Favorite Doctors

I’ve recently started watching Doctor Who again. Wow, can you believe it? The original obsession; my first geek show, the one that started it all. Anyway, I only got partway through the Twelfth Doctor’s reign and definitely didn’t watch any of the Thirteenth Doctor’s stuff, so I thought it was time to catch up. I’ve just barely finished the Thirteenth Doctor’s seasons and as I was watching and trying to warm up to yet another actor playing the Doctor, I started thinking... which Doctors have been my favorites?

For those who don’t know, Doctor Who is quite a unique show, in that every couple seasons a new actor comes in to play the main character, the Doctor. A brief overview is that the Doctor is an eccentric, but intelligent and compassionate alien who travels around the universe in his/her spaceship/time machine, exploring different planets and time zones while also saving people from monsters, political injustices, and other threats. 

The thing is that since the Doctor is an alien, he/she changes his/her face every so often when they’re dying. It’s a process unique to their species in order to save their life. Thus, every once in a while, the Doctor’s appearance changes and a brand new actor comes in to play the Doctor. 

Like I said, I was pondering which incarnation was my favorite (at least since the series was rebooted in 2005). There has now been five versions of the Doctor since then. Technically, since the show began in 1963, there has been thirteen (actually fourteen if you count the War Doctor). However, since I haven’t seen enough of the classic series, I won’t be including any of them in this list.

Here we go... a list of my favorite Doctors:

5) Thirteen... played by Jodie Whittaker

Obviously, it is very impressive that it is the first female Doctor, but there’s more to the Doctor as a character than just appearances and gender. When I first started watching her, I have to admit, I wasn't THAT impressed, but I held out hope that it would get better as the series progressed and the new writers got used to the character... I was wrong. First of all, she kinda seems like she’s sort of combining Ten and Eleven with a lot of babbling and kookiness, but it wasn't endearing me to her. She barely had that edge or dark side that makes the Doctor iconic. They tried sometimes to give her some intense moments in place of that darkness, but it just wasn't the same. What was most annoying above all else was that they thought by giving her this whacked out, crazy backstory, that could make her more dimensional and interesting. What it did instead was ruin 50+ years of canon and just make the character suddenly LESS interesting. Like, gah! I can't even express how frustrating it is! (Spoilers ahead) If they really wanted to explain where the Time Lords came from in a big twist like that, they absolutely SHOULD NOT have made the Doctor the originator! The idea that the Doctor was just another of his/her species who rebelled and ran away, growing and learning over time is what made him/her so interesting. That was literally the point of Twelve's last episode! Oh my word, it makes me so angry! They seriously could have still gone with this plot and just gotten any random child, but it HAD to be the Doctor in an effort to make her seem more interesting.
Sorry, this only sort of has to do with Thirteen a little. Mostly because the writers don't give her personality much depth other than this totally lame twist reveal. It's annoying because now it's canon, so therefore it's now all other Doctors's backstories as well. I wish I could forget that series 11 and 12 never happened and that the show ended with the Twelfth Doctor. *sulks in a corner*

4) Nine... played by Christopher Eccleston

Finally, back to the good Doctors and good writing. This decision was tough to put him this low because I actually really like Nine and I feel like he’s severely underrated. However, he only had one season and didn’t get enough time to shine. People often remember the low quality of the first season (like the less-than-par special effects, sort of hammy stories, and stuff) and forget that first off, without this season, we wouldn’t have anything afterwards, and secondly, Nine was actually very endearing in a lot of ways. He definitely had that darker edge that came out a lot and it’s understandable. He’s the Doctor fresh off the Time War, the one who just committed the genocide of two races, now the last of his species. The one moment I will always remember is when he encounters a Dalek for the first time. Ooh! So good! So intense. However, he’s still the Doctor and of course he’s still goofy and fun while he goes around saving the universe. One of my favorite lines from Nine when he turns up at a party and everyone is exchanging gifts with one another, but, obviously he has nothing, so he improvises: “I give you air from my lungs *exhales*” 
SOME OTHERS:
 -“My mum’s cooking.” D: “Good. Put her on a low heat and simmer.”
"reading a magazine That won't last. He's gay and she's an alien."
"Do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?"

