Are you curious to know who is the worst Doctor in the Doctor Who series? At thebootdoctor.net, we dive into a comprehensive ranking and analysis of every Doctor, exploring the nuances and complexities that make each regeneration unique. Discover which Time Lord wore the part best and why.
1. Understanding the Doctor’s Ranking: A Complex Affair
Ranking the Doctors is inherently subjective, influenced by personal preferences, the era of the show one connects with most, and appreciation for the writing behind each actor. It is a challenging task to name the “worst doctor” due to the unique strengths each actor brought to the role. So, what makes the ranking of the Doctor so complex?
1.1. Subjectivity in Doctor Who Rankings
Personal taste heavily influences opinions. Factors include when someone started watching the show, their fondness for particular storylines, and individual actor preferences. This means there’s no universal consensus on who the best or worst Doctor is.
1.2. The Impact of Writing and Storylines
The quality of writing during each Doctor’s tenure significantly impacts their perception. Strong scripts and compelling narratives can elevate an actor’s performance, while weak writing can hinder even the most talented performer.
1.3. The Bootdoctor.net Perspective
At thebootdoctor.net, we aim to provide a balanced perspective, considering the challenges and triumphs of each Doctor. We acknowledge the unique contributions of every actor while offering insights into their strengths and weaknesses. We examine the various factors that influence perceptions of each Doctor.
2. The Lowest Ranks: Exploring the Bottom of the List
Let’s delve into the Doctors often found at the bottom of rankings, examining the factors that contribute to their placement.
2.1. Richard Hurndall: The Difficult Task of Recreation
Richard Hurndall faced the daunting task of recreating William Hartnell’s First Doctor for the 20th Anniversary Special, “The Five Doctors.”
2.1.1. Limited Source Material
Many of Hartnell’s original stories were missing from the BBC archive, leaving Hurndall with limited material to draw from.
2.1.2. Focus on Irascibility
Hurndall’s portrayal emphasized the First Doctor’s more irritable traits, with the gentler, caring aspects of the character largely absent.
2.1.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
While Hurndall’s performance was adequate for its time, it has not aged well due to increased access to Hartnell’s stories and subsequent interpretations of the First Doctor.
2.2. David Bradley: Adapting to a Familiar Role
David Bradley had the advantage of previously playing William Hartnell in “An Adventure in Space and Time,” bringing a nuanced understanding to the role.
2.2.1. Closer to Hartnell
Bradley’s performance was closer to Hartnell’s original portrayal, with his own unique flourishes.
2.2.2. Fragility and Sweetness
In “Twice Upon a Time,” Bradley depicted the First Doctor as more fragile, allowing the sweeter aspects of the character to shine through.
2.2.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
Despite his successful adaptation, Bradley’s limited screen time and the fact that he wasn’t a full incarnation in his own right contribute to his lower ranking.
2.3. Peter Davison: Charm Amidst Unremarkable Storytelling
Peter Davison in Doctor Who (BBC)
Peter Davison faced the challenge of replacing Tom Baker and dealing with uninspired writing.
2.3.1. Replacing a Legend
Davison took over the part after Tom Baker’s seven-year reign, a difficult act to follow.
2.3.2. Unremarkable Era
His era was marked by writers afraid of complexity and a producer aiming for a more theatrical style, resulting in unremarkable stories.
2.3.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
While Davison was charming, the weak scripts and overly lit sets detracted from his performance, making his Doctor less memorable.
2.4. Colin Baker: A Return to Crabbiness Gone Wrong
Colin Baker in Doctor Who (BBC)
Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor was intended to be a return to the crabby, spiteful Doctor of old, but audiences did not respond well.
2.4.1. Unpleasant Doctor
After a difficult regeneration, the Sixth Doctor tried to strangle his companion and sported an unsightly costume.
2.4.2. Negative Reception
Audiences disliked the unpleasant Doctor, leading to the show’s 18-month hiatus and Baker’s shortened tenure.
2.4.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
The intention to mellow the Doctor out as he regained his human qualities was not well-received, contributing to his low ranking.
2.5. William Hartnell: A Different Kind of Doctor Who
William Hartnell in Doctor Who (BBC)
William Hartnell, the First Doctor, stands apart from his successors due to his initially crabby and selfish demeanor.
