Doctor Who: 10 Reasons Christopher Eccleston Is The Best Doctor

By James Story / March 3, 2013

While the endless story possibilities of travelling through time and space are what gives Doctor Who its universal appeal, it's the Doctor's ability of regeneration that has given the show its historical longevity. Other shows can replace characters or shift focus, but only Doctor Who can keep the same character going for fifty years through the eleven actors who played him and each brought a different side to the character. There are certain truths that ring out through Doctor Who fandom. Yes, Tom Baker may be the definitive Doctor. Yes, you will always hold the first person you watch it in high regard (Peter Davison for me), but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff and the greatest Doctor of them all must be chosen, one man stands tall amongst all others. That man is Christopher Eccleston and this is why...

10. He's An Actual Doctor

Maybe this is getting away from the core idea of him being called the Doctor (pending any upcoming Steven Moffat revelations) as this is aimed generally towards him trying to better the people around him, but I do like the Doctor to occasionally show off some medical knowledge. The Doctor has been many things. A grumpy old man, an impish fool and a dandy action hero, but at his heart he is a healer. So why does he not, you know, heal more people? At least provide some diagnoses. I'm not calling for more medical mysteries from the show, but The Empty Child is one of the few episodes that show the Doctor actually acting like one and the sight of Eccleston healing a crowd of gas-mask zombies crying Just this once, everybody lives! is one of the seasons best moments.