Whilst Peter C had a hard act to follow for me, finding it fascinating watching Series 8 in hindsight at present now that I know how the series pans out. He really has some beautifully subtle moments. And for me, any, um, less good episodes in Matt's era were elevated due to the Smith factor for me, so completely see where Brouhaha is coming from. If you really like a Doctor, there are usually moments that transcend a poor or just plain average episode.
The First Doctor is my least favourite. Which isn't to say I think he's bad in the role, not at all. But for me, there's just no 'hook' with him, nothing that's ever made me want to watch any of his stories again (outside of the first episode). Indeed, Hartnell's Doctor is the one Doctor that's absent from my DVD collection, simply cos I know that they'd never get watched, even if I did own any of 'em.
The thing is with Hartnell's Doctor is that it was created for an entirely different generation. If you watched the Adventures in Space and Time Drama, there's that lovely little scene in it with the children following Hartnell around the park like the pied piper I think he often derscribed himself as. Back then, he was The Doctor. There was no-one else to compare to so he obviously appealed to the viewers back then.
Everyone to their own but I disagree he has no hook. I find his Doctor endlessly endearing and I see a lot of him in later Doctors. He does take a lot of getting used to after the other Doctors and it took me a while to find something likeable as well. But it's there if you take the time and effort to watch him. Okay, some stories are not so good, especially the historicals and the production values suck in certain stories, but I would never cancel him out of my DVD Collection. Without him we wouldn't have the show we have today.
I never liked colin bakers doctor although I do like colin. I didn't like him trying to throttle peri in the twin dilemma or his snearing I am the doctor whether you like it or not. He was just the complete opposite of the likeable peter davison who was very popular at the time. I have similar feelings about capaldi with his doctors cowardly behaviour in deep breath and his aloofness in into the dalek again the complete opposite to matt smith who was so likeable as the doctor.
Surely, though, that was the point? To be a contrast to Davison, just in the same way Capaldi is a less friendlier Doctor than Matt Smith?
As I said above about Hartnell, his Doctor I takes some watching to get used to him but sometimes I wish people would see past The Twin Dilemma and just watch Terror Of The Vervoids where he was at his most charming and engaging in the role. People never seem to mention that, it's always about The Twin Dilemma, it's just so....frustrating!
Granted, it wasn't the best starts but come on, it was one story. Even by the start of Season 22 there was a noticeable difference.....
As for McCoy, love his Doctor, shame about some of the crap he was given, he stood out in the most awful of stories.
So to answer the question, and I'm glad the Op put less favourite, Ive had a change in mine over the last few months. Christopher Ecclestone, as you may have read in my past posts, has been my least fave, but having watched through Series 1 again recently I can see there is more to this grouchy, tough guy image than I often see him as. I'm still not keen on some aspects on his portrayal but in some episodes like Dalek he played it really well and he did at least have some humour along the way.
So my least fave reverts to the next one up on my previous list and that's Jon Pertwee I'm afraid. Don't dislike his Doctor by any means but the Exile Format and his straight-laced interpretation just don't do it for me.
Have to say Capaldi is my least favourite. Not so much his acting, I think both he and Clara are great but I gave up mid series because the writing was IMHO mind bogglinglg bad. So I just didn't care about the Doctor or Clara or what they were doing/what happened to them to keep watching, I didn't care who Missy was and what she wanted. I gave up around the time the moon was discovered to be an egg. I'll give it another go when the new series starts because I genuinely love the show.
I have liked all of the Doctors but tend to judge on eras rather than actors. Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy once they found their feet I have no problems with them as actors. So it comes down to the writing and the vision of the show-runners/producers at the time. I found the writing, production and the majority of acting am dram, so much so that it became unwatchable. But I liked the Doctors.
I'm a big fan of Matt Smith, one of the most charming and likable Doctors imo, however as with the C. Baker and Mcoy era I was continuously left wanting and disappointed, not by Matt Smith's Doctor but by the writing of the show, especially characterisation of companions and secondary characters.
So its swings and roundabouts. I would rather the worst of C.Bakers era over Matt Smiths series 6 but that doesn't mean Matt Smith is my least favourite Doctor.
