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Description
So this is a meme I came up with. Blank version for those who wish to do this as well ! (This is the history of this AU I came up with so far. Feel free to add and theorize on if desired.)
What if Doctor Who was produced in America instead of the UK? And what if Disney bought the series in the 1990s?The Beginning
In the early 1960s, Rod Serling had a critical success with The Twilight Zone, but the show remained always on the brink of cancellation, even going over it at times. Burnt out from the struggle of fighting for the show’s survival, he approached Lucille Fletcher in 1961 to have some of her works, such as Sorry, Wrong Number and The Hitchhiker adapted for his show. During an initial meeting, the ever-prolific but inundated Serling mentioned an idea he had of a time traveler that would careen uncontrollably through space and time saving people. The premise intrigued Fletcher, who offered to explore it in writing. Serling agreed, thinking it might make a good episode.
He was shocked and awed when Fletcher met him again in 1962 with what amounted to an entire season of serialized adventures featuring a mysterious man from another planet. Serling had grown frustrated with CBS and the fight for Twilight Zone’s survival, and convinced CBS president at the time, Michael Dann, to let him executive produce the series. Dann agreed, and Doctor Who was born, set to premiere on November 23, 1963.
First Doctor: Buster Crabbe (1963-1966)
Serling convinced Buster Crabbe, the aging star of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, that he had one more hero in him. Crabbe agreed, and his portrayal of The Doctor as a deceptively powerful older man made him a hero grandfather to children almost instantly, as well a big hit for CBS, although his three costars—Lucile Ball as Barbara Wright, Desi Arnaz as Ian Chesterton-Cruz, and Annette Funicello as Susan Foreman—certainly helped matters. The First Doctor gave Crabbe the chance to show off acting chops he had never had before, and while he still threw the occasional punch and ran from the menacing Daleks, more often he thought his way out of situations and offered an occasional darker take than his youthful roles.
When Serling departed the show as producer in 1966, Crabbe allowed his contract to expire as well. He has returned to Doctor Who twice, once in 1973 for the tenth anniversary special, “The Three Doctors”, and again in 1983 for the 20th anniversary special, “The Five Doctors”. He died only a month after filming his scenes for the latter Doctors reunion in April of 1983. “The Five Doctors” was since dedicated to his memory.
Second Doctor: Jerry Van Dyke (1966-1969)
Crabbe’s refusal to re-sign a contract left Doctor Who with a problem. How do you have Doctor Who with no Doctor? An off-hand remark by Crabbe that a time traveler might “age in reverse” upon death became a core staple of the series when he regenerated into Jerry Van Dyke, fresh off of the sitcom, My Mother the Car. The exuberant and swishing musical and variety show star was a stark contrast to Crabbe’s more solid take, but was all the more engaging to the young audiences that made Doctor Who such a hit.
Van Dyke’s Second Doctor seems light and playful on the surface, but this masks a brilliantly inventive mind and an absolute abhorrence of injustice. Though he was oft-times buffoonish, with little of Crabbe’s poise and grace, Van Dyke used comedy as a mask for deeper plans, a mask that he dropped with cold determination whenever he faced the Cybermen who killed the First Doctor. He voluntarily left the role after three seasons, but would still attend Doctor Who conventions as a guest until his death in January of 2018.
Third Doctor: Robert Stack (1970-1974)
The star of The Untouchables was approached to take over for Van Dyke as the show transitioned into color. Stack was looking to get away from crime drama, and admitted to secretly being a big fan of science fiction and bizarre phenomenon when cast. Nonetheless, his Doctor carried over many of the traits of Elliot Ness to the point that some accused him of not trying to differentiate the two very much.
The Third Doctor, while stranded on Earth following the death of The Second, was confined to a branch of the United States military as science adviser. Stack had the luck to work with Dalton Trumbo, who penned many great scripts dealing with leftover sentiments from his time blacklisted after refusing to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee. This led to Stack facing off against Frank Sutton as The Master, an evil high-ranking military officer who was secretly a fellow Time Lord in disguise. The social commentary against military force became a recurring theme of Stack’s tenure. He left behind an action-packed legacy of daring feats, and would make many allusions to his time as he hosted the series, Unsolved Mysteries.
