them tried to find something good and hold on to that for the future 12 who would finally succeed.

[@Cosmic_Nite]

Man, what a beautiful story, thanks for sharing 🫶

[@alibasherable]

Really good video, Capaldi is definitely deserving of more love. Only nitpick, at 2:15:22 The doctor wasn't the shepards boy dodging impossible questions, he was the bird pecking away for an eternity at the mountain of diamond until it was worn away.

[@squall9930]

Capaldi is ‘my doctor’, i love his era so much and this whole video perfectly encapsulates everything i adore about it

[@chanceneck8072]

He's not "my" Doctor but he is my favorite Doctor.

[@marsbie]

I did a rewatch of Capaldi before catching up through Whittaker's era before the new season and I was struck by how good his Doctor was. I don't know why I was so iffy on him when I was younger, because he was fantastic. He showed such depth and the characterizations were so strong. Asking if he's a good man, his toxic relationship with Clara. His delivery was always outstanding. Maybe it also helped that I was less bitter about losing Amy and Rory for Clara this time around. I completely agree, he is peak and I'm glad he's getting recognized. Makes me so happy.

[@timgray1664]

I've always found the ending of Series 8 with Clara and the Doctor lying to each other to be so beautifully heartbreaking

[@Chrisyork1989]

LOVE THIS! I could fill an entire library with reasons why Capaldi is the best or at the very least put on a week long seminar about it. The perfect marriage of Classic and New Who. From the moment he was announced and walked out with his hands on his lapels like The First Doctor I knew we were in for something extremely special. If he’s being honest and never comes back to the show for a multi-doctor episode or anniversary, I’ll be heartbroken but satisfied as he genuinely was just perfect.

[@rosswell7613]

Been with the show since the 3rd Doctor and 12 is definitely my favorite. Great job on the retrospective! If it convinces even one person to go back and give Capaldi a 2nd chance that would be awesome. Thanks for the memories!

[@bugginonthewall]

AMAZING video ❤Capaldi has my ultimate respect. He dreamt of playing The Doctor since he was a boy, “Doctor, I let you go” was his childhood self accepting his dream was complete. Additionally, the intricate detail of 12’s grief intertwining with Missy was spectacular. Michelle Gomez absolutely rocked the role, Missy was battling her whole identity over repressed love for her childhood sweetheart, but could only express it through chaos, the prior incarnations damnation of character. 12 still grasping his wife was dead (sobbing over River😭), yet still acknowledging old feelings for Missy, too entangled to believe she was capable of change, yet still trying to help her because he never gave up. She faced jealousy with a dead woman, Only for her to die(?) alone, 12 unbeknownst that Missy actually cared. And then, sweet Bill. I can’t ramble about Bill or i’ll cry. Oh how i love this era of DW.

[@MrShowoff27]

The most rewatchable seasons of Doctor who

[@Sam-zu5mr]

So true....when Doctor Who was watchable. Sad to see the demise of this show over the years. My Doctor ended with 12.

[@MrShowoff27]

@@Sam-zu5mr Oh, I love 12, my favorite Doctor. But that's too bad you're missing out on a pretty solid season right now. But to each their own.

[@HeidiRoberts-kn6ei]

@@Sam-zu5mrI would say watch the new season! The first two episodes aren’t my favourite but the most recent ones have been really enjoyable, and it has definitely improved a lot with the return of Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat :)

[@Comicbroe405]

@@MrShowoff27 I'm so tired of ppl repeating that same thing like bots. The new season has proven itself quite well. Ppl were hating on 12's era the same way back then.

[@redactedsucksatrivals]

10, 11, and 12 have so many rewatchable episodes

[@c2ppstso]

I'm so glad that the Capaldi era of Dr. Who is has been critically re-evaluated in the last few years. I too had heard and read series 8 thru 10 being routinely dismissed by critics as "Capaldi=great actor+shit writing." When I did finally watch Capaldi's series,, I was more than pleasantly surprised and Capaldi quickly became my favorite Doctor (overtaking Baker and Tennant) T.hank you for this video and for giving series 8 thru-10 the attention, appreciation and love they so deserve.

[@The_high-commander]

For me, Capaldi's portrayal of the Doctor is perfect. He embodies the aura of a kind, powerful alien who treats time and space as his domain. An entity that has seen it all, done it all, and for someone who's lived that long, he's tired of it all. But he's compelled to intervene, to save those in need because, despite all his knowledge, experience, and wisdom, the burden of loss is the one thing the Doctor understands better than anyone.