2.5.1. Designed as a Foil
Initially, the First Doctor was designed as a foil for the series’ true main characters.
2.5.2. Softening Over Time
As the series progressed, his rough edges softened, and he came to love the Earth.
2.5.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
The slower pace of the stories and mid-’60s production values make many of his episodes difficult to enjoy for modern viewers, contributing to his lower ranking.
2.6. Jodie Whittaker: Potential Muddled by Writing
Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor had a youthful vibe and compassion, but the writing was not always on her side.
2.6.1. Youthful Vibe
Whittaker debuted with a youthful vibe and a motormouth, reminiscent of some of her predecessors.
2.6.2. Passion and Compassion
There was a passion and lots of compassion to this Doctor and her wanderings, spent mostly with the same trio of humans.
2.6.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
Admittedly, the writing has not been on her side, leaving the character more of a muddle than she might otherwise be, but Whittaker’s Doctor approached all of her adventures with the sort of smile and care you want from the character.
3. The Middle Ground: Doctors with Strengths and Weaknesses
Moving towards the middle of the list, we examine Doctors who had moments of brilliance but also faced challenges.
3.1. Ncuti Gatwa (Disney+ series, seasons 1-2)
Ncuti Gatwa brings a dandyish and emotional Doctor to the screen, but his tenure is still in its early stages.
3.1.1 Costume Changes
The Gatwa Doctor eschews a constant look in favor of clothes that more closely fit the destination of the TARDIS.
3.1.2 Emotional Range
He is far more emotional, tearing up throughout his first season, processing the Thirteenth Doctor’s discoveries about their past.
3.1.3 The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
With just a limited number of episodes available, it remains to be seen if the more emotional and dandy-ish elements of Gatwa’s Doctor will remain and where his place on the list will stabilize once his tenure ends.
3.2. Christopher Eccleston: A Glimpse of Untapped Potential
Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor was cut short, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
3.2.1. Short Tenure
Eccleston left the series after just one season, prematurely issued by a BBC press release.
3.2.2. PTSD and Manic Energy
The Ninth Doctor dealt with PTSD and ran manically from situation to situation, grinning madly with his companion.
3.2.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
His one year of episodes only offers a glimpse of what the actor could have done with it if he had stayed the traditional three years. As we’ve learned in recent years, the nature of the production made it impossible for the actor to continue, but at least he has returned to the part via the Big Finish audios.
3.3. John Hurt: The War Doctor’s Magical Moments
John Hurt in Doctor Who (BBC America)
John Hurt’s War Doctor, appearing in the 50th-anniversary special, left a lasting impression despite his limited screen time.
3.3.1. Facing the Time War
The War Doctor faced the end of the Time War, presenting the qualities fans would expect from The Doctor on the worst day of his life.
3.3.2. Echoing Classic Doctors
He echoed the classic series Doctors, becoming their avatar in one of the grandest of Doctor Who celebrations to date.
3.3.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
His few moments as a Time Lord are nothing short of magical, but his limited appearances contribute to his middle-ground ranking.
3.4. Jo Martin: The Fugitive Doctor’s Steely Swagger
Jo Martin in Doctor Who season 12
Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor surprised everyone with her self-confident swagger and steely-eyed demeanor.
3.4.1. Scrubbed from History
The Fugitive Doctor is an incarnation from a previous life cycle, seemingly scrubbed from history by the Time Lords.
3.4.2. Self-Confident Swagger
Martin’s Time Lord is filled with a self-confident swagger that usually comes off as misplaced bravado in their other incarnations.
3.4.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
Despite only appearing on screen for 15 minutes, the Fugitive Doctor made a huge impression, leaving fans wanting more.
3.5. David Tennant (The 60th Anniversary Specials)
Known for: Looking a lot like a previous Doctor Highlight: Reconnecting with former companion Melanie Bush (Bonnie Langford) at UNIT and, later, at a Noble family garden party.