3) Eleven... played by Matt Smith

I LOVE Eleven. I remember first starting out, I wasn’t overly fond of him, but that was mostly because I was so sad over losing Ten. Obviously, I warmed up to him and fell in love. Eleven was quite different from Ten, but that's why I appreciate him now. What I want most from a new actor taking over the role is to make it their own, while also keeping the spirit of the character (this is why I wasn't that impressed with Thirteen when she first started. She just kind of seemed like she was knocking off past Doctors. Nothing against the actress, it was the writing.). Eleven is kind of like this whacky mad scientist. I think he’s probably had more funny scenes and scenarios than all the other Doctors. He’s just a complete kook. He’s kind of like a little kid who’s fascinated and excited by everything. One of my favorite episodes is this one “filler” episode where he becomes roommates with this random guy so he can investigate the room above them, all the while trying to act like a normal person (and failing spectacularly). However, he’s definitely got that dark edge. Eleven really earns the title “the Oncoming Storm.” He’s also the king of monologues. He’s had some of the most epic speeches. Go look up his speech at the Pandorica. Chills every time!
FAVORITE QUOTES:
D: "Dr. Song, you’ve got that face on again." -"What face?" D: "The ‘he’s hot when he’s clever’ face." -"This is my normal face." D: "Yes, it is."
-"What's wrong with me?" -"Nothing. You're fine." D: "Everything. You're dying."
"In 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important."
D: "I think you'll find I am a mature and responsible adult." -"It's just a lot of wavy lines." D: "It shorted out. Finally a lie too big."
D: "Got a name?" -"Yes." D: "Good. I've always wanted to meet someone called 'yes'."

2) Twelve... played by Peter Capaldi

I legitimately had a hard time deciding whether or not I wanted him here or in the number one spot because my number one spot has been the same since I first started watching years ago. I remember when I first watched Twelve, I didn't like him at all. The stories were good, but Twelve himself threw me off. However, ever since I went back and rewatched some of Twelve’s episodes, I could not get enough of him. He was so different from all past incarnations. I remember, that’s what annoyed me at first. I was like, “who is this guy? That’s not the Doctor”, but after rewatching, I could not stop laughing at how sarcastic, cynical, and grumpy he was. He always had something witty and biting to say or some sarcastic threat to throw. Usually, the Doctor is more light and fun and compassionate. This guy was really not that. However, that’s why I really appreciate him now; because he’s so different. I mentioned above how I love it when an actor comes in and makes the character their own... that’s exactly what happened here, so much so that it threw me for a while. I thought his outfit was boring too at first, but then it grew on me as well plus he started to change it up eventually like the other Doctors did with their outfits. However, as I said before, what really does it for me is his blunt sarcasm, backhanded compliments, and impatience for pretty much anything. He literally has cue cards to read to help him be nice for when he's being too callous.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Don’t look in that mirror. It’s absolutely furious!”

-“He believed he was hearing the voices of the dead.” D: “...why? Was he an idiot?”

D: “Do people usually punch you in the face when you do that?” -“Not as of yet.” D: “Lucky I’m here then.”

D: "This is Clara, she's my..." -"Carer." D:"Yes, she's my carer. She cares so I don't have to."
-"Are you from space?" D:"No... Nobody's from space. I'm from a planet like everybody else."
D:"Have you ever cooked lasagna without pricking the film on top?" -"It explodes." D:"Don't be lasagna."
-"Is four a lot?" D:"It depends on the context. Dollars, no. Murders, yes."
"Could you hurry it up or I'll hit you with my shoe."

1) Ten... played by David Tennant

Obviously, it had to be Ten. Ever since I first watched him back in high school, he’s been dear to my heart. He encompasses everything I love about the Doctor. He's super intelligent (and knows it), he's funny, he's compassionate, he's definitely got that dark edge, he's awkward and yet he's still got swagger. As he first says of himself when he first regenerates "I've certainly got a gob" and yes he does. He's one of the most talkative Doctors, rambling on and on about things. He'll just talk his enemies to death. I think he's also one of the more emotional Doctors, that is he is more easily angered or excited than his other incarnations. And I just love it! Plus, he really has moments where his dark side is unleashed and it's plain terrifying. As much as I love our dashing hero who goes around saving planets and using his brilliance to defeat the enemy, I do love those occasional moments where he cannot contain his own inner demons. It's like "ooh chills! What are you hiding, Doctor? What happened to you?" I do think I have to place a lot of credit on the actor's shoulders because a lot of the writing and stories aren't THAT much different from other Doctors (save Thirteen), but Tennant just knocks it out of the park with his performance. Even some of the less than stellar episodes, he still makes enjoyable. And I know I just said that a lot of the stories aren't that much different from other Doctors, however I do think most of the best ones are during Ten's run, so that just amplifies his character even more.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
-"What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" D:"Mickey, what's pre-revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective."
"Look at these people, these human beings. From the day the arrived on the planet and blinking stepped into the sun. There is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than-- no hold on... sorry, that's the Lion King."
"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it’s more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff."
D:"Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux? I know, Back to the Future! It’s like Back to the Future!" -"The film?" D:"No, the novelization. Yes the film!"
"I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room."