this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2023
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Doctor Who

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I started watching Dr who when the reboot was 3 seasons in, I think David Tennant was the greatest doctor. A few years later I finally got wife to give it a shot as I started a fresh rewatch in preparation for Matt Smith's second season, she was ok with Eccelston and Tennant but Matt Smith is far and away her favorite doctor. Does this pattern hold true for any other Dr fans?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Excelston was my first but I feel like the show really hit its stride with Smith and Tenant and theyre sort fo tied for my favorites

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Started watching before Tom Baker's Dr. Who, but it only clicked when he became the doctor for me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Tom Baker. Then Peter Davison (Tristan!) celery on the lapel and all. Then Eccleson. Then Capaldi.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Me too - Jon Pertwee was my first (older siblings) but Tom Baker was the one when I reached the right age I think

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I started with Eccelston and would say Tennant is my favorite, but Smith follows very closely.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Eccleston is when I started watching, but Tennant is absolutely my favourite with Smith as a second place.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have a weird problem. I start out not liking the new Doctor, but by the time they switch, they have become my favorite. Every time.

I absolutely hated Capaldi at first, but after the infinite loop prison episode, I couldn't imagine any other person ever being the doctor again.

Now I feel the same way about Jodie. She was such a fun Doctor that I'm actually sad to see Tennent back.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Heaven sent is truly one of the best episodes of the series. I was entertained, shocked, amused and sad.

Capaldi is my doctor. Started the series with Eccelston. Love them all, though.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

"Came the long way around" is something I've adopted saying because of just how powerful it was when he said it. No one else in my family understands it of course, but it left a lasting impression on me.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think this applies to a lot of people, but I don't like to pick a favourite, especially after listening to Big Finish stuff, coz each Doctor has their own quirks and whenever I try and settle on a choice, I get conflicted. If you forced me to pick thought I would say 4

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I would never force anyone to pick! But we all have a preference, and sometimes that preference changes, just like Doctor.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

The doctor when I started watching was Peter Davidson. Who was fine. But for myself I enjoyed Tom Baker and a lot of the stories he was in most. New Who Tennant, Smith, and Capaldi were all up there. Each really bringing something to the series and having a number of good arcs.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (4 children)

The first Doctor I saw was Pertwee, but Tennant is my favorite. Being a life-long fan, he brought such enthusiasm to the part, and was just completely amazing. I'm hopeful that Gatwa is going to wind up a favorite too, as RTD knows how to pick a great Doctor.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Eccelston was my first doctor, watched through the first season with Smith. Then I started from the beginning. Working through Davison now. So far, my favorite doctor is Pertwee, I just love how tough situations are solved with martial arts and my God, his wardrobe!

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm ancient and started watching during the gap between the end of McCoy/Classic Who and the beginning of Eccleston/NuWho. I wound up watching a completely random selection of the 4th through 7th Doctors because that was what got played on PBS (KQED and KTEH ftw). The 4th Doctor was definitely my favorite and still is, simply because he really feels alien moreso than any of the other Doctors, to me anyway. Not that I don't greatly appreciate the others - especially Matt Smith, who's the most "fun" of all the Doctors IMO - but when I think The Doctor I still think of Tom Baker.

Also the 3rd Doctor was surprisingly badass and I think is my #3 favorite, surprisingly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

if you’re ancient i must be even ancienter. tom baker is my doctor, and i was highly traumatised at least 3 times i can clearly remember, in order from least to worst:

  • the white maggots maggoting out of the mineshaft

  • that shithead adric locking romana out of the tardis when the giant spiders were closing in outside

  • when the doctor dropped off sarah jane & just after the fucker dematerialised, she realised she had no idea where (or when) he’d left her. IT WAS LIKE THREE DECADES before we found out she was ok. awful.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Would you like a jelly baby?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I started with Eccelston and Matt Smith is my favorite, but I do think Tennant had better stories for the most part. But Tennant is definitely my least favorite of the ones I've seen (up through most of Capaldi's run). He's just too human and whiney, especially later in his run.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Nope, started with Eccleston and my favorite is Tennant with Smith a close second.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Nope, started with eccelston and my fav ended up being Capaldi.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

This is like choosing a favorite child, I love them all. I did start with Eccleston and followed the new series from there. For me 10 is still my favorite, with 12 close behind. Haven't watched 13 yet but starting on Jodies series now to catch up for the 60th anniversary.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Tom Baker was my first and remains my favorite, so much so I actually cried when he appeared as the curator. For me it was a really emotional moment, stupid I know but it was like a direct road back to my childhood which for me , luckily was a largely happy time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Nah, started with Eccleston, but Tennant is the best Doctor.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

As a child that was the case for me, Tennant was what really captivated 12 year-old me back in the day. But now I have kinda gravitated toward a few.