Fourth Doctor: Gene Wilder (1974-1981)
The decision to have Wilder as the Doctor was met with approval from critics due to his whimsical but still very cunning behavior as Mr. Wonka from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and his much more darker and sinister tone as Dr. Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein. Wilder’s weird and wonderful comedic talents made the Doctor both more alien and more popular than ever before, making the show a surprise break-out hit even with UK Audiences. Wilder still holds the record for being the most active of the CBS Era Doctors, as he would write many of his most iconic episodes, such as the 1979 missing episode, “Shada”.
Gene Wilder would leave the show in 1981 after an incredible seven year tenure, the longest out of any Doctor thus far. He would not only return for the 20th anniversary special, “The Five Doctors”, but would also write for and direct the 30th anniversary special, “Dimensions in Time”, and would occasionally refer to himself as the Doctor until his death in August of 2016.
Fifth Doctor: Stephen Nichols (1982-1984)
Filling in the shoes of Gene Wilder was no easy task, producers discovered. So instead of hiring a big name actor like they’ve used to, they decided on a man who was mainly used to supporting roles. Stephen Nichols, a man almost as strange as the Doctor himself, was also the youngest actor at the time to take on the role, at age thirty-one. Before becoming an actor, Nichols studied yoga and became a vegetarian. With this, it helped establish Five’s very calming, relaxed, but still very wise personality. Plus his vegetarian interests also are what lead to Five’s signature stick of celery on his coat.
Nichols was a more melancholy figure than Wilder, and was haunted throughout his run by the death of his companion Adric, played by a young Michael J. Fox. Nichols later remarked that he felt he was too young to play the Time Lord, and that though he was proud of the role he wished he could have had a bit more weight under his belt. That hesitancy and youth earned him the nickname of “The Nice One” in the Who fan community. However, since then, he has also taken the helm to direct one of the many fiftieth anniversary specials called, “The Five Doctors (Again)” starring himself as well as his four immediate successors.
Sixth Doctor: Ken Osmond (1984-1986)
Perhaps the producers felt that Nichols was a bit too young for the role as well, and when he left they cast Ken Osmond, best known as Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver. He had never been able to break out of the typecasting from his youth, and had actually abandoned acting by 1984 to become a police officer. A routine traffic stop with the previous star, Stephen Nichols, turned into an recommendation, which later turned into an audition that landed Osmond back on television as the Sixth Doctor. However, Osmond is often thought of as the worst of the thirteen Doctors for his smarmy personality and ridiculous costume. An injury from his police days impaired him physically, and he was short and temperamental.
Eventually, he was let go in order to try and win over new ratings with a new Doctor, the only actor ever fired from the show. Initially, Osmond was very bitter over his time as The Doctor, but his anger softened when he began receiving hundreds of fan letters as annual holiday showings of “The Doctor and Mr. Claus” made the episode a modern Christmas classic, also starting the tradition that the Doctor’s final story be Christmas-related that would carry its way into the Disney era. He staged a one-man show about his Doctor Who tenure in 2006, The Ultimate Adventure, that turned into a major off-Broadway hit, and a recording of it was released as a bonus disc with the Christmas special Blu-Ray.
Seventh Doctor: Steve Martin (1987-1989)
In 1987 Steve Martin could have had any role he wanted, and the role he wanted was The Doctor. The comedian was coming off a string of successes, including being on Saturday Night Live. While mostly known for this as well as other comedic roles prior to and since becoming the Doctor, Martin cemented Seventh’s more sarcastic personality with a less quirky outfit style than his predecessor.
