The Mothership Favourite Doctors by Steve Taylor-Bryant

6,11,8,9,2,4,5,1,7,3,10

No it's not a code to hack the CIA, nor is it my bank account details and even if it was would you really want my overdraft? Nope it's my Doctors in preference order.

I somehow get involved a lot on Twitter with debate on favourite Doctors, and very often those I am debating with get nasty with their incessant view that I am not entitled to my opinion. It is also quite difficult to get your point across in 140 characters. Don't get me wrong I love my Doctor Who but someone has to be the best and someone has to be the one I enjoy the least. So here we have it, my Doctors in order, my reasons why, and my favourite episode from each incarnation.


SIX

Whilst I started my viewing at the end of Tom Bakers reign, it is the other Mr Baker who takes my top slot. My reasons are quite simple and logical if you think about it. The Doctor was responsible for ending the Time War, he finished off both the Dalek race and The Time Lords, his own people, and if I was part of that much death and mayhem I would be very dark in character. Colin Baker was the Doctor during a very trying time at the BBC and I thought he played the character exactly as I would have, albeit without strong stories and a serious lack of investment in the show. And yes I really did love that outfit!

Episode -The Ultimate Foe from 1986's The Trial of A Timelord. Written by Robert Holmes and Pip and Jane Baker

ELEVEN

Matt Smith burst onto the scene from relative anonymity and from the outset was hilarious in his speaking. He talks fast and intelligent like a madman in a box should. Whilst not a fan of The Ponds, I don't like overpowering companions, Matt Smith takes the adventures written on the page and brings them life in a unique way all of his own doing. The punch lines, the speedy intelligence and the zany interaction with co-stars is incredible. Unlike most I talk to I am a huge fan of Moffat and his writing and Matt Smith works well with Moffat scripts but is charismatic enough to carry episodes written by lesser story tellers (see Chris Chibnall's awful Dinosaurs In A Spaceship)
                                                                                            
Episode - The Doctors Wife. Written by Neil Gaiman

EIGHT

Who else could make a film length Doctor Who with a shocking script and poor undercard casting work? Paul McGann brought humanity to the role that in the mid 1990's was exactly what was needed. He was caring, loving, and intelligent whilst not losing any of the eccentricities you demand from a Timelord. He played off Eric Roberts Master really well and made Roberts up his act to a level he didn’t know was possible. Much maligned at the time, McGann continues in book and audio form tremendously and of all the Doctors that could come back for the 50th anniversary it is McGann and his eighth incarnation I would like to see the most.
                                                                                            
Episode - Doctor Who The Movie. Written by Matthew Jacobs

NINE

I am a huge fan of Christopher Eccleston. He was great in Cracker, Shallow Grave, was the highlight of the awful Gone In 60 Seconds, and had worked previously very well with the man tasked to bring back Who, Russell T Davies. From the leather jacket, a nice departure from the zany wardrobes of the previous Doctors, to the quick changing moods, Eccleston's portrayal was a fitting return to form for a character so sorely missed for so long and the perfect style to introduce a new generation of fans. In future years, whilst he only did one series, Eccleston should be lauded in the same way that William Hartnell is for being the re-birth of Doctor Who. 
                                                                                           
Episode - Dalek. Written by Robert Shearman

TWO

Patrick Troughton changed Doctor Who forever. He left behind the serious scientific and almost always grumpy First version and introduced a zany insanity that I don't think had ever been seen on television before. Without Troughton you wouldn't have the humour that many actors in the role have used, and he is the reason Matt Smith is so perfect in the role. Patrick Troughton crosses the generations better than most. For example I can't watch SIX with all levels of my family but stick on Troughton and there is my mum, my kids and I glued to the screen.

Episode - The Ice Warriors. Written by Brian Hayles


FOUR

The booming voice, that scarf that every child of the 70's and 80's had their Grandma's knitting, K9, Romana, need I go on? Oh ok then. To many Tom Baker’s portrayal is The Doctor and they are entitled to their opinion and I see why they would go for him, but that being said Mr Baker leaves me wanting more. I know he had his issues with management, writers, co-stars, and well just about everyone, but he was Doctor Who during a golden period of writing for the show and the introduction of some of the best characters, and yet I feel empty on too many occasions and wish he had fulfilled the potential and promise we saw when he started in the role.

Episode -  The Talons Of Weng-Chiang. Written by Robert Holmes

FIVE

I really would love to put Peter Davison higher in my list. He was a superb actor and could have been a great Doctor, one of the best, but for incredibly weak scripts and really poor casting in too many episodes. Growing up through the Nathan-Turner era of Who was a mixed bag for a fan. Here we were with a young Doctor, a new show runner and hope. What we got was an actor who did his best but whose frustrations at what was going on around him leaked into his performances. Some of his episodes you can almost see Davison restraining himself from acting out physical violence on the cast, throwing his arms in the air and storming off set. A shame, a real shame.

Episode - Castrovalva. Written by Christopher H Bidmead

ONE

William Hartnell really should be higher up the list I know but it’s where he is purely through the fact I have not had the pleasure of seeing that many of his episodes. The ones I have seen I have enjoyed. His almost strict science teacher character gives me chills and makes me wish more episodes were still in existence. The Grandfather of Who, I salute you sir!

Episode - An Unearthly Child. Written by Anthony Coburn



SEVEN

Sylvester McCoy was a strange choice for the role. He comes across with very little personality, even now in television appearances, and a maybe more enigmatic character was needed to drag Doctor Who away from the brink of extinction. Sadly the powers that be must have known the end was nigh and with McCoy you can see that they had just about given up. There were some highlights, Ace played by Sophie Aldred being one of them, and not all of the screen time of Sylvester's was poor. No one deserves to be the star that finally finished off the show and the comeback for regeneration in the movie was a nice touch.
Episode - The Greatest Show In The Galaxy. Written by Stephen Wyatt

THREE

Jon Pertwee is a strange one for me. I cannot decide whether his portrayal is sheer genius or camp nonsense. He was certainly different to Troughton and gave Tom Baker a springboard to take Who in a different direction. His interactions with companions were certainly great and who doesn't love Elizabeth Sladens Sarah Jane? But for every great conversation and scene there was flouncing about and that bloody car! Maybe I've missed the point somewhat with Pertwee and a massive rewatch is due.
Episode - The Green Death. Written by Robert Sloman

TEN

Ah! The part of the article that is going to have fan girls screaming at me and fan boys threatening my life but David Tennant, really? The show had just been brought back in spectacular style and whilst Eccleston didn't want to continue, surely there was a better actor for the role? I am not questioning David Tennant’s abilities as an actor, I have really enjoyed him in other roles and thought he was superb in the bio pic Munich. But my god he took smarmy to a level never seen before. We luckily had a great introduction to Rose so we knew she was good as a companion but then the Tennant lady charm sets in and Doctor Who is suddenly a romantic comedy. Throughout his tenure he was constantly played off screen by superior actors that "got" their characters. John Simm as The Master made Tennant’s Doctor seem insignificant, Donna and Martha constantly stole the spotlight, and too many times it became the Captain Jack Harkness show. The cringe worthy two episode goodbye for David Tennant was neither deserved nor needed.

Episode - any with Bernard Cribbins as Wilf.  Writer I’d seriously stopped caring


Photo Source:
www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho
www.davidtennant.com