All the Doctors- One good point, one bad point.
Thamwet
Posts: 2,036 Forum Member
✭✭✭
Firstly, I don't have a firm favourite or least favourite Doctor. I have some which I prefer to watch over others, but I love them all. They're all the same character, at the end of the day, and the character of the Doctor is amazing.
However, nothing in life is perfect, and this includes Doctor Who. So, if you were asked to say one, and only one good and bad point about each version of the Doctor, what would you say?
It's been quite tough for me to narrow it down to one positive and negative for each, but here is my list:
The First Doctor
Good point: Humour- hiding in Daleks, fighting like a man half his age, general rudeness...he was just a great character, not just the grumpy old man some people think he was.
Bad point: Abduction, attempted murder, death threats...the show was in it's early days, and the Doctor was pretty damn cruel at the start.
The Second Doctor
Good point: The bold new character. When you think about it, a cosmic hobo is exactly what the Doctor is, and Troughton got it just right in his performance.
Bad point: Scruffiness. Troughton was quite a handsome bloke, I think he would have done better in a slightly smarter costume.
The Third Doctor
Good point: His relationship with those around him- the exasperated, strained respect between him and UNIT was a joy to watch.
Bad point: Karate. The stunts he pulled were unconvincing and laughable. For instance, knocking two people out by flicking his arms at them.
The Fourth Doctor
Good point: There was nothing better than him being taken prisoner, and treating the whole thing like a joke. The Seeds of Doom, for instance. He pushed the character of Scorby to the limit on several occasions, and it was hilarious to watch. There is nothing better than a hero who isn't even remotely scared of the bad guys.
Bad point: His character seemed to change over time. Now, I'm all for character development, but I think Doctor 4 regressed rather than progressed. His best days, in my view, were in the Hinchcliffe era. By his final series, he just didn't seem the same. Perhaps seven years was simply too long.
The Fifth Doctor
Good point: He was a nice guy. The Doctor's before him, whilst all great characters, were not men you would perhaps feel comfortable around. For instance, the fourth Doctor, whilst a nice man, was really a terrifying whackjob at times. Whilst we loved him for that, it was nice to get a flawed, but gentle and kind hero in the Fifth Doctor.
Bad point: He was a nice guy. I sometimes feel that, whilst it was nice to have a straightforward, kindly figure, this eventually got boring. I expect I'll get kicked for saying this, but five bored me. Yes, he was a nice guy, and yes this made a refreshing change, but I think that an all around nice guy can only hold your interest for so long.
The Sixth Doctor
Good point: The darkness- a real hark back to the Hartnell days, his personality a striking contrast from his predecessor- excellent stuff. It's great to have two extremely different Doctors one after the other.
Bad point: He could be a bit of a chore to watch. The first Doctor managed to pull of rudeness, cruelness and flippancy, yet still he is a joy to watch. With six...I don't know, it just comes across as tiresome as opposed to funny at times.
The Seventh Doctor
Good point: The mystery. Once they'd established his character a bit more, he always seemed to be in control, he always seemed to know the answers and be one step ahead. He was quite a frightening character in a way.
Bad point: Again, please don't hate me, but...the actor. Sylvester could do happy, he could do mysterious, but...angry? No. Sad? No. Scared? A bit. I can forgive all of this, because the character he played was interesting. I think that playing a good character is half the battle, and although his acting was a bit ropey at times, he really made a good, interesting character in the seventh Doctor. So I can overlook his difficulty in conveying emotion at times.
The Eighth Doctor
Good point: Like five, he was a very heroic sort of guy.
Bad point: I haven't heard much of the Big Finish stuff. As such, I only really know eight from the movie and the minisode. He acts and sounds very different in the two. Some more consistency, perhaps. But then again, I haven't heard much of the Big Finish stuff.
The War Doctor
Good point: A great idea. It means that neither eight or nine have to be tainted as the Doctor who fought brutally and wiped out two races. Their characters do not have this on their shoulders.
Bad point: He has caused confusion with the numbering. Not with me, but it was all quite messy for a time.
The Ninth Doctor
Good point: He could switch from false happiness to rage in seconds. He was very believable as a traumatized man trying to forget the past. Eccleston was simply sublime at building such a deep character.
Bad point: His treatment of Mickey. It was funny in some ways, but thinking back, it was genuinely cruel at times. Taking her boyfriend so that he was a murder suspect, and not even caring. Forcing him to take actions which he know might lead to Rose's death. And although he softened to Mickey, he never seemed grateful nor remorseful for what he had put him through.
The Tenth Doctor
Good point: The character. Deep, funny, dark, intelligent...so good.
