Christian Cawley's Blog, page 145

Russell T Davies To Write Doctor Who Film? “Yes Please!”

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Former Doctor Who showrunner and Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures creator Russell T Davies appeared on Graham Norton’s Radio 2 show this weekend, ostensibly to promote his new series Cucumber and Banana, and naturally conversation turned to the time travelling adventure show.

Or more precisely, his cinematic exploits. When asked if he would write a Doctor Who film, Davies Yes please. If we could get the lawyers and contracts flying now. You know I would do that because I think there’s a big leap to be made.”

This is, of course, despite recent claims that he has no interest in returning to the show.

Davies explained that his feeling is that the movie is a priority. “I think it should be in the cinemas immediately. It would be glorious. Imagine queuing up at the cinema to go and see a Doctor Who film.”

Well, folks, I don’t need to imagine, as I queued up, with many of you, to enjoy The Day of the Doctor, at the cinema.

Would I like to make that a regular experience? Well, I don’t know. Some of you already visited the flicks to take in Deep Breath back in August, so how do you feel? Has the time passed for a Doctor Who movie when feature-length episodes can be shown in the cinema? Does the presence of Russell T Davies as scriptwriter change the concept of a Doctor Who film?

Tell us what you think.

You can revisit the show on the BBC iPlayer for 28 days.

The post Russell T Davies To Write Doctor Who Film? “Yes Please!” appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Introducing Cult Britannia To Kasterborous

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been working behind the scenes to make some changes here at Kasterborous, a few added bonuses that will give you more to read.

You may recall that we ran a reader survey, which we’ve used to assess your thoughts on a number of topics concerning Kasterborous. Many things we seemed to be doing right, but one question split you – whether or not we should add non-Doctor Who content. Many said no, only for the following questions “what shows should we feature” to completely contradict this!

So, we’ve come to a decision. Previously, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures aside, we’ve been wholly focussed on Doctor Who. At one point we considered Big Finish to be no more than a spinoff too, which is clearly barmy. This narrow focus, however, has been to our detriment, and at times we’ve ignored the most obvious things like Sherlock and Broadchurch.

From now on, we’re changing the rationale of Kasterborous a little, smudging the lines between our beloved show and some others. This doesn’t mean that we’re turning into SFX or Cultbox, rather our focus will remain on Doctor Who but we’ll occasionally bring in other shows only where there is a strong connection through a key cast member, producer or writer of TV or audio Doctor Who.

However, there is a caveat to all of this. Of late, Kasterborous’ sister ship Cult Britannia has been left drifting, due to the sheer effort required in managing Kasterborous and some other projcts I’m involved in. The result of this was to either let her flounder, or bring her into port, as it were. So today, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to welcome Cult Britannia to Kasterborous. A whole new section has been added for this website, and the URL www.cultbritannia.co.uk will now forward to www.kasterborous.com/category/cultbritannia/. This can be considered a sort of “sub-blog”, where you’ll find some very interesting posts, and it is sort of personal to me too. It’s a sort of dry run for a new project on the site too, but more on that next time.

What this means is that when searching Kasterborous you might stumble across something that isn’t related to Doctor Who. Don’t worry. This is to be expected. However, going forward, any content that isn’t directly Doctor Who related – material that fits the description mentioned above – will be posted under Cult Britannia.

As a result of this migration, the old Cult Britannia is closed, for the short term at least. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped with the site over the years, Thomas W Sychalski, Barnaby Eaton-Jones, Daren Thomas Curley, Nick May, Hamish Crawford and everyone else (it’s quiet a long list). All of you are welcome to contribute Cult Britannia-style content here at Kasterborous, and even Doctor Who articles too…

If this is not entirely clear, worry not. It will all become evident in time. It certainly won’t impact on the quality of quantity of Doctor Who content that we bring you, something that is set to increase further in the coming weeks…

The post Introducing Cult Britannia To Kasterborous appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Are These Doctor Who’s 10 Funniest Moments?

