Which Doctor Is the Best? (POLL)


Well, now that series 8 is well behind us, and Peter Capaldi’s first season is in the can, it’s time to vote for the greatest Doctor. Say what you will of series 8, but it has to be noted that Capaldi has risen to the top of many a list since he began. I threw in the War Doctor for the hell of it. Can’t narrow down your favorite? That’s okay, pick your top 3! Tell me why you chose each in the comments below!

39 thoughts on “Which Doctor Is the Best? (POLL)

  1. As someone who hasn’t really watched that much Classic Who, I put Tennant at 1, Eccleston at 2 and the War Doctor at 3 (mostly because he gives me hope that an American technically CAN play The Doctor).

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  2. Tennant is the Doctor for me, for now and forever. To me he combined every aspect of the show the best: while he was quite silly at times, there was always a sense of darkness to him and when he turned to that side it was a truly terrifying experience. I also felt he had some of the best stories and the acting chops to carry them extremely well and though he had a wretched ending, he still stands to me as the perfect Doctor. Fun, intelligent but incredibly dark at times.

    As a sidenote, the only thing that kept Smith from this place is that… well, he had some of the worst stories and writing which is a shame because between the Ponds and Smith’s charm, he could’ve been the best. If it had been anyone but Smith, that tenure probably would’ve been atrocious.

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  3. You should have an option for ‘ALL OF THEM.’ 😉 Seriously, they are all the Doctor and they are all brilliant.

    I have a soft spot for 9 because he was my first, and he is so capricious and captivating; 10 because he is so charming; 12 because he is so cranky; 4 because he is such a delightful lunatic; 3 because he is so dashing; 2 because he pretends to be so bumbling; 11 because he is so sad; 5 because he tries so hard; 7 because he is so inscrutable; 6 because he is so angry; and 1, because he is so baffled.

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  4. I voted 1.Tom Baker 2.Patrick Troughton 3.David Tennant
    I would have put Pertwee at no.4, but after one more season with Capaldi I think he will be rising up the list fast.
    When I was a kid the Tom Baker WAS the Doctor-I had no knowledge of him ever having been played by anyone else. I can still remember watching at my grandparent’s house when he regenerated into Davidson, and exclaiming “Who’s that?!” The only one I really couldn’t take to was McCoy, but having only seen his portrayal when I was young, I’m wiling to revisit and maybe revise my opinion.

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  5. I picked Davison, Smith, and Troughton. Pertwee or Tom Baker was my first Doctor. The station that I watched Who on would flip flop between #3 and #4, so I don’t technically recall which one was my first. However, Davison was the first Doctor that grabbed my attention fully. I loved the way that he made a lot of decisions by committee and showed that the Doctor sometimes doubted himself. Plus, he followed the man that most people consider to be the greatest incarnation of the Doctor in Tom Baker. I picked Troughton because the more I watch of him, the more I enjoy his work. He also had some tough shoes to fill thanks to the brilliant job of William Hartnell.

    Smith is also a favorite because of all of the “new” Doctors, he’s the youngest but portrayed the Doctor at his oldest. I watched Smith transform into an ancient being time and again and I loved his performance.

    With that said, I have enjoyed each incarnation of the Doctor for different reasons. I didn’t particularly care for the stories in Capaldi’s first series, but I do enjoy his portrayal of the Doctor. Hopefully the writing will pick up, and Capaldi won’t end up like poor Colin Baker (who was an excellent Doctor as well).

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  6. David Tennant is easily my favourite: he was able to handle all the different layers of the Doctor so well. He will always be my Doctor: Eccleston was technically my first but just wasn’t around long enough. Matt Smith was almost as good and really likeable. Jon Pertwee is my favourite classic Doctor, combining a refined manner with a talent for action.

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  7. I changed my mind twice after hitting the ‘vote’ button! Patrick Troughton is by far, the funniest doctor (and possibly, most endearing, as his serious side is somewhat more poignant due to his clowning). Tom Baker, whom I have met and can genuinely say is a gentleman with a sense of humour, is ‘The’ Doctor. His dashing and enigmatic portrayal has not been matched as yet (though David Tenant’s doctor was a close second here). I have also met Colin Baker, a charming individual but too stuffy in his role at the time for me to consider as the doctor. I liked all the others, William Hartnell’s was dark and believable (but the character hadn’t quite been explored as the doctor we now know and love), John Pertwee’s was dynamic but too much violence for the role. Peter Davidson and Sylvester McCoy weren’t great but they were the doctor (along with Colin, of course) when I was growing up and have a place in my heart. Matt Smith was amusing and quirky and John Hurt/Paul Mcgann are legendary actors but with too short a time in the Tardis to make a huge impression (Though the fiftieth anniversary ‘day of the doctor’ was a masterpiece). Christopher Eccleston was a good choice for the reboot of our favourite sci-fi but I must admit, I’m a little bit in awe of Mr Capaldi and have loved this new series, so he comes in third for me.
    Thanks for looking at my blog (The Chronicles of Cyralost) and thanks for posting this, feel free to respond as I could talk ‘Who’ till the Tardis explodes (oh wait, it did that already, wrong analogy, til they find Galifray again then). Best wishes from Baldy.

