Since 1963 Doctor Who has been a big player in science fiction television. But the witty, audacious, and always-fun show took a long time to become what we know and love today. The original Dr. Who, William Hartnell, left the show due to poor health after just three seasons. Usually without its main actor, a television show ends or slowly dies, but after just three seasons the producers of Dr. Who were not ready to give up the show. Thus, the idea of regeneration was invented. The main character took on a new physical appearance, and Hartnell was replaced by Patrick Troughton.
Over the years, the Doctor has continued to regenerate. Each new version of the Doctor brings a new aspect to the character, and every writer brings a fresh tone to the show. This has allowed itto progress over time and stay relevant. Doctor Who has evolved into one of the world’s longest running TV shows, and one of its greatest fantasies. But unfortunately, most fans do not have the time or resources to watch every Dr. Who episode dating back to the 1960s, and newcomers often don’t know where to start with Doctor Who. Therefore, here is a ranking of every Doctor Who Doctor and the actor who played them, to help you decide who to watch.
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13 Colin Baker: Sixth Doctor (1984-1986)
BBC
Don’t let the bright and fun colors of Colin Baker’s Doctor fool you, this version of The Doctor was nothing but dark and sinister; one of his first appearances was trying to strangle his own companion. According to Screen Rant, this Doctor was fired from the show due to disagreements with the cast and crew behind the scenes. However, it was also suspected that the sudden drop-off in viewers and ratings contributed to his end as well.
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12 Sylvester McCoy: Seventh Doctor (1987-1989)
After the studio fired Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy was unable to save the show and return it to popularity. The seventh of the Doctor Who Doctors, Scottish actor McCoy was the last to embody Dr. Who before the show was canceled for over 25 years. This is a shame, because the writers had seemed to be finally going in the right direction, taking someone who began as a bumbling slapstick naif and developing him into a surprisingly focused, competitive, and secretive character, a pacifist who often talked his rivals into suicide. It was a strange incarnation with rushed but interesting character development.
11 Peter Davison: Fifth Doctor (1981-1984)
BBC’s official Doctor Who page does a good job quickly summarizing Peter Davison’s tenure as the fifth Dr. Who: “clever, considered and kind.” The word ‘considered’ is interesting here; he wasn’t considerate so much as ‘considered,’ a very well-put-together, back-to-basics, no-nonsense version of the Doctor. Disposing of much Doctor Who silliness (aside from the bizarre celery stalk as a lapel pin and his omnipresent cricket jumper), this Doctor was efficient and to the point, with a stronger interest in science and history.
10 Jon Pertwee: Third Doctor (1970-1974)
John Pertwee worked as a spy for the Naval Intelligence division during WWII; some even say he went to several meetings with Winston Churchill. Pertwee brought all of that first-hand experience with him to the screen as he played the most secret-agent–like and grounded (literally – he lost the TARDIS and was stuck on Earth) version of the doctor. Like a highly scientific, paternal James Bond, the third Dr. Who Doctor was basically a super-cool super-spy with some swift Venusion Akido moves.
9 Paul McGann: Eighth Doctor (TV movie) (1996)
Before the successful revival of the series in 2005, Paul McGann starred as the Doctor in a feature-length film. With just the one film, we did not see enough of his portrayal to really understand how he compares to the other actors that grew into their roles over time. The movie remains primarily forgettable, but McGann’s return in the 2013 Dr. Who special, The Night of The Doctor, gave us a taste of what he might have been capable of. He brought genuine world-weariness and guilt to his rendition of The Doctor in his surprisingly moving but unfortunately very short time.
8 Jodie Whittaker: Thirteenth Doctor (2018-present)
When showrunner Steven Moffat (Sherlock) resigned from Doctor Who, he left big shoes to fill. Since then, there have been a slew of fine writers who are nonetheless dull in comparison to Moffat’s practiced approach. Jodie Whittaker’s performance is somewhat lost in the new writing; her portrayal feels like a girlish interpretation of Matt Smith’s and David Tenant’s portrayals. She does a fine job with the cards she was dealt, but her thirteenth Doctor still leaves many fans wanting more. Maybe this year, in her final episodes of the show, Whittaker will find what makes her rendition unique and steal the show, hopefully being remembered for more than just the first female Doctor.
