Allons-y!
The 60th anniversary of beloved sci-fi series Doctor Who is approaching at the end of this month, and I will celebrate with three straight weeks of Doctor Who posts. Next week will focus on the greatest episodes of the classic series (1963-1989), while the actual 60th anniversary week will feature a spectacular ranking of the greatest episodes from the new (and, let's face it, better) series (2005-Present). Today, however, I'm kicking things off by ranking every version of the Doctor, the mythical protagonist who has been played by fourteen actors across the show's 60-year run.
An honorable mention to Ncuti Gatwa, who hasn't started his reign in the TARDIS yet, but who I'm certain will do an excellent job filling the character's boots with his energetic charm!
14. Colin Baker (1984-1986)
Granted, I have seen very little of Colin Baker's era - I never had it in me to watch the entire classic series from start to finish, so I've sort of 'skimmed through the best parts', watching the stories deemed the best and most important. But, from what I've seen, Baker (not to be confused with Tom Baker, one of the most beloved iterations of the Doctor) is the George Lazenby of this particular role - the only actor who never really made the role their own in a way that sticks out.
His take on the character was on the grumpy side, but not in the ultimately endearing Hartnell/Capaldi way, but rather in a way that just made him feel unlikable. And if there's one thing the Doctor should be (and that all of the 13 others succeeded in), it's being likable.
13. Paul McGann (1996)
The Doctor Who movie came out between the classic series and new series, and while it is a semi-important part of the lore for nerds like myself, it's certainly no cinematic masterpiece. McGann does a decent job with the role, but there is nothing remarkably special about how he plays it. Every Doctor has their own peculiar twist to the role, and McGann does find a Shakespearean old-timey elegance to his Doctor, but it's not enough to put him in with the greats.
My favorite moment of his is actually not from the movie, but from the 2013 mini-episode The Night of the Doctor that was released as a prequel to the 50th anniversary episode. It was a nice treat to see McGann reprising his role, and finally seeing how he regenerated into his follower was an important addition to the overall lore.
12. Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989)
Sylvester McCoy nails the endearing silliness inherent to the character, but doesn't bring all that much more to the role. The Seventh Doctor was the final one to appear in the Classic Series before it went off the air, and he also reprised his role briefly in the 1996 movie, to show how the Seventh Doctor became the Eighth. McCoy's Doctor is an overall fine example of what kind of character the Doctor is in general, but pretty much everything he does has been done even better by some other version.
11. Peter Davison (1982-1984)
Peter Davison (NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Pete Davidson, who is a VERY different kind of actor who should NOT play the Doctor (although it would be great to see him in a villain cameo sometimes)) was the fifth actor to be cast in the title role. Davison's Doctor is arguably the closest to the modern, 2005-Present versions of the character that we ever saw in the Classic Series: he's less grumpy and old-timey-British, and more youthful and conventionally kind. Simply put, he's slightly less 'weird uncle' and slightly more 'best friend'.
The Fifth Doctor is also effortlessly charming, helped by the dashing looks of a young Peter Davison and the character's memorable wardrobe choices. He carries himself with the well-intentioned but slightly confused candor of a romantic British gentleman, truly making him the Hugh Grant of the Doctors.
10. William Hartnell (1963-1966)
The first to ever do it, Hartnell's take on the character isn't quite the lightning-in-the-bottle that Sean Connery's James Bond was, but still, you gotta respect the first. Hartnell's Doctor is a grumpy, grandfatherly character, an archetype the modern series swayed away from until Peter Capaldi brought it back. Even with his cold and pedantic vibe, the First Doctor still had plenty of soft and heartwarming moments, bringing his underlying humanity into just the right situations.
He also guided us through many legendary adventures, introducing us to the Doctor's feud with the Daleks and other staples. Many personality factors we associate with the Doctor only came along with later iterations, but Hartnell still laid a strong foundation upon which to build.
9. Patrick Troughton (1966-1969)
The Second Doctor was delightfully different than the first, hammering in just how big of a deal the regeneration process was. Yet still, he feels just enough like the character viewers had grown accustomed to. The same, yet different.
With his hip-at-the-time Beatle haircut and semi-youthful energy, Troughton immediately brought the character more into the direction we recognize today. The character still wasn't quite as whimsical as he would later become, but Troughton's dry wit certainly brought a peculiar type of humor into the role, while also being warmer and more likable than his predecessor.
8. Jon Pertwee (1970-1974)
I've made a few 007 parallels in this post, comparing Colin Baker to George Lazenby and differentiating William Hartnell from Sean Connery, as naturally the two iconic British roles that have been played by multiple different actors are a goldmine for metaphors. But Jon Pertwee's version of the Doctor is the one that many have called 'The James Bond of Doctor Who' - not any specific James Bond, just James Bond. Out of all the thirteen (technically fourteen) Doctors, the Third certainly has the biggest 007 energy, with his resourceful action hero antics.
Pertwee also ushered in a new era, with the series being in color for the first time, really making his first episodes feel like a new beginning for the show. Pertwee's episodes are entertaining, as he plays the role with a delightful combination of bumbling antics yet always coming out on top with his razor-sharp wit.
7. Christopher Eccleston (2005)
Ah, you never forget your first. I started to watch the show from season 1 of the 2005-Present modern series, and Christopher Eccleston plays the Doctor for the sole first season and no more. Initially, his character seemed like a smaller deal than many who came after him, yet I've noticed a nostalgic Eccleston Reneissance in Doctor Who fans, with tons of viewers calling the Ninth Doctor deeply underrated and actually one of the best (if not the best).
