Who is the best Doctor? Every ‘Doctor Who’ ranked

Ranking “Doctor Who”‘s Doctors is an extremely subjective affair. Ask any “Who” fan and their list is bound to be different, their choices shaped by when they were born, when they discovered the long-running sci-fi show, and, of course, personal preference.

Because while the Time Lords’ ability to regenerate means that all of the “Doctor Who” Doctors are fundamentally the same person, every actor to play the role has brought something different to Gallifrey’s most famous export. And thanks to the 62-year-old show’s ability to reinvent itself every week, every single one has had highs and lows during their residency in the TARDIS.

This guide to every “Doctor Who” ranked embarks on a mission every bit as audacious as putting the James Bonds in order. Below we count down all 14 (technically 15) regular Doctors — from William Hartnell through to current incumbent Ncuti Gatwa — before landing on our favourite of the “Doctor Who” Doctors. We’ve also found room for a few honourable mentions.

Doctor Who Doctors, ranked

14. The Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker)

• Years active: 1984-1886

It feels harsh to put anyone at the bottom of this list, seeing as every Doctor has had their share of memorable moments. Besides, any Doctor is as much a product of decisions made by writers and producers as an actor’s performance.

Indeed, “Doctor Who”‘s second Baker had more to battle than Daleks, Cybermen, and the Rani, faced with an eyesore of a costume and a BBC One boss (Michael Grade) who had little time for the show — “Doctor Who” took an enforced 18-month hiatus during Baker’s tenure.

The character’s worst moment came early on, however, when a post-regeneration Sixth Doctor attempted to strangle companion Peri (Nicola Bryant). Although a plan was in place to mellow this angry, arrogant Time Lord as time went on, it was always going to be hard for the Sixth Doctor to recover from such unforgivable, out-of-character behaviour.

---

13. The Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann)

• Years active: 1996

Either the longest or shortest-serving Doctor, depending on your point of view. Paul McGann was technically the TARDIS incumbent from the 1996 TV movie until the show’s 2005 revival, though he only appeared in one story during that time. While that TV movie didn’t win fans over, McGann’s performance did, and he’s since made up for that lack of screen time in numerous audio dramas.

He also got a belated regeneration scene, morphing into John Hurt’s War Doctor in the 2013 short “The Night of the Doctor”, and appeared as a vision to the Thirteenth Doctor in her own regeneration episode, “The Power of the Doctor”. McGann would arguably have become one of the GOATS if he’d starred in more adventures on TV.

---

12. The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)

• Years active: 1981-1984

The Doctor who had the near-impossible challenge of following on from Tom Baker. Davison (then a rising star thanks to his role in cosy BBC One drama “All Creatures Great and Small”) wisely made no effort to imitate his iconic predecessor. Instead, his Doctor came over as a very nice, very human public school boy, whose most obvious eccentricity was the celery pinned to the lapel of his cricket-inspired outfit.

Perhaps not one of the all-time TARDIS greats but a strong midtable performer — and his final regeneration story, “The Caves of Androzani”, is up there with “Doctor Who”‘s very best.

---

11. The Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee)

• Years active: 1970-1974

The Time Lord smartened up his appearance when he regenerated into this more dandyish Third Doctor incarnation, the first to appear on colour TV. Jon Pertwee’s Doctor spent much of his tenure exiled on Earth — a punishment doled out by the Time Lords for his perpetual interference in other cultures — but found plenty of work as a scientific advisor for UNIT, an organisation that remains integral in the modern era of the show.

This Doctor was more action-oriented than any other, not afraid to get himself stuck into a fist fight and a practitioner of the martial art of Venusian aikido — perhaps, at times, a little more James Bond than Doctor Who.

---

10. The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker)

• Years active: 2018-2022

After Steven Moffat had laid the groundwork — Time Lords changing gender during regenerations, a female Master known as “Missy” — it would have felt like a missed opportunity if new “Who” showrunner Chris Chibnall hadn’t cast a woman in the lead role for the first time (aside from Joanna Lumley’s appearance in 1999 Comic Relief special “The Curse of Fatal Death”).

