Why I Love The Doctor

To celebrate the grand 50^th Anniversary of Doctor Who, I decided that I would this week speak a bit about why The Doctor is so entrancing, so incredibly spellbinding that he manages to hold our attention, no matter which face he wears.  Many actors have had the honor of playing The Doctor, but we do not grow tired of the changes.  In fact - though we may feel sorrow at the leaving of one Doctor and the coming of another - we always manage to get over our trepidation and continue The Doctor’s journey with him.  Though I am, regrettably, one of those that came into an appreciation of Doctor Who via the reboot, I can say now, after four incarnations, that I am a fan forever.  And, perhaps more importantly, that each Doctor was special to me in some way.  Continue on for my assessment of why each Doctor captured our hearts and minds.

Christopher Eccleston - The Angry Doctor

When I first made my journey into Doctor Who (in earnest), it was this man that I saw.  Many are with me in this regard, so I am not ashamed.  Eccleston came at us in full force, bringing an angry and bitter Doctor that, despite our lack of knowledge, still managed to captive us.  Who is this Doctor?  Why is he so bitter about the world(s) around him?  And how does he manage to display such joy despite that anger?  Eccleston was, in my opinion, the perfect man to usher in a new era of Doctor Who.  He allowed us to connect while still being confused as to what The Doctor’s back-story might be.  Some have religiously watched all the older episodes of the series and may perhaps understand what Eccleston’s motivations were, but to the rest of us it was enough that he be convincing, charming and driven.

David Tennant - The Crazy Doctor

There is a large fan base that will declare Tennant as THE Doctor, hands down.  While I’m more of a Smith man myself, I can certainly see why there is so much passion revolving around his performance.  Tennant was a handful of crazy, running from this place to that and always embodying the essence of what it meant to be The Doctor.  He had the luxury of playing alongside three different companions, each of which helped to flesh out The Doctor in ways that only Tennant could expand upon.  He dealt with serious drama and light-hearted fun and showed a masterful skill with both.  When most think of Doctor Who in its modern incarnation, they will think of Tennant, despite what Smith has done for recent seasons.  Tennant was, truth be told, born to play the role of The Doctor, if only for a limited time (as all Doctors are).

Matt Smith - The Child Doctor

Matt Smith is definitely my favorite Doctor of all time.  Yes, I may be a little biased, but there’s a reason for that.  Smith brought together the elements of many previous Doctors to create the personality that he portrayed on the small screen.  Every time I see him, I can get a glimpse of both Tennant and Eccleston.  If I had been more vigilant in exploring the old series, I could probably even expand upon his interpretation of the other Doctors.  Smith was, just like Tennant, a man born to play the role of Doctor Who.  He displayed an amazing wonder, a child-like sense of the world around him that changed the character of The Doctor while still managing to retain the dark past that only a man of 900 years can have.  God bless you, Matt Smith, for you are gone to us now.

Peter Capaldi - The Mystery Doctor

I sit here right now awaiting the chance to see the 50^th Anniversary Special.  Mr. Peter Capaldi will be taking over for Matt Smith, but what that means is still a mystery.  In all honesty, I have no idea who Capaldi is.  All I know is that Steven Moffat (and associated folks) decided that he was the best choice for the new Doctor.  What will he bring to the table?  Only time will tell.

So who is your favorite Doctor?  Are you an old-school Doctor Who fan or did you just discover the series via Eccleston?  How do you think Peter Capaldi will do in the role?  So many questions!

Photo Credits -           

Doctor Who courtesy of bbcamerica.com

Eccelston courtesy of watchplayread.com

Tennant courtesy of whatculture.com

Smith courtesy of whatculture.com

Capaldi courtesy of whatculture.com