Andrew Reynolds is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Despite its reputation for scares Doctor Who is perhaps most memorable when cracking wise, indulging in a little slapstick and deadpanning its way through all twelve incarnations of the Doctor.

So let’s take a trip back into to find the most mirthful moments in Doctor Who history. As we know humour is subjective so, to combat with a little objectivity and consensus, I’ve brought together an esteemed panel of comedians, both past and present to compile our list. So let me introduce *handed piece of paper…wait, what do you mean they’re all a no-show? Let me see this list; dead, dead, Operation Yewtree, Bob Carolgees.

Forget it, I’ll have to do it myself…

Vampires in Venice

“No, I kissed her mouth”

Is there a better way to reassure a so far clueless groom to be that there is absolutely nothing going on between you and his fiancé by jumping out of cake at his stag do and telling him you may have kissed her?

The zingers would be perfect if they were intentional.

The Lodger

“Less of a young professional – more of an ancient amateur. But frankly, I’m an absolute dream.”

Gareth Roberts has mined a rich vein of comedy from the Doctors attempts to blend in with humanity and long may it continue – Steven Moffat is certainly tickled by the idea, having employed Roberts on three separate occasions to add a bit of magic to the mundane, but none of these episodes has worked as well as The Lodger (although The Caretaker comes very close).

Favourite lines include: “I love you!” “Well that’s good, ’cause I’m your new lodger.”

Also: “Oh, I will. I’ll shout…if that happens. Something like… I WAS NOT EXPECTNG THIS!”

And: “We’re going to annihilate them!”

“Annihilate? No! No, no violence, do you understand me? Not while I’m around, not today, not ever. I’m the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm. And you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn’t you?”

The Christmas Invasion

“I DON’T KNOOOOW!”

From that outburst to his hilarious inadvertent quoting of The Lion King, the Tenth Doctor’s first appearance set out early his own unique sexy, excitable, and frequently hilarious personality.

Also, I tend to like alien invasions with grounded, realistic motivations – the idea that the galaxy is full of hucksters and chancers looking to take us human rubes for a dime or two is a strong one which worked wonders in The Christmas Invasion – which unfortunately exposed the weakness in such a scam; The Doctor can see through this interstellar three card brag almost instantly which makes it ideal for comedy.

Partners in Crime

“…”

Donna Noble – the companion looking for a little more fun out of life – finally reunites with the one man who is practically powered by the stuff – and it’s a glorious near silent moment of back and forth by two equally generous performers and a wonderfully written (yep, it’s all written – see Russell T Davies’ The Writer’s Tale) scene.

City of Death

“You’re a beautiful woman… probably”

Basically, all of it. There’s very little to say about it other than its glorious. Written by Douglas Adams, brought to life by Tom Baker – an actor born to bring Adam’s dialogue to life and matched line for line by Lalla Ward it’s just perfect.

Favourite lines include…well, I don’t even have to type them. They’re yours too.

Inferno

“Pompous, self-opinionated idiot”

Coming as it does at the end of this bleak, horrifying political parable the final scene of Inferno plays out as something of a reward for making through such difficult waters. The set up maybe one trumpet ‘wah-wah’ away from being rather rote but its saved by the wonderful performances of Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney and Caroline John.

The stand out moments include the Doctor’s cheeky “Join in Liz, come on” as he sings his Martian moon ditty, his prickly response to Brigadier’s insinuation that his tinkering was the cause of all their strife and, the rather sheepish return of the now trash-covered Doctor as he embraces the chided Brigadier – which is particularly heart-warming.

The Invasion

“Doctor! Get down!”

A gifted physical comedian, Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor never failed to ring out comedy gold from even the most perilous of escapes – think his attempt to avoid the spores from The Seeds of Death – but his crowning prat falling achievement has to be his screaming, hopping dash from the Cybermen in 1969’s The Invasion.

However, the cherry on the cake has to be how quickly he regains his composure once a camera is pointed his direction.

A masterclass.

