Watching the First Doctor for the first time, and it’s wild how different he is at the start. Very “we mustn’t interfere, we’re just observers of history” energy. All stiff coat, no meddling. But then—he fakes a busted fluid link just so they have to explore the city? He’s not above poking the universe when it suits him.
He’s curious, definitely. Almost childishly so. But unless it directly involves Susan being in danger, he’s surprisingly hands-off. Cold, even. It’s like he’s treating the universe as a lab experiment and he’s the guy behind the glass.
What’s interesting is—I always assumed, since he and Susan stole the TARDIS and we know he was kind of a disaster at the Academy, that he was just a bad Time Lord. Like, the rebel from the start. But watching him now? It’s kind of clear he still buys into a lot of their ideals. The whole “we observe, we don’t interfere” mindset? That’s textbook Time Lord. He's not so much a rebel as he is a rule-follower with an itchy curiosity.
And that’s where Barbara and Ian come in. And by extension, Susan—who, let’s be real, is clearly picking up her worldview more from them than from her grandfather.
Barbara and Ian don’t just observe. They care. They intervene. They ask questions like “Why is this happening?” and then go do something about it. They push back when the Doctor tries to stay detached. They hold him accountable.
And the more I watch, the more I think they're why the Doctor changes. They don’t just travel with him—they teach him how to be better.
Which is kind of hilarious when you think about it. All it took to corrupt this ancient, immortal time traveler was two schoolteachers and his granddaughter.