RELATED: Doctor Who: The Best Companions, Ranked
Since the show’s debut back in 1963, there have been 14 different iterations of the Doctor; 16, if John Hurt’s War Doctor and Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor are included. Each one has brought something a little different to the role, although some have done a much better job of bringing the classic sci-fi character to life than others.
Updated January 9, 2023, by Tom Bowen: The decision to replace Jodie Whittaker with Davin Tennant surprised a lot of people, particularly as Ncuti Gatwa had seemingly already been confirmed as the fourteenth doctor. However, Gatwa will have to wait a little while before taking up the mantle, with Tennant set to star in three Donna Noble-related specials in late 2023. Come November, though, Gatwa will be left with some pretty big shoes to fill, as there have been some truly fantastic Doctors over the years. Every version of the Doctor has brought something new to the table, though some have brought a lot more than others.
14 The Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant)
In the eyes of many series fans, David Tennant is the best Doctor of all time. However, the decision to bring the actor back as the fourteenth Doctor feels like a desperate attempt to steady the ship after a period in which poor writing and pandemic-related production delays have had a hugely detrimental impact on the overall popularity of the series.
Though Tennant will no doubt knock the ball out of the park during his trio of specials, it would have been nice to have seen Ncuti Gatwa’s doctor a little sooner. Granted, Tennant’s hands are about as safe as they come and he has history with Russell T Davies storylines, but his return feels a little forced and calls into question Gatwa’s ability to get things back on track by himself.
13 The Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker)
Though the show’s decline in quality was more to do with lackluster writing and a lack of ideas than Colin Baker’s portrayal of the Doctor, there are very few moments of real quality to be found throughout the episodes in which the actor stared. In fact, his best moments as the Doctor arguably came in the Radio 4 drama, Slipback, rather than on the silver screen.
The sixth Doctor is best remembered for his passionate retorts and vibrant outfits, the latter of which was often at great odds with his tendency to lose his temper. Perhaps there’s a parallel universe in which Baker took up the role during the golden age of the show rather than in the midst of its downfall, but in this one, his time as the Doctor was both underwhelming and forgettable.
12 The Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann)
It’s difficult to judge Paul McGann’s Doctor too harshly given how little screen time he ended up getting. Doctor Who: The TV Movie was originally planned to act as a springboard with which to relaunch the series, but after a seven-year hiatus, it struggled to find an audience and the show ended up lying dormant for another nine years.
The eighth Doctor’s sole solo outing was actually quite a good one, with McGann going toe to toe with the Master after his time machine malfunctions. His Doctor was a classy one in many respects and was not too dissimilar to Peter Capaldi’s portrayal in terms of his stern and, at times, serious demeanor.
11 The Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy)
Sylvester McCoy has the unfortunate honor of having gone down with the ship, so to speak, with his portrayal of the Doctor being the last before the show slipped into a long and silent slumber. In truth though, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time when he was handed the role, so to suggest that this was in any way his fault would be incredibly unfair.
RELATED: Doctor Who: Every New Doctor’s First Episode, Ranked
McCoy’s Doctor was a fairly silly one, though was capable of taking things seriously when the situation called for it. His outfits typically looked like a mismatched bundle of charity shop bargains, though, perhaps thanks to the actor’s charm and non-threatening persona, he was actually able to pull off this atrocious attire surprisingly well.
10 The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee)
Though they are all a little different, no Doctor stands out quite as much as Jon Pertwee’s. Those that arrived before him and many that have followed since have leaned into the idea of brains over brawn. The third Doctor, however, liked to use both in equal measure and was a keen practitioner of Venusian aikido.
The character’s physical prowess completely changed the vibe of the show at times, although his personality was not too different from those of his predecessors. That said, his anger and frustration did sometimes get the better of him. The storylines in which he featured weren’t all that great, although fan-favorite characters like Sarah Jane and the Master were introduced during Pertwee’s tenure.
9 The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker)
The decision to replace Peter Capaldi with a female Doctor didn’t go down too well with some series fans, although Jodie Whittaker did an excellent job of silencing her critics. Granted, the thirteenth Doctor’s exuberant and kind-hearted personality was in stark contrast to the dour disposition of her predecessor, but it worked just as well most of the time.
Unfortunately, Whittaker was let down by a series of shoddy story arcs, which many feel were missing both the bite and the bravado that fans had come to expect from the New Who era. Whittaker’s last few seasons were some of the most underwhelming since the show’s return in 2005, although her strong performances at least offered fans a silver lining of sorts
8 The First Doctor (William Hartnell)
It’s been more than half a century since William Hartnell’s Doctor made his on-screen debut and while he may not be the most memorable Doctor, he just might be the most important. Against all of the odds, Hartnell helped the show to build an audience and laid the foundations onto which much of its success has since been built.