Time Crash

“Ten Minutes to Belgium!”

I know, its cheating and yes, there are many moments where the Fifth Doctor gets to crack wise (The ‘Sir’ scene in The Caves of Androzani, “Where the nuts come from” from Black Orchid and his manipulation of Gravis in Frontios) but I’ve plumbed for the 2007 Children in Need special, where TARDIS’ collide and the Tenth Doctor pays homage to his ‘decorative vegetable’ wearing predecessor.

The Romans

“You see, I’ve always wanted to be considered an artist of some taste…”

What have the Romans ever done for us? Puns, intrigue and a few historical inaccuracies abound in this amusing 1965 romp where a holidaying Doctor gets mistake for the famous lyre player Maximus Pettulian – devising an elaborate farce to hide the fact he can’t actually play the thing.

What makes this serial stand out is the clear joy William Hartnell gets from playing the fool; mellowing into the role and finding a suitable sparring partner for this lighter Doctor in new companion Vicki, The Romans broke new dramatic ground.

Into the Dalek

“Yeah, top layer if you want to say a few words.”

Peter Capaldi’s Doctor is what you’d call sensitive; being an alien, his outré comments often rub his human companions the wrong one – resulting in a quick, violent ‘readjustment’ of this sensibility by typically exasperated Clara.

However, those same moments can be very, very funny If your sense of humour tends to be blacker than black – none more so than the moment the Twelfth Doctor pays his condolences to Ross.

So do you agree/disagree with our ten funniest moments? What laugh out load scenes or exchanges would make your list?

The post Are These Doctor Who’s 10 Funniest Moments? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

The Doctor and Amy Pond Return to Utah for FanX 2015!

Nick Kitchen is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

While coming up on four years since the Doctor and the Ponds’ first trip to Utah, it’s been confirmed that Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) will in fact take part in Salt Lake Comic Con’s FanX 2015. While not his first trip to the state, it will be his first to the event. According to the SLCC co-founder, Dan Farr, scheduling Smith for the event has been a year long challenge:

“We only found out that he’s available. That’s how long it’s taken. For us, it’s a big success.”

The event will also mark Gillan’s second time as a special guest. Whovians will also be glad to know that Ninth and Tenth Doctor companion, Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), will also be in attendance. The three will share the stage at a special panel, “The Ultimate Doctor Who Experience,” which is ticketed and has already sold out. But never fear, as Piper and Gillan will be doing separate free panels at FanX as well.

The event runs January 29-31st at the Salt Palace Convention Center. More information about the event can be found at the SLCC website. Any of our American Kasterborites planning on attending? Let us know!

(Via Salt Lake Tribune)

The post The Doctor and Amy Pond Return to Utah for FanX 2015! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Netflix NOT Removing Doctor Who!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Put the pitchforks down. Douse the torches and put the mobile gallows back in the shed. Netflix is not dropping Doctor Who!

As we reported a few days ago, there was a strong chance of Doctor Who being dropped by the subscription streaming service, pending a renegotiation of the deal with BBC Worldwide. More recently, it seemed even more likely that a deal would not be reached, but now we can tell you that the parties have made an agreement! A Netflix spokesperson told Variety that the rumours were false, however as a small bench of shows are being dropped, it would seem more likely that the whole package was up for renegotiation.

To confirm, Netflix tweeted:

The Doctor is in. http://t.co/bKS9jTF9S3

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 17, 2015

Still available after February 1st are:

Classic Doctor Who and nuWho Series 1 through 7
Copper seasons 1 and 2
House of Cards trilogy
Keeping Up Appearances season 1
Luther seasons 1 through 3
Monarch of the Glen seasons 1 through 6 (featuring Tom Baker)
North & South
Robin Hood seasons 1 through 3
The Buccaneers
The Office U.K. seasons 1 and 2
Top Gear seasons 17 though 20
Torchwood seasons 1 through 4
Wallander seasons 1 through 3

The shows being dropped, making them unavailable after February 1st, are Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, MI-5 and Red Dwarf.

