Why is the Fourth Doctor so great?

[Clara Listensprechen]

I dare say that Tom's quite legendary status has yet to be met by any of those Doctor actors who came after him, including those Doctors in the new series. No matter how popular David Tennant rose in recent seasons, Tom will still always be the best.

Can't add much to this thread, all the greatness has been covered. I reply to this message because I have a bit of a quibble with the comment about David Tennant, who did manage a few witticisms here and there (admittedly sparse, though); two of those remain stuck in my head ("Allons-y, Alonzo!" and, when encountering troops with gas masks, inquired "are you my mummy?")

At any rate, one does have to wonder if witticisms were written in or not, such as Tom's Doctor referring to Madam Nostradamus as a witty little knitter. The onomatopoeia must have been explored on paper first, I'll bet.

And I'll bet both the wit and the swagger of Tom's Doctor served as a model for the subsequent Doctors. He was a model Doctor.

[MCH]

I have a model of the Doctor.

I take pictures of him as he is out standing in his field! I like the way he keeps his head together under pressure.
Although, from time to time, he loses his head and becomes angry and sullen. He is very articulate and poses as the perfect model of the Doctor we all know and love.

MCH

[Prydonian]

David Tennant, I would very much like to admit. came as close as any Doctor has to Tom's greatness in our modern age. He did a lot for the popularity of Who, and was at least on equal footing with Tom as a popular and inspiring Doctor for the kids of this generation. Tom led the way, and it seems David took the gambit and ran with it. As an experiment I am thinking of watching The Deadly Assassin (my favorite Who) then jumping ahead to David Tennant, Series Three. This would mean getting John Simm's Master on the heels of Peter Pratt's creepy, masterful portrayal, and would be quite interesting to watch in such a manner. This is only if I get the gumption to actually try it. Could be fun.

[Clara Listensprechen]

The one thing missing with the current Doctors--they portray the Doctor as having relinquished reliance on jelly babies as food for thought in a crisis.

I think Matt Smith captured the quirky, but he's featuring quirky, almost clownish. Tom portrayed just quirky but was dead serious when dead serious was called for. Yes, Tennant did the Doctor ample justice, but for my money, so did Eccleston. I for one was sorry to see Eccleston go.

[MCH]

Dear Clara,

The new doctors are obviously going through Jelly Baby withdraw as they keep smacking their heads with their sonic screw drivers.

Pry, I say go for it Dude ! Let us know how it goes.

I've given some thought as to why the fourth Doctor is so great. Nothing seems to be as outstanding as it is just because it was Tom Baker playing the role. He makes the fourth Doctor great because he was meant to be the Doctor. It's like the role was written for him all along.

I don't see the new Doctor Who as a replacement or even a continuation of Classic Who. I see it as an homage to the yearly years.
mch

[Prydonian]

Homage is an interesting word for describing it. I haven't heard that before. I just think the new series is far too kid-friendly compared to the old even in its own camp heyday. Tennant works as the best of the modern Doctors due to mass popularity alone, and does get some good material to work with at times, just not always sadly. Which tends to undermine and underestimate his Doctor's effectiveness IMHO. I think he works best without Rose Tyler, and started to come into his own once he reached his second season (Series 3). In a way Series 3 works as a jumping on point for the new series as Smith & Jones is like a pilot episode and we subsewuently get the whole last of the Time Lords spill, with the Daleks and Master putting in convincing performances.


Yes, I will have to give it a go, let you know what happens.

[tch]

I do agree that the jelly babies need to come back.
One of our local candy shops started carrying them and man, are those things addictive.

The problem with Rose is she had her own story arc, as much as the Doctor did and once they resolved that, they realized part of her arc was being one of the rare companions who wasn't trying to get home. She never wanted to leave, so how do you write her out without killing her?
Once they did that, they then had to figure out how to get her back for another story,and it watered down her leaving.

Plus, if she's so special, you can't have David Tennant snogging someone every episode. Then he becomes Captain Kirk and she just becomes one of the girls he snogged.

[MCH]

The character Rose Tyler irked me to no end. A clingy, selfish little mumble mumble. Granted she did actually do some good in rescuing the Doc here and there but those times were selfish on her part as well. She wasn't going to let him go no matter what she had to do.

I was happy when she had to stay in that other universe. And she didn't want a copy of the Doctor. She wanted the genuine article and his time machine. She treated her boy friend like dog. However, Amy Pond treats her husband like a dog as well. But I like Amy Pond. I liked Donna Noble as well. Sarah Jane was quite independent for her time. And well then there was Leela the jungle queen. I liked it when she would keep the Doctor on edge. He was never quite certain of what she would do. That strangely mirrored the Doctors own unpredictability.

It's interesting to watch the companions of the classic Who shows. "Look pretty dear and get me my slippers and a cup o tea." I liked the scenes where the females were aloud to think and act for themselves. These days though I get tired of the women characters that continuously belittle and dominate the men. That's just as bad as the "bare foot and pregnant" attitude.

MCH

[Clara Listensprechen]

The character Rose Tyler irked me to no end. A clingy, selfish little mumble mumble. Granted she did actually do some good in rescuing the Doc here and there but those times were selfish on her part as well. She wasn't going to let him go no matter what she had to do. More later, dinners ready, lol.

Actually, I think you summed it up concisely. Rose deserved a jilt for what she dished out to her ex boyfriend, and in getting the clone doctor, she got more than she deserved, if you ask me.

[Clara Listensprechen]

I do agree that the jelly babies need to come back.
One of our local candy shops started carrying them and man, are those things addictive.

The problem with Rose is she had her own story arc, as much as the Doctor did and once they resolved that, they realized part of her arc was being one of the rare companions who wasn't trying to get home. She never wanted to leave, so how do you write her out without killing her?
Once they did that, they then had to figure out how to get her back for another story,and it watered down her leaving.

Plus, if she's so special, you can't have David Tennant snogging someone every episode. Then he becomes Captain Kirk and she just becomes one of the girls he snogged.

I vote in favor of a jelly babies comeback. I am unanimous in that.