Aye, for me its more the writing than the actors. I think the show has been served well by all of the actors in the lead. That's what I meant to say
For all of it's many flaws, Forest had some of Peter's enthused best bits
Absolutely. During the nadir of post-2005 Who (series six) I was switching off mid-episode with alarming regularity (A Good Man Goes To War, Let's Kill Hitler and the one set in a shop, whose title I can't be bothered to look up, being notably dreadful examples) and with all due respect to Matt Smith, who for the most part was a fine Doctor, even he couldn't make those episodes watchable. Capaldi is just so compelling to watch that I didn't feel the urge to switch off once during the last series.
For all of it's many flaws, Forest had some of Peter's enthused best bits
Except his "best bits" are childish, overexaggerated "mad man in a box" stuff and it's just plain weird. I can imagine a 6 year old finding him more funny.
I hope the next Doctor is a little more balanced between serious and funny, and for me, a little more bearable to watch without cringing.
No, I think you're thinking of Eleven, who was too childish and wacky and zany, except when he's being too dark and callous.
No, wait, I'm thinking about Ten being all brooding and miserable and vengeful when he wasn't all cheerful, dashing, happy-go-lucky and sticking his fingers in the jam.
I'm starting to think this Doctor fellow isn't as one-sided as he lets on. Marvellous!
The stories barely qualify as Dr Who, more a bastardised cross of The Avengers and Bond with the worst parts of both. Bored, disinterested acting by Pertwee, a dreadful brainless bimbo of a companion in Jo, terrible SFX even by DW standards and a vast majority of stories could lose an entire episode and still be too long.
In the 5 seasons there are only 2 really good stories, Inferno and Curse of Peladon.
The only positive things about the era are Roger Delgardo's Mistress and Sarah Jane Smith
The stories barely qualify as Dr Who, more a bastardised cross of The Avengers and Bond with the worst parts of both. Bored, disinterested acting by Pertwee, a dreadful brainless bimbo of a companion in Jo, terrible SFX even by DW standards and a vast majority of stories could lose an entire episode and still be too long.
In the 5 seasons there are only 2 really good stories, Inferno and Curse of Peladon.
Yeah but he was the best Doctor in Dimensions in Time;-)
Yeah but he was the best Doctor in Dimensions in Time;-)
Disagree. That was Davison by a street, IMO. (Havent seem it for years.Can't think why!)
Never really took to the Third Doctor when catching up with what I hadn't seen 'live' but now am quite fond of him. Season 7 is superb and he always had his moments, right up to his rather beautifully performed 'death'. Not a favourite but got a lot of time for Mr Pertwee.
Disagree. That was Davison by a street, IMO. (Havent seem it for years.Can't think why!)
Never really took to the Third Doctor when catching up with what I hadn't seen 'live' but now am quite fond of him. Season 7 is superb and he always had his moments, right up to his rather beautifully performed 'death'. Not a favourite but got a lot of time for Mr Pertwee.
Season 7 - because a substantial part of it is still Sherwin rather than Letts - has it's moments, the section in the Silurians where the virus is taking hold is quite gripping but you have had 5 or 6 episodes or boredom and those ludicrous Silurian heads before that. Spearhead is OK apart from Pertwees gurning until you watch the TV Quatermass 2 and realise Spearhead is basically the same story but done much worse, Ambassadors is an OK story but *far* too long and you have perhaps the most anti-climatic end to a story ever.
Tough question. It's easy to say McCoy but he has some real good episodes. Unfortunately the more I Iisten to him on audio the less I like him. My instinct is saying Hartnell though. Not that he is bad obviously but prob the one I watch least.
In the end though I going for a smart arse answer and say Peter Cushing!
Season 7 - because a substantial part of it is still Sherwin rather than Letts - has it's moments, the section in the Silurians where the virus is taking hold is quite gripping but you have had 5 or 6 episodes or boredom and those ludicrous Silurian heads before that. Spearhead is OK apart from Pertwees gurning until you watch the TV Quatermass 2 and realise Spearhead is basically the same story but done much worse, Ambassadors is an OK story but *far* too long and you have perhaps the most anti-climatic end to a story ever.
Will always have a soft spot for season 7 because it saved the show from the cancellation threat that the last Troughton season had left it in and because Spearhead remains one of my all time favourite stories.