As the Fourteenth Doctor is a distinct and true incarnation of The Doctor (versus the “10.5” Doctor from “Journey’s End” and the 2009 specials), Tennant earns his first spot on this list, albeit admittedly lower in rank by virtue of spending just three specials with this version of the character. Reconstituted into a previous form and persona for reasons yet to be successfully explained, the Fourteenth Doctor is very similar to the two Tenth incarnations, but the subtle differences are there. He’s willing to say he loves people, something both Tens emphatically could not do. He is also, in many ways, The Doctor in retreat following some very difficult centuries. As a result, he denies a lot of his damage and resorts to his “allons-y” catchphrase to avoid thinking about, well, anything but adventuring. For a time, anyway, as he is now taking the slow but timey-wimey road to recovery. And since the Fourteenth Doctor is still staying with Donna while his next incarnation flies around space and time, it is possible Tennant will put the coat on again. Something, we imagine, his most ardent fans hope for every day.
3.6. Sylvester McCoy: From Clown to Master Manipulator
Sylvester McCoy in Doctor Who (BBC)
Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor underwent a startling transformation from a clown to a master manipulator.
3.6.1. Startling Transformation
Initially presented as a clown, McCoy’s Doctor makes a startling transformation into a master manipulator by the end of the classic series’ final season.
3.6.2. Long-Term Goals
The Seventh Doctor could turn on his closest allies, but only if it meant furthering his long-term goals.
3.6.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
These ideas were never fully developed as the show entered its long hiatus, leaving fans wanting more.
3.7. Paul McGann: Romantic Appeal and Untapped Potential
Paul McGann in Doctor Who (BBC)
Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor, viewed consciously for his romantic appeal, left fans with tantalizing “what ifs.”
3.7.1. Romantic Dimension
McGann was the first Doctor viewed consciously for his romantic appeal, and he played that new dimension brilliantly.
3.7.2. Building on the Eighth Doctor
McGann would build on the Eighth Doctor via numerous audio adventures, culminating in his brief return to screens in the short prelude scene, “The Night of The Doctor.”
3.7.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
His TV movie is one of the worst Doctor Who episodes ever produced, but it suggests an appealing, brilliant, and vulnerable Doctor you wanted to spend time with every week.
4. The Top Tier: Celebrating the Best of the Doctors
Now, let’s celebrate the Doctors who consistently rank among the best, exploring what makes them stand out.
4.1. David Tennant: The Most Popular of the New Series Doctors
David Tennant in Doctor Who (BBC America)
David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor benefited from some of the best scripts ever written in the show’s long history.
4.1.1. Unseen Depths
The Tenth Doctor revealed previously unseen depths in The Doctor’s psyche, none more startling than his deeply rooted fear of regeneration and losing his Tennant-ness.
4.1.2. The Man Who Regrets
He built on the weariness of Eccleston, becoming “the man who regrets” in the process.
4.1.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
He fulfilled the potential for romance first glimpsed with McGann, but took it to a whole new level with his long coat and rail-thin build.
4.2. Jon Pertwee: The Theatrical Dandy with a Sense of Righteousness
Jon Pertwee in Doctor Who (BBC)
Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor was theatrical, a dandy, and yet more contained than just about any other Doctor.
4.2.1. Patrician Hero
In his era, The Doctor became a patrician hero, finding a family with the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce.
4.2.2. Fierce Dedication
He could quarrel with them as intensely as the enemies they fought together, but it only reflected his fierce dedication to truth and a sense of righteousness beyond the self.
4.2.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
At the same time, he could still have fun building gadgets and special cars, but it reflected as much about Pertwee’s own personality as it did the Third Doctor’s.
4.3. Peter Capaldi: A Lifelong Fan Takes Possession of the TARDIS
Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor strikes an imposing figure, conjuring up a regeneration closer to Hartnell.
4.3.1. Unpredictable and Scary
Often as crabby and menacing as the First Doctor — and as a careless and self-involved as the Sixth — Capaldi also illustrated what the part looks like when a lifelong fan of the show, who also happens to be an Oscar-wining actor, takes possession of the TARDIS.
4.3.2. Underwhelming Storylines
Admittedly, a number of the storylines during his tenure proved underwhelming, but Capaldi’s performance never ceased to be a delightful return to the days when The Doctor was unpredictable and scary.
4.3.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
Capaldi’s performance never ceased to be a delightful return to the days when The Doctor was unpredictable and scary.
4.4. Matt Smith: Quirky Charm and Ancient Gravitas
Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor found the quirky charm and ancient gravitas of the character so quickly you would think he has vivid memories of the show from when it was in black and white.