[@RGWProductions]

I can't even begin to describe how happy this essay made me. Capaldi was the first Doctor I watched with the rest of the world from beginning to end (I started watching the show 2012 so previous eras had come and gone or were in the midst of them). So to truly see a character / era you watched from the beginning grow into something so memorable just hits different. And this essay is remarkably done. I truly connect and agree with a lot of the points made, especially with how this era became more character focused which gave the show a fresh look. Capaldi really became my Doctor at the end of Series 8 and nothing is going to change that. Phenomenal work with this essay, should definitely be proud of it!

[@rennenga]

Cabaldi became my favorite doctor as soon as he debuted and I have been defending that choice ever since to every Who Fan I've talked to when the inevitable "who is your favorite doctor" question was asked. This finally put my feelings into words I couldn't articulate over the years. Very well done!

[@PuppetSquid]

I can see why people aren't enthused by the resolution of Lie of the Land, but the fact that Bill only *has* memories of her mother because of a silent act of compassion on behalf of the doctor in The Pilot makes it one of my favourite moments. There's probably five layers of selfless acts leading up to that moment. I adore it. You can call it a three-parter but that link and the blindness link and how it's all connected back to missy - the season feels so interconnected and alive in a way that I don't think any other season has matched.

[@chaosbobbert9315]

Peter Capaldis era was always my favourite, but I never could put it quite into words. I think for me the more mature and dark angle of his stories, make the emotional bits hit much more. Its truly amazing to watch his arc and see this more distant doctor accept the kindness in him and in the universe. Im so disheartened that many people refuse to watch this, simply because he is played by an older actor. When I think of the Doctor, I think always of 12.

[@pickles168]

One fun thing ive noticed is how 12 echos the first three doctors (to varying degrees) in each of his series. In series 8 he is more similar to the 1st Doctor a bit more abrasive (his coat makes a similar shape to 1 too), in series 9 he is a bit more of a fool like the second doctor (he even goes full "space hobo" in attire). And in series 10 he is more foppish and action-packed like 3. He even gets a male foil (Nardole) like 3 had with the Brigadier (he also goes full velvet and big haired)

[@jennifermcilvenny4630]

That's a smart observation and I really think there's something in that.

[@reubenreynolds617]

Thank you for using the correct pronunciation for 'mavity' lots of people nowadays saying 'gravity'. Fuck knows where thats come from, has become a big pet peev of mine.

[@benjames9158]

I think deep breath absolutely clears eleventh hour

[@Dubble77D]

I love Eleventh Hour and truly believe it's one of the greatest starting points for the show. Even better than Deep Breath. BUT, Deep Breath nails the post-regeneration acid trip vibes that were initially intended in Classic, and for that reason alone, I love Deep Breath more. "DON'T LOOK AT THAT MIRROR. It's absolutely FURIOUS!"

[@richardpauley8733]

And those eyebrows !

[@Arcadi4.44]

Deep breathe is incredible and Capaldi nails being the Doctor from his first line

[@richardpauley8733]

A great doctor let down by being forced out for a gimmick by BBC bosses{nothing against female Doctor [looking at you Jo (Lumley and Whitley )and Jodie as actor(now with couple rare moments THAT was bad writing)]}

[@Jtrent]

Ok I love Capaldis era but Eleventh Hour is a peak episode soooo not agreeing on THAT comparison chief

[@thatoneviewer1553]

One thing I disagree with is "a billion, billion hearts" thing. It wasn't talking about the lives at risk by fracturing time, it was talking about how the Doctor went through billions, billions of deaths and heartbreak to reach Clara again. Just my take lol.

[@througtonsheirs_doctorwhol5914]

T​true GENIUS this Peter Capaldi run in Doctor Who. "This regeneration... it's a bit of a clerical error anyways" -under the lake

[@Toshiro287]

I found your channel because of this video and I'm glad that I did. I appreciate that you appreciate Capaldi. He is my Doctor. He is the epitome of what the Doctor is as he gives his speech to 13. It still makes me tear up a little bit every time. He was already my favorite and this video showed how much I had missed. My partner and I noticed something in Heaven Sent. Capaldi emulated other Doctors. He'll slip into the attitude or speech pattern for a second or 2 at a time. Part of me thinks we're imagining it since I've noticed it a few times from 13 as well. Capaldi is a GREAT actor and maybe he figured out the balance to do it?

[@SkullduggeryVFXYT]

There were definitely times I'd not be looking at the screen and you'd swear it was Tom Baker speaking. I think he did that so well and on purpose. Best actor to play the role by a 1.6 kilometres.