Though initially slapstick was a regular part of his portrayal, he dropped it quickly to become a Machiavellian figure who only used humor as a mask. With a dry wit, and a willingness to manipulate others, he was both well-liked and slightly terrifying. He formed an incredible partnership with Winona Ryder as his young companion Ace, and the two began dragging the ratings of the show up bit by bit as old fans returned and new fans ate up Martin’s style. It sadly wasn't enough to save the show from cancellation in 1989, and fans today still wonder if one more season with Martin and Ryder might not have staved of the seven year hiatus.
Eighth Doctor: Jeff Goldblum (1996-2001)
Two years after the show's cancellation, in 1991, Disney bought the rights to Doctor Who from CBS and had begun airing all twenty-six seasons of the series on ABC. Disney soon decided to attempt to revive the series with a television movie. After much discussion, Disney revealed that the next Doctor was to be Jeff Goldblum. Fans were skeptic that their favorite show would succumb to the typical Disney formula, and were relieved that the film still carried on the ambiance of the CBS era. The only difference was making the Doctor’s companion, played by Daphne Ashbrook, his love interest.
Though initially poorly received, Goldblum’s more romantic and dashing Doctor has gained a following in later years. The movie would also receive a cult following in later years, mainly for the man starring opposite of the Doctor, Englishman Tim Curry. When the film was in its planning stages in 1992, Vincent Price, who played the Master throughout the Eighties, was set to reprise his role until his passing the following year. Curry proudly stepped in and gave a delightfully hammy performance, with many fans later saying that his and Goldblum’s chemistry was the highlight of the film. Goldblum would later reprise his role as the Eighth Doctor in the the spin-off animated series, lasting for a total of five seasons and sixty-five episodes, ending with a cliffhanger in, “Night of the Doctor,” with Goldblum regenerating into, for twelve years, an unknown Doctor.
Ninth Doctor: Robert Downey Jr. (2005)
After that, the show was left forgotten and not much was brought up about it, which upset older fans who wished for Disney to resurrect the show in some shape or form. That was until 2005, when Disney up and announced (by surprise mind you) the first ever episode of the show in years, along with continuing the story and lore with new twists.
After the success of the animated series, Disney decided that now would be a good time to try reviving the series proper. However, Goldblum was now thought to be too old now to win over a young audience. Instead, they cast Robert Downey Jr., slowly working towards a comeback after severe drug problems had stalled his career. Downey feared being trapped in the role just as he was getting back on his feet, and show runner, Bryan Fuller, worried about a relapse on Downey's part, was equally uneasy. The pair agreed to a one-season contract.
The show absolutely exploded. Paired with Hillary Duff as Rose Tyler, the Ninth Doctor and his companion instantly reignited the series bigger than ever before. Downey's performance as a deeply hurt and disturbed survivor of the Time War resounded with post 9/11 American audiences, while Duff's energy kept the show from going grim. It was a great shock when Downey fulfilled his one-season promise by stepping down due to the success. Despite going on to be one of Hollywood's most prominent leading men, he has said he regrets not doing more as the Doctor. He, thankfully, makes up for it by making a cameo appearance in, "The Day of the Doctor," as well as playing a supporting role in, "The Five Doctors (Again)," in 2013.
Tenth Doctor: Neil Patrick Harris (2005-2010)
Hillary Duff's contract was probably what gave Doctor Who a second season at all. However, Neil Patrick Harris was the reason it got a third! For three seasons for Harris, which featured his witty, hyperactive behavior as seen in films such as the Harold and Kumar saga but still featured his much more somber and darker tone as seen in his role as Count Olaf in A Series of Unfortunate Events, became one of the most liked and praised Doctors of the entire series, on par with Wilder's role as Four.
He welcomed the affections of Rose Tyler and her departure in, "Doomsday" remains to be one of the most heartbreaking. While Zoe Saldana’s Martha Jones was not as well received by critics, her character was liked enough among fans. But many would say that his best leading lady was the only one with no romantic interest in him at all: Tina Fey as Donna Noble. While Fey was already seen in "The Runaway Bride" and most critiques were harsh on her due to being unlikable and loud, her role as the Doctor's third companion was praised due to her character growth, her morals on always doing the right thing, and of course, her refusal to romanticize with the Doctor. Harris would announce in 2009, the first of four times he hosted the Tony Awards, that he would be stepping down from the role.