Jodie Whittaker (who’d worked with Chibnall on “Broadchurch”) instantly made the role her own, playing the Doctor as an engaging mix of enthusiastic schoolteacher and worlds-weary traveller with thousands of years on the clock — and she could make that switch in an instant. She’d be much higher on this list if she’d had a few more classic stories to sink her teeth into.

---

9. The Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa)

• Years active: 2023-present

While many older “Who” fans were asking “Ncuti who?” when Gatwa got the keys to the TARDIS, this was a truly inspired piece of casting from returning showrunner Russell T Davies. As well as being a brilliant actor and the show’s first Black lead, Gatwa’s successful stint on “Sex Education” had given him the sort of Gen Z following that might just come in handy for attracting a new generation of fans.

The Fifteenth Doctor is even more comfortable around humans than the Tenth, a bona fide force of nature with killer fashion sense and empathy to burn. He’s also rather more prone to romantic entanglements than most of his predecessors, as proved when he fell for time-travelling bounty hunter Rogue (Jonathan Groff). This incarnation frequently hints at greatness — he just needs more adventures to prove it.

---

8. The Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston)

• Years active: 2005

With the possible exception of Patrick Troughton, no new Doctor has faced a more daunting task than Christopher Eccleston. Sixteen long years had passed since the show’s original cancellation in 1989, and nobody really knew how this sci-fi institution would go down in the 21st century.

Eccleston (who’d previously worked with showrunner Russell T Davies on “The Second Coming”) quickly eliminated any doubts, and over the course of a single season this Mancunian Time Lord pointed out that “lots of planets have a north”, reminded us why Daleks are bad news, and formed a wonderful double act with Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler. When he bids Rose a heartfelt farewell in “The Parting of the Ways”, you can’t help wishing he’d stuck around a bit longer than a year.

---

7. The Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy)

• Years active: 1987-1989

With an outfit considerably toned down from the Sixth Doctor’s assault on fashion, this incarnation gradually morphed from a somewhat clownish figure (Sylvester McCoy had a background in physical comedy) into a darker, more irritable Time Lord powered by righteous anger — this regeneration certainly made the most of the character’s penchant for a powerful monologue.

Having featured in classic stories like “The Happiness Patrol” and “Remembrance of the Daleks”, McCoy was unlucky to be the incumbent Doctor when the show was unceremoniously axed in 1989. He returned for the obligatory regeneration scene in the 1996 TV movie.

---

6. The First Doctor (William Hartnell)

• Years active: 1963-1966

If your introduction to “Doctor Who” came in the 21st century, no incarnation of the Doctor will feel more alien than the original model. Hartnell’s Doctor started out as a crotchety OAP living in a London junkyard, though his travels through time and space with granddaughter Susan and other companions gradually softened those edges until he simply became a twinkly old man with a magical blue (or, on black-and-white TV, grey) box.

While it’s sometimes hard to get your head around the fact that this is the same character who’ll eventually be played by Matt Smith, Jodie Whittaker, and Ncuti Gatwa, Hartnell’s performance was as important to the show’s early years as the Daleks. The First Doctor has since been played by Richard Hurndall and David Bradley.

---

5. The Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi)

• Years active: 2014-2017

The show was so popular back in 2013 that the announcement of Peter Capaldi’s casting was given its own primetime show on BBC One. For kids raised on a diet of David Tennant and Matt Smith, the unveiling of a 50-something actor — then best known for turning swearing into poetry in political sitcom “The Thick of It” — must have been a real shock to the system.

But the time was arguably right to take the Doctor in a different direction, and lifelong “Who” fan Capaldi successfully explored the range of the character. The gradual mellowing of his original irascible self — “She cares so I don’t have to,” he said of companion Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) — worked much better than the Sixth Doctor’s similar arc, while his one-hander in “Heaven Sent” is one for the ages. The Twelfth Doctor also had few rivals when it came to delivering a rousing speech.

---

4. The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith)

• Years active: 2010-2013

The success of David Tennant’s tenure had changed perceptions of who the Doctor could and should be. Arguably for the first time in his history, the Time Lord was regarded as cool, of his time, and, dare we say it, a sex symbol — meaning that incoming showrunner Steven Moffat had one of the hardest casting decisions imaginable.