Hartnell’s was a cold and distant Doctor that tended to talk at people rather than to them. What he lacked in personal skills though, he more than made up for with his grandeur and credibility. Future Doctors would go on to fill in some of the gaps, but without that credibility, the show would likely have been canned after just one season.
7 The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith)
Matt Smith’s Doctor borrows a lot from the character’s fourth iteration, but while both offer a healthy dose of quirkiness, the former arguably does so at the expense of the character’s dignity. During some of the lighter story arcs this isn’t really an issue, but, when the stakes are high, it can sometimes be a little difficult to take the eleventh Doctor too seriously.
RELATED: Every Doctor Who Game, Ranked
Following in the footsteps of David Tennant was always going to be difficult, but Smith’s Doctor falls some way short. He does have his moments, but his zany antics are just far too often at odds with the show’s dark storylines. Much like the fez and the tweed suit, Smith’s interpretation of the character and Stephen Moffat’s writing just did not go well together.
6 The Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston)
Christopher Eccleston’s tenure as the Doctor was a relatively short one, but the actor played a vital role in the revival of a series that, at the time, had not been broadcast regularly for more than 15 years. Rose and Jack certainly helped out with some of the heavy lifting in this regard, but the brunt of the weight was very much on the Doctor himself.
Eccleston’s perhaps wasn’t the most likable Doctor that fans have seen over the years, nor did he offer up the over-the-top campiness that many had come to expect from the character. The grit and volatility that the actor brought to the role perfectly complimented the story arcs in which he featured though and was arguably exactly what the show needed at the time.
5 The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)
Filling the shoes of Tom Baker was never going to be an easy task, but Peter Davison was a much better fit than some might have expected. His Doctor was defined by his charm and charisma and these are qualities that Davison was able to deliver consistently throughout his three years on the show.
RELATED: The Most Realistic Sci-Fi Futures Depicted In Video Games
While the decision to revert to a more serious Doctor may have been seen as a backward step by some, Davison’s tenure also brought with it the return of some of the series’ most iconic antagonists. There were ups and downs, but, considering what was to follow, hindsight suggests that the actor deserves quite a bit of credit for keeping the show afloat.
4 The Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton)
It took fans a little while to warm to the idea of the Doctor regenerating, just as it took time for Patrick Troughton to grow into the role. As time passed, however, he really made it his own. The second Doctor was incredibly likable and possessed all of the qualities that one might expect to find in a time-traveling hero. Best of all though, he was a lot of fun.
Where the first Doctor was stern and solemn, Troughton’s was kind and caring, which made for a far more relatable character. He still had plenty of larger-than-life moments, but these were expertly balanced out by some wonderfully personable interactions. As a result, he felt like an enthusiastic teacher rather than just another apathetic space cop.
3 The Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi)
Peter Capaldi’s Doctor couldn’t have been more different from the one that he replaced and, to many, this came as a breath of fresh air. His stern and serious demeanor may not have been for everyone, but it did provide the character with an air of gravitas that his predecessor just never quite managed to find.
Much like Smith’s tenure as the Doctor, there were highs and lows when it came to Capaldi’s time with the show. “The Doctor Falls” and “World Enough and Time” serve as two of the former, but the twelfth doctor’s finest hour undoubtedly came in the penultimate episode of the ninth series, “Heaven Sent.”
2 The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker)
Tom Baker’s seven-year stint as the Doctor is longer than any other actor’s; either before or since. His Doctor was fairly unorthodox for the era, yet the combination of strange and solemn worked surprisingly well. This in turn led to a noticeable shift in tone for the show; the effects of which can still be seen in modern-day episodes.
With his iconic woolly scarf and wide-brimmed hat, the fourth Doctor embarked upon countless memorable adventures. Some were weird and wacky, while others were a little more serious, but Baker’s performances were consistently assured regardless of what was being asked of him. That Sarah Jane tagged along for many of those escapades made them all the more enjoyable.
1 The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant)
For decades, the show has shifted between zany and serious Doctors at fairly regular intervals, but never before has an actor been able to provide such a perfect balance of both. Such is the range and brilliance of David Tennant, however, that he was able to do so consistently for five glorious years.
The story arcs containing the tenth Doctor are also some of the very best to have featured in the modern era of Doctor Who and his relationship with Rose adds a lot more depth to many of them. In the years that have followed Tennant’s departure from the show, no Doctor has even come close to comparing, nor is one likely to in the immediate future.
MORE: Doctor Who: Every TARDIS Console Room, Ranked