Bad point: As with the fourth. It's funny how the generally most popular classic Doctor and the generally most popular new series Doctor have the same issue. Their best days were at the start of their time. With 10, he became boring and limp towards the end. He became depressing to watch. It got so bad that I did want him to go by The End of Time. It was awful seeing what started out as such am amazing character become so depressing.
The Eleventh Doctor
Good point: Matt Smith's performance. He was a bit "Tennant mark 2" when he started, but he just got better and better over time. Although I love Capaldi, I would have liked just one more Smith season. And whilst like Mccoy, he wasn't always totally convincing with his anger etc, like Mccoy, he knew how to play a really great character.
The Twelfth Doctor
Good point: The darkness. I'd been waiting for a darker, more dangerous Doctor for a long time, and it is a delight to at last have one.
Bad point: That black jumper with holes in it. 12 looks like a handsome, older man in his smart shirts. But when he's wearing that jumper, it highlights just how stick thin Peter Capaldi is. He looks kind of scruffy when he's wearing it.
There we go. Feel free to disagree with any or all of it. Anyone else got a different list to me?
However, nothing in life is perfect, and this includes Doctor Who. So, if you were asked to say one, and only one good and bad point about each version of the Doctor, what would you say?
It's been quite tough for me to narrow it down to one positive and negative for each, but here is my list:
The First Doctor
Good point: Humour- hiding in Daleks, fighting like a man half his age, general rudeness...he was just a great character, not just the grumpy old man some people think he was.
Bad point: Abduction, attempted murder, death threats...the show was in it's early days, and the Doctor was pretty damn cruel at the start.
The Second Doctor
Good point: The bold new character. When you think about it, a cosmic hobo is exactly what the Doctor is, and Troughton got it just right in his performance.
Bad point: Scruffiness. Troughton was quite a handsome bloke, I think he would have done better in a slightly smarter costume.
The Third Doctor
Good point: His relationship with those around him- the exasperated, strained respect between him and UNIT was a joy to watch.
Bad point: Karate. The stunts he pulled were unconvincing and laughable. For instance, knocking two people out by flicking his arms at them.
The Fourth Doctor
Good point: There was nothing better than him being taken prisoner, and treating the whole thing like a joke. The Seeds of Doom, for instance. He pushed the character of Scorby to the limit on several occasions, and it was hilarious to watch. There is nothing better than a hero who isn't even remotely scared of the bad guys.
Bad point: His character seemed to change over time. Now, I'm all for character development, but I think Doctor 4 regressed rather than progressed. His best days, in my view, were in the Hinchcliffe era. By his final series, he just didn't seem the same. Perhaps seven years was simply too long.
The Fifth Doctor
Good point: He was a nice guy. The Doctor's before him, whilst all great characters, were not men you would perhaps feel comfortable around. For instance, the fourth Doctor, whilst a nice man, was really a terrifying whackjob at times. Whilst we loved him for that, it was nice to get a flawed, but gentle and kind hero in the Fifth Doctor.
Bad point: He was a nice guy. I sometimes feel that, whilst it was nice to have a straightforward, kindly figure, this eventually got boring. I expect I'll get kicked for saying this, but five bored me. Yes, he was a nice guy, and yes this made a refreshing change, but I think that an all around nice guy can only hold your interest for so long.
The Sixth Doctor
Good point: The darkness- a real hark back to the Hartnell days, his personality a striking contrast from his predecessor- excellent stuff. It's great to have two extremely different Doctors one after the other.
Bad point: He could be a bit of a chore to watch. The first Doctor managed to pull of rudeness, cruelness and flippancy, yet still he is a joy to watch. With six...I don't know, it just comes across as tiresome as opposed to funny at times.
The Seventh Doctor
Good point: The mystery. Once they'd established his character a bit more, he always seemed to be in control, he always seemed to know the answers and be one step ahead. He was quite a frightening character in a way.
Bad point: Again, please don't hate me, but...the actor. Sylvester could do happy, he could do mysterious, but...angry? No. Sad? No. Scared? A bit. I can forgive all of this, because the character he played was interesting. I think that playing a good character is half the battle, and although his acting was a bit ropey at times, he really made a good, interesting character in the seventh Doctor. So I can overlook his difficulty in conveying emotion at times.
The Eighth Doctor
Good point: Like five, he was a very heroic sort of guy.
Bad point: I haven't heard much of the Big Finish stuff. As such, I only really know eight from the movie and the minisode. He acts and sounds very different in the two. Some more consistency, perhaps. But then again, I haven't heard much of the Big Finish stuff.
The War Doctor
Good point: A great idea. It means that neither eight or nine have to be tainted as the Doctor who fought brutally and wiped out two races. Their characters do not have this on their shoulders.
Bad point: He has caused confusion with the numbering. Not with me, but it was all quite messy for a time.