[@drparadox7833]

Peter Capaldi is THE BEST Doctor for me because he feels like the version tailor made for me. I started with 9 and even before watching and knowing anything about it I read show's description and imagined the Doctor as a wise, old, mature man with a quirk and at first 9 delivered, but then 10 and 11 happened and I had a dissonance because yes Tenant and Smith were great in the role, but I had this weird thought in my mind: "These boys are just winging it." Like wise, old man turned into hyperactive, hysterical lover boy which I hated, BUT when Capaldi entered the role with his more severe and distant performance which softened over the seasons, I was like: "FINALLY THE REAL DOCTOR WHO IS HERE!"

[@erichb414]

I fell in love with Dr. Who during the Capaldi era- his first episode was the first one I watched live on TV when it came out, and I always felt a bit bummed that he got negatively compared to Matt and David. I think he got better season after season as he softened a little, and I'm really glad he's finally getting the recognition he deserves.

[@Lysanthor]

Capaldi captured the true trauma of the Doctor. I loved Matt Smith, he was truly my favourite, and he captured the fury of the Doctor in ways I don't think can be matched. But Capaldi's performance, especially his speech in the Zygon Inversion, cannot be topped on showing the essence of the trauma of a man like the Doctor.

[@gwinnellheald8592]

Ever since he hit our screens as 12 i knew he was my doctor. The show just kept getting better and better with each doctor (IMO) and i was so sad to see him go but so excited to see what would improve next. 5 years later and we are finally clawing our way back to good doctor who. Ncuti is great, the show feels like doctor who again, but we are back at square 1. Makes me hopeful that in a few years time we may get another capaldi-esque doctor. Peter Capaldi you legend. My doctor.

[@QueerCasey]

All your takes on Missy were just so good. You really put into words why I love her so much, and how in depth and meaningful her arc is. I love her sososo much, and you did her justice here. A lot of people have a tendency to mischaracterize her, but you didn't. Thank you so much.

[@Wibblywobblystormy]

Peter Capaldi is my favorite incarnation of the doctor. He plays the character so well and has an amazing balance of serious emotion and comedy. I'm so glad more people are coming around and realizing how amazing he was.

[@msoclips]

I can't believe I'm actually hearing someone voice the same thoughts, feelings and opinions I have on his era. With it being: character driven, featuring the best stories in all of New Who, having Capaldi and Capaldi... You explained all of that brilliantly. Thank You! also I appreciate this must of taken AGES!

[@malmalfactor3544]

I've started rewatching the 13th Doctor era for the first time recently. And it struck me that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was on initial viewing. I think the reason I disliked it so much when I first watched it was because of how the 12th Doctor era was SO GOOD. The 13th Doctor era is OK to good, it doesn't hold a candle to the 12th Doctor era, not because the 13th Doctor's era is bad, but because the 12th Doctor era is perhaps the best era of the modern show, maybe even the whole show.

[@salsaman]

Why was there not even a mention Time Heist. IMO, the best ever episode of Dr. Who. It has everything - a mystery, non-companions who are actually fully fleshed out with their own motivations. a meticulously executed plot, it has moments of tension, a beautiful conclusion. The final reveal is so sweet. It even has actual motivation for the Doctor be there at that time and place, Why why, why ?

[@chanceneck8072]

I was about to post my own comment, prepared to even complain that no one else noticed it, that I read through the conments. Thankfully I read through the comments just a little bit more. 😅 You're absolutely right! Time Heist was not on here....

[@chanceneck8072]

That being said, I utterly hated reading your comment because there were numerous spelling errors.

[@salsaman]

@@chanceneck8072 just for you I went back and fixed all the typos

[@michaeldemarco9950]

Right you are; Missy IS the final Master, somewhere from the far future.

[@dwood-n5r]

"the help of capaldi's eyebrows" lol. thansk for this lovely retrospective. also, the beginning of this video reminded me of that funny period after capaldi's announcement but before he started when people were memeing/joking about a "malcolm tucker " doctor, the idea of him swearing at the companion and daleks, etc. fun times.

