Doctor Who: Top 10 Moments Of The Fourth Doctor

By Allan Johnstone /

5. "Magic, Leela? Magic?" (The Robots Of Death)

Not only is this one of the most straightforward and appealing explanations of the TARDIS€™ dimensional mechanics "(Which box is larger?€), but it demonstrates Tom€™s ease with exposition. From an actor€™s point of view, it might be tempting to elucidate it in as lively a manner as possible but he reels off his lines in the matter-of-fact tone of someone who€™s lived in the TARDIS for generations. He captures a slight ennui, which feels right. Once more, it feels like he is the Doctor, rather than an actor playing the Doctor. His bored reaction to Leela€™s question about the yo-yo (€œDoctor, can I stop now?€ €œIf you want to.€) reflects that side of the Fourth Doctor€™s character as well, and it also points to his disregard for her in a humorous way. That disregard wasn€™t entirely acting. Tom€™s relationship with Louise Jameson, the actress who played Leela, was initially frosty. Although things improved between them, a certain tension does manifest itself on the screen. He rarely makes eye contact with her which is something he famously did with actors he disliked. Luckily, Tom€™s aloofness makes sense in terms of the story here and there€™s a nice amount of understated comedy as well, proving that he was just as compelling in the quieter moments as he was in full-on Time Lord saviour mode.