The Ninth Doctor
Good point: He could switch from false happiness to rage in seconds. He was very believable as a traumatized man trying to forget the past. Eccleston was simply sublime at building such a deep character.
Bad point: His treatment of Mickey. It was funny in some ways, but thinking back, it was genuinely cruel at times. Taking her boyfriend so that he was a murder suspect, and not even caring. Forcing him to take actions which he know might lead to Rose's death. And although he softened to Mickey, he never seemed grateful nor remorseful for what he had put him through.
The Tenth Doctor
Good point: The character. Deep, funny, dark, intelligent...so good.
Bad point: As with the fourth. It's funny how the generally most popular classic Doctor and the generally most popular new series Doctor have the same issue. Their best days were at the start of their time. With 10, he became boring and limp towards the end. He became depressing to watch. It got so bad that I did want him to go by The End of Time. It was awful seeing what started out as such am amazing character become so depressing.
The Eleventh Doctor
Good point: Matt Smith's performance. He was a bit "Tennant mark 2" when he started, but he just got better and better over time. Although I love Capaldi, I would have liked just one more Smith season. And whilst like Mccoy, he wasn't always totally convincing with his anger etc, like Mccoy, he knew how to play a really great character.
The Twelfth Doctor
Good point: The darkness. I'd been waiting for a darker, more dangerous Doctor for a long time, and it is a delight to at last have one.
Bad point: That black jumper with holes in it. 12 looks like a handsome, older man in his smart shirts. But when he's wearing that jumper, it highlights just how stick thin Peter Capaldi is. He looks kind of scruffy when he's wearing it.
There we go. Feel free to disagree with any or all of it. Anyone else got a different list to me?
0
Comments
G: Convincing as 'Eccentric Genius'.
B: Horrible personality. Wd hate to be stuck in a TARDIS with him.
Second
G: Introduced the Doctor's humorous nature, which has stuck ever since.
B: Bit too silly.
Third
G: Believable as an authority figure.
B: Too "007". Not "alien" enough.
Fourth
G: Virtually everything! The charisma... the eccentricity... the humour... the otherworldliness... the iconic scarf and hat... Still the best!
B:
Fifth
G: Basically nice guy. Decent chap.
B: Dull as dishwater. Bland as a biscuit.
Sixth
G: Brought the "weird" back to the Doctor's personality.
B: Ridiculous costume.
Seventh
G: His umbrella?
B: Too silly/childish.
Eighth
G n/a
B n/a
(not seen film)
Ninth
G: Good at portraying "real" emotions.
B: Too soap opera. Tries too hard to be "fun". The "wackiness" feels forced.
Tenth
G: His ability to express wide-eyed fear
B:
Eleventh
G: Extremely likeable. Great energy. Very believable as an alien/ time lord.
B: Occasionally slips into "entertainer-at-a-children's-party" mode.
Twelfth
G: Wonderful sarcasm and wit.
B: Too old??
G: he doesnt even have to speak to steal a scene he just shoots a look and hes hooked you!
B: We didn't see enough of Grandad! we need more John Hurt.
1st: Had mystery and gravitas but not the warmest of incarnations
2nd: Brought warmth and comedy. I honestly can’t think of a negative.
3rd: Introduced more action, but perhaps a little too macho and took himself too seriously
4th: He owned the part from day one. But by the end had become, perhaps, too distant from the little people.
5th: Human and vulnerable, which I liked, but just a tad bland
6th: Loud, brash, colourful, passionate – the negative? That bloody costume obviously.
7th: Refreshingly upbeat, but not the best actor.
8th: Sexy sexy 8th Doctor. The first ‘romantic lead’ of the show. But we only got to see him fleetingly.
9th: Gravitas and sympathetic. The gurning got a bit much though.
10th: Sexy, romantic lead. Accessible and likeable. Negative? He wasn’t so good without a regular companion.
11th: Great comedy, a shame that wasn’t used much. But perhaps too eccentric and so not so accessible anymore.
12th: Hilariously angry and abrasive. His people skills need a LOT of work though. And he needs better companions too.
Good - Takes no nonsense, grumpy, aloof
Bad - Has a tendency to try and smash cavemen's heads in with a rock (that's frowned upon)
The Second Doctor
Good - Fun, mischievous, hair, plays the recorder for the hell of it.
Bad - Trousers
The Third Doctor
Good - Velvet Jackets, charm, likes his gadgets and vehicle's, interaction with authority types
Bad - Has a soft spot for a psychopath
The Fourth Doctor
Good - Scarf, hair, eyes, teeth, Witty, charismatic, slightly spooky
Bad - Hangs around with a robot dog
The Fifth Doctor
Good - Died with a good view
Bad - Clothes, fetish for celery, being slightly dull
The Sixth Doctor
Good - has an edgy personality, not a people person
Bad - Stole Joseph's coat and ran with that style
The Seventh Doctor
Good - Mysterious, manipulates
Bad - Fetish for question marks
The Eighth Doctor
Good - Charmer, threatens himself with a gun rather than anyone else.