So, Doctor Who fans can rest easy – no need to cancel your subscriptions!

The post Netflix NOT Removing Doctor Who! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Don’t Miss David Tennant & Olivia Colman On The Graham Norton Show Tonight!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

David Tennant and Broadchurch fans are in for a treat tonight as the Tenth Doctor actor and his police drama costar Olivia Colman are guests on The Graham Norton Show!

The second series of the slow-moving, visually stunning detective drama/community in peril story has proved as intriguing as the first so far, so it’s no surprise to see its two stars appearing on the promotional trail halfway through the run.

We obviously won’t give too much away (as, ahem, we haven’t seen the show) but you can get a sneak peak at an exchange concerning em>Broadchurch shipping by clicking play in the video above.

Also on the show are Harvey Weinstein and singer Jessie J. Catch it tonight, 10.35pm on BBC One and look out for it soon on BBC America

The post Don’t Miss David Tennant & Olivia Colman On The Graham Norton Show Tonight! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

How Many Times Has the Doctor Met the Devil?

Nick Kitchen is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The Father of Lies. Beelzebub. Lucifer. Pazuzu. The Morning Star. Satan. My former supervisor. What ever name you ascribe to him, there is no villain or monster in fiction (or reality, if you prefer) than the Devil. Regardless of religious background, every great hero must face their version of the Devil. In this regard, the Doctor is not exempt. In fact, our beloved Time Lord has encountered many different versions of the Evil One. Today, we shall see if we can number the beast, so to speak, and recall the different occasions the Doctor has met the Devil.

Azal (The Daemons)

The first time that the Doctor and the Devil met was during the Third Doctor serial, The Daemons. If you’ll recall, the serial found the Doctor fighting to keep the Master from raising Azal the Daemon, an alien race that humanity has often identified as the Judeo-Christian Satan, as well as pagan demons. Like most portrayals of the Satanic, Azal is offered a human sacrifice in the form of Jo Grant. Jo’s offer of self sacrifice to save the Doctor thwarts the being and the Master no longer gets he power to rule the world. It’s also interesting to note the physical portrayal of Azal. He is given horns and has a half man-half animal body, the lower half being covered in fur. This is based on one of the classic portrayals of the Devil in art and description. Also of note is the Master’s role in this storyline. It could be argued that he takes on the New Testament “Antichrist” role and worships Azal in order to obtain power to rule the Earth and defeat the Doctor, who in this analogy would be the “Messiah” figure.

Sutekh (Pyramids of Mars)

While most historians will recognize Sutekh (or Set) as the Egyptian god of war (among other not so good things), Whovians know him as the antagonist in the Fourth Doctor story, The Pyramid of Mars. This take on the devil figure finds Sutekh the Destroyer a member of the alien race Osirian who is bent on destroying the universe. It also another appearance where the devil-like figure is attributed as Satan, as well as Set and other cultural depictions of the Evil One. This serial saw Sutekh possess the mind of the Doctor in order to aid his freedom from imprisonment. Ultimately, this Devil was trapped in a Time Tunnel where eventually died after thousands of years. This portrayal also envelops the idea of conflict between the Devil and the God/god, raging through out the heavens (literally in this instance, as his war with the Osirans raged from planet to planet).

The Beast (The Satan Pit)

It took six regenerations, but the Doctor and the Devil met again in the Series 2 two parter, The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit. This is probably the most direct reference to the Judeo-Christian Devil in likeness and concept. The Beast claimed to have existed before the formation of the universe and was trapped at Krop Tor, reminiscent of the Book of Revelations depiction of Satan being locked up in the great pit for a millennia, by the Disciples of Light. The Doctor found its existence troubling, as it caused him to question what he believed to be true about the universe. It is also the only time that a figure claiming to be Satan hasn’t been explained away as a member of an alien race, though it appeared the Doctor was eager to find a way to do so. The story ended with the Beast’s body and spirit (possessing Toby) being trapped in the Black Hole, presumed destroyed.

