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What defines 'Your Doctor'?
jpl
Posts: 286 Forum Member
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We all have a favourite doctor, which many of us will say is 'My Doctor' but what for you makes any incarnation so special.
At 33 just now I was still just a bit too young to get into Doctor who during the original series and when it was revived i never gave it a chance but tuned into see the regeneration into 10 as I wanted to see that bit, but that was me I was hooked from there. I loved the tenth doctor but it has been the eleventh that really has grabbed me and I would probably have to say that 11 is my doctor. I love the eccentricities of this incarnation from the boyish glee to to the weary and ancient troubles he has.
This is so subjective and it's not so much a who's your favourite doctor (although they may be the same) but who is 'your doctor' the man that defined the show for you and who will always be the measuring stick and why is he your doctor, was it your age or he was the first one you saw etc...
I'm really interested in this but please don't bash individual actors, talk about who you liked and why, not who you didn't like. If someone does 'bash' a doctor just ignore them don't feed them. cheers
At 33 just now I was still just a bit too young to get into Doctor who during the original series and when it was revived i never gave it a chance but tuned into see the regeneration into 10 as I wanted to see that bit, but that was me I was hooked from there. I loved the tenth doctor but it has been the eleventh that really has grabbed me and I would probably have to say that 11 is my doctor. I love the eccentricities of this incarnation from the boyish glee to to the weary and ancient troubles he has.
This is so subjective and it's not so much a who's your favourite doctor (although they may be the same) but who is 'your doctor' the man that defined the show for you and who will always be the measuring stick and why is he your doctor, was it your age or he was the first one you saw etc...
I'm really interested in this but please don't bash individual actors, talk about who you liked and why, not who you didn't like. If someone does 'bash' a doctor just ignore them don't feed them. cheers
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Comments
For me, always Tom.
So Tennant was my first Doctor per se, but Baker is what I would call "my Doctor", even though he was before my time.
I guess it varies for everyone but in my case it's to do with order of preference, rather than order of viewing.
If I had to go deeper than it's also probably that with the 11th Doctor I love both the charaterization and the way the actor performs it equally. He's not a hero, he's really just a madman in a box. He's a cosmic nine year old, but he's incredibly old and weary under the pressure of his long life at the same time. He's silly, but at the same time can be extremyl serious. He's a madman, but he is the cleverest person in the room at the same time. He's a good man, but he is not a hero and needs to be kept in check. He can be incredibly loving, but he has a dark side streak and is extremely manipulative with other people's life. He tries his hardest to be the good man, but he is flawed and he himself realizes this the most and that's why he sorta hates himself.
Shortly put, he is the first this face saw and he seared himself onto my heart.
Oh, and obvious thinking processes. I'd rather have a Columbo type, where you can see him piece together things in his head, rather than riding out the plot and then pulling a solution out of thin air. Harder for the writers, I know, but that's their job.
I respectfully disagree, for me it's neither order of preference or viewing... I agree with the OP it's more about feeling. The connections you feel at the time, how you get involved.... My first Doctor was Ecclestone, my favourite is Davison but "my Doctor" is Ten. I was into the show a lot more back then and was completely spoiler free and so everything that happened regarding arcs and episodes was a shock. And I felt that I connected emotionally with Tennants incarnation. A lot if my favourite doctor who episodes are from Ten's era. So that incarnation always holds a place in my heart
I was 12 when I became a fan in early 80's so Davison is and always will be 'my' Doctor and v close to my heart. He was my hero. I cared about him. He was brave and kind and flawed. I almost feel disloyal (not really) as my *favourite* Doctor now is 11, and basically the excellent post quoted above has articulated my feelings far better than I could have done.
I think I was then looking for another Doctor to engage with and and held out some hope for Colin Baker but alas he wasn't given the time to get his teeth into the role. Once again Sylvester McCoy showed promise but was let down storywise.
I guess I look for the eccentricity in the character and 'other worldness' so that's why Matt Smith drew me in (although I have been watching since it came back with CE) and again I'm gutted that's he's leaving
"Legs! Still got legs!"
And I was hooked. He rejuvenated the show and I feel as though his pure humour, demeanour and attitude reigned me in from the start. I think it helps to set the tone early. And The Eleventh Hour was a very very strong start IMO.
To sum up why my Doctor is my Doctor:
"Fish fingers and custard."
He's so old, so hurt, so vulnerable - but always with a child-like enthusiasm for the dorky, a a naive belief in others that is seldom deserved and an ability to love that almost crushes him.
He's just bloody wonderful.
And he never did get used to his limbs, even though he found them all straight away!
:-)
I was sad when Jon Pertwee replaced him - it all got a bit too serious for my liking! But as I grew older I appreciated his stories too. (I was in my teens by then)
David Tennant has been my favourite in this new 21st century version.....but I Liked Matt Smith's intro to it - I thought he was going to be a new Pat Troughton. It wasn't to be, however, he ended up making a personality of his own - fair enough! But he irritates me TBH
I have gone and watched all the other Doctors, but Smith just has that certain... "something" that makes him ever so slightly more enjoyable to watch than the others. I'm sure it comes down to what he acts and how he acts it. He delivers comedy and seriousness excellently, even at the same time.
Sylvester was my childhood Doctor, the one I first saw 'live' and so always holds a special place.
But then Troughton was my favourite portrayal upon watching back the Classics.
Though it was Pertwee's era which was my favourite of the classics story wise.
And then of course Ecclestone achieved the impossible and made the old show a hit again with a very new take on the character but won me over quickly.
And then Tennant all dashing and handsome and angsty raised the bar again.
I suppose its easier to say the ones I feel less connected to which are the two Bakers Hartnell and McGann. Still splendid chaps, all of them!
That's sweet.
My first Doctor was Hartnell, and I can't honestly say he seared himself on my heart, though I loved the character, the stories, the whole Doctor thing.
But Troughton was "my" Doctor, originally, for his zaniness, his energy, his lovely voice, his haircut - everything, really. And he remained "my" Doctor until Tennant, who stole my heart away.
I agree with this. I have loved Matt's Doctor, and I think his portrayal has been pretty near perfection, (actually surpassing David's at times), but for the emotional involvement with character and story it's got to be Ten for me.
I love his sheer energy, his volatility, his angst, and (this will annoy some people, but I don't care) his sexiness.
I am so looking forward to seeing him for one last time in the 50th. Even if it's only for 5 minutes (who knows?) it will be a special joy to see David and Matt together.:)
That would be a severe disappointment to me if that were the case. Judging from the video of them two together that the BBC released there's room for so much awesomeness when those two will grace our screens with their presence together.
I was thinking of worst case scenario.
I hope we have 60 minutes (or more) of the two of them on screen together. They were made for each other, judging by the video!
Haha, yeah, my first thought when I saw it was "separated at birth."
This, though the others all had their moments when you suddenly stopped and looked at them and thought 'wow...' those three, and Eccleston? had it just by being themselves. I don't have 'a' Doctor, I have all of them to a greater or lesser degree. I need a bit more motivation to watch McCoy, (though I appreciate him more than I used to) and Tennant, but the others I could watch till the cows come home:)