I think the Fifth Doctor was dangerous in the sense that just when bad guys think they've beaten him, he would somehow snatch a victory at the last possible minute.
favourite and least favourite doctor?.
- Thread starter Mr Pointy Ears
- Start date
I'm not sure about Five being that agreeable. I've been watching a lot of Davison of late and he's downright grumpy at times, and quite short tempered.
I think every Doctor has had a degree of crotchetyness and arrogance, I think the problem with Colin was that both these attributes were dialled up to eleven with him.
I think every Doctor has had a degree of crotchetyness and arrogance, I think the problem with Colin was that both these attributes were dialled up to eleven with him.
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I just finished up Davison through McCoy myself, in the alst few weeks. Definitely the writers overdid the crotchedy-ness for 6. In 5's case, I think his disagreeability was mostly down to interactions with that Shrieking Wretch Tegan
(Who, BTW, I greatly enjoyed, so don't take this as disparaging of her. I think she was the perfect foil for Davison's Doctor. If it wasn't for her, though, I think his excessive agreeability would've shone like a spotlight)
I remember reading an interview when I was a kid that Davison drew upon the First Doctor a lot and wanted to convey at times a sense of a cranky old man's soul in a young man's body (or something to that effect). But I also think he drew upon the occasional self-depreciating nature of the Second Doctor as well.
I think the idea of the Fifth Doctor was to sort of be the opposite of the frequently larger-than-life Fourth Doctor. To be less whimsical and a bit more serious.
I remember all sorts of early criticisms aimed at the Sixth Doctor, generally falling along the lines that he was too much of a departure from previous incarnations--too sarcastic, too flamboyant, and even too violent.
he's not that much of a departure from Hartnell's doctor though, especially early Hartnell-era. That doctor wasn't even really a sympathetic character, much less a hero. His later stories of course show a big change, but I don't see how someone who's seen stories like "an unearthly child" or "the chase" can say that the Sixth Doctor's character was an unprecedented direction to go in, it's just that they hadn't went there in a long time.
I totally agree, but given how many years had elapsed since the beginning of the program--and with a whole generation of fans having grown up without seeing any episodes of the First Doctor--I can understand why some would be taken aback by a Sixth Doctor that invoked a bit of his early fire and then some...
^ I think Hartnell being an apparently frail old man allowed him more latitude in that department than the more youthful Baker got. Plus, as someone said, Baker was always playing it at 11; that and his awful costume made him really abrasive and in your face.
Awful Costume...AWFUL COSTUME...AWFUL COSTUME
The Sixth Doctor seemed to have a lot of merchandise and appearences based on him around that time. I think it's due in part to the 20th anniversary being around that time, it was hoped that Colin would sort of be like Tom Baker and last as long, if not longer. JNT wanted I believe Colin to also be the breakthru Doctor in the US.Colin also wanted a black costume, possibly to hint at him becoming more like the Master. What we got of course was the exact opposite.
It's interesting that the JNT Doctors are patterned on Hartnell to a degree.
Davison sort of had the grumpiness and ocassional absent-mindness; Colin the anger, stubborness and ocassional violence, and McCoy, the mysterious alien.
It's interesting that the JNT Doctors are patterned on Hartnell to a degree.
Davison sort of had the grumpiness and ocassional absent-mindness; Colin the anger, stubborness and ocassional violence, and McCoy, the mysterious alien.
I always thought of the Seventh Doctor as inspired more by the Second Doctor-playing the fool and the goof to get his enemies to underestimate him, but a clever schemer underneath it.
I think the Seventh Doctor started off that way, but then became later less of a clown and more of a master manipulator and his stories became subsequently somewhat darker in tone. IMO, "Silver Nemesis" and "Remembrance of the Daleks" were among a few of his adventures that brought up the old question just who is the Doctor?
okay, I can see the darker, mysterious part as connected to the First Doctor, as long as we're not talking personality similarities.
No, but every Doctor has had a little bit of the First Doctor in him to some degree. Whenever we see him give a hurried lecture to someone, become smug to an adversary, or even occasionally lose his temper--that's vintage First Doctor there.
There were a few Seventh Doctor adventures that connected him to things the First Doctor did prior to leaving Gallifrey, however, suggesting that the Doctor (in general) has many secrets. There was even a possible allusion of the Doctor's involvement in "the Time of Chaos" which happened early in the history of the Time Lords.
My top 3 would be Tennant, Troughton and Davison.
My bottom 3 would be T Baker, Eccleston and C Baker.
My bottom 3 would be T Baker, Eccleston and C Baker.