Bad - Hangs out with Americans
The Ninth Doctor
Good - Gritty down to earth Doctor, intense but could also be fun, broken man trying to carry on, leather jacket, satellite dish ears
Bad - Became a Big Brother contestant, he didn't do it on purpose but that will always be on his record, the Daleks got one over him on that, their best hit against him.
The Tenth Doctor
Good - The suits, being cool, getting rid of an ex by giving her a clone of yourself..that's smart, his love for little shops,
Bad - I don't want to go moping, Jesus complex.
The Eleventh Doctor
Good - Mad cap personality
Bad - at times to childlike (such as the start of AIM), thinking things are cool got tired, turning down Amy when she went for him in her bedroom.
The Twelfth Doctor
Good - Not a people person, not afraid to say things people will dislike, not trying to please people (bar Clara), edgy, unconditionally loyal to those he is close too, nice coat, spotted jumper
Bad - He's starting to soften up, the white shirt
(Disclaimer - parts of this post was said in jest, I hope no American's, Robot Dogs or White shirts were offended)
Good: He gave us much of what we come to expect from the Doctor today
Bad: The grumpiness went too far at times.
Troughton:
Good: Got The Doctor down perfectly.
Bad: Nothing really major.
Pertwee:
Good: The stuck on Earth dynamic.
Bad: Nothing really major.
Tom Baker:
Good: The humour.
Bad: He stayed too long and made sure the rest of the classic Doctor's were judged by his yardstick.
Davison:
Good: He was what we'd expect The Doctor to be
Bad: Bland
Colin Baker:
Good: Edgier Doctor (bar near strangling Peri)
Bad: The costume.
McCoy:
Good: Added some mystery back to the show
Bad: The scripts.
McGann:
Good: Davison with looks and personality.
Bad: Didn't get long enough in the chair.
Eccleston:
Good: Bought Doctor Who back to the masses.
Bad: Chris Eccleston isn't thrilled to be part of the show now, and treats it like he's ashamed of it.
Tennant:
Good: Mix of all the best parts of the previous Doctors
Bad: He had to suffer Donna for a season.
Smith:
Good: Matt Smith acted the role well.
Bad: Confusing and/or lacklustre scripts.
Capaldi:
Good: Moodier Doctor without threats of violence to those he really cares for.
Bad: None really, not yet at least.
1 Bad: Some of his episodes are missing.
2 Good: Patrick took the role and made it his own, rather than trying to replicate Hartnell. He made for a nice contrast, and was always very watchable no matter what the series was doing.
2 Bad: Not only are some episodes missing, but I think the series became too formulaic in Troughton's era (particularly during the 'monster season'). The unpredictability of the Hartnell's era was diminished. The leads would always win and be safe, the monsters always defeated, the 'spark' had gone slightly.
3 Good: I quite like the amount of gadgets, gizmos and vehicles. It goes a bit James Bond, and colour brings a whole new dimension to the show.
3 Bad: The Doctor's often a bit of a dick in his earlier stories of his era.
4 Good: The consistency of good, solid stories. Tom was fantastic, as were his supporting actors and characters, etc. But my god, look at Seasons 12-14. Each has a dud in it, but overall they're just so strong and consistently good.
4 Bad: He went off the rails towards the end, and so did the show, and Tom stayed too long. Arguably harmed the show, and Who never quite recovered due to it.
5 Good: The injection of youth and an all-round "nice chap" with vulnerabilities was a good approach to the Doctor after Tom. Felt quite fresh.
5 Bad: The 80s really arrive, and so does JNT's policy on things such as strict costuming (Adric and co. muct really stink!) and 'no hanky panky'. There are too many companions, and a few too many grey spaceships.
6 Good: A bold new journey for the Doctor. He's unpredictable, but also fun. He has an edge. Slightly unknowable and dangerous and loud. A fab contrast to Davison.
6 Bad: The stories, for the most part, are absolute rot. I adore the Sixth Doctor but really struggle with his era due to most stories being crap. Plus, Peri doesn't stop moaning. There's an over-reliance on old continuity too.
7 Good: The show feels refreshed again, breezy in Season 24 with a more whimsical Doctor on adventures with a companion who's happy to be there for a change. Season 25 is very strong, colourful, fun and, much like Hartnell's era, is very creative once again. The second most imaginative era, imo, when it comes to storytelling.
7 Bad: Not the fault of anyone on the Doctor Who team, but they were scheduled to clash against Corrie and were doomed to fail no matter what they did. McCoy, like Baker before him, deserved another series to really nail the role.