Eleventh Doctor: Lin-Manuel Miranda (2010-2013)

Harris’ successor would be a fellow Tony nominee. After his success with writing, producing, directing, composing, and starring in In the Heights at such a young age, Neil Patrick Harris personally selected the 29-year-old to be his successor. Thus making Miranda's childhood dream come true.
Lin-Manuel Miranda as the 11th Doctor was a risky decision. With switching to a new doctor after an already highly regarded Doctor and a new show runner, Joss Whedon, people were uncertain how Miranda would pull off the role. The fact Miranda was a fan of the show was a key factor with fans growing to accept him in the role as a result.
Miranda's child-like behavior but still very cunning (and, by some extent, very manipulative) actions made him attention grabbing, especially around the show's, “seventh,” season of the revived era where he ditched his famous brown coat for a light navy coat worked in his favor. And many adored his relationship with Kristin Chenoweth's River Song, introduced during the last season of Harris' run, as well as his friendship with Amy Pond, played by Lindsay Lohan, and Rory Williams, played by Liam Hemsworth. His relationships with all three of them would be considered by many fans to be the best portrayed in the series.
Twelfth Doctor: Harrison Ford (2014-2017)
Alas, like Harris, Miranda only did only three seasons as his role of the Doctor. As a result, he resigned from the role. However a bold decision occurred when Harrison Ford was chosen as the 12th Doctor. The decision was met with two sides: One side praised the fact that a highly beloved veteran actor known for his sci-fi roots was to play one of the most liked characters in Sci-fi, but the other side (mainly the younger fans) were upset that the Doctor was to be played by a much older actor now. As such, Harrison is probably the second-most controversial Doctor of the Disney Era (the most being his immediate successor).
Harrison's Doctor was very dark and while still retaining his much more child-like behavior (by some degree), his actions around his first season were met with mixed results to say the least. His second, season, however slowly began to make him a household name: Harrison's enthusasim as the Doctor (being a fan of the show's early runs, probably the biggest fan of the show's history) garnered interest. Many fans of his portrayal would simply blame bad writing for his episodes, in particular Season 8's, “Kill the Moon.” But when the writing was good, such as, “Heaven Sent,” which consisted of Harrison monologuing for the entire episode, as the Doctor mourned the loss of Clara Oswald, played by Zelda Williams, Harrison was allowed to shine!
However, due to a surprising turn of events, the show was put on hiatus for a year. While some would say that the writing improved as a result, many, however, would disagree. The season that followed would be Ford’s last, as he announced he would be stepping down early in 2017.
The Future: Reese Witherspoon (2018 onwards)
The Disney Era of the show was met with many milestones, such as the first openly gay Doctor with Harris, the first non Caucasian Doctor with Miranda, the youngest Doctor to play the role also with Miranda, immediately followed by the oldest to take the role with Harrison. Disney Who also featured companions of color, as well as the first transgender companion with Mya Taylor as Bill.
Now Disney Who faces a new milestone for casting Reese Witherspoon to play the Doctor, announced on July 16, 2017 after the premiere of the competition reality television series, Funderdome. The decision of have a female doctor was met with very polarizing effects. Fans and critics praised the bold decision, especially with the decision of a female Doctor long been desired but timing was always an issue. However, there were some who feared that the show was becoming too politically correct, particularly fans who grew up with the show when it aired on CBS.
However, Witherspoon didn’t seem to be phased by this, and neither did Gillian Anderson, the show's first female show runner. She took the role and critiques in stride as she, as well as costars Bryan Cranston, Victoria Justice, and Michael B. Jordan were all filming for season eleven, set to premiere in September of 2018. We'll just have to wait and see where she'll take us here, and in future seasons to come.