7 Patrick Troughton: Second Doctor (1966-1969)
By now, we are pretty used to seeing The Doctor change form. But when Patrick Troughton signed onto the show, he was the first one to ever have the responsibility of playing the same Doctor in a new way. Troughton’s way of playing the fool to trick and manipulate those around him was very different from the Dr. Who Doctor before him. Yet, the goofy sense of humor he innovated with the character is something that has become a staple throughout the franchise.
6 Peter Capaldi: Twelfth Doctor (2013-2017)
Peter Capaldi played the Doctor as a methodical puzzler. In Dr. Who, the Doctor says that he chose this (Capaldi’s) face to remind him that he is still an old man (as opposed to the youthful appearance of Doctor Who sex symbols Smith and Tennant). Capalid’s methodical personality uniquely showed off the doctor’s maturity, wisdom, and age in these seasons; the unique, wily charm of the Scottish actor, which was present even in his legendarily profane and vicious performance in The Thick of It, transferred smoothly to Doctor Who, though audiences missed the youthful sex appeal of earlier incarnations.
5 William Hartnell - First Doctor (1963-1966)
How can we not love the man who started it all? William Hartnell played the Doctor like a friendly history professor who was all too happy to take his audience along on adventures. Hartnell brought a methodical, Shakespearean skill to Doctor Who, even careful to remember the different parts of the spaceship; if he used a button do something once, he would only use it that same way in the future. Hartnell’s commitment to excellence in the details brought a depth to the character and the show that has made Doctor Who fun to watch even decades later. It’s too bad we didn’t get to see more of him, but at least his early departure allowed for the longevity of the show.
4 Christopher Eccleston: Ninth Doctor (2005)
He may have only been the Doctor for one season, but he still managed to revamp the franchise. Christopher Eccleston’s portrayal of the good-humored but still calloused ninth Dr. Who Doctor perfectly established the character’s dilemma after the Time War. He set the foundations for the new era of Doctor Who, which Russell T. Davies kickstarted in 2005 after the long absence of the most iconic British show ever made. Eccleston’s performance would revolve around a fun personality with a dark past, adding the same kind of modern emotional realism that Christopher Nolan used to made his Batman films so excellent for modern times, while retaining the joy and sense of play at the heart of the Doctor. Eccleston more recently brought his acting chops to an astounding performance as a tortured priest in HBO’s vastly underrated The Leftovers.
3 David Tennant: Tenth Doctor (2005-2010)
David Tennant ranks as the most popular Doctor in numerous internet polls. He is a fan favorite who is beloved him for his almost over-the-top enthusiasm and energy, and his Doctor’s iconic relationship with Rose Tyler literally transcended dimensions, becoming one of the best Dr. Who Doctor-companion pairings in the show’s history. He also had some of the most emotional moments and relationships of the series, the writers’ utilizing his boyish good looks as much as they possibly could. Unlike many previous Dr. Who Doctors, Tennant went on to headline several acclaimed projects such as Broadchurch and Marvel’s Jessica Jones, along with many fantastic British TV movies and some children’s television (including, oddly enough, voicing Scrooge McDuck in Ducktales).
2 Matt Smith: Eleventh Doctor (2010-2013)
Bowties have never been so cool. Matt Smith’s child-like curiosity and delightful sense of wonder brought smiles to people all over the world. Yet, he also had a dark side and weariness that made him believable as an actually old man, despite his handsome and youthful appearance. Moffat’s excellent writing and Smith’s flawless delivery combined to simply make these seasons some of the show’s best and most breezily enjoyable.
1 Tom Baker: Fourth Doctor (1974-1981)
There is a reason why Tom Baker was the longest featured of all Dr. Who Doctors so far. Not only did he have one of the best costumes (trademarked by his 12-foot-long scarf), but his jolly disposition and funky (now retro) look brought heart and soul to a sometimes heavily-plotted and overly sci-fi show. He is wholly believable as a timeless old man, but really captures the child at heart within the endlessly regenerating Doctor. Tom Baker’s Doctor seemed foolish at time, but then surprised everyone a with a master plan that only he could develop. Over the course of 172 episodes, Baker epitomized his decade with an anti-authoritarian, bohemian cool, and became a fixture with British television, considering that roughly 11 million viewers were watching him at the time. His City of Death episodes alone garnered nearly 17 million viewers, about half of the entire viewership of Britain in 1979. Of all the Dr. Who Doctors, Bake seems synonymous with the show.
