Every Doctor Who fan has their favourite doctor. The one they refer to as ‘my doctor’. For a lot of us this is one of the classics - who can look past Tom Baker’s wily charm or the gravitas and experience of Patrick Troughton?
So it’s understandable that if you grew up with Classic Who, you may not always have thought the 21st century Doctors matched their charms. But, there’s a lot to love about them - each put their own stamp on the role.
To celebrate the new generation, we’ve picked out our favourite moment for each - something which captures their particular spin on New Who.
Christopher Ecclestone
It’s been over 15 years since the Ninth Doctor’s series of adventures began, but the impression Ecclestone left will live long in the memories of diehard fans. Alongside Rose, this Doctor saw the lot. From watching the ending of the world to defeating Daleks (again), Whovians went on some ride during this period.
Nothing will derail a plan more than jeopardising the entire future of the world, a fatal reality that nearly came to fruition. Who else remembers that dramatic scene as Rose comes into contact with her younger self?
David Tennant
Let’s set aside the age gap for a moment (885 years to be precise), the Doctor and Rose made for a great couple. Which is why their emotional farewell struck such a chord with fans of the show. The chemistry between the two was palpable, he was emotionally stunted, while Rose was always able to rely on her amazing intuition.
Although Rose would eventually return, the initial farewell between the two lives long, and fondly in the memories of Whovians. Tears were shed on both sides. And those tears were said to carry on long after the final “cut”, with Billie Piper and David Tennant said to have needed a few moments alone to recover from this emotional scene. A real tear jerker.
Matt Smith
Talk about having big shoes to fill. Not only was the Eleventh Doctor the youngest in the shows’ history, Matt Smith had the unenviable task of following on from David Tennant. Tough act to follow or what?
Smith’s reign had it all: spirited companions, timey-wimey story-telling and drama. Lots and lots of drama. At the heart of it though, was a very assured portrayal of the Time Lord himself. Even when seemingly unavoidable death is looming, this Doctor always found a way. No more so than during the season finale when the Eleventh orchestrates his own death to not only save himself, but to ensure the rules of time travel remained unaltered. Certainly one for the ages.
Peter Capaldi
In a deliberate shift from the wit and charm of Messrs Tennant and Smith, the grey-haired, wide-eyes Peter Capaldi was deliberately alien in comparison to his more youthful predecessors. But that just added to the allure.
We can’t talk about Capaldi’s performance as the Twelfth without mentioning his performance during the 50th anniversary extravaganza. As we know it’s difficult to get Whovians to agree at the best of times, let alone on an event of this magnitude. Having said that, even the most ardent Doctor Who fans were delighted with the outcome of the “Day of the Doctor” episode.
Jodie Whittaker
You don’t have to be a fan of the show at all to know that the appointment of the Thirteenth Doctor was the most controversial. Fans were split. Half the camp thought this was a bold and forward-thinking move that the show should be lauded for, while others were of the mindset that this was change for change’s sake.
Whittaker’s characterisation was packed with an energy and nuance that you could argue hadn’t been displayed before. For us, the big standout came when the gang travelled back to India, one day before the partition in 1947. The thrilling episode signalled a departure from what we had seen from Whittaker previously, nevertheless, it cemented her legacy as one of the most compelling Doctor’s yet.
Which of the new Doctors is the Doctor for you? Or do none of them hold a candle to the likes of Baker and Hartnell? Let us know via email, Twitter or Facebook.