Its hard to choose a favorite.. I like them all to some degree. If pressed to choose, my favorites would be:1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 11.
Least favorite would probably be 6. I actually like Colin Baker's performance for the most part but the writing was sub-par and the costume was atrocious...
Least favorite would probably be 6. I actually like Colin Baker's performance for the most part but the writing was sub-par and the costume was atrocious...
FAVORITE: Patrick Troughton, although I could also make a case for Tom Baker, Matt Smith, & Paul McGann (if we're counting the audios).
LEAST FAVORITE: William Hartnell. But then, it's hard to judge him against the other Doctors because his role on the show is so different. He's more of a supporting character on the Ian & Barbara show.
The 9th Doctor got away with "Mickey the idiot" in a few episodes. I'm not sure he would have gotten away with "Rose the idiot" for an entire season. I think what sunk the 6th Doctor was how unpleasant his relationship with Peri was. Some of the 6th Doctor's best bits are when he's got a different companion. Everything feels a lot more relaxed around Mel in "Terror of the Vervoids." And when he's paired up with Tegan in "A Fix with the Sontarans," his abrasive personality works because Tegan is able to give as good as she gets.
In particular, he seems to not like a lot of his companions. He seems to barely contain his irritation when Tegan comes back in "Arc of Infinity" or when Peri invites herself to go with him in "Planet of Fire."
LEAST FAVORITE: William Hartnell. But then, it's hard to judge him against the other Doctors because his role on the show is so different. He's more of a supporting character on the Ian & Barbara show.
The 9th Doctor got away with "Mickey the idiot" in a few episodes. I'm not sure he would have gotten away with "Rose the idiot" for an entire season. I think what sunk the 6th Doctor was how unpleasant his relationship with Peri was. Some of the 6th Doctor's best bits are when he's got a different companion. Everything feels a lot more relaxed around Mel in "Terror of the Vervoids." And when he's paired up with Tegan in "A Fix with the Sontarans," his abrasive personality works because Tegan is able to give as good as she gets.
In particular, he seems to not like a lot of his companions. He seems to barely contain his irritation when Tegan comes back in "Arc of Infinity" or when Peri invites herself to go with him in "Planet of Fire."
I have yet to see Doctors 5 to 8 in action but of the other Doctors, may favourite is still the tenth. It's a close call between him and Jon Pertwee, though, who is awesome. I'm also quite impressed with Tom Baker.
My least favourite Doctor so far is Eleven. He has his moments but for the most part I find him unrelatable and too awkward.
My least favourite Doctor so far is Eleven. He has his moments but for the most part I find him unrelatable and too awkward.
I've not seen anything of McCoy or Smith, a little bit of Colin Baker and only a little of Tennant so far... I would have said Tom Baker as my favorite before beginning nuWho, probably because he was my intro to the franchise like most of my US generation. He is over the top but I liked it anyway. And my memories of Hartnell, Troughton, and Colin Baker are fragmentary, based on only having see a few eps 25 years ago [eek]. I'd almost put Eccleston up there with TB after just watching his season, to be honest. I really liked him. I guess I'd say C. Baker was my least favorite, but I didn't see very many so I realize it's an incomplete judgement.
Favorite: 4th. Tom Baker. You always love your first Doctor.
Least Favorite: 6th. Colin Baker. Just couldn't get attached to him, but in fairness, I also didn't get to see many episodes with him, either.
My favorite would be Tom Baker ..just as you and for the same reasons as well as I personally consider some of the episodes to be of the golden age being produced by Phillip Hinchcliff. Least favorite would also be Colin Baker.
Your viewpoint brings out a very important question that never seems to be addressed in these polls or discussions. Why is your favorite the favorite? Also why is the least favorite the least favorite?
I have come to believe that certain factors influence who is your favorite and least favorite...and when you think about it..may or may not have anything to do with the actor that plays the role. For instance..some say Tom was a horrible actor but...HE OWNED the role as the doctor..It was just him..no more said..In addition..Tom had the privilege of being the doctor that was under the production of Phillip. The writing and direction was top notch for a brief shining period.
It comes down to this..we all have our favorites and least favorites for whatever reasons they may be...and we are not wrong or right for believing so..The real issue that we should think about and address is this...
What if the actors could interchange eras and writers and directors and producers... Would Tom Baker still be a lead favorite for most fans if he came to play the actor in the period of Colin Baker. Conversely, would Colin become the favorite of many if he was to assume the role in what was Tom Bakers era?
I would love to hear others opinion on this matter.
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