David Tennant has topped a poll to find the US public's favourite Doctor Who star. The survey - conducted by Entertainment Weekly - saw Tennant win more votes than the rest of his fellow actors combined. The Scottish star - who played the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2010 - scooped a huge 59% of the vote, with his successor Matt Smith taking second place with 16%.
So are you trying to say that this proves that:-
(a) Tennant is the best Doctor?
or
(b) American Doctor Who fans really haven't got a clue?
For me it has to be David Tennant. He was excellent as the Doctor. I thought he brought out a lot of traits that the Fourth Doctor had. Plus Tom's Doctor and David's Doctor couldn't stand all the hate and bad that was going on. I thought David had some of the grumpiness that William Hartnell's Doctor used to have.
For me, some of the other Doctors seemed to be more lenient.
David Tennant has topped a poll to find the US public's favourite Doctor Who star. The survey - conducted by Entertainment Weekly - saw Tennant win more votes than the rest of his fellow actors combined. The Scottish star - who played the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2010 - scooped a huge 59% of the vote, with his successor Matt Smith taking second place with 16%.
To be fair the most Americans wouldn't have heard of Doctor Who via the Classic series. I'm pretty sure they don't show vintage episodes for any new fans to compare with the 2005 outing. Tom was to best for me but i was at the age where the show was more magical. I think David Tenant did an epic Job and kept the show alive but what i like about Matt is that I could imagine watching his portrayal of the Doctor in the 60's or 70's.
It was an online poll that anyone could vote in and you could vote more than once.......:mad:
I think Matt is the best Doctor since Tom in many ways those being that he can be light and fun one minute then dark and serious the next. He brings back the 'Alien' quality back to the Doctor which is something Tennant absolutely didn't have! I was very dismissive when he was cast as i thought he was too young and couldn't do it but happily he proved me and many others completely wrong.
1. Matt Smith
2. Sylvester McCoy
3. David Tennant
4. Colin Baker
5. Paul McGann
6. John Pertwee
7. Patrick Troughton
8=Peter Davison
8=Christopher Eccleston
8=Tom Baker
11. William Hartnell
I don't think I could rank them if I wanted to. It probably changes for me depending what mood I've been in etc. They are all the same character and it is a great character. It would almost be like trying to rank family members in order of which one I loved best.
I also wouldn't put much faith in what online and/or American polls say. The same question might be asked in a few years, but instead it would be "Is Matt Smith the best ever doctor, or is it the New Guy"? and the poll might show that 89% of Americans say Matt Smith is the best ever doctor.
That's not to say polls and statistics are no use, I just prefer seeing the whole picture. Maybe it's my skeptical/paranoid side:)
I've never been a fan of the 'who is best?' polls because there's so many factors to consider.
Colin Baker, for example, was an excellent actor and an interesting take on the character, hampered by poor scripts and production choices.
Tom Baker coasted by on his huge charisma, he wasn't the best actor but his natural eccentricity shone through and truly inhabited the role.
David Tennant's incarnation was a much less quirky take on the character, which also meant he wasn't given the greatest range of acting challenges, but he brought a great sense of confidence and gusto to his work, which makes him a character you can't help but want to spend time with. He was given a limited range of attitudes, and each one was played to the extreme. Breaking out of those - when he went mad with power in Waters of Mars, or raged against his compulsion to save the little people at his own expense in The End of Time - were among my favourite moments of his.
Matt's shown such a light, deft touch and such a great attention to detail in his performance. The scripts for his episodes have showcased such a broad palette of Doctory characteristics, and he's met each one without feeling like any of them are out of character. His Doctor switches from cocky to insecure, from the most harmless buffoon (which until now has perhaps been too much of a default setting) to a genuinely threatening presence, and Matt handles these switches cleanly and without fanfare.
So, while I think still Tom Baker is the iconic Doctor, I think Matt Smith is the better one overall.
I'm sorry but I have to say my own personal favourite Doctor completely blows him out of the water....
He is NOTHING compared to Doctor 14....
What? seriously? Ugh, Humans, so linear....
Seriously tho, I think he could've been good if he'd waited a few years for the role (IE he was just taking it up NOW instead of winding down, it appears)
Looking back on series 5, he just looks far too young for the role, like one of those cocky late teens/early 20s guys who come to your workplace or whatever straight out of uni and think they know it all when they're really out of their depth in reality.
He's supposed to be portraying this ancient alien and it falls flat when he appears like the toff boy who has had all the privileges and still thinks his life is so hard.
As time has gone on I've warmed to him but he's far from my high water mark in the revived series.
That said he's far from a bad doctor either, he has his moments but the whole era hasn't had the connection with me that I had with first Chris then Tennant.....
Always thought toms last 2 seasons let me down though the first 5 seasons are simply awesome. Pertwee era will always be*tops for me. A lot of aspects of the tennant era put me off. Paul had a potential to be great. Think matt has done good to bring a fresh take to an old role.