He found the perfect blend of 21st-century zeitgeist and Gallifreyan eccentricity in a then-unknown actor who remains the youngest ever to play the Doctor. At the time, Moffat described Matt Smith as “strikingly handsome but like a cartoon of handsome,” and the Eleventh Doctor always felt like an old man trapped in a young man’s body. He even did his bit to make bow ties cool.

---

3. The Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton)

• Years active: 1966-1969

Viewers had only known one Doctor when William Hartnell surprised viewers by regenerating into Patrick Troughton in 1966. That ingenious storytelling device (or, depending on your point of view, quirk of Gallifreyan biology) is arguably the reason we’re still talking about “Doctor Who” nearly six decades later.

It wouldn’t have worked, however, had Patrick Troughton not perfectly nailed the role. Rather than delivering a facsimile of Hartnell he made it clear that his Doctor was a very different man, a “cosmic hobo” with a jollier disposition than his predecessor and a penchant for playing the recorder. How sad that nearly half of his episodes have been lost

---

2. The Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant)

• Years active: 2005-2010, 2023

If ever there was a case of right time, right actor, this was it. David Tennant had already played the lead in Russell T Davies’ “Casanova” by the time he landed in the TARDIS, and the combination of a star and show on the rise proved utterly irresistible. Unlike many of the Time Lord’s previous incarnations, the Tenth Doctor was entirely comfortable around humans, and had considerable chemistry with Rose Tyler — to the extent that the duplicate “Meta-Crisis Doctor” created in series 4’s “Journey’s End” settled down with Rose in a parallel universe.

Tennant’s skinny suit and Converse trainers ensemble captured a fashion moment and, with the likes of “Blink”, “Human Nature”/”The Family of Blood” and “Midnight“, he was lucky to coincide with many of the best stories of the modern “Who” era.

So popular that the Thirteenth Doctor regenerated back into a slightly older version of the Tenth Doctor for three 60th anniversary specials.

---

1. The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker)

• Years active: 1984-1981

It’s remarkable that, more than four decades after he left the TARDIS, Tom Baker remains synonymous with the Doctor. For many casual viewers, the fedora, the excessively long scarf and unmistakable voice are still the quintessential image of the show. It’s easy to see why.

There was something unmistakably alien about Baker’s performance, frequently coupled with his Doctor’s unbridled joy at the wonders of the universe. But the eccentricity never got in the way of the character’s gravitas, most notably when he opted not to prevent his greatest foes’ existence in classic serial “Genesis of the Daleks”. Still the greatest, most watchable Doctor of them all.

Honorable mentions

None of these actors has ever headlined the show but they’ve most definitely played the Doctor…

The movie Doctor (Peter Cushing)

His Doctor is not described as an alien and his two movie adventures (“Dr Who and the Daleks” and “Daleks — Invasion Earth: 2150 AD”) are both adaptations of existing BBC serials. But the future Grand Moff Tarkin did take the TARDIS to the big screen in what now feels like an alternative universe take on “Doctor Who”.

The War Doctor (John Hurt)

After Christopher Eccleston turned down the opportunity to return for 50th anniversary special “The Day of the Doctor”, showrunner Steven Moffat was left with a hole in his multi-Doctor adventure. He filled it with this previously unseen incarnation of the Doctor, considered an outcast by his more jovial successors but actually a surprisingly warm and empathetic version of the Time Lord.

The Fugitive Doctor (Jo Martin)

No Doctor in history has opened a bigger can of worms than the Fugitive Doctor. After fans had spent six decades believing that the First Doctor (William Hartnell) was, well, the first, series 12’s controversial “Timeless Children” arc revealed that there’d been many regenerations before him.

Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor is on the run from her former employers at the Division, is much happier around guns than her successors, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. She’s also turned up opposite Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor — as well as fronting some audio dramas — and will hopefully turn up in the show again.

New episodes of “Doctor Who” are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ in the US. If you want to go back further in time, most existing episodes from the show’s 60+-year history are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

---

Old version

Who was the best Doctor Who Doctor? With more than thirteen actors adopting the iconic role over nearly sixty years, everyone has a favorite Timelord. Who is yours?