4.4.1. Eccentric Professor
Choosing to dress and model the character after an eccentric professor, Smith’s mile-a-minute speech pattern and frantically gesticulating hands led the series to its greatest successes in the States.
4.4.2. Young and Old All at Once
Both young and old all at once, Smith’s Doctor could make you laugh and break your heart within moments.
4.4.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
Unlike Capaldi and Tennant, Smith grew up without Doctor Who. Nevertheless, he found the quirky charm and ancient gravitas of the character so quickly you would think he has vivid memories of the show from when it was in black and white.
4.5. Tom Baker: The Definitive Incarnation for Decades
Tom Baker in Doctor Who (BBC)
Tom Baker was born to play The Doctor, giving the character some of his own alien mannerisms and vocal eccentricities.
4.5.1. Alien Mannerisms
Giving The Doctor some of his own alien mannerisms and vocal eccentricities, he became the definitive incarnation of The Doctor for decades.
4.5.2. Outwardly Flippant, Deeply Concerned
Even in the worst stories of his era, Baker’s commitment to an outwardly flippant, but deeply concerned children’s hero never wavers.
4.5.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
His place is well-deserved. Even in the worst stories of his era, Baker’s commitment to an outwardly flippant, but deeply concerned children’s hero never wavers. He also benefited from the continual presence of the show’s best writer, Robert Holmes, who either wrote or rewrote most of the Fourth Doctor tales from 1974 to 1976.
4.6. Patrick Troughton: Establishing the Doctor’s Core Persona
Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (BBC)
Patrick Troughton established much of The Doctor’s core persona, influencing all subsequent actors.
4.6.1. Meddler in Time
With the Second Doctor, we meet the meddler in time who wants to see the universe, learn, and help out.
4.6.2. Revealing Weakness
Troughton’s Doctor was unafraid to reveal he was out of his depth, making him relatable and endearing.
4.6.3. The Bootdoctor.net Analysis
Except for Hartnell, all of the actors who have played The Doctor owe a tremendous debt to Patrick Troughton. Besides being the first person to ever face the scrutiny and potential ridicule of Doctor Who fans by replacing the lead, he also established much of The Doctor’s core persona.
5. Key Takeaways from Ranking the Doctors
Drawing from our comprehensive analysis, here are the key takeaways regarding the Doctors and their rankings.
5.1. Subjectivity is Paramount
Ultimately, ranking the Doctors is a subjective exercise, influenced by personal preferences and experiences.
5.2. Writing Matters
The quality of writing significantly impacts how a Doctor is perceived. Strong scripts can elevate an actor’s performance, while weak writing can hinder even the most talented performer.
5.3. Each Doctor Brings Something Unique
Every actor who has played The Doctor has brought something unique to the role, contributing to the rich tapestry of the character.
6. FAQs: Addressing Common Questions About the Doctors
Let’s address some frequently asked questions about the Doctors, providing clear and concise answers.
6.1. Who is the most popular Doctor?
David Tennant is often cited as the most popular Doctor from the new series, known for his charisma and compelling storylines.
6.2. Who is the longest-serving Doctor?
Tom Baker holds the record for the longest-serving Doctor, playing the role for seven seasons.
6.3. Who was the first Doctor?
William Hartnell was the first actor to play The Doctor, establishing the character’s initial persona.
6.4. Who is the youngest Doctor?
Matt Smith was the youngest actor to take on the role of The Doctor, bringing a youthful energy to the character.
6.5. Who is the most underrated Doctor?
Paul McGann is often considered the most underrated Doctor, as his brief tenure left fans wanting more.
6.6. Who is the most recent Doctor?
Ncuti Gatwa is the most recent Doctor, bringing a dandyish and emotional portrayal to the screen.
6.7. How many Doctors have there been?
There have been fourteen official Doctors, plus additional incarnations like the War Doctor and the Fugitive Doctor.
6.8. Which Doctor had the best costume?
Each Doctor has a unique costume that reflects their personality, but opinions vary on which is the best.
6.9. Which Doctor had the best companions?
The quality of a Doctor’s companions is subjective, but many fans have favorites like Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, and Clara Oswald.
6.10. Which Doctor had the best TARDIS?
The TARDIS interior changes with each Doctor, and opinions vary on which design is the most appealing.
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