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It took a while before getting around to this. Yet it had to be done. My own top five Doctors on the list. This time I wanted to give my reasons for why I picked each actor. I have to add this is a purely subjective list from my own experiences. Your list may be different from my own. I'm only providing my strongest argument for why each actor deserves a place.

I've put together who I consider to be the “greats.” I also have a list of “near greats” and “not so greats.” Perhaps you'll agree with some of the list. Maybe you don't. That's fine. So let's get this underway – the top five greatest incarnations of the Doctor.

5. WILLIAM HARTNELL

Starting at number five is William Hartnell. I'm actually surprised he doesn't make it on many top lists. Sure, he's the original. The grandfather of the cosmos. Yet Hartnell manages to create his role from scratch. He had no one to look back on because he's the pioneer. The explorer. The one who took the very first steps.

This particular incarnation is a bit tetchy, a little absent-minded and perhaps downright rude. Yet, the first Doctor mellowed out with age. Thank goodness. I look at Hartnell with a great deal of fondness because he is a stalwart against the monsters of the universe, his shoulders always high, his confidence not faltering. And yet he finds tender moments with his companions like his granddaughter Susan or Vicki.

The only reason why Hartnell is not higher on the list is because his era isn't chock full of any horror stories. There are very little gothic tales apart from the silly interlude of the haunted house in “The Chase” story. The closest to horror during Hartnell's time would be the Daleks who wreck havoc in the universe. Yet Hartnell finds a way to lure the viewers like a travel guide on his adventures. You start believing in him too.

4. MATT SMITH

Placed in the number four spot is Matt Smith. He's the only one from the modern series I would put on the top five. Really, his Doctor is very alien and aloof, but has a childlike curiosity for exploring different worlds around him. The universe becomes his playground. He's having a lot of fun. Smith creates a vivid picture of a very old man in a youthful body.

There are some nice horror tales from his era. They do a really great interpretation of the vampires in “Vampires of Venice”... so different from the norm you see in the Hammer Horror films. They're more like very hungry fish with nasty teeth in this episode. I could never forget the horror dolls in the “Night Terrors” episode creeping about, wooden monsters taking shape as innocent toys coming to life. Another great sampling of horror is “Cold War” featuring an old enemy in a very claustrophobic story with narrow corridors and tight spaces. Matt Smith faces them all like a trickster of the stars. He's very good at it.

3. PATRICK TROUGHTON

Coming in at third place is the inimitable Patrick Troughton. No doubt this actor had the toughest job in replacing the lead actor only three years into the series. It's a daunting task in winning over the audiences. There's never been a concept like regeneration before, so Troughton is stepping into new territory here. So are the viewers.

It must be terrifying with the thought of the series sinking or swimming due to the new actor's performance. Yet Troughton turns out a fantastic performance as a sort of space hobo – a complete contrast to his predecessor. Troughton does have an impish quality about him hiding a sheer genius beneath his bumbling fool routine. This causes many of his enemies to
underestimate him.

This is when the horror stories start trickling in. Troughton's era is considered the first gothic period in the series. There is “The Web of Fear” taking place in the underground tunnels of London where shadows drop into view like fangs of darkness. “Fury from the Deep” proves to be an atmospheric tale about a menace that hides in the ocean. There's a hint of Lovecraftian horror in this story. Who can forget the rise of the Cybermen in “The Invasion” climbing out of the sewers to bring silver destruction? I really loved gothic horror in the early days.

2. JON PERTWEE

Next in the second place of the greatest Doctors ever is Jon Pertwee. I have an absolute fondness for this incarnation carving a path for action and suspense. I like that this incarnation is trapped on our planet so the monsters will come to him. Despite his exile, this Doctor remains a swashbuckling type using his wits to overcome his enemies. Pertwee is certainly very dashing in his role. Very charismatic.

Pertwee manages to recapture the imagination of audiences by going a completely different route with his portrayal. He's every bit as distinctive as his previous actors in the role. Suave, dapper, he sells himself as more a man of action. This one leans more towards fiddling around with high tech. Much of this contrast with his ability to perform Venusian Aikido karate when tackling his foes. Of course, there's Bessie. It's because the TARDIS is temporarily out of commission. Who can dislike Bessie? I can't imagine.

There are some very nice gothic tales such as “The Daemons” or finding one's way into the caves fueled with shadows in “The Silurians.” Pertwee's portrayal often states his case in bringing peace between opposing sides. Not always with success, I'm afraid. Yet Pertwee's Doctor remains a stellar beacon of noble righteousness with a sense of decency for others. I've always liked the portrayal of the Doctor created by Pertwee.