2, 6 (in Big Finish), 7, 8 and 10 are my favourites out of all of them.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Whenever I use a cordless electric screwdriver I hum 11's tune.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Nope, Smith is my favorite and I started with Tennant (although Tennant is still very much my second favorite)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

No. Started watching during Eccleston's run and Tennant is my favourite. Eccleston is my second favourite, though. Shame he only got the one season.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Started with Nine but his one season felt like an intro to Doctor Who. Ten became way too over the top and exhausting for me. Eleven came in and immediately I knew, this was My Doctor. He was fun, zany and had that thrill of adventure and optimism. But also could be terrifying, quiet and sadly understanding of reality.

The others after that just never clicked in the same way for me. For me, the sense of fun and wonder was what drew me to Doctor Who.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

A lot do love their first Doctor. I'm old school and started watching as a tiny kid and it was Jon Pertwee. I love Tom Baker but Peter Davison became Doctor right when my teen hormones hit so he's my favourite Classic Doctor! Peter Capaldi is my favourite Nu Who Doctor.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This wouldn't apply at all, sorry.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

No reason to apologize! Thanks for providing evidence to the contrary, and thanks for contributing your voice!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

My first was technically Tenant, the Pompei episode. Just felt weird to me. Didn't try the show again until Moffat & Smith's Eleventh Hour, and fell in love instantly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I started watching while Matt Smith was the current Doctor. However, I watched starting with the 9th Doctor and watched the seasons in order. Tenant’s 10th Doctor is and forever will be my favorite though.

That all said, it’s been a while since I actually watched any of Doctor Who. Watched into early Capaldi and then kinda fell off.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm worse: Whichever Doctor I watched most recently is likely to be my current favorite, if asked.

I love all the Nu-Who Doctors for different reasons. The fact that there are so many takes on the same character is just fun.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

This does apply to me. Eccleston was my first and always will be my fav, can't beat the leather jacket. I should give the newer docs a chance, didn't make it through smiths run. And watch classic who too at some point!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Started with Tennant, dropped the show at the end of Smith's run from the burnout, then came back ten years later only to realize Capaldi's my favourite.

I think the break had a lot to do with me reevaluating the show in general though, my tastes have changed.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Neither me nor my son. I started with the reboot and didn't like the first doctor, and loved matt Smith. My son adores Christopher and got into it the same order.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Doesn't apply to me. Pretty sure Tom Baker was my first Doctor (via PBS reruns). Of the pre-2005 series Jon Pertwee was my favorite.

When nuWho started I was there from the start with Eccleston, but Tennant is my favorite.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Started watching the year when Tennant was doc. But I went in starting at the beginning with literally no knowledge of what dr who was. Watched all the way through Peter Capaldi and solidly thought, "Eccleston is the best doc, but I like Capaldi the most". Then, rewatched it with my current partner, who very much liked and still likes Tennant the best, and I literally cannot decide. I now have an entirely new appreciation for Smith, and I think he did an EXCELLENT job.

They're all insanely appropriate for their state of character development of the doctor in phases of personal growth and grieving, including Whittaker.

Tl;dr: No. I think it depends on where you are in your life and if it resonates with how the doctor is, not who's playing the doctor.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

No. Although I love the Fourth Doctor, it's the Eighth Doctor that I've enjoyed the most (in books and audios of course).

I wonder if there's a difference between younger and older fans? Younger fans, who've only seen the rebooted show, seem to have an affection for "their" first Doctor.

If I'm honest, these days I find myself thinking about the Doctor as THE Doctor rather than get caught up with any one incarnation. I tend to like particular adventures rather than particular personalities. Some adventures have been great, others less so. I tend to prefer classic Who to the reboot and like stories told over a number of episodes rather than "done-in-ones".

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I started watching with 11, but my favourite is 12. 7 and 3 come closely behind. And Big Finish 6. You know what? I love nearly all of them with a few exceptions.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Nope. 4 was my first, faves are 12, 2 & 5. Hubs first was 9, but 10 is his Doctor.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The pattern does not hold for me.

When I started watching it was on PBS in the United States in the 1980s, and they showed the Doctors in mixed-up order. The Doctor who first caught my eye was Tom Baker, the most popular by far among US viewers and also the one most likely to turn up in the reruns simply because they were rebroadcasting (mostly) stuff from the color era; I loved the grinning madman with jellybabies and scarf with the blasts of Douglas Adams humor. However, when I grew to have a truly favorite Doctor I realized I was a Colin Baker fan and still am.

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