The Classic Doctor (1-8) love thread!

Because we do love them. Bill, Pat, Jon, Tom, Pete, Colin, Sylv, and Paul all made the role of the Doctor their own in their own ways.

So, gush about how much you love them HERE...

ALL of them are awesome, but I really wish NuWho fans would acknowledge the classic Doctors more because if it weren't for them, they wouldn't have their beloved Matt Smith at all!

From the classic era, Pat, Tom, Peter and Paul are all my favourites! Pat and Tom share a very mischievous trait, Peter is just inexplicably incredible as the Doctor and McGann's Doctor is so loving and caring, and although we've seen the least of him, we know he has been through the worst, yet he still sustained the great character that he was!

If I had to choose a particular era that I liked the most, it would have to be S12 right though to the end of Davison's era. Just loads of great episodes within that time - love all the classics, but these were especially fantastic!

TOM BAKER MAKES EVERYTHING EXPLODE. That is all. But I still think his death was lame. David tennant survived a what? thousand foot drop? And he survived. Tom falls twenty feet and DIES. That was wrong.

I don't even know where to start on this. Too much to say.

William Hartnell takes a bit getting used to for newbies, but I love the "grumpy grandpa." He's just like your grandpa - sweet and caring one minute and angry and fussy the next. Only he's a Time Lord. I like Bill's air of authority. They way he holds his lapels or shakes his finger when he's trying to make a point.

Patrick Troughton is interesting. On the outside appearance he's messy and scatterbrained, but that hides the intellegence and cunning inside. This makes him a dangerous Doctor to his foes because they underestimate him. The way he can be funny and be serious all at the same time as this scruffy-haired, baggy-clothed little man is a joy to watch.

By now if you you read my posts, you will have picked up on my love for Jon Pertwee's Doctor. I could go on and on about why he's my favorite, but to make it as short as possible it's largely because of three things. First, he is a man of science - I think more than the others. Think Quatermass. Second, he is a man of action. Instead of talking about what to do, he does it! Running, jumping, piloting various vehicles, duels, Venusian karate, etc. Third is his relationships with his companions. Liz, Jo, and Sarah Jane are all treated with care and respect. He even respects the Brig, even though they may not agree.

Tom Baker for most folks is the definitive Doctor. He does kind of have it all. Intelligent, savvy, manipulative, humorous, charming, unpredicable. A good mix of what made his predecessors so good. Like Jon, when Tom was on screen you were glued to his every move and hung on his every word. You can't get that kind of charisma just anywhere. He was even good in bad stories. And he had several. You can forgive a weak story because you love to watch him. Sadly, as the years went on, you could see his interest playing the Doctor wane on screen somewhat. He just wasn't as vibrant as he was in, say, the Hinchcliffe days. Still, a great Doctor. He was the last, in my opinion, fully rounded Doctor of the classic series.

Sadly, I think John Nathan-Turner's leadership hindered the way Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy played the Doctor. Peter came out best overall because the stories were still there largely. Still, something was missing. Since this thread is about why we love these guys, I won't go into what went wrong in the 80's. I will say that there are stories from all three that are in my list of favorites and each of them have their moments of glory.

I really wish Paul McGann could have had more screen adventures. He was a marvelous Doctor. Say what you will about the weaknesses of the movie itself, but you can't say any of it was due to him. He was the best part about it. He had that charisma I was talking about when referring to Jon and Tom. Good company indeed.

As a NuWho Fan who became so enamored with the franchise that I dared to look back over the Doctor's extensive and often daunting archive, I have to say each man to play the Doctor brings something to the table worth enjoying.

I agree with SeaDevil that as time went on, the characature of the Doctor took precedent over the character but ultimately each was uniquely enjoyable.

William Hartnell just has that air of authority to him. He carries himself like Royalty, yet he has moments of childlike wonder and delight that are a joy to watch. He can also, as I discovered by watching the original pilot, be one scary SOB when he wants to be. While there was absolutely nothing wrong with Hartnell's performance in that pilot, I am glad they went with a more gentler tone then they did initially.

Patrick Troughton has won me over as my favorite Doctor. There's just nothing about his Doctor I don't wildly enjoy. It also helps he was aided by one of the stronger companion characters - Jamie (In My Opinion).

Jon Pertwee was a more grounded Doctor, one I think served the stories well and also wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Definitely riffing on James Bond, but it is something I wouldn't object to seeing again in the future.

Tom Baker isn't an actor. He's a force of nature. There are some episodes where I feel like I'm out of breath trying to keep up with him.

Peter Davidson honestly does nothing for me as the Doctor. He's not bad by any means, he's just...not that memorable. He had a paternal air about him that kind of gave the whole proceeding the feel of taking the family for a sunday drive. I will say that his Doctor seemed to be the first to realize that his actions had consequences beyond the immediate moment.

Colin Baker was a interesting take on the Doctor. Smarter then everyone else in the room and he reminded you of it. Harsher, but not cruel.

Sylvester McCoy...eeeeh. I've only seen one of his episodes so I hesitate to make any definite calls on his performance. Though he does seem more aloof, like Hartnell or Pertwee's Doctor. Has that same air of authority and superiority, as well as a genuine sense of humor and a definite fondness for his companion.

McGann...I really have to track down The Enemy Within to give him a fair shake. All I know of the film is what hazy memories remain after I watched it when it aired.

I started with 4 (logopolis)...and if it was not for tom baker I would not have fallen in love with who in general.

1- cranky old fella- love the black and white and seeing the show thru the companions pov.

2- Truly an original- took an existing show and carried it thru with a unique new perspective on the character...funny, childlike and a general joy to watch

3- Sexy, smart and a man of action. So many of his stories stand up today- he was amazing.

4- A purely alien take on the character- he made doctor who into a legend that it is...

5- Fragile and heroic- young but with an old soul.

6- Arrogant but softened with age- began to like 6 more after listening to the audios- shame to see how good he could have been if his character was allowed to evolve as good as it does on the audios

7- Poor fella gets a bad wrap- but I am not ashamed to say I do like him- the stories were
mostly poor- I think he was a case of not really getting a good chance at all really...

8- Short lived of all- but proof in the pudding that he was the best shining thing in the tv movie- and even after all of these years has a great legion on fans wishing someday still that he can grace the screens and play the doc on tv again...

With our new Netflix account the kids and I have been watching old Who regularly.

My eldest daughter now finds 4 her favourite.

I haven't seen many of 5 or 6 but I love 3 and 4 and can now see how some of their characteristics have been carried through to NuWho. Which I really love because I was afraid to discover that the character would have been re-fashioned a bit with the exception of the TARDIS and regenerating.

That's what I love most about Doctor Who - Classic or NuWho, the Doctor still is, was, and shall ever be the same character. From Hartnell on, the personality quirks might change but its still the same being.