1. TOM BAKER

Could there ever be anyone else? If someone hears or speaks about Doctor Who, most likely the Doctor he or she is thinking of is the one wearing the impossibly long scarf and carrying a penchant for Jelly Babies. The one who brings a sense of humor to the universe. Tom Baker proves every time that his portrayal is a cut above the others. And for many good reasons.

Baker can rush through a whole range of emotions from happy to sad to crazy to crestfallen with so much ease. His larger-than-life portrayal stays ever theatrical as it is unpredictable. You never really know what the Doctor is thinking because he is so different... so alien. Baker keeps things si lively ever since he stepped into the TARDIS. You can't really think of anyone in the part. He's so suited in the role.

One of the reasons why Baker works so well is because he's a bit strange. Especially with his slightly demented appearance standing at 6' 3”. There's a song by the Doors about how people are strange, but Baker does take the cake on that one. A cosmic weirdo. When Doctor Who writer Terrence Dicks said to Baker that it's a nice day, Baker responded with, “Is it? Yes. Yes, it is! It's a wonderful day, isn't it?” It's that world of weirdness fitting into the role of the Doctor. Baker makes you believe he is from another planet.

I always like that Baker doesn't always take everything so seriously. How can you? The Daleks look like pepper pots. The virus in “The Invisible Enemy” looks like a walking mucus. The monster in “Creature from the Pit” looks like... well, you can guess what it looks like. And Baker more than any other actor takes it all into stride. Armed with comedy and a sense of righteousness, Baker's Doctor comes across as a random Bohemian making the rounds in time and space. And there's something else.

Charisma.

Baker has tons of it in abundance. He completely captures the stage and runs with it. And you have to run fast on his heels to catch up. He is like a hurricane of emotions. His sharp wit can cut his enemies down to size. Yet he can be serious when the situation demands it making him a force to be reckoned with. Yet Baker has a presence whenever he is in the room. He can set the mood with just a few words.

Baker is the finest actor to step into the role. One of his best performances was in his final year. Baker redefines the role as a more temperamental, brooding man of the cosmos. It's almost as if he knows his time is coming, and Baker delivers hints of his own funeral in those final stories. It's a masterful act as he commands every part of the screen like an enigma. I dare say this was the best performance of any actor to date. And when Baker makes his departure in his final story, you can feel the cosmos is a lot less happier place.

Description

It took a while before getting around to this. Yet it had to be done. My own top five Doctors on the list. This time I wanted to give my reasons for why I picked each actor. I have to add this is a purely subjective list from my own experiences. Your list may be different from my own. I'm only providing my strongest argument for why each actor deserves a place.

I've put together who I consider to be the “greats.” I also have a list of “near greats” and “not so greats.” Perhaps you'll agree with some of the list. Maybe you don't. That's fine. So let's get this underway – the top five greatest incarnations of the Doctor.

5. WILLIAM HARTNELL

Starting at number five is William Hartnell. I'm actually surprised he doesn't make it on many top lists. Sure, he's the original. The grandfather of the cosmos. Yet Hartnell manages to create his role from scratch. He had no one to look back on because he's the pioneer. The explorer. The one who took the very first steps.

This particular incarnation is a bit tetchy, a little absent-minded and perhaps downright rude. Yet, the first Doctor mellowed out with age. Thank goodness. I look at Hartnell with a great deal of fondness because he is a stalwart against the monsters of the universe, his shoulders always high, his confidence not faltering. And yet he finds tender moments with his companions like his granddaughter Susan or Vicki.

The only reason why Hartnell is not higher on the list is because his era isn't chock full of any horror stories. There are very little gothic tales apart from the silly interlude of the haunted house in “The Chase” story. The closest to horror during Hartnell's time would be the Daleks who wreck havoc in the universe. Yet Hartnell finds a way to lure the viewers like a travel guide on his adventures. You start believing in him too.

4. MATT SMITH

Placed in the number four spot is Matt Smith. He's the only one from the modern series I would put on the top five. Really, his Doctor is very alien and aloof, but has a childlike curiosity for exploring different worlds around him. The universe becomes his playground. He's having a lot of fun. Smith creates a vivid picture of a very old man in a youthful body.

There are some nice horror tales from his era. They do a really great interpretation of the vampires in “Vampires of Venice”... so different from the norm you see in the Hammer Horror films. They're more like very hungry fish with nasty teeth in this episode. I could never forget the horror dolls in the “Night Terrors” episode creeping about, wooden monsters taking shape as innocent toys coming to life. Another great sampling of horror is “Cold War” featuring an old enemy in a very claustrophobic story with narrow corridors and tight spaces. Matt Smith faces them all like a trickster of the stars. He's very good at it.

