Three Doctor Whos You Must See Before You Die

I’m a life long fan of the TV programme doctorstipsonline Who. That’s right, a semi-obscure British TV show, which, thanks to a relaunch in 2005 is now popular again the world over. Of course, to me Doctor Who never went away.

In case you’ve never seen it, the series follows the adventures (and misadventures) of a time traveller known only as The Doctor. The TV programme is called Doctor Who and so a lot of people think that the main character is also known as Doctor Who, but that’s not really the case. I just used that in the title so you’d know what TV programme I was talking about.

So, dating back to nearly 50 years of history, a whole host of different characters have played the title character, The Doctor on screen (and others too on film and in other media). Don’t just get acquinted with the new series. Who are the three Doctors who I think you have to see before you die?

(1) The Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant.

David Tennant’s incarnation was really responsible for bringing the show back to the massive international acclaim which it’s had. Funny and exciting in the same breath, Tennant’s Doctor also brought an element of romance and sex appeal to the show for the first time, sharing a kiss with more than one of his companions. Backed with modern special effects, to many Tennant’s Doctor is the definitive version.

(2) The First Doctor, played by William Hartnell.

Dating all the way back to 1963, when Doctor Who first hit the TV screens on a Saturday evening in black and white, Hartnell’s Doctor introduced much of the mystery and mystique that the programme would depend on. A more elderly model, Hartnell’s Doctor relied more on his intelligence than his brawn. With regular excursions back in time, this period of the TV show also provided a useful indication. Really making the role his own, you really can’t be a Doctor Who fan without wanting to see how it all started.

(3) The Seventh Doctor, played by Sylvestor McCoy.

A slightly controversial choice, perhaps? Were you expecting me to say Tom Baker, who probably found the most fame outside the UK? No, my choice is Sylvestor McCoy, as the episodes he appeared in are still modern enough to stand alone and a number of the stories have a grittier element to them. Further, to me Sylvestor McCoy’s Doctor is the one who really developed outside of the TV series. With a regular supporting stack of books, comic strips and, more recently, audio plays, the idea of a highly manipulating Doctor, performing as Time’s Champion, really gave a somewhat aging series a new lease of life.

So, there you have it. My three recommendations of Doctors who you should check out. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the rest are rubbish. Far from it! Go ahead and watch any episodes you can get your hands on. Pick and choose. There’s no shortage of great Doctor Who episodes out there, past and general, and they’re all worth watching.