Tom Baker, best Doctor ever?

[Prydonian]

A well worded post, estemmable Sir,

I dare say we should probably follow the advice of the Brig (RIP) when he said,
"Wonderful chaps-all of them!"

[MCH]

I never considered myself a Doctor who fan until I saw David Tennant in the show. He and the writers I guess, sparked my interest in the program. And I'm thoroughly Infatuated with Matt Smiths portrayal of the Doctor. The play against Him and Amy Ponds character is so much fun to watch. Mind you, I say this because I had hardly seen Doctor Who until Tennant's reign. I didn't know much about the show until the 2000's.

I knew little of Doctor Who back in the 70s. I only caught bits of shows and I recall being so confused that I gave up watching it. That is because it was on late at night and I only caught a glimpse of a show here and there. It is only recently that I have watched the classic episodes. I enjoy them very much. Most of bits of episodes that I saw in the seventies had Tom Baker as the Doctor in them. So, I place Tom as probably the most well known of the doctors.

As for Tom being the best of the Doctors, it is hard to make a proper account until I finish watching all the shows. Certainly all the actors brought life to the character and showed many different aspects of the Doctors personality. I think it was a brilliant concept to have the Doctor regenerate into a different man both in looks and character. That makes him so much more interesting. The writers and other powers that be certainly had their hand in the manufacturing of the Doctors character. It would have an impact on how some Doctors were viewed and received by the fans.

Despite all that I have seen of the episodes, old and new, I still think of Tom Baker when I think of Doctor Who. I cannot say why. I do not know why. I only know that I do. Maybe that is because he is indeed the best Doc of all.

Mch

[metalheadjay]

There is zero doubt and no good argument to prove otherwise. Tom Baker is THE greatest Doctor ever and always will be. I've seen them all and no one can compete with Tom's portrayal of the role. His stories are the only ones I rewatch.

[Prydonian]

EVen though I have shown great interest in the past in the series overall with it's different leading men, Tom Baker shall always be my absolute favorite Doctor Who. He was the incarnation I watched the most as a child growing up in America in the 1980s and 1990s.He was one of my childhood heroes and remains my favorite actor/character from my youth. As the definitive Doctor, Tom managed to bring everything together for an enjoyable experience. I find it quite easy to rewatch his stories over those of other actors who have played the part. For several have played the part of the Doctor, but Tom somehow BECAME the Doctor. Thanks to his skill and the writers and directors etc, his era had the total package.

[bcm77]

Here's how my first viewing of one of Tom's stories on DVD shaped my fandom,

Although I'd always been aware of the show as a kid in the 80's I never watched it as any sci-fi that wasn't Star Wars was second best in my eyes. Fast forward to 2005 and the prequels had pretty much killed off my intrest in Star Wars so I was looking for something else to watch.

I tried the revived Doctor Who and enjoyed enough of the first 2 series to gain an intrest in watching some of the older stuff. I did a bit of research and Tom's was the name I consistently saw as being considered the best of the original Doctors so I picked a story at random and ordered the DVD.

As it turned out I couldn't have made a better choice as I got "Genesis of the Daleks". By the end of part 1 my opinion of what made "good" Who had changed forever and I soon lost intrest in the modern show to the point where I stopped watching entirely during series 4.

There have been other good Doctors but Tom is the only one that's GREAT!

[Prydonian]

A shame you gave the new series up before Davros' return in THE STOLEN EARTH/JOURNEY'S END. That appearance made the story a modern classic in my book, along with having Davros have some dialogue with Sarah Jane and further hints about the Time War. David Tennant was quite convincing in this two-parter as the angry, world-weary Time Lord.
But yes, hands down, Tom Baker remains the best and coolest Doctor Who of all time. And GENESIS was one of his top stories. Glad you enjoyed it!

[Clara Listensprechen]

----

[Prydonian]

Or, like at the end of the documentary on the LOGOPOLIS DVD when they were saying where everyone was now who contributed, Tom says, "and as for me, I'll always be the Doctor-won't I?" Or something to that effect. And yes he will. To the cheering of thousands (or more) of fans worldwide, yes, Yes YES!

[Underdog]

The first episode I watched from when I was a young chap in the 70's was The Ark in Space. I have been following the series ever since including back tracking a bit to also watch the previous Doctor's. I quite liked Troughton and Pertwee, however Tom has always been my favorite.
I didn't really care to much for any of the recent Doctor's with the exception of Tennant whom imao did a fair job of it.

[bcm77]

A shame you gave the new series up before Davros' return in THE STOLEN EARTH/JOURNEY'S END. That appearance made the story a modern classic in my book, along with having Davros have some dialogue with Sarah Jane and further hints about the Time War. David Tennant was quite convincing in this two-parter as the angry, world-weary Time Lord.
But yes, hands down, Tom Baker remains the best and coolest Doctor Who of all time. And GENESIS was one of his top stories. Glad you enjoyed it!

I actually stopped the week before "The Doctor's Daughter" and tried one last time with those 2 stories and "Journey's End" proved rather a fitting title as I refused to watch anything else from that regime after seeing them