Akhaten (The Rings of Akhaten)

This can probably be classified as more of honorable mention, but we would be remiss to not mention the parasitic sun planet in the list, because while it had no real speaking parts, it does embody some classic Luciferian traits. For example, scripture describes Lucifer as the Morning Star and the Lord of the Air. Akhaten at its core was a star and made of light. He also commanded the obedience of beings that lived in his orbit, or air if you will. It also forced that obedience by demanding sacrifice and use of fear in the Lovecraftian sense (i.e. the people obeyed because of the fear of unknown consequences of disobedience). The Akhaten portayal, if not specifically called Satanic, does hit enough of the marks to be considered an encounter with the Evil One.

That brings this devilish list to an end, dear reader! The Devil is perhaps one of the most chilling monsters the Doctor has faced. Indeed, The Beast two parter is the only time I’ve ever experienced a “behind the couch” moment with Doctor Who. Because fear is cathartic, I cannot wait until they face off again.

The post How Many Times Has the Doctor Met the Devil? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Who Fan? Want To Write? Join The Kasterborous Team!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Every now and again at Kasterborous we decide it’s time to look for new contributors. Now is one of those times, following the graduation of several regulars to other exciting projects (something we’ll be telling you more about in the very near future).

In case you were unaware, this website has a great track record in finding and fostering writing and artistic talent. Past contributors have gone on to work on Doctor Who DVD cover art, working as storyboard artists and even published in sci-fi magazines. Kasterborous appears on the CVs and online resumes of several people connected to the site, with good reason too, we believe.

Would you like to join the team? We have several openings for contributors at Kasterborous:

Classic Series Reviewers

This year we’re planning on continuing (and hopefully concluding!) our Doctor Who @ 50 Series. As such we’re looking for writers who can bring the same level of passion and detail to the series as those that have gone before. See An Unearthly Child/100,000 BC and Marco Polo for an idea of the tone and detail we’re looking for here.

Book Reviewers

We can’t move for books. Hopefully, you can’t too (although you should have enough movement in your upper body to type. Reviews of Doctor Who books, from TARGET reissues (or even originals!) to the latest from BBC Books are high on our list of things we’d like to see on Kasterborous this year. If you have the book already, share your love. If it’s a new title and sent to Kasterborous Towers from the publisher, we’ll forward it on to you to review. Fiction or non-fiction, if it’s a book with a Doctor Who connection, we want to read your thoughts on it.

Audio Adventure Reviewers

 

We already have a strong team of Big Finish reviewers, but as the library of ranges increases, so does our reviewers’ workload.

Would you like to get the chance to enjoy Big Finish audios and review them? If you successfully join our team, you can!

News Team

During 2014 we lost several members of the news team due to internal changes at the site and new circumstances for the members. Most have moved on to occasional news posts or semi-regular long-form contributions.

Obviously there is no payment for writing on Kasterborous. What there is, however, is the opportunity to have your work viewed by a huge audience of Doctor Who fans, as well as various freebies (books, DVDs, comics, etc.) that come our way. Oh and the chance to be part of a special Facebook group where authors can chuck ideas around and discuss topics, a useful way of fleshing things out.

To join the Kasterborous contributors, send an email to christian@kasterborous.com specifying in the subject line which team you would like to join, and include a relevant sample of your writing.

Also, if you’ve got an idea for an article, or something that you planned for a different project that you think would be suitable, let us know via the same address – we’re open to any pitches!

The post Doctor Who Fan? Want To Write? Join The Kasterborous Team! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Eighth Doctor Epic Adventure Dark Eyes 3 Reviewed

Meredith Burdett is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Well now, just when you thought the Eighth Doctor’s adventures couldn’t get any more epic, Dark Eyes 3 comes along and pulls the rug out from under the listener’s feet.

Following on from the cliff-hanger of Dark Eyes 2, this new set of four adventures for the Eighth Doctor, Molly Sullivan and Liv Chenka serves up a larger plot with the Master and the Eminence at the centre. And boy, is it ever exciting.

