Doctor Who: Every Sonic Screwdriver Ranked Worst To Best
Same software, different cases. But which of those cases is the best?
While preparing to shoot Fury from the Deep back in the late 1960s, production assistant Michael E. Briant noticed that one scene required the Doctor to use a screwdriver. Briant instead suggested that the Doctor should use a special “sonic” version instead, and over 50 years later, the sonic screwdriver is as much a part of Doctor Who’s DNA as the TARDIS and the Daleks.
It's gone through countless redesigns in that time, and while not every Doctor has carried one, there have been nearly as many models as there are Doctors. Most of these have stuck closely to the original, tubular design – the one exception being the latest iteration, which has abandoned it completely.
Along the way we’ve had ergonomic handles, sliding columns, and extending claws. We’ve had metal sections, leather sections, crystal sections, and lights in just about every colour under the sun. They all open doors, reverse the polarity, and resonate concrete. But which model is the ultimate sonic?
Before we dive in, an honourable mention must go to Romana's sonic screwdriver, Six's sonic lance, Sarah Jane's sonic lipstick and the Master's laser screwdriver, none of which quite made the cut!
13. The Second Doctor’s Sonic (1968 - 1969)
The sonic screwdriver was initially conceived as an alternative to a traditional screwdriver, but the original prop wasn't much more exciting than something you'd find in your toolbox.
The Second Doctor’s sonic was merely an off-the-shelf penlight, comprising a smooth silver tube with a light on the end – a remarkably uninspired choice by today’s standards.
What’s more, Patrick Troughton allegedly lost the intended sonic screwdriver prop on location while filming Fury from the Deep, forcing him to use the only thing he had to hand... a life vest safety whistle.
And you thought the Fifteenth Doctor’s sonic was a departure!
Credit where it’s due, the production team pushed the boat out slightly for the sonic’s second appearance in The Dominators, building a gun-like casing for it to sit inside. But it reverted to that plain old penlight for its third and final outing in The War Games.
Is there something to be said for having a simpler and stripped-back sonic? Perhaps. But ultimately, the Second Doctor’s sonic just isn’t very memorable – granted it wasn't used very much, but we can’t place it any higher than this.