8 Good: Fantastic actor, really great Doctor.
8 Bad: Only had the one movie, which was good but nothing seriously spectacular, and deserved a series at least.
9 Good: Just everything about Series 1 is ruddy incredible.
9 Bad: N/A
10 Good: This era got so many things right, and I enjoyed the structure of the series. Also loved the slow introduction of old foes in the finales, and David Tennant really blew everyone away.
10 Bad: The hit and miss nature of the stories, perhaps? Or Rose always hanging over the show, and things getting a bit stale towards the end.
11 Good: Series 5 is fantastic, bar a couple of duds. Everything is just right.
11 Bad: Everything about Series 6 and 7, frankly. Stories, scripts, characters, arcs, everything.
Also just wanted to comment on an earlier post: "Chris Eccleston isn't thrilled to be part of the show now, and treats it like he's ashamed of it." - No he doesn't. He just doesn't talk about it much because he's moved on. He still embraces kids though, and not too long ago appeared in character for a fun Who-themed wedding proposal. He also had at least one meeting about potentially joining the 50th. He doesn't treat it as though he's ashamed of it at all. He just wants the press and, by extension, public to also acknowledge him for other roles he's done before and since just as much.
B: Don't like to be negative about the First Doctor. He isn't generally accepted very well on here and elsewhere. If I had one valid criticism it would be that some of his humour is very old-fashioned but that is to be expected since his Doctor catered for a whole different generation of children back in the 60's.
2) G: What i really love about this Doctor is the way he is totally underestimated due to his shambolic appearance and unassuming manner. It's what i love about Columbo too.
B: Like many other posters I can't think of anything bad but am glad he got rid of that big hat within a few stories.
3) G: His new action orientated Doctor was a nice contrast to the first two Doctors.
B: The usual, too serious and over moralistic.
4) G: His sense of humour, especially in his early Seasons.
B: His characterisation in Season 18. Very stagnant and JNT had knocked all the humour out of him.
5) G: Can't say anymore than I said in the other thread. I loved his nice guy recklessness and vulnerability.
B: Well I thoroughly disagree with every poster who said he was bland and dull. The only thing I would say is that he could have been more humourous as he was in his last story but that wasn't his fault.
6) G: Season 23, charming and engaging in every story bar perhaps Mindwarp.
B: As with Hartnell I will always vigorously defend this Doctor. So I can only say his characterisation in The Twin Dilemma and the costume.
7)G: Outstanding in even the direst of stories and I loved the way he took control, especially in stories like Ghost Light.
B: I can't find anything bad to say about this Doctor. I liked him, it was just the stories that were crap, particularly in the first two seasons.
8) G: His childlike innocence. Just superb.
B: That he wasn't onscreen for long enough.
9) G:When he was funny, he was quite amusing.
B:Rude, patronising, seemingly always having ago at everyone, especially Rose, The tough guy image didn't do it for me I'm afraid but his one Series was a good one.
10)G: His daft sense of humour and authority.
B: Bit of a crybaby and didn't like the Time Lord Victorious and the Darker Doctor he became at the end.
11) G: His physical comedy and zany personality.
B: Talking too fast.
12) G:I like the fact he is a less friendly Doctor and is a bit rude. A neat contrast to his predecessor. And his funny running makes me chuckle as well.
B: Sometimes, but not always, his strong Scottish accent makes it a bit difficult to understand what he is saying but it's a very small percentage of the time I get that.
War Doctor
Good: Played by the amazing John Hurt. He steals every scene he's in effortlessly, and as The Doctor played it with a delightful mix of humour and depth.
Bad: The premise for this incarnation is just awful. "He is my secret", utters the Eleventh Doctor to Clara. Why is he a secret exactly? Your companions know you can change your face without necessarily knowing all of them, and you've been very talktative about your involvement in the Time War (Dalek, The Parting of the Ways, Doomsday, The Stolen Earth, The End of Time to name but a few)... the 'secret' element of the character is only a shock reveal from a viewers perspective and makes little sense in-series other than for blatant stunt casting.
Ninth Doctor
Good: a delightful blend of dorky fun and complete and utter gravitas. In terms of character he was very much the incarnation that didn't let you forget he was a little bit alien. His platonic love for Rose added to that character, and was never mushy. It was all very reserved and mysterious.
Bad: All of his emotionally charged anger and remorse was for nothing...it was all an elaborate ruse thanks to what later happened with the War Doctor. An insult to both character and actor in a number of ways, the Time War should have been left alone. Eccleston was one of the few you could have found to convincingly play a hero that was also responsible for the deaths of millions, and still have you feel sympathy for him.