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      1. Absolutely. At the time I had given up on Who for Blakes 7 and more “adult” orientated sci-fi. I had lost interest during the end of Tom Bakers reign and Davisons tenure thanks in no small measure to some not so great companions, and JNT’s vision. After discovering the twin charms of Nicola Bryant I became an occasional viewer but found myself as I still do now comparing it to what I always thought of as being the golden age (looking through those rose tinted spectacles). It was only with the release of the dvd’s and my ocd in needing to complete the set (excluding the wiped stories) that I revisited the Colin Baker era. For me I found that he was actually rather good and an excellent contrast to the slightly wet downbeat Davison. Varos (especially Sil) being the pick of the bunch although I am also in the minority liking Timelash. Sadly I felt bringing in a madman who clearly couldn’t act to follow him was a big mistake which made the cancellation of the show at the time unsurprising.

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    1. Before Matt Smith, Colin was my #3… he got edged out by Matt though… but it’s close, because I like Colin the person (from everything I’ve seen and heard from him outside of Who) and I feel like he really got the short end of the stick back in the day.

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  8. I’m most familiar with new-Who, and the only Classic Doctors I’ve seen so far are 1 and 3. Of the Doctors I’ve seen, 10 is my favorite. He’s very closely followed by 11, and I’m becoming quite fond of 12. I also have a soft spot for 9, who was my first Doctor.

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  9. As a teen, Tom Baker was THE best, but I really enjoyed the masculinity and adventure that Christopher Eccleston brought to the role of the “new” Doctor. As a now middle-aged woman, the whimsy, comedy, adventure and downright sex-appeal of David Tennant is unbeatable! If a 4th place had been allowed, Peter Capaldi would have it for the intrigue he has brought to a character who we Humans thought loved us, but now we’re not so sure…

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  10. For your poll I voted Peter Davison, Tom Baker, and Matt Smith.

    My order changes over time. I generally abstain from putting Paul McGann on any list because he only had the one TV movie. I have not listened to enough Big Finish audios with McGann’s Doctor but I enjoy all of him that I’ve seen… but with such a small sample size I feel it unfair to vote him on any all-encompassing list. Similarly, I can’t vote Hurt’s Doctor for the same reason… and Capaldi only makes the cut now because he has a full series under his belt, the same as Eccleston.

    So… if forced for the moment, here’s how I would rank them all (except McGann and Hurt of course):

    1. Peter Davison
    2. Tom Baker
    3. Matt Smith
    4. Colin Baker
    5. David Tennant
    6. Jon Pertwee
    7. William Hartnell
    8. Sylvester McCoy
    9. Peter Capaldi
    10. Patrick Troughton
    11. Christopher Eccleston

    Someone has to be last… it doesn’t mean anything since I like all the actors. My gut says once I hear more McGann he would come in somewhere in the top half of my list anywhere from 3 to 5… no higher than just below Tom Baker and no lower than just above David Tennant.

    For what it’s worth… my first Doctor was Peter Davison, so I’m sure that factors in to why I give him the edge over Tom Baker.

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    1. I love Davison! He’s the classic Doc I fell for first. Definitely give Paul McGann’s Big Finish stuff a shot. As it is, he’s got more of those in the can than any modern doctor has episodes!

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      1. Some neat trivia, or at least what in my mind passes for Trivia… People remember that McGann wore a wig for the TV movie (begrudgingly) because he had auditioned with longer hair and had since then had a haircut… what might be less obvious unless you are paying attention.

        McGann was in Alien3… the prison Alien movie… and everyone had shaved heads… so I’m about 99% sure that’s the haircut… he was cast and made the Alien3 movie in between his audition for Who and being cast… so his hair hadn’t all grown back from the shaved look from that movie. It almost has to be true, because of the timing of that movie’s development but I’ve never seen it confirmed but I would definitely ask him if I ever met him in person.

        I do want to listen to more Big Finish when time and money allows. I bought the Light at the End anniversary special from Big Finish last year and of course saw the Night of the Doctor TV “minisode” that was made. I’ve also seen McGann in other things and I always like him.

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      2. That’s an interesting theory actually. I’ve never heard it said before. And I’d recommend Dark Eyes, if you want more McGann Big Finish.

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    1. Thats what most people say. I began with 9, 10, 11, before watching anything prior to it. And Id probably still rate Tennant in my top 5. But for me Id say Davison, Capaldi, McCoy.

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  11. 1st: David Tennant – although I grew up with the classic Who’s I liked the enthusiasm and passion that Tennant brought . Some of my favourite episodes were with him as Dr. 2nd: sylvester McCoy – although he was my second Dr he is the one I really remember and it is where my love for the Dr started. 3rd – Tom Baker – although I wasn’t born when he was the Dr I have watched old episodes and I love the style he brings to the role. He is the Dr all other Drs wish to be.

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  12. Pertwee #1, Baker T #2 & Troughton #3 got my vote . Guess I’m showing my age, Capaldi would have gotten a vote if it was top 4/5 DESPITE the anti-climactic end to the Clara Oswald show/season. John Hurt would have been dare I say it even better if he had been given a full season.

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