Description
So this is a meme I came up with. Blank version for those who wish to do this as well ! (This is the history of this AU I came up with so far. Feel free to add and theorize on if desired.)
What if Doctor Who was produced in America instead of the UK? And what if Disney bought the series in the 1990s?The Beginning
In the early 1960s, Rod Serling had a critical success with The Twilight Zone, but the show remained always on the brink of cancellation, even going over it at times. Burnt out from the struggle of fighting for the show’s survival, he approached Lucille Fletcher in 1961 to have some of her works, such as Sorry, Wrong Number and The Hitchhiker adapted for his show. During an initial meeting, the ever-prolific but inundated Serling mentioned an idea he had of a time traveler that would careen uncontrollably through space and time saving people. The premise intrigued Fletcher, who offered to explore it in writing. Serling agreed, thinking it might make a good episode.
He was shocked and awed when Fletcher met him again in 1962 with what amounted to an entire season of serialized adventures featuring a mysterious man from another planet. Serling had grown frustrated with CBS and the fight for Twilight Zone’s survival, and convinced CBS president at the time, Michael Dann, to let him executive produce the series. Dann agreed, and Doctor Who was born, set to premiere on November 23, 1963.
First Doctor: Buster Crabbe (1963-1966)
Serling convinced Buster Crabbe, the aging star of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, that he had one more hero in him. Crabbe agreed, and his portrayal of The Doctor as a deceptively powerful older man made him a hero grandfather to children almost instantly, as well a big hit for CBS, although his three costars—Lucile Ball as Barbara Wright, Desi Arnaz as Ian Chesterton-Cruz, and Annette Funicello as Susan Foreman—certainly helped matters. The First Doctor gave Crabbe the chance to show off acting chops he had never had before, and while he still threw the occasional punch and ran from the menacing Daleks, more often he thought his way out of situations and offered an occasional darker take than his youthful roles.
When Serling departed the show as producer in 1966, Crabbe allowed his contract to expire as well. He has returned to Doctor Who twice, once in 1973 for the tenth anniversary special, “The Three Doctors”, and again in 1983 for the 20th anniversary special, “The Five Doctors”. He died only a month after filming his scenes for the latter Doctors reunion in April of 1983. “The Five Doctors” was since dedicated to his memory.
Second Doctor: Jerry Van Dyke (1966-1969)
Crabbe’s refusal to re-sign a contract left Doctor Who with a problem. How do you have Doctor Who with no Doctor? An off-hand remark by Crabbe that a time traveler might “age in reverse” upon death became a core staple of the series when he regenerated into Jerry Van Dyke, fresh off of the sitcom, My Mother the Car. The exuberant and swishing musical and variety show star was a stark contrast to Crabbe’s more solid take, but was all the more engaging to the young audiences that made Doctor Who such a hit.
Van Dyke’s Second Doctor seems light and playful on the surface, but this masks a brilliantly inventive mind and an absolute abhorrence of injustice. Though he was oft-times buffoonish, with little of Crabbe’s poise and grace, Van Dyke used comedy as a mask for deeper plans, a mask that he dropped with cold determination whenever he faced the Cybermen who killed the First Doctor. He voluntarily left the role after three seasons, but would still attend Doctor Who conventions as a guest until his death in January of 2018.
Third Doctor: Robert Stack (1970-1974)
The star of The Untouchables was approached to take over for Van Dyke as the show transitioned into color. Stack was looking to get away from crime drama, and admitted to secretly being a big fan of science fiction and bizarre phenomenon when cast. Nonetheless, his Doctor carried over many of the traits of Elliot Ness to the point that some accused him of not trying to differentiate the two very much.
The Third Doctor, while stranded on Earth following the death of The Second, was confined to a branch of the United States military as science adviser. Stack had the luck to work with Dalton Trumbo, who penned many great scripts dealing with leftover sentiments from his time blacklisted after refusing to testify to the House Un-American Activities Committee. This led to Stack facing off against Frank Sutton as The Master, an evil high-ranking military officer who was secretly a fellow Time Lord in disguise. The social commentary against military force became a recurring theme of Stack’s tenure. He left behind an action-packed legacy of daring feats, and would make many allusions to his time as he hosted the series, Unsolved Mysteries.