Tenth Doctor
Good: His delightful adoration for the human race brought out the best in people, and introduced us to an array of characters. Rose, Martha, Donna, Wilf... all of them brilliant characters that worked so well with a Doctor on their level.
Bad: He was so domesticated in places you'd forget he was an alien. As a Doctor he became dull and boring and each of his companions outshone him as a result. It's why The Specials were lacking for me, and why his return for the 50th didn't receive an overwhelming reaction like I thought it might. This was a Doctor that needed a companion alongside him, because without one he was a bit of a whiny bore... and the Timelord Victorious stuff was just cringe-inducing.
Eleventh Doctor
Good: His energy and enthusiasm for almost everything is second-to-none, though very well wrapped in a layer of depth... in a way it was quite profoundly dark that the Doctor that aged the most over his tenure was also the one who had regressed into his youngest form, playing and laughing at the darkness of his life because he could no longer face the horrors and guilt.
Bad: Increasingly as time went on he became more of a caricature of himself, spouting catchphrases and one-liners intended to be snappy and witty. This became jarring as the series lost much of its depth, and it showed up elements of a character being poorly written - and left looking daft in a bow tie and a tweed suit.
Twelfth Doctor
Good: He has more depth to his character than any before him. He can switch from what seems to be utter apathy, to the smallest of indicators of his invulnerabilities making him really interesting. In Kill the Moon, for example, he goes from being unapologetic towards Clara's onslaught, to playing the lonely old man as soon as she slams out the door. This depth applies to more than just 'lonely old man' though, and he's able to be angry, upset, fun, hilarious, uplifting, sarcastic and more all while still feeling very much like the same man.
Bad: At a push, I'd say it feels like he's being softened a little too quickly. Last Christmas got it about right, but don't lighten him any more than that. Let him still have his grumpy old man moments... it makes the zest-for-life inner-child moments all the more special.
No, it looks to me as though that part of the comment was removed for some reason. Maybe I did id by accident when editing. Or maybe I forgot to put it in, but I don't think I did,
It was basically the slightly OTT ness at times.
1. The Sergeant Doctor
2. The Columbo Doctor
3. The Bond, James Bond Doctor
4. The Holmes Doctor
5. The Veterinary Doctor (I never could shake the Tristan out of him)
6. The Boring Doctor
7. The Merlin Doctor
8. The Unknown Doctor (saw too little of him)
9. The Reluctant Doctor
10. The Trenchcoat Doctor
11. The Errol Flynn Doctor
12. The Deadly Serious Doctor
... and whilst I'm about it:
1. The Sinister Master
2. The Bug-Eyed Master
3. The Failed Copy Master
4. The American Master
5 The Really Sinister Master
6. The Mad-as-a-Hatter Master
Good: I enjoyed that in the early days, the Doctor wasn't technically the main character of the show. He was intended as a scientist/historian whose job was to ''explain it all'' and indeed the early audience were not too sure whether he was to be trusted.
Bad: Threatening to smash someone's head in with a rock took it a bit far.
2)
Good:I love how he was such a departure from One, and yet still the same guy if you look closely enough. His silliness brings some humour to the role.
Bad:
Obviously not Troughton's fault, but it's a pity most of his stories were deleted.
3)
Good:I like how he had a ''family'' of sorts on Earth, and I'm glad he continued contact with them after he was given back the TARDIS.
Bad:I think the ''trapped on earth'' arc went on a bit too long.
4)
Good:The best thing about four is that the viewer never knew what to expect from him.
Bad:I don't like how his family on Earth was simply abandoned half-way through this Doctor's tenure.
5)
Good:Best thing about Five is that he was an all-round nice bloke. One of those characters that you knew you could just trust.
Bad:Kamelion. The character was introduced and not seen again until his departure. What the hell?
6)
Good:I like how they tried to portray a Doctor who was far more alien than any of his predecessors, but deep down equally heroic.
Bad:Strangling Peri. Pointless scene and pretty much turned the public against poor Colin.
7)
Good: A Darker Doctor. I always loved Seven's portrayal as ''the Arch Manipulator".
Bad: Season 24 was terrible.
8)
Good: "The Night of the Doctor" was a masterpiece which only Paul McGann could have pulled off.
Bad: The whole "half human" nonsense from the movie.
War)
Good: Very interesting concept. Managed to get the fanbase in an absolute frenzy.
Bad: I still think Moffat should have brought back Eight to end the Time War. I know what he said about Eight's character not being suited or whatever but imo that makes it all the more effective. Seeing the happy and jolly Eighth Doctor turned into a hardened warrior.
9)
Good:My Favourite Doctor. I loved how he didn't take sh*t from anyone. Eccleston's performance was world-class. I liked how this was the first Doctor to have outright romantic tension. For some reason everyone seems to focus on Ten and Rose, yet when watching Series 1 it's clear that the romance storyline began with Nine.
