In honour of Tom Baker's birthday, it's time to look on some of the many ways that his incarnation has influenced Doctor Who. He's arguably the most recognisable Classic Doctor and some would even say he's the show's defining incarnation in the history of the titular Time Lord. And there's good reason for that, too. With the yet to be rivalled longest run of any other actor in the role, Tom was extremely enigmatic and entertaining as the Doctor and he heralded the show into a bring and shining new era of record breaking records and, for the first time, international success. It's easy to argue that without the Fourth Doctor, the show would not be as popular as it is today, or even if it would have lasted as long as it has. Suffice to say, the Fourth Doctor was - and still is - a pretty big deal. The first three Doctors set many precedents as well, of course, as have all the ones since. Without William Hartnell, there would be no Fourth Doctor, let alone a Twelfth. But the Fourth Doctor brought in new things that are still part of the show to this day. He's so iconic that Steven Moffat found a way of including him in the show's 50th anniversary festivities in 2013 and it's safe to say that The Day of the Doctor wouldn't have been the same without the Doctor himself. As he returned to our screens as the Curator, viewers who had grown up with her were taken back to the good old days and his surprise comeback is a moment they will cherish forever. But just why is the Fourth Doctor such a formidable force in the Doctor Who mythology? Well, grab yourself a packet - or two - of jelly babies and find out with our list of 5 reasons he made such an impact on the legacy of the greatest science fiction series in history. Let's start with what's probably the obvious...
Alexa is a Doctor Who writer on Whatculture. She lives in the boring state of Illinois, USA. She is an anthropology and creative writing student. When not writing or watching Doctor Who, she is probably cuddling with her pet hedgehog, playing Super Nintendo, and reading horror novels.
But just why is the Fourth Doctor such a formidable force in the Doctor Who mythology? Well, grab yourself a packet - or two - of jelly babies and find out with our list of 5 reasons he made such an impact on the legacy of the greatest science fiction series in history. Let's start with what's probably the obvious...