Agree that Ambassadors is too long, it's a pity that this and Silurians weren't done as 4 parters, think they would have been classics. Inferno could have lost an episode as well.
It's strange that you don't like the Pertwee stories because of their format but think season 7 'has it's moments' because it's more Sherwin than Letts when it was really Sherwin who set the format in the first place. Letts and Dicks were stuck with it.
I really like the Pertwee years, after the Hinchcliffe Tom Baker years probably my favourite era.
I love them all but I have to say McCoy simply because of the car crash era he was in and he didn't seem to 'click' with me either straight away or slowly as the others did. However like most I loved Tennant at first and he had great and memorable moments but the longer he went on the more irritated I was by his Doctor personally rather than the stuff going on around him, which to be honest I can usually tune out with the others.
Colin Baker played the worst Doctor. Not Colin's fault as the team at the time made lots of wrong decisions.
McCoy was the worst actor at playing the Doctor, he could barely act, and didn't ooze Doctorness at all.
The worst actor who played the Doctor (although not as the Doctor) was Christopher Eccleston. A brief tenure and his poor attitude to the show and fans since puts him bottom. I'd rather have a pint with McCoy, despite Eccelston being far superior on the actual show.
Comments
The thing is with Hartnell's Doctor is that it was created for an entirely different generation. If you watched the Adventures in Space and Time Drama, there's that lovely little scene in it with the children following Hartnell around the park like the pied piper I think he often derscribed himself as. Back then, he was The Doctor. There was no-one else to compare to so he obviously appealed to the viewers back then.
Everyone to their own but I disagree he has no hook. I find his Doctor endlessly endearing and I see a lot of him in later Doctors. He does take a lot of getting used to after the other Doctors and it took me a while to find something likeable as well. But it's there if you take the time and effort to watch him. Okay, some stories are not so good, especially the historicals and the production values suck in certain stories, but I would never cancel him out of my DVD Collection. Without him we wouldn't have the show we have today.
Surely, though, that was the point? To be a contrast to Davison, just in the same way Capaldi is a less friendlier Doctor than Matt Smith?
As I said above about Hartnell, his Doctor I takes some watching to get used to him but sometimes I wish people would see past The Twin Dilemma and just watch Terror Of The Vervoids where he was at his most charming and engaging in the role. People never seem to mention that, it's always about The Twin Dilemma, it's just so....frustrating!
Granted, it wasn't the best starts but come on, it was one story. Even by the start of Season 22 there was a noticeable difference.....
As for McCoy, love his Doctor, shame about some of the crap he was given, he stood out in the most awful of stories.
So to answer the question, and I'm glad the Op put less favourite, Ive had a change in mine over the last few months. Christopher Ecclestone, as you may have read in my past posts, has been my least fave, but having watched through Series 1 again recently I can see there is more to this grouchy, tough guy image than I often see him as. I'm still not keen on some aspects on his portrayal but in some episodes like Dalek he played it really well and he did at least have some humour along the way.
So my least fave reverts to the next one up on my previous list and that's Jon Pertwee I'm afraid. Don't dislike his Doctor by any means but the Exile Format and his straight-laced interpretation just don't do it for me.
Least Favourites: (Tie) Peter Capaldi and Colin Baker
Favourites: (Tie) Matt Smith and David Tennant.
Have to say Capaldi is my least favourite. Not so much his acting, I think both he and Clara are great but I gave up mid series because the writing was IMHO mind bogglinglg bad. So I just didn't care about the Doctor or Clara or what they were doing/what happened to them to keep watching, I didn't care who Missy was and what she wanted. I gave up around the time the moon was discovered to be an egg. I'll give it another go when the new series starts because I genuinely love the show.
My favourite will always be Tannant.
(ducks for cover)
I have liked all of the Doctors but tend to judge on eras rather than actors. Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy once they found their feet I have no problems with them as actors. So it comes down to the writing and the vision of the show-runners/producers at the time. I found the writing, production and the majority of acting am dram, so much so that it became unwatchable. But I liked the Doctors.
I'm a big fan of Matt Smith, one of the most charming and likable Doctors imo, however as with the C. Baker and Mcoy era I was continuously left wanting and disappointed, not by Matt Smith's Doctor but by the writing of the show, especially characterisation of companions and secondary characters.
