Staff Writer
The Cosmic Hobo began a tradition of fun and responsibility while travelling in time and space. Patrick Troughton is The Doctor who shaped what was to come for Doctor Who by reinventing the beloved character made famous by William Hartnell. With a childlike manner yet a mysterious solemn side, Troughton is thought of widely as the most important of all actors to play The Doctor. His brilliance has been often copied but never quite matched and the relationship The Second Doctor had with his main companion brought an extra layer of playfulness and heartache to the show.
When William Hartnell decided that he was to leave the show, he was quoted as saying, “There’s only one man in England who can take over, and that’s Patrick Troughton”. Beginning his reign in the TARDIS on November 5, 1966, and continuing through June 21, 1969, Patrick Troughton took the role of the stern Grandfather and became a fun clown. With a plethora of companions by his side, The Second Doctor fought Daleks, The Yeti, The Great Intelligence, The Krotons, The Cybermen and even other Time Lords.
While Troughton had many amazing companions, including Ben Jackson (Michael Craze), Polly (Anneke Wills), Victoria Waterfield (Deborah Watling) and Zoe Herriot (Wendy Padbury), Jaime McCrimmon is The Doctor’s best friend. Portrayed by Fraser Hines, Jaime met The Doctor in The Highlanders and was whisked into space to travel alongside him. This twosome had on screen chemistry that helped build the greatest Doctor and companion relationship in the show’s history. With one liners and physical gags, the viewer truly sees something special that should last forever. Unfortunately after being tried and found guilty by The Time Lords at the end of The War Games, The Doctor was forced to say goodbye to Jaime knowing that he would return home and never remember their travels.
Sadly, many of Patrick Troughton’s episodes have been lost due to the BBC’s policy of wiping tapes in the 1960’s. Out of the 119 episodes filmed during Troughton’s tenure, there are still 53 missing. Fortunately more of these missing episodes are being found. On October 11, 2013, the BBC announced that more of his episodes had been recovered, including the remainder of The Enemy of The World and all except Episode 3 of The Web of Fear.
The Second Doctor’s style can be described as a bit odd. While somewhat similar to Hartnell’s attire, the cravat was replaced with a bow tie and his clothes always appeared a bit too big. In addition to the ill-fitting wardrobe, he also had a fondness for hats. In Power of the Daleks, he wore a tall stovepipe hat and commented throughout his years on how fond he was of other hats. He also sometimes wore an oversized fur coat with a rope belt, and always had his trusty recorder.
Many Whovians have a deep fondness for The Second Doctor. The stark difference from his predecessor is tangible. Troughton was The Doctor who could be your best friend or goofy uncle. Adventurous in spirit and an unparalleled genius, The Second Doctor frequently wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was often easy to tell when he was upset or frightened, however while he seemed transparent there was always the underlying mystery and seriousness of The Doctor. Matt Smith has commented that his Doctor is reminiscent of the Second Doctor and that he is his favorite Doctor.
As the first actor to redefine the role of The Doctor after regeneration, Patrick Troughton tread new territory and carried the success of the show on his take of the character. Not only was he successful, he set the tone for The Doctor that viewers have come to know and helped to create many aspects of the current Doctor. The last of the black and white Doctors, Patrick Troughton’s portrayal was so colorful it shone through.
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