The first thing that the listener will notice is how ‘old school’ Dark Eyes 3 is. This is a Pertwee-style story given the McGann spin on things. This is new Doctor Who in a retro model. The Master’s grand plan is just that – a classic grand plan. No drum beats inside his head, no see-through skin and electro charges dispersed from the hands, no Chameleon Arches: this is a Delgado-thinking Master in a new body, at last.

Alex Macqueen simply shines here with his incarnation of the Master fast becoming one of this reviewer’s favourites. He purrs his lines; he speaks softly and slowly, yet the menace that he exhumes to others around him is powerful indeed. Here is a Master that is less crazy and more conniving and greedy. Insanity doesn’t cut the mustard with this incarnation, death and destruction is not the aim of the game but rather a means to an end for the ultimate victory-Universal domination. He pairs well with the Eighth Doctor, the two of them sparking well off one another. McGann didn’t get nearly enough Master one-on-one time in Dark Eyes 2; with this new set, that’s more than made up for as the two Time Lords fight left, right and centre across the universe itself.

The stories included in Dark Eyes 3 as separate entries work very well indeed. The Death of Hope is a lovely spin on Doctor Who as the Doctor watches the Master in his very own adventure, thanks to the interruption of dodgy Time Lord Narvin. Watching the Master operate without the hope of the Doctor turning up gives an edge to the story that leaves the viewer tantalised on the fact that absolutely anything could happen with this scenario.

The Reviled is the ‘straight down the line’ story that serves to reintroduce Liv Chenka and pop her back into the Doctor’s world.

Masterplan is the standout tale in the set, allowing the Doctor and the Master to get some serious one-on-one time and really knuckle down to question what it is they do and what purpose they serve by running around the universe continuing their epic quarrel. There’s a hint of Lance Parkin’s Davros to this story, allowing the Doctor and his rival (and intellectual equal) to duke it out with words rather than lasers and death. It’s mesmeric in quality and is essential listening for all that want to ‘colour in’ the Doctor and the Masters fractured relationship.

Finally, Rule of the Eminence finishes things off in a gloriously loud crescendo, suitably epic and, strangely, something that the Eighth Doctor has been deprived of for a while – a series finale. With the Master and the Eminence in full control of the Earth, it’s up to the Doctor and a handful of rebels to overthrow the plans that have been set in motion and they do it in style.

What’s on offer for listeners here is a refreshing new style of adventure for the Eighth Doctor and his newest friends. Whilst still managing to take the Time Lord in a fresh direction, not only in terms of his persona but in terms of the way his stories are told, Big Finish also manage to capture the ‘indomitable feel’ of what is at the heart of a thoroughly exciting Doctor Who adventure.

With this marking the culmination of nearly 3 years’ worth of planning and scheming for the Eighth Doctor, Dark Eyes 3 does not disappoint in the slightest. In fact, it engages the listener so fully that one is inclined to go back through the first two volumes of Dark Eyes once again, just to enjoy the build-up that little bit more.

This is a real treat from Big Finish and something for fans of the show, and especially the Master, to savour.

Dark Eyes 3 is available on CD or via download from Big Finish now.

The post Eighth Doctor Epic Adventure Dark Eyes 3 Reviewed appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Who Is Your Least Favourite Doctor?

Rebecca Crockett is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

If you’ve been part of the online world of the Whovian fandom for, well, any length of time (even for, like, just a week) you’ve seen the “Who is YOUR Doctor?” lists and quizzes and arguments that permeate the fandom. With so many different actors having inhabited the role, it’s natural that people will have their favourites and versions they most connect with. Especially during this time between series, what else is there to talk about?

So we’ve decided to phrase the same question but in the opposite direction – who is your LEAST favourite Doctor?

Least favorite? That’s a tough one for me. When it comes to roles that have had multiple people play them, I tend to not dislike any of the performance per se, because each person has brought to life their own version of the character. That being said, there are those versions of said character that I prefer to watch or enjoy the most, time after time.

