Doctor Who's eccentric protagonist The Doctor has seen plenty of different faces over the years, and each new face comes with a distinct personality and fresh adventures. Fans have always been split on the question of which has been the "best" Doctor so far, as each actor brings something new and fun to the role.
Most casual fans are familiar with the New Who regenerations of the character: Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, Capaldi, and Whittaker, but there were actually many more before the show was rebooted in 2005. And those incarnations definitely shouldn't be forgotten, with many fans viewing them as some of the best of all time.
The Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann)
Despite only making one main appearance as The Doctor (and one brief stint in the BBC special "Night of the Doctor"), the actor is considered by many to be one of the best to adopt the role. Most likely because of the large influence that McGann's Doctor Who movie had on many fans.
The eighth Doctor wasn't given too much time to flourish in his singular story, but McGann still did a great job of capturing that unique quirkiness that makes The Doctor such a compelling protagonist. It's for that reason that he finds himself on this list.
The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)
Doctor Who is a famously British show, but Davison's incarnation of The Doctor might just be one of the most British things ever put to screen. His youthful interest in cricket, tea, history, and good manners made a perfect complement to his signature white jacket and celery stick.
The Fifth Doctor might not have the most iconic or memorable stories of the entire show, but his appearance in Season 4's "Time Crash" was one of the most viewed episodes to date. The story imagines the two incarnations of The Doctor (Davison's & Tennant's) working together to prevent a cosmic anomaly.
The Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton)
Many people forget about Troughton's incarnation of The Doctor, but he's definitely one of the show's most underrated to date. He was a part of several iconic storylines, and the energy that he brought to the character was unlike anything fans have seen since.
There are plenty of classic Doctor Who aliens that have been improved by New Who, but without the playful imagination of Troughton's era, many of the newer stories would never have been possible. It's the Second Doctor to whom the show owes a huge chunk of its style and flair.
The First Doctor (William Hartnell)
Doctor Who began with William Hartnell, and it's hard to imagine another actor doing such a perfect job of introducing this eccentric and unusual character. Hartnell's performance was much more grounded and realistic than many of the incarnations to come, but he still had that sense of childlike wonder that makes him such a watchable character.
With the first Doctor's iconic first lines, Doctor Who was born. The first season might not be everybody's thing, but it's the birthplace of the show. So much of its history, lore, and characters can be traced all the way back to Hartnell's original run, so it wouldn't be fair to exclude him from this list.
The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee)
By the time Jon Pertwee came around and adopted the role of The Doctor, the show was really starting to find its footing as a playful sci-fi adventure. Pertwee's take on the character was much more upbeat and witty than the previous two, which are traits that seem to have remained to this day.
Although the third Doctor doesn't have as much of an important presence in the Time Lord's history as some of the other incarnations, Pertwee's run was still filled with plenty of entertaining and interesting episodes that have definitely stood the test of time.
The Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston)
Christopher Eccleston was the first actor to take up the role of The Doctor when the show was rebooted in 2005, and although some fans hold the unpopular opinion that the ninth Doctor's series is the most "skippable," the actor perfectly mixed childishness with tragic maturity in his portrayal of the character.
Eccleston's run as The Doctor also established the character of Rose Tyler, who very quickly became one of the show's fan-favorite companions. She appeared multiple times throughout Tennant's run too, with a brief appearance in the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor."
The Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi)
Capaldi's version of The Doctor was a lot more serious and dry than the last few to come before him, but he managed to play these traits perfectly. Seasons 8, 9, and 10 harbored some of the most emotional and heartfelt episodes of the entire show, and a lot of this came down to Capaldi's outstanding performance.
One of the most compelling aspects of Capaldi's Doctor was his complex relationship with Missy, an incarnation of classic Doctor Who villain The Master. The two were absolutely electric together whenever they appeared on screen, and the episodes that they shared were some of the show's best to date.
The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker)
If you ask any Doctor Who fan who their favorite classic Doctor is, the overwhelming majority will quickly answer with Tom Baker's name. Not only did the actor bring something ineffably charming to the role, but the character was also involved in some of the show's defining early episodes.
Tom Baker also has the advantage of having played the role when Doctor Who was at its peak in popularity in the 1970s. A whole generation grew up with Tom Baker as "their Doctor," so it's no surprise that the actor is so often polled as one of the fans' favorites.
The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith)
Matt Smith's version of The Doctor is widely regarded as the most enthusiastic and playful to date, with his episodes taking a much more distinct feel and tone than some of the others. Although he was extremely fun to watch, the eleventh Doctor was also plagued with plenty of sad and heartwrenching episodes that made him an extremely complex and unpredictable person.
Since leaving the role, Matt Smith has spoken extremely openly about his love for the show, the character, and the community. He appeared alongside Tennant and Hurt in the show's fiftieth anniversary special, and has suggested that he'd be open to returning in the future.
The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant)
David Tennant's incarnation of The Doctor is widely regarded to be the best to date, and it's extremely hard to disagree. The actor perfectly embodies every single one of the character's traits, balancing his childish nature with a deep understanding of the world that made him extremely compelling and relatable.
Tennant's Doctor also had plenty of companions throughout his 3-season run on the show. Iconic characters like Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, and Captain Jack Harkness were all huge parts of the tenth Doctor's life, and his episodes are infinitely more entertaining thanks to their presence.