I hear these arguments, but don't quite subscribe to them. Eccleston is decent, but in my opinion, not quite amazing (or, ironic as it is considering how much he liked to use the word, 'fantastic'). Maybe it's just because he only had one season to flesh him out, but I never got quite the same level of investment into the Ninth Doctor than I got for many of my favorites. Eccleston certainly plays the role well, combining the dark tones of post-Time-War trauma with silly alien behavior. And that Northern accent is a treat for the ears every time.
6. John Hurt (2013)
John Hurt's Doctor is a special case - chronologically he came after the Eighth (Paul McGann) and before the Ninth (Christopher Eccleston), and is often just referred to as the War Doctor. He has only ever made three appearances, all of them as a part of the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2013 - we first see him in one of television's most epic cliffhangers in season 7 finale The Name of the Doctor, we then see how the Eighth Doctor regenerated into him in mini-episode The Night of the Doctor, and finally he gets a major role in the actual 50th anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor.
As short as his overall screentime is, Mr. Hurt is simply breathtaking in the role, really living up to the most grim part of the Doctor's past and making his version of the character truly stick out. Definitely a unique take on the Doctor, and one of the most memorable iterations.
5. Jodie Whittaker (2018-2022)
Here's how I know that the Doctor Who fandom is awesome: if pretty much any other iconic character, who has traditionally been played by a man, were re-cast as a woman, the uproar from the whole anti-woke culture war crowd would be massive. But, because of the very nature of the series, Doctor Who fans tend to be very okay with change, with evolving, and with the mythical concept of not being sexist assholes. So, when it was announced that Jodie Whittaker would become the first woman to play the Doctor, the reception was much more supportive and humane than it would be with the fans of many other franchises.
Whittaker did a killer job with the role, too. I regretfully haven't seen nearly all of her episodes, as the latest few seasons haven't been available on any streaming services at my disposal (I intend to catch up immediately once I get the chance). But already from her first one-and-a-half seasons in the role, I grew to love her quirky yet wise take on the character. The Doctor's compassionate and heartfelt side comes across with grace, and Whittaker's humor is as sharp as her emotional range is wide.
4. Tom Baker (1974-1981)
Here we have the hands-down best Doctor from the Classic Series - yes, it's the popular opinion and thus a boring one, but I can't help it. Many of the old-school Doctors are good, from Troughton's charm to Pertwee's action hero antics, but the Fourth Doctor stands in a league of his own. His take on the role truly encapsulates the alien side of the Doctor - the first three Doctors were a bit peculiar but still a bit too human to be believable aliens, but Baker turned the weirdness up to eleven with his odd facial expressions and often chaotic humor.
Still, his take on the role was layered and managed to be very humane and emotional when needed. Baker stayed in the role for many long years, as the series just was so good with him in it, and you can see how clearly and passionately he enjoyed playing the role.
3. Peter Capaldi (2014-2017)
After gaining popularity with all sorts of demographics with the casting of increasingly young, stereotypically handsome and charmingly likable men in the lead role, Doctor Who tested the superficiality of its fans by choosing a grumpy old Scotsman as the 12th iteration of the character. And what a wonderful choice this ended up being.
It didn't take me long to become massively invested in Capaldi's version of the character - with his combination of Hartnellian edginess and post-2005 heart, he is certainly one of the best-written and most complex iterations of the character. Simultaneously cool and uncool, hilariously rude and spectacularly kind, Capaldi brought layers to his character and provided some of the funniest moments in the show's run, as well as some of the most serious and powerful. "Above all, be kind" is the sentiment that captures the essence of Capaldi's character in his touching final episode, and cements him as one of the best.
2. Matt Smith (2010-2013)
Here are just a few reasons why Matt Smith was just the perfect dude to take over after his predecessor:
#1 - The man legit looks like an alien, so that sci-fi element hits a new level of credibility.
#2 - His dynamite acting caliber provides some of the best-delivered lines and monologues in the show's run; for an example, look up the 'Rings of Akhaten speech' on YouTube.
#3 - While he's not quite my #1 favorite version of the character, his episodes and seasons were the best the series has ever done, and seasons 5-7 of the new series (with the Eleventh Doctor going on adventures with Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill)) are peak Doctor Who in my book.
#4 - His version of the character is just so damn relatable, with his balance of confidence and awkwardness (as well as his chaotic silly goose -energy and wild hand gestures) resonating with me more than any other version of the character.
But even with his alien look, Emmy-worthy acting, claim to my favorite era of the series and his relatability, Smith is still not at first place! And that is thanks to...
1. David Tennant (2005-2010)
No one does it better. David Tennant's Tenth Doctor is one of the all-time great character performances on television as far as I'm concerned. His combination of bizarre humor, fresh energy, deep storylines, magnificent delivery of lines, messy hair and zany facial expressions makes him into the most lovable version of a character that has always been lovable. I care more about this version of the character than any other, because Tennant makes the Doctor so warm, unique and humane. He feels like an old friend, a wise mentor and a distant love interest rolled into one.
Depending on the scene, the Tenth Doctor can be dark and intense, leisurely and cheerful, or anything in between while still feeling like the believably same person. Heartbreaking at times and heartwarming at others, Tennant plays the role with grace and passion. There are a million details I could list, from the character's ability to talk himself out of situations in a manner that would make Tyrion Lannister and Saul Goodman cower in envy, to the fact that "I don't want to go" from The End of Time: Part 2 might just be the best-delivered line in television history. Simply put, Tennant brings his A-game to every episode and I just can't help choosing him as my all-time favorite.
Thank you for reading! Tune in next week, as my Doctor Who 60th anniversary celebrations continue with a ranking of the best episodes from the classic version of the series (1963-1989).
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