15th Doctor opinions (and Doctor rankings)

[Tian]

Interesting that you started from the bottom and finished with the best. Good way of keeping the tension

[BillFiler]

They clearly go:

• 12
• 13
• 11
• 9
• 14
• 15
• 10

[Tian]

You are a big fan of RTD I can see

[BillFiler]

Didn’t even notice that really

[PalindromeRose]

Ncuti Gatwa brings this effortless enthusiasm to the character, delivering peak performances almost every time. I also really like that the Fifteenth Doctor is more comfortable with his emotions than former incarnations - I know there has been criticism about him crying a lot, but I see it more as him trying to deal with things rather than bottling it all up.

My biggest issue with the Fifteenth Doctor was actually an issue I had with the Thirteenth - they don’t really have much of a character yet.

We know the Fifteenth Doctor is kind and friendly, tries to do right by humanity and his companion, but that’s characteristics that most incarnations share across the board. I feel like we’re still lacking something that makes Fifteen really stand out from the rest.

Obviously, Gatwa was still filming a show for Netflix when production on Series 14 was underway - which is why we got two Doctor-lite stories one after another in the second half - and I think that’s probably made it a bit difficult to give him a personal identity.

So far though, I honestly hope Gatwa stick around for a long time. He’s clearly got the stamina and charisma required for this role, I just hope Series 15 sees the Fifteenth Doctor’s character developed more.

[JayPea]

12, 9, 14, 15, 10, 11, 13

[PalindromeRose]

If I were going to rank the post-2005 incarnations at this point, from best to worst, it would probably go;

• 12th Doctor
  The GOAT. Moffat took three series to actually perfect his character - Series 8 had him acting like latter-day McCoy, Series 9 had him acting like someone’s dad having a mid-life crisis. I truly think by his final series he was on top form and had some of the best characterisation.

• Fugitive Doctor
  She hasn’t even had a full episode’s worth of material, yet still somehow felt more like the Doctor than 13 so

• 9th Doctor
  Eccleston has a breathless enthusiasm no matter what episode he appears in. His incarnation had those wonderful moments of comedy that made him feel instantly fun to be around, but it hid so much darkness and trauma from the Time War. Complex and just wonderful.

• 15th Doctor
  I genuinely think Gatwa has the potential to be one of the greatest incarnations, IF Russell develops the character more next series. That’s honestly my main complaint at this time - we don’t really know who Fifteen is.

• 14th Doctor
  Tennant has always been a solid performer, but Fourteen is a much more likable incarnation than Ten… probably because he doesn’t have a trivial romance plot with one companion, and an atrocious rebound plot with another. He bears the weight of reality on his shoulders, and has been worn down by tragedy after tragedy. Like Donna said - he’s wearing himself out. The Flux was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and what I believe led to the reimergance of this face.

• 10th Doctor
  Like Fourteen, except featuring two insufferable romance plots and so much technobabble you feel like someone is force feeding you the manual for a Panosonic dishwasher! Tennant’s performance is still good though.

• 13th Doctor
  Again, my complaint about not knowing who Fifteen really is also applies to Thirteen. Jodie Whittaker was an excellent performer, but it was infuriating how she never really had any defining character traits. I’m honestly hoping if/when she joins BigFinish they can fix that.

• 11th Doctor
  Apart from the fact Matt Smith is completely insufferable, this incarnation has always been pretty boring. Fun fact: his era made me despise Murray Gold for a while, because everytime I am the Doctor played I wanted to stick my head in wallpaper paste!

[Schroedingerswhat]

I personally would say:
12, 15, 11, 13, 14, 10, 9
(at least currently)

[Speechless]

If we’re ranking revival Doctors, then I’ll through my hat into the mix:

1. Ninth Doctor -
   Honestly, what Eccleston managed to achieve in a season is utter brilliance. One of the most concise and brilliant character arcs I have ever seen behind one of the shows best performances and some of its best written scripts. There is so much depth in just one series.

2. Tenth Doctor -
   It’s pretty close with Eccleston and it might just be Tennant’s performance but Ten is an utter icon. Always charismatic, always lively, always the crutch of whatever episode he’s in. I love the Time Lord Victorious stuff and the lonely demigod is just beautiful characterisation. Just a little too human for my liking.

3. Twelfth Doctor -
   Capaldi’s performance and the slow burn character arc make for what is one of the best distillations of the Doctor’s character. Mystic and brilliant, his arc is only rivelled by Eccleston’s and his performance only by Tennant.

4. Eleventh Doctor -
   Matt Smith is such a fun breath of fresh air and this awkward, asexually coded alien is wonderful. Unfortunately lacking in a character arc and not as tightly written as some other Doctors but the burning rage that always lied just below 11’s surface was fantastic.