In the last 60-plus years, plenty of celebs have changed their faces here and there. Some experienced a slight thinning of the nose, others their brow, butt, lips, and hairline. But nobody does a new face quite like the Doctor.

Fifteen faces so far, with a couple extra thrown in for good measure, have graced our screens and here you’ll find the list that answers the question – Doctor Who’s best? This is our list of the Doctor Who Doctors, ranked worst to best.

---

Doctor Who Doctors, ranked worst to best

13. Patrick Troughton – Second Doctor

The second incarnation of the Doctor was played by Patrick Troughton, from 1966-1969. Troughton trails on our list for the simple reason that it’s hard to evaluate his tenure with so many missing episodes.

The BBC took it upon themselves to lose several classic Doctor Who episodes, including 53 of Troughton’s 119, so it’s hard to fully appreciate his run these days. The cosmic hobo bumbled his way across the universe facing Daleks, and Cybermen, as well as the Great Intelligence, and Ice Warriors.

---

12. Paul McGann – Eighth Doctor

The Doctor with the shortest time on our screen, McGann took part in a 1996 TV film which was meant to relaunch the franchise. Sadly, US audiences didn’t take, though it was popular in the UK. The idea for a new series was scrapped, but it didn’t stop McGann.

Though his screen time was minimal, the 8th Doctor has been a part of audio dramas, comics, and novels over the years. We also saw him return for the Day of the Doctor special, putting in a splendid performance as he made his transformation into the War Doctor.

---

11. Colin Baker – Sixth Doctor

The first of two Bakers on our list, Colin played the titular figure from 1984-1986. During Baker’s time on the show, the BBC took an 18-month hiatus from Doctor Who, and Baker was left with just two companions and a handful of episodes.

His sharp tongue, and often unkind personality set this new form of Doctor against the fun and flamboyant incarnations that came previously. Never to be forgotten though, his question mark collars, and bright patchwork jacket kept viewer’s eyes occupied.

---

10. Peter Capaldi – Twelfth Doctor

From 2014-2017, a gruff and action-ready Peter Capaldi shredded an electric guitar through the TARDIS. This version of the Doctor sported sonic sunglasses instead of the traditional screwdriver, and loved a distressed chunky knit jumper. This rock ‘n’ roll version of the dual-hearted hero was a far departure from his predecessor (Matt Smith), and kept in check by the witty, and possibly immortal, Clara Oswald.

Capaldi himself was a phenomenal Doctor, bringing that trademark blend of grizzled warrior and cosmic buffoon, but his episodes were a bit hit-and-miss. “Heaven Sent” is among Who’s best though.

---

9. Christopher Eccleston – Ninth Doctor

With just one series under his belt, Eccleston was the face of the 2005 Doctor Who revival. Fans enjoyed his ears, accent, and brooding leather jacket, but sadly it wasn’t to last. Fans rank Doctor 9 as a favorite incarnation, and it isn’t hard to see why. For many new Whovians, Eccleston was the first face we got to know at the TARDIS’ helm.

Eccleston brought frantic and wild energy to the Doctor, but when things got serious, oh boy did Eccleston get serious. Sadly, his run lasted only one season, and it really felt like he had so much more to give as The Doctor.

---

8. Sylvester McCoy – Seventh Doctor

Sylvester McCoy saw the end of classic Doctor Who, as it’s cancellation directly followed on from his time in the blue box. Known as a darker version of the Doctor, McCoy’s performance has been praised for its layered and nuanced manipulation of both supporting characters and the audience.

Despite his final appearance in the main series ending in 1987, Doctor 7 appeared in the 1996 TV film, handing over the reigns to Paul McGann.

---

7. Peter Davidson – Fifth Doctor

Sandwiched between Colin Baker and Tom Baker sits Peter Davidson. The fifth incarnation of the Doctor, and one of the most well known actors to take on the mantle, Davidson piloted the time machine from 1982-1984. Davidson’s tenure was neither amazing, nor particularly bad – he had some great episodes and battled with iconic villains though, including the Cybermen and The Master.

Davidson’s real life daughter, Georgia Moffat, joined the Doctor Who family in more ways than one: Playing the Doctor’s daughter, Jenny, and also marrying the Doctor himself, David Tennant.