[@Chanwills0]

I’m 2 minutes in and already know this is gonna be a multi rewatch sort of vid 😂 👏🏾👏🏾

[@memoryfoam2285]

Gotta say the CGI of the Fisher King just T-Posing as he gets pushed back by the wave is hilarious

[@luisvalle81]

As someone who initially didn’t like Capaldi’s Doctor (11 being my first) he is now my favorite version of the doctor. He is the cool grumpy grandfather that we all would love to have but his character development was second to none and this video essay encompasses what I absolutely love about this version of the doctor thank you for making this video

[@codystevenson3142]

2:06:11 love the reference to the time they encountered isacc newton and made a gravity joke and he mistaken it for mavity

[@nelly-belly1218]

Do you know what I'm doing for a past few months? I just watch every episode and then listen the explanation in this video. Amazing, thank you. Helps deeply understand Capaldi's era.

[@oswlwald]

Wow, this was fantastic!! I absolutely love this era and have never understood the claim that 'Capaldi is a great Doctor let down by bad writing.' In my opinion, this era has some of the best writing and character arcs Doctor Who has ever seen. Your breakdown of this era is brilliant and articulates almost exactly how I feel about it myself. I'm so glad that this era is finally receiving the appreciation it deserves, and I hope more and more people come to love it as much as I do.

[@bensneb360]

Peter Capaldi is my favorite Doctor, he’s like a mix between Doc Brown & Sid Vicious

[@PaulRichards-vz4pl]

The greatest episode of modern Who. Peter Capaldi is magnificent.

[@williamwade2674]

this video is so good. A lot of doctor who channels have just turned into toxic hate speech because they hate the new era but this was so easy and fun to watch in comparison thank you so much!

[@blaykknight3681]

I loved this so much and was so sad to see the rest of your collection of content are shorter not that I won’t be watching it but I think you’ve done really well with this long form video and should consider doing more! I’ll definitely be around to watch them. Would love a deeper look into the 13th doctor and her seasons!

[@jesstse3336]

Fantastic video!! I didn't even realise how Bill being a cyberman has that layer of meaning. Love the Peter Capaldi era before already but this made me appreciate it so much more! Great video!

[@TreyMcDonaldAnimator]

We've had some great people fill the role, including now with Ncuti. But I promise you, no one tops Capaldi. Just... brilliant. And it sucks so many "fans" left the show because he was older. He has the biggest arc, the biggest change, endured one of the most traumatic events in the Doctor's life, and hands down is involved in one of the best episodes of Doctor Who to date, Heaven Sent. Capaldi and Moffat captured lightning in a bottle and this arc of the 12th Doctor is my favorite. Period.

[@Terrensino]

I completely agree with the maturity characteristic of Capalid's Doctor. He is the grown up who is still finding new things to learn from and advance with, all the way showing to audience the perfect mix of rational and kind qualities all humans want to max in themselves, but combined with god-level pride giving as the result an impression of a personificated force of nature which is both amazing and terrifying to gaze upon, yet we can't stop to and still continue to do so, developing oursevles further as human beings while the stories go on. Capaldi's era is truly the peak that embodies everything we love in DW.

[@twobeesandabug5506]

TELL 'EM!!!! best doctor of all time, will always say this, thank you for your beautifully crafted video - the deserved analysis of such a wonderful and underrated era of Doctor Who !

[@vvgirl6173]

I feel like from Hellbent onwards I blanked out while watching the rest of his era. Because dear god are there a lot of scenes I do not remember despite watching the series religiously since Christopher Eccleston. But his speech about doing good because it is right that it's kind will always live rent free in my head.

[@mio5193]

I LOVE HIM! He’s a cranky sweet old man, how doctor should be. I love it when he gets excited when he figures out things and i love he can be serious when needed.

[@stonecoldsbottlebin]

Long before Eleven and Pond, there was a Fifth Doctor two parter - Awakening, with a monster behind a "crack in the wall". In the episodes, the villain is Malus - and he scared the living bejesus out of me as a kid. Doctor Who and core memories, huh... Also, loved Capaldi. He challenged our perceptions of who The Doctor is, after the more family friendly Ten and Eleven.

[@DenethorDurrandir]

I just realized that SCP-2718 was taken straight from the Dark Water episode of Dr. Who, glad someone took that interesting concept and properly explored it.

[@Damon_Blue]

I just wanted to say that this video has been stuck in my Watch later playlist for months now but I'M FINALLY WATCHING IT! At the time of me writing this comment, I have not nearly finished the video yet, but wanted to say thank you for making it as I adore this era of Doctor Who. Edit: I have finished watching the video, and it was great! I appreciate that you mentioned the admittedly bad episodes as well. It's good to accept everything, both the good and the bad. I'm glad I finally got around to watching this.

[@miloadhami6954]

this video only felt like an hour as I was constantly hooked to it would love you to cover more eras in this format