So just know that this list is fluid. It depends on what I’ve recently seen (The Enemy Of The World) and what I’m feeling any given day. Most especially the Doctors that fall in the middle of this list, the order is not set in stone, although my favourites don’t tend to change much.

The Seventh Doctor

Sylvester McCoy is awesome. His Seventh Doctor? He’s ok. He’s just…there. He doesn’t inspire in me any love or want to see his stories again. Even with a bat wielding, bomb making, kickass chick for a companion.

The  Fifth Doctor

Boyish. Charming. Rakish even. He feels like a placeholder, someone to fill the role after the man who became the Doctor left the show, like they knew they could have anyone in the role and people would still watch, so let’s make him pretty!  And celery?

The Sixth Doctor

Accuses and throttles his companion. I can get past the costume and that there was so much behind the scenes politics, but I can’t even get through all of Trial Of A Time Lord. The Doctor may be a Madman with a Box, but he’s just a little too mad for me.

The Fourth Doctor

This’ll get me hate, I’m fairly sure. Tom Baker might be the iconic look everyone thinks of when they think Doctor Who, but like the Sixth Doctor, the Fourth Doctor is just too mad for me. And leaving Sarah Jane like that?

The War Doctor

John Hurt is an extraordinary actor. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen the Day Of The Doctor, but it’s not because of him. He falls low on my list honestly, not due to anything bad about the War Doctor, but just for knowing he even exists since Eccleston wouldn’t play ball, even for such a momentous occasion. I have dreams of what could have been.

The Eighth Doctor

I don’t hate the Eighth Doctor. His movie is just very ’90s. It’s horribly dated, even more than the older episodes of the show with their sometimes really lame special effects. I did love his little minisode though and I’m glad he got a proper regeneration.

The Second Doctor

Troughton isn’t perfect but has his better moments. Forget Mr. Clever – the dual role of the Doctor and Salamander is genius. He gets kudos for having a male historical companion.

The First Doctor

Hartnell is good. I can get behind the grumpy grandpa vibe. And every once in a while there is that twinkle of mischief in his eyes that belies that in the life of the character, he may look older but he is still quite young. The Aztecs is a good example of this, unintentionally getting hitched over a cup of cocoa, the sly fox.

The Ninth Doctor

Eccleston gets a bad rep because of his effort to distance himself from the show but his Doctor has so many good moments; it’s easy to look past much of that, since it is partly due to how he was treated. I continually find new ways I love his fantastic portrayal.

The Twelfth Doctor

The new guy. He definitely has… something. Thankfully he’ll get at least a second season, if not more, to show us his Doctor.

The Third Doctor

Yes, I’m a nuWhovian, I freely admit that. So yes, my favourites are always going to be the new guys. But when it comes to classic Who, I love me some Third Doctor. The butt kicking, dandy, devilishly handsome older gentleman with a cool car – this isn’t someone’s grandpa. Even his getting stuck here on Earth doesn’t diminish from his awesomeness.

The Tenth Doctor

How do you NOT love David Tennant? Even if you aren’t fond of the egotistical, narcissistic Tenth Doctor, you can’t deny that Tennant acted the heck out of the role. What Tom Baker is to classic Who, Tennant is to nuWho.

The Eleventh Doctor

Yup. Eleven is “My Doctor.” I watched all of nuWho so quickly that for a while, Nine, Ten, and Eleven were ALL “My Doctor.” But as time went on, I found myself so drawn to Matt Smith’s old-man-in-a-young-man’s-body version of the Doctor. His wanting to feel young at hearts but his eyes betraying his age and all that he’s seen – and endured. Some of his finest moments are some of the best of the 50 years of Doctor Who.

There you have it, my list. So who’s your least favourite? Keep the conversation polite and respectful, and like I’ve done above, explain why the Doctor you have chosen is your least favourite (as opposed to disliked – no hating here, please).

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