Probably been done loads before this but it doesn't harm to do it again!

Taking into consideration not just the effects, what do you think was the best regeneration? When I ask this, I'm taking into account the music, dramatic potential, tear-jerkability and story leading upto the regeneration itself. Plus anything you care to add to what I've put.

My fave has always been the Baker/Davison one but one of the others I liked was the Pertwee/Baker one. It's a shame it hasn't got hardly any special effects for the regeneration itself because the lead upto it I imagine would have been quite saddening just because it has hardly any music, just a sort of sad silence if that's the right word. I can imagine Pertwee Fans at the time just sobbing uncontrollably to that regeneration! I also think Planet Of The Spiders has quite good impact itself in the final episode leading upto the regeneration itself. I just liked the Logopolis Regeneration because it introduced Peter D and was the first one I watched.

Finally, Planet Of the Spiders was a contrast to The End Of Time which had a slow bulid up to the Regeneration but the sequence itself was good and the music superb!

Anyway, time to let everyone else get a word in! What do you all think?

By far the funniest was the Romana one

Has to be "Logopolis" or "The Caves of Androzani". Clever ideas which put a
new spin on the concept of regeneration.

Peter Davison had the best regeneration scene, Chris Eccleston had the best final words.

Definitely Davison to Baker. The lead in story is exceptionally good and the visual effects seem to match the quality of writing. You start soaring way up high with the Caves of Androzani, then there's those weird lines rushing towards you like you're falling, falling, then suddenly bang! you're at the bottom. The very lowest you could be. And The Twin Dilemma starts.

CE to DT

Caves, EOT, Planet of Spiders, War Games and Parting of the Ways are my faves...


Not a big fan on the remaining, I like the TV Movie, Logopolis, is fine untill the end where the Doctor just decides to let go for some reason...and I haven't seen the regen of Hatnell into Troughton to comment.

The Caves Of Androzani was one my other faves I forgot to mention. The pace of that last episode is exactly how Tennant's last episode should have been. Action packed, then bam, straight into the regeneration scene.

And you can go even lower than that. Time and The Rani anyone????

For me it was Tom Baker regenerating into Peter Davison. I grew up with Baker's Doctor and I dreaded Logopolis as it was the end of an era. The story itself compounded this by having a funeral atmosphere. So for me the best regenerations are always a part of a good overall story.

For surprise value Eccleston to Tennet would take some beating ( although the end of Stolen Earth would have been beaten it by a mile if DT had actually regenerated - so the best 'misses regeneration'!!)

The thing that I loved about the might 200 poll in DWM last year was that Caves was top and Twin was at the bottom....in many ways that sums up Doctor Who better than anything ever could....from the sublime to ridiculous!

Yeah, I read that poll too, it was amazing the way it worked out, but that shows you the inconsistency of 80's who really. I.E Timelash/Revelation.

Alao agree with above post that said Tennant's 'Regeneration' in Stolen Earth would have been brilliant if it had been for real. However, how they would have worked in a new Doctor in the last episode of a series I don't know, not as if a New Doctor has been introduced at the end of a series before......hang on.......

In a way, the fifth Doctor also spent most of the episode resisting regeneration, in order to get back to the Tardis and save peri. While once the process started for the Tenth Doctor...he didn't need to save anyone apart from himself and his time lord victorious ego.....hence the rewards scenes. So its different, and it makes sense to be different.

I find regenerations to be bitter/sweet to be honest. I'm not it's something I can have a 'favourite' of. I was looking forwards to seeing the back of Tennant (boo - hiss) so I was eager to see how Matt was introduced.

I hated Logopolis because I didn't want Tom to leave. But I suppose it was time for a change.

The Caves of Androzani seems very popular on this forum but it bored the living crap out of me.

I saw Planet of Spiders recently for the first time and I found it quite uplifting when Jon turned to Tom so, by process of elimination I think this is the one for me

I like Tom Baker into Peter Davison the best.
Just because of the dark moody finalistic feel that Logopolis had throughout it's story. It makes me feel sad when he's thinking back to his enemies and then to his companions. You also find out that the ghostly Watcher that had been stalking him throughout the story was like his regeneration catching up with him.

I also like Peter Davison's into Colin Baker.
It was completely different to the other one - with the bright colours, the overwhelming sounds and the big ka-boom when it actually happens. Rather than when the Watcher slowly creeped up to Tom Baker's Doctor.

It's ironic that Tom Baker's sad, nostalgic regeneration leads into a kind, compassionate Doctor, and then the dramatic, angry regeneration of Peter Davison leads into a grumpy, malicious Doctor with a serious chip on his shoulder.

So true. And if anything it was this bit when I first truly fell in love with his doctor oddly enough, just as he said goodbye.