Bad:Didn't stick around long enough.
10)
Good:Ten was undeniably the most Human Doctor. The thing I liked about him most was just how charismatic the Tenth Doctor was. He understood human social norms to a far greater extent than any other incarnation. Ten is the kind of Doctor I would just get along with. I also liked his far more emotional nature.
Bad:The regeneration. How I hated that regeneration. It always irks me how Ten began his tenure insisting he was the same person as Nine, and yet when it was his turn he regenerated crying and screaming, telling people that his next self will be someone else. A poor ending for a great Doctor.
11)
Good:After the very popular Ten, nobody wanted a Doctor who was just a Tennant-ripoff. Matt Smith managed to create a complete polar opposite to Ten, Tennant's charismatic hero to Smith's alien oddball. I like how Smith could go from a silly man-child to an angry, ancient being at the drop of a hat.
Bad:Some of the plots of the Smith era are very confusing, and I think Smith was let-down greatly by the writing, a problem which also relates to...
12)
Good:An angrier, darker Doctor. Not quite as alien as Smith but certainly more-so than Eccleston and Tennant. I love the calm way he warns the half-faced man ''I have the horrible feeling I may have to kill you''. Also, the ongoing mystery about the origin of his face is very intriguing.
Bad: The unexplained hatred of soldiers. I presume it has something to do with the centuries of fighting on trenzalore, but I'd like to see some confirmation of this.
Hartnell - the older I get, the more I love his performance. There genuinely is a magic in it: those eyes constantly sparking in anger, mischief or delight - even as he plays the authority figure. The Three Doctors is a shadow of all that, but we know the reasons why.
Troughton - Adored his clever-silly persona - he inspires such warmth and affection in me as a viewer, and I still miss him on my tv screen. Although he rarely had an off day, I thought he was a little over-the-top as an Androgum.
Pertwee - Loved his paternal relationship with Jo. Disliked his tendency to chin-stroking pomposity.
Baker T. - I love him for defining the part for a generation and for writing himself into our childhoods. That voice, when it returned in 'Day of the Doctor' - it's the spirit of Who. A negative? The gaunt, over-styled and generally pissed-off Doctor of Season 18 loses some of the charm.
Davison - decency is an underrated virtue, and the Fifth Doctor - actor and man - has it in spades. I just wish we could have seen more of those qualities which Davison has brought to later projects, like the dry, undercutting humour. There's something flippant and subversive about Davison, the man, that is pure Doctor, but which we never got to see.
Baker C. - Felt he had so much potential as a Doctor with a concern for social justice, tempered with a pedantry and the rhetorical skills of a maverick lawyer. But everything, everything got lost in that coat.
McCoy - I adore him: that crumpled, time-battered face that creases into a twinkle and a show of avuncular affection towards Ace. The melancholic whimsy of him. But yes, we didn't need the pratfalls at the start and we probably didn't need the excessive r-rolling at the end. But oh yes, I adore him.
McGann - a properly dashing, space-buckling hero who still impresses on audio to this day. The shame is that, ironically, for a Time Lord, he never had enough time.
Hurt - Loved his gravelly gravitas. Felt he seemed a little shoehorned into the canon, however, with some suspiciously Eccleston-sounding dialogue.
Eccleston - Utterly convinced as the war-damaged last of his species. However, sometimes, the quirkiness was forced.
Tennant - gave a proper leading man performance that was considerably more nuanced than the Saturday-nightness of it would suggest. Some of the grandstanding towards the end got wearing, however. It was there in the scripts and Tennant played it as written. But it took away some of my affection for the character.
Smith - Thought he had buckets of charisma and I took to him - the actor and the actor in the part of the Doctor - instantly. Disliked the jittery, kid-on-Ritalin whirling around, putting lemonade in taps, and admiring humans for being 'humany wumany'. We were always lucky to have him, but not always lucky to have the dialogue.
Capaldi - I love it when he's unexpected and plays against the lines as written. He shines in quiet moments, like 'Who frowned me this face?' However, having Clara centre-stage and having him so often snarky means that I'm not yet convinced he's fully opened up both hearts and become everything his Doctor - or a Doctor - should be.
G: Wonderful sarcasm and wit.
B: Too old??[/QUOTE]
too old to play a 2000 yr old timelord?
I particularly liked your comments on the 9th Doctor. The Ecclestone grin is great because the actor plays it AS a fake grin, as it always is in actuality with the Doctor. I love how it can appear and disappear on his face in an instant. As much criticism as Ecclestone takes for not being a fan of the show, in terms of the character he is playing he really did understand him a lot. There's a lot of internal acting going on. It's not much of a newsflash I guess, but Ecclestone really is a good actor.