1st john pertwee
2nd Patrick troughton
3rd Sylvester mcoy
4th matt smith
5th tom baker
6th William hartnell
7th Colin baker
8th peter Davison
9th Christopher ecclestone
10th Paul mcgann
11th David tennant
I think the problem Matt Smith has is the problem that Slyvestor McCoy also had. Both of their doctors are naturally quirky, but lack gravitas and when they get angry, its unconvincing. I say that as someone who really liked the 7th doctor and who likes the 11th doctor too.
If we are talking about just the TV show, then I would rank the Doctors as follows:
1. Tennant
2. Smith
3. Tom baker
4. Eccleston
5. McCoy
6. Troughton
7. Davison
8. Colin Baker
9. Hartnell
10. McGann
11. Pertwee
However if you were to include the audio stories then Colin Baker and and Paul McGann would take the top two spots respectively. Still all the actors to play the Doctor have been fantastic, although some have been let down by poor stories.
Just imagine if Matt or Chris had got the chance to star in Battlefield or Genesis of the Daleks.
To be fair the most Americans wouldn't have heard of Doctor Who via the Classic series. I'm pretty sure they don't show vintage episodes for any new fans to compare with the 2005 outing. Tom was to best for me but i was at the age where the show was more magical. I think David Tenant did an epic Job and kept the show alive but what i like about Matt is that I could imagine watching his portrayal of the Doctor in the 60's or 70's.
Who was as big in the US in the 80s as it is today. At one point, classic Who had 100m viewers worldwide.
From the basis of how I felt about them in the context of the time rather than in retrospect (which excludes Hartnell & Troughton):
1. Tom Baker
2. David Tennant
3. Matt Smith
4. Christopher Eccleston
5. Colin Baker
6. Peter Davison
7. Paul McGann
8. Jon Pertwee
9. Sylvester McCoy
I like Matt and I have a feeling this coming series may make me like him more. It's not that I didn't like the Ponds, but I don't think the lack of variation has done him any favours. The TARDIS felt like a student flat-share at times and that detracted from his Doctor's depth and mystique. But, when he gets out from under that I like him. I don't think he does authority very well and for that I tend to agree with codename_47 in that I'd like to have seen him start in the role now. So, basically I'm reserving judgement until I see him properly post-Pond.
I think the problem Matt Smith has is the problem that Slyvestor McCoy also had. Both of their doctors are naturally quirky, but lack gravitas and when they get angry, its unconvincing. I say that as someone who really liked the 7th doctor and who likes the 11th doctor too.
This has always been my view with Sylvester McCoy and is my view of Matt Smith.
Taking into account the audio books I have heard my rank would be:
1st Tennant
2nd Tom Baker
3rd Troughton
4th McGann (based on the audio books I reckon his Dr + Lucie Miller (Sheridan Smith) could have been the best ever Dr + assistant partnership. I know its (almost certainly) not going to happen for the 50th anniversary but I'd have loved another "Blink" Dr-lite type episode where the current Dr + assistant are trapped watching the former Dr (McGann) + Lucie Miller somehow go about their business saving the Whoniverse)
5th Smith
6th Hartnell
7th Davison
8th Colin Baker
9th McCoy
10th Eccleston
11th Pertwee
It's probably no coincidence I have Eccleston & Pertwee at the bottom as mentally I associate them as being better with other parts rather than the Doctor.
Nah, I think David Tennant was a lot better. I didn't start liking Smiths era to the 6th series, I thought the whole of the 5th series was a pile of rubbish.
He's the Doctor, he's supposed to look weird - well, alien anyway.
That was the problem with his two predecessors, they were not weird or alien enough - Nine was just like a northern hardcase in a leather jacket and Ten was just a pretty boy. Far too human.
Yeah, the more I think about it, he is definitely my favourite. It annoys me that a lot of people just judge The Doctor on the way he looks. And there is nothing wrong with him being quirky or 'weirder' than David.
Comments
So are you trying to say that this proves that:-
(a) Tennant is the best Doctor?
or
(b) American Doctor Who fans really haven't got a clue?
For me, some of the other Doctors seemed to be more lenient.
To be fair the most Americans wouldn't have heard of Doctor Who via the Classic series. I'm pretty sure they don't show vintage episodes for any new fans to compare with the 2005 outing. Tom was to best for me but i was at the age where the show was more magical. I think David Tenant did an epic Job and kept the show alive but what i like about Matt is that I could imagine watching his portrayal of the Doctor in the 60's or 70's.
I think Matt is the best Doctor since Tom in many ways those being that he can be light and fun one minute then dark and serious the next. He brings back the 'Alien' quality back to the Doctor which is something Tennant absolutely didn't have! I was very dismissive when he was cast as i thought he was too young and couldn't do it but happily he proved me and many others completely wrong.