5. Fifteenth Doctor -
   Gatwa is a glorious actor and 15 is growing on me but he feels the least like the Doctor out of nearly this whole list (13 beats him out by not having any character). He’s fun and he’s kind but he’s missing the complex notes of better incarnations, I just hope that comes in later seasons.

6. Fourteenth Doctor -
   I love Tennant as much as the next guy but the Tenth Doctor rehashed without any of the intricate character work, dumbed down to fit into three episodes is not what I’d call good.

7. Thirteenth Doctor -
   A non character with the sloppiest, most clueless moral compass I have ever seen who simply refuses to grow across her three seasons. Has a weirdly stilted performance and a real lack of the spark that makes the Doctor special.

[BillFiler]

Well if we are going to add everything

• 12
• 13
• 11
• War
• Fugitive
• 9
• DoctorDonna
• 14
• 15
• Meta-crisis
• 10

[CommanderBayban]

Sorry, what do you mean by your response?

[Jae]

I enjoy fifteen, I think he brings a wonderful energy to the character. I like that he’s (relatively) open with his emotions, enthusiastic and I see a lot of potential in him. This potential hasn’t been fully realized so far, but that isn’t any different from most other doctors, after eight episodes none of them had their full potential yet, honestly with most I’ve seen so far, I’d say the strongest episode in terms of character is also their last.
Anyway, here’s my ranking of new who doctors:

1. 13
2. 12
3. 10
4. 15
5. 9
6. 11
7. 14

[uss-genderprise]

Almost! It actually goes 11, 9, 12, 15, 13, 14, 10.

[jjdemu]

I would love a doctor with them personalities.

[ImpossibleGirl]

I love the 15th Doctor. He acts differently than any other Doctors. I like his personality which took time to get used to. He looks like he’ll be up there as my top 3 doctors. My current list is:

1. 12
2. 11
3. 10/14
4. 15 (Could swap with 10. Put him here since I still need time to think)
5. 13
6. 9

[felix]

(sorry, how is it not a criticism of him to say that his acting looks/sounds ridiculous and reads as amateurish? i don’t have a problem with criticizing actors but i’m confused about what you mean here.)

regardless, i think the amount of skill it takes to get to that sort of emotional performance is underrated, to be honest. regardless of your opinion of it, i don’t think most first-time actors could pull that off at an audition. i say that as a theater person myself and someone who’s worked on delivering emotional performances.

as far as rankings go, mine are pretty complicated because i have complicated feelings about thirteen. but at this point fifteen is really high up, eleven is at the bottom, thirteen is in her own little category off to the side, and then nine, ten, twelve, and i guess fourteen are all hanging out in the middle. i honestly love all the new who doctors, no ranking is a condemnation.

[WhoPotterVian]

I like him a lot…I quite like this Doctor’s mischievous side, although I do think at times he seems a bit too vulnerable and unsure of himself. I’m not sure it’s the best approach with the first black male Doctor to show him being so emotional all the time.

[turnoftheearth]

Ncuti is a really fantastic actor who’s in great danger of being hemmed into the same late-Tennant emotional gurning that RTD1 was guilty of. It’s the material he’s given, and he’s knocking it out of the park, but like it or not, the single tear is a great trick deployed once. Four times in one episode is laughably overwrought. Now, that’s not his fault primarily - that’s a director or editor deciding that that’s what they want and him giving it to them.

[PeriDox]

Gatwa is outstanding!
I love that he doesnt always assume to be right, he is not afraid to share his emotions, and unlike most of the others who have gone before him, he takes charge of the situation without you realizing it until he’s “there”
Ya know😉

[shauny]

Ooh, seeing all these lists wants me to make it so you can rate Doctors on the site, maybe make tier lists. It’s so interesting.

For me, Fifteen has been incredible. He has shot up the list very quickly. Having said that, we haven’t had many episodes with him yet so it’s difficult to rank against ones with many more. I sat here and tried to rank them but find it too difficult! I love them all in different ways, it’s like trying to rank your children.

But on my “S Tier” are definitely 11, 12, and 10.
15 is on my “A Tier”.

I, for one, enjoy the tears and the screams. What’s wrong with being vulnerable? I think it’s a strength, and an incredibly good role model for men and boys. Men need to be more vulnerable, and be open about their emotions. Bottling it in or “manning up” isn’t good for mental health.

If you’re just talking how the screams sounded, the one in EoD could have been a bit better. But the shot was absolutely stunning, and yes good trailer material. I can see that shot being used in 100 YouTube remixes.

Edit: These are my highest rated, according to my stats page. But that’s stories, and probably biased because Nine was my first Doctor.