We should always remember the words of Sheraz Jek in Caves of Androzani': "you have the mouth of a prattling jackanapes but your eyes tell a different story". The 9th Doctor is one where you really do get a strong sense of having a front.
It's definitely my favourite thing about him.
Some thoughts on other Doctors, as per spec:
Hartnell: I like how different he is. The mold wasn't yet set on the character so he could develop and you could put him in different kinds of stories. A few serials in his era were outright comedies for instance, and Hartnell is a good comedy actor. I like his earlier, mean persona too though. I don't see it as being out of character necessarily. I see it as him being young and insecure, and somewhat out of his depth, and now he's saddled with these bloody humans he has to look after! I see those first few serials at the Doctor internally thinking "OHSHITOHSHITOHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT" and behaving in ways that didn't always behoove him as a consequence. I love Moffat's interpretation of the 1st Doctor being young and trying to be grown up and taken seriously. Later Doctors were more chilled because, yeah, look at all the stuff they'd done; the insecurity was gone.
Troughton: along with Ecclestone perhaps the most inscrutable Doctor. You can almost believe he's genuinely betraying Jamie in 'Evil of the Daleks'. As much as he seems like a cuddly uncle a lot of the time Troughton really did give him a steely edge too - but he would also show real fear and panic! It's really a great mix.
One of the reasons I really dislike the Three Doctors and subsequent multi-Doctor episodes is that they really portrayed the 2nd Doctor badly. They took the overt clownish aspect of the character and made it his ONLY characteristic. It really irritates me. Even now he is regarded as just a lovable buffoon by many less well-watched fans. You can tell fans who know him from the Three Doctors onwards from fans who are very familiar with his actual era quite easily. The 2nd Doctor was a very compelling character. The version in the Three Doctors and onwards was a parody of him.
Pertwee: Thamwet summed up what I love about the Pertwee Doctor in his OP.
Baker: the 4th Doctor is simply so charismatic. I do appreciate also how Tom Baker had his own internal characterization. He wasn't just taking his cues from the scripts. He responded how he felt the character would respond. One of his defining moments is the scene in Horror of Fang Rock where he proclaims 'we're all going to die' and bursts out laughing. The point here that Tom Baker was quite consciously portraying is that the Doctor isn't human and doesn't react how a human would. This is a hallmark of his performance - the 'otherness' of the Doctor.
Davison: again, Thamwet really summed up a lot of my feelings about the 5th Doctor.
Baker C: Colin Baker gave more characterization to the 6th Doctor than the scripts did. We all know that this Doctor was hobbled from the concept stage but he did a manful job. That sounds like faint praise I guess, but fighting against weak scripts and lazy production the Doctor still manages to remain an interesting character, and that's no small feat.
The ironic thing is, I think the 6th Doctor would get better and better the less Colin Baker acted and the more he was just Colin Baker. His getting the role by entertaining people at John Nathan Turner's party is something that has been pretty scorned but it actually isn't that absurd: it does need a charismatic actor who is entertaining in his own right.
Which brings us on to MccCoy: I agree with Thamwet about the dark, mysterious nature they gave him in his second two series, but my favourite thing about this Doctor is just the man, Sylvester McCoy. By which, I don't mean his acting, or even his personality but simply his physical appearance. It's probably the best of any of the Doctors. That inoccuous, slightly daft looking man, that any enemy would underestimate... I actually think the more traditionally 'heroic' an actor looks, the harder he has to work as the Doctor to be convincing. It's probably the thing I've always struggled with with Tennant: he's too much the friend's big brother that your sister fancies. I find the idea of the 7th Doctor so compelling. I like this old-fashioned, squonky, slightly inscrutable little man.
McGann: I like his romantic nature and his youthfulness. His regeneration is overtly portrayed as a rebirth and McGann gives a strong sense of that. It's easy to imagine this Doctor going off to explore the universe for the wonder of it.
Smith: it's quite a cliche now but 'old man in a young man's body' is a good summation. I always felt that people who say he's too silly weren't really fully paying attention (too busy ranting on the Internet I guess
Bad: I wish he didn't do quite so much touchy-feeling or quite so much sobbing. I don't think the Doctor should be emotionless and I don't think intimacy or vunerability should be taboo for the character but I find it stretches credulity sometimes. Come one, after so many years and all of the things this man's done and gone through and seen, there's a certain bassline of stoicism he should have.
Capaldi: Again, his look is great, although I agree his clothes haven't suited him. I actually think he would be so much better served in something less costumey. Just a dark suit maybe, without the magician's trills. In the first season his performance seemed to veer quite a bit as they looked for the character's level in both the writing and Capaldi's portrayal. Season 2 tends to be when an actor really hits his stride in the role so I'm looking forward to it.
Thanks TomTit!