1. Matt Smith
2. Sylvester McCoy
3. David Tennant
4. Colin Baker
5. Paul McGann
6. John Pertwee
7. Patrick Troughton
8=Peter Davison
8=Christopher Eccleston
8=Tom Baker
11. William Hartnell
2 - Tom baker
3 - Patrick Troughton
4 - Jon pertwee
5 - Sylvester McCoy
6 - William Hartnell
7 - Chris Eccleston
8 - David Tennant
9 - Peter Davison
10 - Colin Baker
11 - Paul McGann
I also wouldn't put much faith in what online and/or American polls say. The same question might be asked in a few years, but instead it would be "Is Matt Smith the best ever doctor, or is it the New Guy"? and the poll might show that 89% of Americans say Matt Smith is the best ever doctor.
That's not to say polls and statistics are no use, I just prefer seeing the whole picture. Maybe it's my skeptical/paranoid side:)
Colin Baker, for example, was an excellent actor and an interesting take on the character, hampered by poor scripts and production choices.
Tom Baker coasted by on his huge charisma, he wasn't the best actor but his natural eccentricity shone through and truly inhabited the role.
David Tennant's incarnation was a much less quirky take on the character, which also meant he wasn't given the greatest range of acting challenges, but he brought a great sense of confidence and gusto to his work, which makes him a character you can't help but want to spend time with. He was given a limited range of attitudes, and each one was played to the extreme. Breaking out of those - when he went mad with power in Waters of Mars, or raged against his compulsion to save the little people at his own expense in The End of Time - were among my favourite moments of his.
Matt's shown such a light, deft touch and such a great attention to detail in his performance. The scripts for his episodes have showcased such a broad palette of Doctory characteristics, and he's met each one without feeling like any of them are out of character. His Doctor switches from cocky to insecure, from the most harmless buffoon (which until now has perhaps been too much of a default setting) to a genuinely threatening presence, and Matt handles these switches cleanly and without fanfare.
So, while I think still Tom Baker is the iconic Doctor, I think Matt Smith is the better one overall.
He is NOTHING compared to Doctor 14....
What? seriously? Ugh, Humans, so linear....
Seriously tho, I think he could've been good if he'd waited a few years for the role (IE he was just taking it up NOW instead of winding down, it appears)
Looking back on series 5, he just looks far too young for the role, like one of those cocky late teens/early 20s guys who come to your workplace or whatever straight out of uni and think they know it all when they're really out of their depth in reality.
He's supposed to be portraying this ancient alien and it falls flat when he appears like the toff boy who has had all the privileges and still thinks his life is so hard.
As time has gone on I've warmed to him but he's far from my high water mark in the revived series.
That said he's far from a bad doctor either, he has his moments but the whole era hasn't had the connection with me that I had with first Chris then Tennant.....
1st john pertwee
2nd Patrick troughton
3rd Sylvester mcoy
4th matt smith
5th tom baker
6th William hartnell
7th Colin baker
8th peter Davison
9th Christopher ecclestone
10th Paul mcgann
11th David tennant
1. Tennant
2. Smith
3. Tom baker
4. Eccleston
5. McCoy
6. Troughton
7. Davison
8. Colin Baker
9. Hartnell
10. McGann
11. Pertwee
However if you were to include the audio stories then Colin Baker and and Paul McGann would take the top two spots respectively. Still all the actors to play the Doctor have been fantastic, although some have been let down by poor stories.
Just imagine if Matt or Chris had got the chance to star in Battlefield or Genesis of the Daleks.
Who was as big in the US in the 80s as it is today. At one point, classic Who had 100m viewers worldwide.
1. Tom Baker
2. David Tennant
3. Matt Smith
4. Christopher Eccleston
5. Colin Baker
6. Peter Davison
7. Paul McGann
8. Jon Pertwee
9. Sylvester McCoy
I like Matt and I have a feeling this coming series may make me like him more. It's not that I didn't like the Ponds, but I don't think the lack of variation has done him any favours. The TARDIS felt like a student flat-share at times and that detracted from his Doctor's depth and mystique. But, when he gets out from under that I like him. I don't think he does authority very well and for that I tend to agree with codename_47 in that I'd like to have seen him start in the role now. So, basically I'm reserving judgement until I see him properly post-Pond.
This has always been my view with Sylvester McCoy and is my view of Matt Smith.
Taking into account the audio books I have heard my rank would be:
1st Tennant
2nd Tom Baker
3rd Troughton
4th McGann (based on the audio books I reckon his Dr + Lucie Miller (Sheridan Smith) could have been the best ever Dr + assistant partnership. I know its (almost certainly) not going to happen for the 50th anniversary but I'd have loved another "Blink" Dr-lite type episode where the current Dr + assistant are trapped watching the former Dr (McGann) + Lucie Miller somehow go about their business saving the Whoniverse)
5th Smith
6th Hartnell
7th Davison
8th Colin Baker
9th McCoy
10th Eccleston
11th Pertwee
It's probably no coincidence I have Eccleston & Pertwee at the bottom as mentally I associate them as being better with other parts rather than the Doctor.
Have you actually seen all the others?
In any case he looks rather wierd:o
He's the Doctor, he's supposed to look weird - well, alien anyway.
That was the problem with his two predecessors, they were not weird or alien enough - Nine was just like a northern hardcase in a leather jacket and Ten was just a pretty boy. Far too human.