The longest-serving actor to portray the time-traveling Doctor in Doctor Who embarked on his first full adventure 51 years ago to the day, but this opened the door for the series to create a plot hole half a century later. Doctor Who’s longevity has been earned by the Doctor’s own ability to regenerate, allowing new actors to take over the titular role every few years, establishing a new style, tone, and personality that keeps the show fresh. Back in 1974, the Doctor’s regeneration introduced one of the series’ favorite incarnations of the Time Lord.
After a cameo appearance at the end of “Planet of the Spiders,” Tom Baker made his first full appearance as the Fourth Doctor in “Robot,” which premiered 51 years ago, on December 28, 1974. Baker remains as the title-holder for the longest-serving actor to play the Doctor, having portrayed the Time Lord for seven consecutive seasons over as many years, eventually regenerating into Peter Davison in 1981’s “Logopolis” after starring in 172 episodes. “Robot” has had a lasting impact on Doctor Who, especially through its creation of an intriguing plot hole.
How “Robot” Created a Plot Hole in Doctor Who’s “Joy to the World”
“Robot” not only introduced Tom Baker to the Whoniverse as the Fourth Doctor, but also debuted Ian Marter as new companion and UNIT medical officer Harry Sullivan. Harry is initially tasked with examining the Doctor following his regeneration to check that he’s okay, introducing him to pre-existing companion Sarah Jane Smith (the late Elisabeth Sladen). Smith later mockingly compares Harry to James Bond, the fictional British secret agent created by Ian Fleming, but a much-later Doctor Who story may have suggested that Bond indeed wasn’t fictional at all.
Over the years, Jo Grant, Martha Jones, Rani Chandra, Amy Pond, Gita Chandra, and the Fifteenth Doctor have all made references to James Bond. In Doctor Who’s 2024 Christmas special, “Joy to the World,” however, all these references formed a pretty huge plot hole, as an actual character from the James Bond franchise was confirmed to exist in the Whoniverse. Sylvia Trench (Niamh Marie Smith) appeared as a passenger on the Orient Express in 1962 in “Joy to the World,” perhaps after her experiences with Bond.
Sylvia Trench was originally played by the late Eunice Gayson in two James Bond movies, Dr. No in 1962 and From Russia with Love in 1963, making her the very first on-screen “Bond girl.” References to James Bond throughout Doctor Who’s history suggested he was indeed a fictional character in a made-up world, but “Joy to the World” hinted otherwise. Whatever the franchises’ connections may be, it’s been great to hear James Bond references dating back to before Tom Baker’s debut as the Fourth Doctor back in 1974.
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