---

6. Matt Smith – Eleventh Doctor

Smith’s three-year term started in 2010 and his quirky, bow-tie loving version of the eponymous hero quickly rose to enormous popularity. Smith was the Doctor in residence during the 50th anniversary of the show, teaming up with David Tennant, and The ‘War Doctor’, John Hurt.

Smith’s Doctor was more light-hearted than most the entries on either side of him, expressing the same child-like glee that any ten year old if you told them they could fly about in a space ship. He has some truly epic storylines, even if a few of them did get a bit messy and self-aggrandizing. Still, Smith takes our mid-position, for his fez, bow-tie, and an impressive three-year tenure.

---

5. Jodie Whittaker – Thirteenth Doctor

The previous Doctor on our screens, Whittaker made history as the first woman to play the character, and tackles hard hitting issues with each episode. Her tenure in the TARDIS ended in 2022, with a trio of special episodes, and we do know that Russell T Davies, the former showrunner (2005-2010), is returning to take the helm behind the scenes.

It’s tough to place Jodie on this list, because her performance has been stellar – it’s just the script and episodes around her that have been something of a let down.

---

4. Jon Pertwee – Third Doctor

Jon Pertwee introduced audiences to the Doctor in color TV, facing off against the Autons in his first serial. Pertwee’s Doctor is known for being grounded on Earth, and is employed by UNIT as an advisor. Pertwee himself confessed that his scripts were heavy with scientific exposition, and he often replaced the long-winded explanations with a simple “reverse the polarity”.

Pertwee also introduced the world to Sarah-Jane Smith, Jo Grant, and Liz Shaw, three of the most loved companions in the show’s run. One of the most well known faces in Doctor Who history, he misses out on the top three by a slim margin.

---

3. William Hartnell – First Doctor

The first Doctor Who, and the blueprint for the next 58 years, William Hartnell is the man that began it all. Starting out stubborn and often mistrustful of humans, Hartnell grew his Doctor into a wise and grandfatherly figure, travelling with ten companions, from 1963-1966. His take on the character was colder than most of those that came after, but he’s still the face that launched the series.

As his term ended, Hartnell hand-picked his successor: “There’s only one man in England who can take over, and that’s Patrick Troughton.” Hartnell takes the bronze medal for this Top Docs list, without him the show wouldn’t be the same.

---

2. Tom Baker – Fourth Doctor

One of the longest reigning actors to take the blue box’s helm, Tom Baker held the mantle from 1974-1981. His iconic scarf, hat, and easy wit made audiences love him, and of course, we all would like a jellybaby. If you think of classic Doctor Who, Tom Baker is almost certainly the first face to pop into your mind.

He was also the first of the Doctor’s to really nail that blend of whimsy, action, and horror that makes Doctor Who so great. He had his fair share of scary episodes, serious episodes, and down right silly episodes, and he nailed every it every time.

---

1. David Tennant – Tenth Doctor

Named the most popular Doctor in the show’s history, David Tennant brought a whole new fanbase to the Who-niverse. An evergreen fan of Doctor Who himself, his enthusiasm and love for the character shone through. From a one-handed Sycorax duel on Christmas Day, to saving the very fabric of reality, Tennant left his mark on Doctor Who forever.

While every Doctor has their standout episodes, Tenant’s run is just brimmed with absolute classics. From the genuinely terrifying Blink to the cosmic horror of The Impossible Planet, Tenant’s Doctor was a golden age for the show.

Honorable mentions

John Hurt – The War Doctor  

John Hurt joined the Who family for the 50th anniversary episode, playing a version of the Doctor between series 8 & 9. Hurt’s War Doctor showed the character at his most vulnerable, trying to save Gallifrey, the homeworld of the Timelords.

Jo Martin – The Fugitive Doctor 

Jo Martin was the second woman, and first person of color, to play the Doctor. As part of the Timeless Child story, Martin’s version is from an unknown moment in the seemingly infinite life of the mysterious hero

---

So, there they are, each Doctor and the parts they played in making this iconic show what it is. A universe known and loved the world over, and always an fascinating icon of TV history. Will it ever end..? Only Doctor Who knows.