So its swings and roundabouts. I would rather the worst of C.Bakers era over Matt Smiths series 6 but that doesn't mean Matt Smith is my least favourite Doctor.
Aye, for me its more the writing than the actors. I think the show has been served well by all of the actors in the lead. That's what I meant to say
Absolutely. During the nadir of post-2005 Who (series six) I was switching off mid-episode with alarming regularity (A Good Man Goes To War, Let's Kill Hitler and the one set in a shop, whose title I can't be bothered to look up, being notably dreadful examples) and with all due respect to Matt Smith, who for the most part was a fine Doctor, even he couldn't make those episodes watchable. Capaldi is just so compelling to watch that I didn't feel the urge to switch off once during the last series.
Except his "best bits" are childish, overexaggerated "mad man in a box" stuff and it's just plain weird. I can imagine a 6 year old finding him more funny.
I hope the next Doctor is a little more balanced between serious and funny, and for me, a little more bearable to watch without cringing.
(Until the next week when he's too childish and wacky and zany ;-) )
No, I think you're thinking of Eleven, who was too childish and wacky and zany, except when he's being too dark and callous.
No, wait, I'm thinking about Ten being all brooding and miserable and vengeful when he wasn't all cheerful, dashing, happy-go-lucky and sticking his fingers in the jam.
I'm starting to think this Doctor fellow isn't as one-sided as he lets on. Marvellous!
Except when he was being charming, mischievous and fun loving.
There is definately a trend emerging....
My favourite is still Matt Smith.
The stories barely qualify as Dr Who, more a bastardised cross of The Avengers and Bond with the worst parts of both. Bored, disinterested acting by Pertwee, a dreadful brainless bimbo of a companion in Jo, terrible SFX even by DW standards and a vast majority of stories could lose an entire episode and still be too long.
In the 5 seasons there are only 2 really good stories, Inferno and Curse of Peladon.
The only positive things about the era are Roger Delgardo's Mistress and Sarah Jane Smith
Best? Pat Troughton.
Disagree. That was Davison by a street, IMO. (Havent seem it for years.Can't think why!)
Never really took to the Third Doctor when catching up with what I hadn't seen 'live' but now am quite fond of him. Season 7 is superb and he always had his moments, right up to his rather beautifully performed 'death'. Not a favourite but got a lot of time for Mr Pertwee.
Likewise...DW at its worst! I did like Battlefield though.
Season 7 - because a substantial part of it is still Sherwin rather than Letts - has it's moments, the section in the Silurians where the virus is taking hold is quite gripping but you have had 5 or 6 episodes or boredom and those ludicrous Silurian heads before that. Spearhead is OK apart from Pertwees gurning until you watch the TV Quatermass 2 and realise Spearhead is basically the same story but done much worse, Ambassadors is an OK story but *far* too long and you have perhaps the most anti-climatic end to a story ever.
In the end though I going for a smart arse answer and say Peter Cushing!
Will always have a soft spot for season 7 because it saved the show from the cancellation threat that the last Troughton season had left it in and because Spearhead remains one of my all time favourite stories.
Agree that Ambassadors is too long, it's a pity that this and Silurians weren't done as 4 parters, think they would have been classics. Inferno could have lost an episode as well.
It's strange that you don't like the Pertwee stories because of their format but think season 7 'has it's moments' because it's more Sherwin than Letts when it was really Sherwin who set the format in the first place. Letts and Dicks were stuck with it.
I really like the Pertwee years, after the Hinchcliffe Tom Baker years probably my favourite era.
Which is, of course, the reason I love it (and there are no "worst parts" of Bond or The Avengers). The Pertwee era is quintessential Who for me.
Colin Baker played the worst Doctor. Not Colin's fault as the team at the time made lots of wrong decisions.
McCoy was the worst actor at playing the Doctor, he could barely act, and didn't ooze Doctorness at all.
The worst actor who played the Doctor (although not as the Doctor) was Christopher Eccleston. A brief tenure and his poor attitude to the show and fans since puts him bottom. I'd rather have a pint with McCoy, despite Eccelston being far superior on the actual show.