Number 12-Paul McGann (Doctor #8)
Number 11-Rowan Atkinson (Charity Special)
Number 10-Colin Baker (Doctor #6)
Number 9-Sylvester McCoy (Doctor #7)
Number 8-Peter Davison (Doctor #5)
Number 7-Matt Smith (Doctor #11)
Number 6-Christopher Eccleston (Doctor #9)
Number 5-Jon Pertwee (Doctor #3)
Number 4-Patrick Troughton (Doctor #2)
Number 3
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| William Hartnell is the original Doctor kicking off the series in 1963 with a serial called "The Unearthly Child." |
It's time to present the man that started it all, William Hartnell. In the 1960's, Doctor Who actually started as a show geared toward children. The idea was that the T.A.R.D.I.S. could travel to important historical events and discuss scientific concepts. BBC thought the show would last a few years at the most so they chose an older actor for the part and gave him a granddaughter to give the young audience a connection. No one expected what would happen next.
In the second story of this new show, the Doctor and company arrive on the strange planet Skaro. "What is so important about Skaro?" you ask. Skaro just happens to be the home planet of the Daleks. With the introduction of the Daleks, Doctor Who became a television phenomenon, but you don't care about the Doctor Who history lesson. You want to know about the original Doctor and what puts him within the top three Doctors.
While Hartnell is the oldest actor to play the Doctor, his portrayal is very much like that of a small child who is too smart for his own good. Part of this portrayal was because Hartnell was getting older and was having trouble with the lines so one of the directors suggested that the Doctor use it as a part of his character. Early on he kidnaps two teachers that barge into the T.A.R.D.I.S. and he also does some very devious things to get his way, but as time passes, he 'matures' and learns how to work with others.
Important events that occur during this Doctor's tenure include the first episode with both the Daleks and Cybermen. There is also an episode featuring the Meddling Monk who is one of the Doctor's people. (The term Time Lord doesn't get used until the end of the second Doctor's time.) There is also an important character called the Celestial Toymaker. As part of the educational approach to the show we get to see the Doctor interacting with cavemen, Marco Polo, Aztecs, and ancient Romans. (You even get to see Nero set Rome on fire.)
As I mentioned previously, Hartnell left as the Doctor because of his failing health and was replaced in the middle of "The Tenth Planet" by Patrick Troughton. He did make a last appearance as the Doctor in the 10th anniversary episode "The Three Doctors." Unfortunately, many of the episodes featuring Hartnell and Troughton were lost due to bad decision making by the BBC, but the adventures that are available are definitely worth checking out.
Number 2
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| David Tennant was the tenth actor to play the Doctor. He is the most recognizable Doctor from the new series. |
Taking over the role of the Doctor is not an easy task. First you have to convince the viewing audience that you are capable of taking the reins from the previous actor without making your Doctor too much like the other Doctor. Next you have to figure out who your particular Doctor is. (Jon Pertwee often said that he learned more about who he was in the 3 years he was the Doctor than in the rest of his life.) Finally when you have all of that figured out, you have to deal with the scripts and stories and the grueling production schedule.
David Tennant took on the challenge and excelled. His approach to the Doctor took a very different direction from Eccleston's dark and brooding Doctor. Tennant's Doctor enjoyed his adventures, especially while Rose was still his companion, to the point where he was even named as an enemy of England by Queen Victoria. He also got so wrapped up in the adventure that he often missed the interpersonal complications such as Martha's interest in him.
This Doctor sees the return of the Cybermen (much improved) as well as the Sontarans and the introduction of the Weeping Angels. More significant for fans of the original series is the return of the Master and through him a short-lived return of the Time Lords. The #2 Doctor also faced off against the devil. There's more to tell, but I still need to talk about the top Doctor, so I'll leave it at that for now. If you haven't seen David Tennant as the Doctor, we can't talk again until you do.
Number 1
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| Tom Baker was the fourth Doctor and the actor who filled the role for the longest time. |
I've got a theory about Doctor Who. I think that it's like the James Bond movies. Think about how many actors have played Bond. It's just like the Doctor without an explanation about the differences. There's one other connection. My theory is that your first Doctor/Bond is likely to be your favorite. That doesn't mean that I don't have plenty of reasons to love Tom Baker as the Doctor. Let me share some of them with you.
Here are some elements that are a unique part of Tom Baker's Doctor: a 20 foot scarf, a robot dog (K-9), an entire season in an alternate reality, and traveling with another Time Lord. Baker's Doctor spent quite a bit of time interacting with the Time Lords even being sent on missions from time to time. He was the second Doctor to be put on trial by his people, and puts himself on the ballot for the Presidency of Gallifrey to put an end to the trial. (The fifth Doctor actually becomes President and runs away from the job.)
Tom Baker looks a little like Harpo Marks (at least in my opinion) and he has a similar approach in his Doctor. He works primarily with distraction either his own or to those he encounters. One of his tricks is to offer an unfriendly person a jelly baby from a bag extracted from his pocket. (Jelly babies are a candy developed after WWI, originally called Peace Babies, that are shaped like babies and similar to gummy bears.) He also has a tendency to get distracted during non-emergencies. On one occasion he spends the first episode trying to go fishing.
Baker also played the Doctor for longer than any other actor for seven years from 1974-1981. (I watched him on PBS late at night many years after the original showed on BBC. It was on just before Monty Python's Flying Circus.) This is another reason to put him on the top of the list. In polls conducted by Doctor Who Magazine, he has only lost the "Best Doctor" category three times, once to Sylvester McCoy and twice to David Tennant.
I've talked about this and all the Doctors long enough for the month of December. Go check out all of the Doctors. There's just under 50 years of catching up to do. (50th anniversary is in 2013.) For Tom Baker check out "The City of Death." It has the Doctor and fellow Time Lord Romana sharing an adventure in Paris.
That's my opinion on the Doctors of Doctor Who. In future posts, I'll be returning to Doctor Who, but for now it's time for a break. Feel free to leave a comment, or make a suggestion for other opinions below.
