In Classic Who, the interaction between the Doctor and the military went somewhat smoothly. In nu-Who, not so much. So, let’s take a look at our favorite Time Lord and his uneasy alliance with the armed forces.


Sure, things went fairly smoothly in the early days. Dealing with Yeti in the Underground and Cybermen on the streets, Troughton’s Doctor got along pretty well with Lethbridge-Stewart’s boys. He may have shown his wariness about their methods in certain situations to make his philosophy known, but overall, as usual, the second Doctor was a whimsical delight.

Although to be fair, he wasn’t, during those particular encounters, exiled on earth and required to basically LIVE with the troops. 

Ah, but then came the Pertwee era. The Doctor really had no choice but to pretend to listen to the Brig, file reports with Yates, and hope he didn’t have to see Benton in a diaper on a regular basis. On the bright side, he got to talk science with Liz, for a while, anyway.

Whatever did he and Jo discuss?

A Peaceful Solution

When confronted by alien invaders, or earth’s previous tenants, the Doctor did like to try and find a peaceful solution, while demanding UNIT keep their distance, and their powder dry. These situations usually ended one of three ways.

One: The Doctor tries to talk peace, there’s betrayal or miscommunication, and the Brig would blow them up.

Two: The Doctor would warily waltz around the Master’s latest scheme, while the Brig brought in the troops to shoot whoever needed it.

Three: The Doctor realizes almost immediately that the threat is dire, he frets about there being another way, while the Brig brings in the cannons, etc.

Bottom line, when the chips were down, if the Doctor’s latest frammistat didn’t work, it was up to the Brig and UNIT to bring the bang, and save his bacon.

Most importantly, the Doctor was able to strike a balance between aiming for peace, while the Brig had the grenades at the ready. Five rounds rapid every Saturday, and the Doctor administering the HAIIII!-Fives on thug’s collarbones.

When all was said and done, there was a mutual respect and friendships there. They got along!

New Who, Changed UNIT


Things worked quite differently under Russell T. Davies when the show came back in 2005. UNIT and the military were used sparingly, but they did make appearances. 

Early in Series 4, the Doctor DID once again team up with UNIT, this time, to combat a Sontaran invasion. UNIT personnel salute the Doctor, the Doctor responds with insults, particularly toward troop leader Colonel Mace (Rupert Holliday-Evans).

Mace seemed an okay sort, but it seems at this point, simply being a soldier earns the Doctor’s enmity. Perhaps it was because Martha Jones had joined “the enemy” in the episode? Either way, it was a very unattractive look for the Doctor, especially without any apparent reason.

Maybe he’s always got such righteous indignation toward the military because he knows deep down that even though he hates it, he also knows it’s a necessary evil. The idealistic at war with the practical.

During the Moffat era, it was Series 8 when the twelfth Doctor reestablished his utter dislike and condemnation for soldiers in Into the Dalek, and of course, the tragic figure of Danny Pink. Danny’s assertion that the Doctor was in reality a general or some type of officer induced a grand meltdown on the Doctor’s part, as if it was the greatest insult that had ever been hurled at him. 

Uncharacteristic Doctor

The other attitudinal paradox was at the end of Series 8, Death in Heaven, when the Doctor is made head idiot/commander in chief of the world’s armed forces and President of Earth. Kind of just desserts there, seeing how even then, he can’t help but snipe at poor “Man-scout” (Colonel Ahmed, played by Sanjeev Bhaskar). Another seemingly nice fellow who only committed the crime of saluting.

Seemed like a somewhat dramatic sea-change in his attitude from classic to new era.

It’s one thing to berate soldiers that go too far, have little respect for life or are in some other way a disgrace, but the constant belittling of officers who simply enter a room… such an attitude seems beneath the Doctor. 

It’s one of his biggest character flaws, that’s only gotten more exaggerated in the new era, the attitude very possibly filtering in from the various showrunner’s own opinions? Or perhaps this reflects neither Davies nor Moffat ever having served? I believe a number of creative personnel in the classic era did serve. Different times, different people, different eras.

The Doctor of War

At the very least, you’d think the Doctor’s years spent living with UNIT might have softened his take on the military, only because of his lasting friendship with Lethbridge-Stewart. 

But perhaps the military mental conflict in the new era comes from a more primal place. It was The End of Time part 2 when the Doctor announced it was he who killed off the Time Lords — along with the Daleks. 

Having destroyed your own civilization… I suppose that would change your attitude dramatically. 

That might explain at least part of the primal fury of the ninth and tenth Doctors. But considering the twelfth was quite aware that he in fact saved Gallifrey, I suppose we just have to chalk it up to that incarnation’s mind set, or the fact that at this point, he was over 2,000 years old, coming off some 500 years of battle on Trenzalore.

No doubt about it, the Time War, battle, death and such a long life messed up our guy.

Oh for the days when the Brig could swoop down in a copter, shoot a blue demon, and it’s off to a picnic.