Fourth Doctor: Gene Wilder (1974-1981)
The decision to have Wilder as the Doctor was met with approval from critics due to his whimsical but still very cunning behavior as Mr. Wonka from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and his much more darker and sinister tone as Dr. Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein. Wilder’s weird and wonderful comedic talents made the Doctor both more alien and more popular than ever before, making the show a surprise break-out hit even with UK Audiences. Wilder still holds the record for being the most active of the CBS Era Doctors, as he would write many of his most iconic episodes, such as the 1979 missing episode, “Shada”.
Gene Wilder would leave the show in 1981 after an incredible seven year tenure, the longest out of any Doctor thus far. He would not only return for the 20th anniversary special, “The Five Doctors”, but would also write for and direct the 30th anniversary special, “Dimensions in Time”, and would occasionally refer to himself as the Doctor until his death in August of 2016.
Fifth Doctor: Stephen Nichols (1982-1984)
Filling in the shoes of Gene Wilder was no easy task, producers discovered. So instead of hiring a big name actor like they’ve used to, they decided on a man who was mainly used to supporting roles. Stephen Nichols, a man almost as strange as the Doctor himself, was also the youngest actor at the time to take on the role, at age thirty-one. Before becoming an actor, Nichols studied yoga and became a vegetarian. With this, it helped establish Five’s very calming, relaxed, but still very wise personality. Plus his vegetarian interests also are what lead to Five’s signature stick of celery on his coat.
Nichols was a more melancholy figure than Wilder, and was haunted throughout his run by the death of his companion Adric, played by a young Michael J. Fox. Nichols later remarked that he felt he was too young to play the Time Lord, and that though he was proud of the role he wished he could have had a bit more weight under his belt. That hesitancy and youth earned him the nickname of “The Nice One” in the Who fan community. However, since then, he has also taken the helm to direct one of the many fiftieth anniversary specials called, “The Five Doctors (Again)” starring himself as well as his four immediate successors.
Sixth Doctor: Ken Osmond (1984-1986)
Perhaps the producers felt that Nichols was a bit too young for the role as well, and when he left they cast Ken Osmond, best known as Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver. He had never been able to break out of the typecasting from his youth, and had actually abandoned acting by 1984 to become a police officer. A routine traffic stop with the previous star, Stephen Nichols, turned into an recommendation, which later turned into an audition that landed Osmond back on television as the Sixth Doctor. However, Osmond is often thought of as the worst of the thirteen Doctors for his smarmy personality and ridiculous costume. An injury from his police days impaired him physically, and he was short and temperamental.
Eventually, he was let go in order to try and win over new ratings with a new Doctor, the only actor ever fired from the show. Initially, Osmond was very bitter over his time as The Doctor, but his anger softened when he began receiving hundreds of fan letters as annual holiday showings of “The Doctor and Mr. Claus” made the episode a modern Christmas classic, also starting the tradition that the Doctor’s final story be Christmas-related that would carry its way into the Disney era. He staged a one-man show about his Doctor Who tenure in 2006, The Ultimate Adventure, that turned into a major off-Broadway hit, and a recording of it was released as a bonus disc with the Christmas special Blu-Ray.
Seventh Doctor: Steve Martin (1987-1989)
In 1987 Steve Martin could have had any role he wanted, and the role he wanted was The Doctor. The comedian was coming off a string of successes, including being on Saturday Night Live. While mostly known for this as well as other comedic roles prior to and since becoming the Doctor, Martin cemented Seventh’s more sarcastic personality with a less quirky outfit style than his predecessor.