3. PATRICK TROUGHTON

Coming in at third place is the inimitable Patrick Troughton. No doubt this actor had the toughest job in replacing the lead actor only three years into the series. It's a daunting task in winning over the audiences. There's never been a concept like regeneration before, so Troughton is stepping into new territory here. So are the viewers.

It must be terrifying with the thought of the series sinking or swimming due to the new actor's performance. Yet Troughton turns out a fantastic performance as a sort of space hobo – a complete contrast to his predecessor. Troughton does have an impish quality about him hiding a sheer genius beneath his bumbling fool routine. This causes many of his enemies to
underestimate him.

This is when the horror stories start trickling in. Troughton's era is considered the first gothic period in the series. There is “The Web of Fear” taking place in the underground tunnels of London where shadows drop into view like fangs of darkness. “Fury from the Deep” proves to be an atmospheric tale about a menace that hides in the ocean. There's a hint of Lovecraftian horror in this story. Who can forget the rise of the Cybermen in “The Invasion” climbing out of the sewers to bring silver destruction? I really loved gothic horror in the early days.

2. JON PERTWEE

Next in the second place of the greatest Doctors ever is Jon Pertwee. I have an absolute fondness for this incarnation carving a path for action and suspense. I like that this incarnation is trapped on our planet so the monsters will come to him. Despite his exile, this Doctor remains a swashbuckling type using his wits to overcome his enemies. Pertwee is certainly very dashing in his role. Very charismatic.

Pertwee manages to recapture the imagination of audiences by going a completely different route with his portrayal. He's every bit as distinctive as his previous actors in the role. Suave, dapper, he sells himself as more a man of action. This one leans more towards fiddling around with high tech. Much of this contrast with his ability to perform Venusian Aikido karate when tackling his foes. Of course, there's Bessie. It's because the TARDIS is temporarily out of commission. Who can dislike Bessie? I can't imagine.

There are some very nice gothic tales such as “The Daemons” or finding one's way into the caves fueled with shadows in “The Silurians.” Pertwee's portrayal often states his case in bringing peace between opposing sides. Not always with success, I'm afraid. Yet Pertwee's Doctor remains a stellar beacon of noble righteousness with a sense of decency for others. I've always liked the portrayal of the Doctor created by Pertwee.

1. TOM BAKER

Could there ever be anyone else? If someone hears or speaks about Doctor Who, most likely the Doctor he or she is thinking of is the one wearing the impossibly long scarf and carrying a penchant for Jelly Babies. The one who brings a sense of humor to the universe. Tom Baker proves every time that his portrayal is a cut above the others. And for many good reasons.

Baker can rush through a whole range of emotions from happy to sad to crazy to crestfallen with so much ease. His larger-than-life portrayal stays ever theatrical as it is unpredictable. You never really know what the Doctor is thinking because he is so different... so alien. Baker keeps things si lively ever since he stepped into the TARDIS. You can't really think of anyone in the part. He's so suited in the role.

One of the reasons why Baker works so well is because he's a bit strange. Especially with his slightly demented appearance standing at 6' 3”. There's a song by the Doors about how people are strange, but Baker does take the cake on that one. A cosmic weirdo. When Doctor Who writer Terrence Dicks said to Baker that it's a nice day, Baker responded with, “Is it? Yes. Yes, it is! It's a wonderful day, isn't it?” It's that world of weirdness fitting into the role of the Doctor. Baker makes you believe he is from another planet.

I always like that Baker doesn't always take everything so seriously. How can you? The Daleks look like pepper pots. The virus in “The Invisible Enemy” looks like a walking mucus. The monster in “Creature from the Pit” looks like... well, you can guess what it looks like. And Baker more than any other actor takes it all into stride. Armed with comedy and a sense of righteousness, Baker's Doctor comes across as a random Bohemian making the rounds in time and space. And there's something else.

Charisma.

Baker has tons of it in abundance. He completely captures the stage and runs with it. And you have to run fast on his heels to catch up. He is like a hurricane of emotions. His sharp wit can cut his enemies down to size. Yet he can be serious when the situation demands it making him a force to be reckoned with. Yet Baker has a presence whenever he is in the room. He can set the mood with just a few words.

Baker is the finest actor to step into the role. One of his best performances was in his final year. Baker redefines the role as a more temperamental, brooding man of the cosmos. It's almost as if he knows his time is coming, and Baker delivers hints of his own funeral in those final stories. It's a masterful act as he commands every part of the screen like an enigma. I dare say this was the best performance of any actor to date. And when Baker makes his departure in his final story, you can feel the cosmos is a lot less happier place.