Who's the best Who


I only recently discovered the Doctor Who series, but nothing stopped me from renting the whole series and enjoying a Doctor Who marathon...twice! And while I maintain a fondness for Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor persona, not just for reviving the series but also for his take on the character, David Tennant's Tenth Doctor will always be my favorite. He added so much depth to the character, and I absolutely loved his 'tongue in cheek humor' (or cheekiness) and his sharp wit. I can honestly say that his final appearance in "The End of Time" was one of those performances that you both love and hate at the same time...it was so powerful and raw...I freely admit that I was too shocked to even cry at his last words. I think it is because Tennant's portrayal was so deep, that I appreciate Matt Smith's portrayal of the Eleventh Doctor as ancient yet child-like; but, in his own words, Tennant "you were my doctor".
So I figured I'd see who else felt the same.

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Eccleston was good but Tennant was what made me love the show. Since he left I have never watched a single episode with Matt Smith and never will

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Lizstout - I have been watching Dr. Who since the 80's - I saw Tom Baker and then Peter Davison - got to admit they lost me then, now I can appreciate Peter's Doctor - but then it was just too different for me and I didn't like the companions after Elizabeth Slater - after a lot of study in recent years I realize the real problem was the producer who took over the show. I actually got back into it because of Peter Davison and that was when I started watching again - thanks to Amazon Prime - I stared with the Tennant specials which as you know was actually the end of his time - I was totally blown away by the quality of acting - so I went back and started with the Christopher Eccleston season and was thoroughly hooked - I own all the seasons now and am in the process of collecting some of the classic doctors episodes - especially those that help you understand the new series. I have watched them repeatedly. I have watched the Matt Smith doctor - do I enjoy them? No. A lot of the reason for that is convoluted plots that rely far to much on deux ex machina and a doctor that I find irritating and about as personable as a speeded up videotape. Again I think producers have a lot of responsibility to take the heat in these situations and Stephen Moffatt should stick to writing - if he has a good script editor to make sure he isn't going too far off track. I read somewhere else where someone compared Matt Smith's doctor to that of Sylvester McCoy's - totally justified - again I will not invest anything in which they star. If it hadn't been for his companions I think he would have killed the show - hopefully he'll leave before that happens. Tennant is a world class actor - I'm only short two things he has done that are out on DVD at this point and I don't feel like I've wasted my money. There you go - another person's opinion

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I watched DW as a kid but honestly never invested in any of The Doctors. Always enjoyed the show, many of the stories, the scifi-lite of it all, but never was a rabid fan. Started watching the new incarnation of the show with Eccleston as Nine and it was the same - enjoyed it, thought he was a good actor and thought the stories under RTD's leadership were fabulous. Then Tennant came along and by "Oooh new teeth. That's weird", he had won me over, totally and forever. A fabulously talented actor, a charismatic performer, he's real, not a synthetic-seeming figure like far too may Here today, Gone tomorrow "actors". I admire his work as Ten, and absolutely LOVE many of the eps, but even more, I admire him for not remaining stuck to the formula since leaving the show. He's done so much that is quality and varied. Even if the show is bleh, like "St Trinian's - Fitton's Gold", or fails to live up to its potential, like "Decoy Bride", David's performance is always stellar. He's a 10/10 and no mistake.

I have watched very little of DW since David left, and what I have seen makes me sad. Not with Matt Smith, whose take on Eleven is as valid as David's Ten, though he's not as well directed as David was. Matt speaks FAR too fast and his diction is truly dire - a fault would never have been allowed to get past the keeper in RTD's day. What saddens me is that the great work of RTD has been dismantled by Steven Moffatt for no other reason, it seems to me, than to turn DW into a marketable commodity to sell to the US which, as any non-American can tell you, has traditionally shown little tolerance or understanding of cultural product that emanates from outside the USA, producers almost invariably "americanising" it to pander to the alleged demands of the local market.

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Okay - agree totally about Tennant - but you can't blame Americans for Moffatt's poor performance - I have never meant anyone here who doesn't feel that Smith is weak and the show has gone down hill since Tennant left - all of the Doctor Who fans I know - young Americans - are globally aware young people who appreciate the show and don't care where it originated from, they also prefer RTD's Torchwood to the Eleventh doctor, and I haven't seen any evidence that RTD is trying to sell anything except good television - I think Moffatt has simply tried to fill shoes much too big for him and that is why he made such ridiculous decisions - he was afraid he couldn't live up to what was there so instead "a new direction" so that there wouldn't be the inevitable comparisons - sorry it didn't work - it just highlighted the peaks the previous seasons had reached and now poor Doctor Who is in the valleys. The people who drive me the craziest are the fans who think you have to support a show no matter what - that's like saying yes I know the fish has gone off - but it was good enough for you yesterday - eat it!

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Wow, that's a bit extreme. I was desolate when Christopher Eccleston left und thought no doctor could ever be as good as him, "Give me my doctor back!", ect.. Then I was desolate when David Tennant left and thought no doctor could ever be as good as him, "Give me my doctor back!" ect. - the exact same intensity of feeling. I wanted the show to continue in the way I've come to love it and with the same actors very very much.

I've just started to watch the episodes with Matt Smith and while I honestly think that I won't like Matt Smith as much as I liked David Tennant (and liked Christopher Eccleston), I think Matt Smith is doing a good job. The doctor is still the doctor, just different. You should give it a try.

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To me, Matt Smith is a better actor and really brings out the emotions in the storyline which is great but David Tennant is a better Doctor.

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Tennant was good, but a bit boring at times. I prefer Smith's doctor at the moment to be honest. You should really give him a try. If you don't like him after the first couple of episodes you can skip the rest.

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Love the 10th Doctor the best, but I did give 11 a go (12 as well) and I found that 11's storylines were difficult to follow and rather depressing.

I think 2 part episodes are fine but there were too many episodes for the 11th doctor that required previous knowledge.

I loved Moffat with the 10th doctor. How can you not love Girl in the Fireplace and I could show anyone that episode and they could enjoy it. The Silence ran way too long and even though there were themes, such a Bad Wolf in 10s seasons, they didn't dominate the storylines so much.

JMHO

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