Much better than Tennants. I loved the whole end sequence of EOT2 and think claims of self indulgence are irrelevant nonsense, but I think his very final moments and in particular his final words are utterly appalling. Thankfully this was soon forgotten with Mr Smith who surely can lay claim to best opening moments of a doctor!

But they suited his character, after all this was the Doctor who after his close change in Stolen Earth/JE said "why would I want to change, look at me"...so it was apt....much like my favourite words of the Second Doctor: No No No noooooooooooo

In both cases he didn't have a companion to keep up the facede of bravery...he could be as honest as he wanted...and that is why I love both of those end words...because they are truthful the Doctor's ego....

You may very well have a point!

My view was that most of the new episodes thunder along at a hundred mile an hour, hardly give you time to breathe most of them. Therefore, I was expecting an end of season-finale type of story for Tennant's swansong. I thought it would be an ideal way to send him off.

I don't disagree with the way it was done, it was nice to say goodbye to all the old companions. It did work to a degree but my personal preference was just to race along to the regeneration. As i said at the beginning, thought the regeneration sequence itself was done brilliantly and I SO loved vale decem, perfect choice of music for a regeneration.

Seconded. I've watched it a few times and still can't quite figure out what, if anything, is so good about it.
Every character, besides the Doctor and Peri, is nasty and annoying.
Maybe I'm just mad because it's praised as much as Tom Baker's works of art, whereas to me Caves is just mundane and not enjoyable to watch at all.
Just a messy, arduous affair for the Doctor, and also for me to watch.

I know it didn't work for some people...but that will be the case as anything. For me the reason I find Logopolis so disappointing is because he such a grand Doctor, and the fact the reason he dies is because he lets go, and litrally falls from grace...and I have no idea why he started visualising whilst hanging....fair enough after he fell.

I think most of the time we are disappointed due to our own expectations....when I was watching Logopolis, I didn't expect the Fourth Doctor to react like that...so I guess those who feel disappointed with the likes of EOT, are feeling that the Tenth Doctor should have died by other means, or speech, or having a companion with him....the latter I was really glad about, because again I felt it apt for a Doctor that ended up lonly every end of series not having a companion with him on his last moments.

Maybe it's just me but I found them to be a letdown on first viewing and whereas usually I find the very few things that disappoint on first viewing grow on me as i watch again, this moment just annoys me more and more. I just found it terribly anti-climactic. It's partly the words and partly the way Tennant says them...after the quiet stoical dignity of his final farewells they just sound a little bit limp and even whiny.

I agree that a no big speech grand speech was needed and the choice of words was limited by the circumstances of the regen but still. When Tennant described the doctor as 'raging against the dying of the light' or whatever it was I loved that. So was let down when his final words sounded more akin to a 5 year old being told they had to leave their friends birthday party early.

Shouldv'e used the 'dont forget me line' instead...I really liked that scene and Tennant said the line to absolute perfection. And that look of utter sadness and resignation in his eyes...good god that man can act!

This goes back to what I was saying about the story matching the regeneration. I think Pertwee's lived up to it, so did Davison's and I also think Ecclestone's swansong fitted nicely into the regeneration as well. Troughton's would have fitted nicely if we'd actually seen the regeneration and Hartnell's had less impact as he didn't appear in a lot of his final story anyway.

As for Tom Baker, have to agree about the whole flashback thing but in my opinion, it worked, though maybe he could have had better last words more in keeping with his character.

In a way they are his final lines ever in the Tardis.....because he shot SJA after he finished on Doctor Who...its why I had a bit of wee cry then

But again like you yourself pointed out, him not having anyone with him really limited what he could say. As for the way he says it....after seeing the way Euros Lyn intially wanted to direct that scene in DWC, I feel proud of DT for actually making it more dignified than what Lyn wanted...which was to have him have a breakdown!....Having read the script that was availble on the Writer's Tale website, even RTD seems to suggest that the Doctor is honestly speaking but saying it with dignity....so I have no idea why Lyn wanted the Doctor to have a breakdown? I guess maybe he thought that such lines would be suited better if the Doctor was litrally crying his head off.

what puts me off Tom's a bit is that his regeneration was caused by something so silly. It kind of seems even sillier now we have seen DT's Doc fall god knows how much further, crashing through a roof and have just a few cuts to show for it!

I just think after being in the role for so long he should have had a more dramatic exit! At least have him battling with the master and being pushed off!

Chris Eccleston, it's so sweet

"You were fantastic... absolutely fantastic... and you know what? So was I!"

The Fourth Dr knew his time was up the minute he saw the Watcher in episode one of Logopolis. He went through the whole story knowing this was the end.. which for me added a lot of gravitas to the whole affair.