Though initially slapstick was a regular part of his portrayal, he dropped it quickly to become a Machiavellian figure who only used humor as a mask. With a dry wit, and a willingness to manipulate others, he was both well-liked and slightly terrifying. He formed an incredible partnership with Winona Ryder as his young companion Ace, and the two began dragging the ratings of the show up bit by bit as old fans returned and new fans ate up Martin’s style. It sadly wasn't enough to save the show from cancellation in 1989, and fans today still wonder if one more season with Martin and Ryder might not have staved of the seven year hiatus.
Eighth Doctor: Jeff Goldblum (1996-2001)
Two years after the show's cancellation, in 1991, Disney bought the rights to Doctor Who from CBS and had begun airing all twenty-six seasons of the series on ABC. Disney soon decided to attempt to revive the series with a television movie. After much discussion, Disney revealed that the next Doctor was to be Jeff Goldblum. Fans were skeptic that their favorite show would succumb to the typical Disney formula, and were relieved that the film still carried on the ambiance of the CBS era. The only difference was making the Doctor’s companion, played by Daphne Ashbrook, his love interest.
Though initially poorly received, Goldblum’s more romantic and dashing Doctor has gained a following in later years. The movie would also receive a cult following in later years, mainly for the man starring opposite of the Doctor, Englishman Tim Curry. When the film was in its planning stages in 1992, Vincent Price, who played the Master throughout the Eighties, was set to reprise his role until his passing the following year. Curry proudly stepped in and gave a delightfully hammy performance, with many fans later saying that his and Goldblum’s chemistry was the highlight of the film. Goldblum would later reprise his role as the Eighth Doctor in the the spin-off animated series, lasting for a total of five seasons and sixty-five episodes, ending with a cliffhanger in, “Night of the Doctor,” with Goldblum regenerating into, for twelve years, an unknown Doctor.
Ninth Doctor: Robert Downey Jr. (2005)
After that, the show was left forgotten and not much was brought up about it, which upset older fans who wished for Disney to resurrect the show in some shape or form. That was until 2005, when Disney up and announced (by surprise mind you) the first ever episode of the show in years, along with continuing the story and lore with new twists.
After the success of the animated series, Disney decided that now would be a good time to try reviving the series proper. However, Goldblum was now thought to be too old now to win over a young audience. Instead, they cast Robert Downey Jr., slowly working towards a comeback after severe drug problems had stalled his career. Downey feared being trapped in the role just as he was getting back on his feet, and show runner, Bryan Fuller, worried about a relapse on Downey's part, was equally uneasy. The pair agreed to a one-season contract.
The show absolutely exploded. Paired with Hillary Duff as Rose Tyler, the Ninth Doctor and his companion instantly reignited the series bigger than ever before. Downey's performance as a deeply hurt and disturbed survivor of the Time War resounded with post 9/11 American audiences, while Duff's energy kept the show from going grim. It was a great shock when Downey fulfilled his one-season promise by stepping down due to the success. Despite going on to be one of Hollywood's most prominent leading men, he has said he regrets not doing more as the Doctor. He, thankfully, makes up for it by making a cameo appearance in, "The Day of the Doctor," as well as playing a supporting role in, "The Five Doctors (Again)," in 2013.
Tenth Doctor: Neil Patrick Harris (2005-2010)
Hillary Duff's contract was probably what gave Doctor Who a second season at all. However, Neil Patrick Harris was the reason it got a third! For three seasons for Harris, which featured his witty, hyperactive behavior as seen in films such as the Harold and Kumar saga but still featured his much more somber and darker tone as seen in his role as Count Olaf in A Series of Unfortunate Events, became one of the most liked and praised Doctors of the entire series, on par with Wilder's role as Four.
He welcomed the affections of Rose Tyler and her departure in, "Doomsday" remains to be one of the most heartbreaking. While Zoe Saldana’s Martha Jones was not as well received by critics, her character was liked enough among fans. But many would say that his best leading lady was the only one with no romantic interest in him at all: Tina Fey as Donna Noble. While Fey was already seen in "The Runaway Bride" and most critiques were harsh on her due to being unlikable and loud, her role as the Doctor's third companion was praised due to her character growth, her morals on always doing the right thing, and of course, her refusal to romanticize with the Doctor. Harris would announce in 2009, the first of four times he hosted the Tony Awards, that he would be stepping down from the role.
