Doctor Who - The Doctors

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The Doctors Who

Those people who only discovered Doctor Who in the 21st century may be surprised to learn that the programme began way back in 1963. Christopher Eccleston wasn't the first Doctor - he was officially the ninth Time Lord to fly the Tardis.

This lens will introduce you to all of the official Doctors to date.  As a lifelong fan of the show I make no apologies for including my own subjective opinions!

Doctor Who - Regenerations 2006 

A wonderful compilation of title sequences and music from all the Doctor Who series

Doctor Who - Regenerations 2006

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The First Doctor - William Hartnell (1963-1966) 

When Doctor Who began it was conceived of as an educational programme, a way of making history interesting. The first Doctor, William Hartnell, was a stern, tetchy older man. He travelled in the Tardis with his grand-daughter Susan.

The Second Doctor - Patrick Troughton (1966-1969) 

If William Hartnell's Doctor was an irritable grandfather, Troughton's was an eccentric uncle! It was originally intended that he play the part as a crusty sea captain - which would probably have killed the series off. In the end he played the famous "cosmic hobo" and introduced a touch of humour to the part. Few complete Troughton stories exist today, which is a great shame as he is by far my favourite.

The Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee (1970-1974) 

At the time Jon Pertwee was chosen to play The Doctor he was perhaps best known for doing silly voices on radio! To the surprise of everyone he played the Doctor absolutely straight as a somewhat arrogant scientist. It was during Pertwee's era that the show began to be filmed in colour. Due to budget restrictions most of his early stories were set on Earth. Plus ca change...

The Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker (1974-1981) 

The transition from Jon Pertwee to Tom Baker is the first one I remember from my childhood. The on-screen contrast couldn't have been more drastic: the character went from a grey-haired scientist to a younger man with curly black hair, slightly bulging eyes and a silly grin! Tom Baker played the role longer than any other actor in the history of Dr Who and to many is known as the Doctor.

The Fifth Doctor - Peter Davison (1981-1984) 

Peter Davison was probably best known to UK television audiences as the irresponsible young vet Tristan in All Creatures Great and Small. With his typical low-key acting style he brought a high degree of Englishness to his cricket-playing Doctor. During the Davison years the Tardis became positively crowded with as many as three concurrent companions.

The Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker (1984-1986) 

Colin Baker's flamboyant Doctor was a complete contrast to the quiet Davison. Many people disliked his characterisation. Personally I liked the level of arrogance and alienness that fitted a Time Lord. Unfortunately he was hampered by an "unstable regeneration" and some really bad stories (including the worst Dalek story of all time, Revelation of the Daleks). His final series was cut short amidst rumours that the show was to be axed by the BBC.

The Seventh Doctor - Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989) 

After surviving the threat of cancellation, Doctor Who returned with Sylvester McCoy in the lead role. At first it appeared to many that McCoy had been chosen deliberately to kill the series off. He had previously had a career as a stunt man and clown with a reputation for stuffing ferrets down his trousers! After a shaky start as the Doctor he improved drastically and by the end of his era was on a par with the best of the Doctors. Unfortunately that was the point at which the BBC finally cancelled the classic series and we were left wondering what might have been.

The Eighth Doctor - Paul McGann (1996) 

After six years with no Doctor Who, fans had almost given up hope for a series revival. Then came the announcement of a one-off TV special to be co-produced by the BBC and American networks. There was great hope that the show could be revived. Unfortunately Doctor Who: The Movie was dreadful. McGann did an excellent job, but the story simply wasn't right for Doctor Who. Viewing figures were poor and Mcgann never appeared on screen again as The Doctor although he has reprised the role in a number of Audio CDs.

The Ninth Doctor - Christopher Eccleston (2005) 

When it was announced that BBC Wales was to risk a new series of Doctor Who the big question was: who will play the Doctor? The choice of Christopher Eccleston was excellent, promising a Doctor with a darker edge than the classic series. This was indeed the case, perhaps shown most clearly in the episode Dalek. The series was a pleasant surprise - as were the viewing figures.

The Tenth Doctor - David Tennant (2005- ) 

After bringing the Doctor back from the dead Eccleston decided to move on. His place was taken by rising star David Tennant who had recently been seen in the TV series Casanova. Tennant quickly made the role his own, helped by the on-screen chemistry between himself and Billie Piper who played his companion Rose.

As of today, Tennant remains The Doctor. He will be taking a short role from the part to play Shakespeare after which he will hopefully return to the show.

Who Is Best? 

Who is or was your favourite actor to play the wandering Time Lord? Vote here!

1

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Tom Baker

1974-19813 points

2

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David Tennant

2005-2 points

3

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Patrick Troughton

1966-19691 point

4

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Sylvester McCoy

1987-19891 point

5

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William Hartnell

1963-19660 points

6

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Jon Pertwee

1970-19740 points

7

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Peter Davison

1981-19840 points

8

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Colin Baker

1984-19860 points

9

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Paul McGann

19960 points

10

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Christopher Eccleston

20050 points

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by trevorm

Hi, I'm Trevor and I live in Edinburgh. I've been a fan of Dr Who my entire life - which is slightly longer than the lifetime of the show!

There are p...

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