Eleventh Doctor: Lin-Manuel Miranda (2010-2013)

Harris’ successor would be a fellow Tony nominee. After his success with writing, producing, directing, composing, and starring in In the Heights at such a young age, Neil Patrick Harris personally selected the 29-year-old to be his successor. Thus making Miranda's childhood dream come true.
Lin-Manuel Miranda as the 11th Doctor was a risky decision. With switching to a new doctor after an already highly regarded Doctor and a new show runner, Joss Whedon, people were uncertain how Miranda would pull off the role. The fact Miranda was a fan of the show was a key factor with fans growing to accept him in the role as a result.
Miranda's child-like behavior but still very cunning (and, by some extent, very manipulative) actions made him attention grabbing, especially around the show's, “seventh,” season of the revived era where he ditched his famous brown coat for a light navy coat worked in his favor. And many adored his relationship with Kristin Chenoweth's River Song, introduced during the last season of Harris' run, as well as his friendship with Amy Pond, played by Lindsay Lohan, and Rory Williams, played by Liam Hemsworth. His relationships with all three of them would be considered by many fans to be the best portrayed in the series.
Twelfth Doctor: Harrison Ford (2014-2017)
Alas, like Harris, Miranda only did only three seasons as his role of the Doctor. As a result, he resigned from the role. However a bold decision occurred when Harrison Ford was chosen as the 12th Doctor. The decision was met with two sides: One side praised the fact that a highly beloved veteran actor known for his sci-fi roots was to play one of the most liked characters in Sci-fi, but the other side (mainly the younger fans) were upset that the Doctor was to be played by a much older actor now. As such, Harrison is probably the second-most controversial Doctor of the Disney Era (the most being his immediate successor).
Harrison's Doctor was very dark and while still retaining his much more child-like behavior (by some degree), his actions around his first season were met with mixed results to say the least. His second, season, however slowly began to make him a household name: Harrison's enthusasim as the Doctor (being a fan of the show's early runs, probably the biggest fan of the show's history) garnered interest. Many fans of his portrayal would simply blame bad writing for his episodes, in particular Season 8's, “Kill the Moon.” But when the writing was good, such as, “Heaven Sent,” which consisted of Harrison monologuing for the entire episode, as the Doctor mourned the loss of Clara Oswald, played by Zelda Williams, Harrison was allowed to shine!
However, due to a surprising turn of events, the show was put on hiatus for a year. While some would say that the writing improved as a result, many, however, would disagree. The season that followed would be Ford’s last, as he announced he would be stepping down early in 2017.
The Future: Reese Witherspoon (2018 onwards)
The Disney Era of the show was met with many milestones, such as the first openly gay Doctor with Harris, the first non Caucasian Doctor with Miranda, the youngest Doctor to play the role also with Miranda, immediately followed by the oldest to take the role with Harrison. Disney Who also featured companions of color, as well as the first transgender companion with Mya Taylor as Bill.
Now Disney Who faces a new milestone for casting Reese Witherspoon to play the Doctor, announced on July 16, 2017 after the premiere of the competition reality television series, Funderdome. The decision of have a female doctor was met with very polarizing effects. Fans and critics praised the bold decision, especially with the decision of a female Doctor long been desired but timing was always an issue. However, there were some who feared that the show was becoming too politically correct, particularly fans who grew up with the show when it aired on CBS.
However, Witherspoon didn’t seem to be phased by this, and neither did Gillian Anderson, the show's first female show runner. She took the role and critiques in stride as she, as well as costars Bryan Cranston, Victoria Justice, and Michael B. Jordan were all filming for season eleven, set to premiere in September of 2018. We'll just have to wait and see where she'll take us here, and in future seasons to come.