1. "I Am The Doctor... Whether You Like It Or Not!"
The top entry in this list is, of course, the closing dialogue of Baker's first adventure. Offering an olive branch to viewers who were unsettled by this radical take on the long-established gentleman explorer of the title, it was delivered in the Sixth's trademark style, with a distinct lack of repentance. Having set up a Doctor who displayed qualities unheard of in his former incarnations, the onus was on the production team to urge people to stick with this maddening figure, that if they kept watching they'd see he wasn't just a mass of bluster and bad fabric, that was the still person everyone knew and loved. Whether this promise was kept, however, is a question for the ages. Some like Baker's Doctor. Others had their noses put forever out of joint. But through all the debates, one factor is constant - the performance of the central actor remained stellar. Some rather unkind comments have been made over the years about this singular interpretation of TV's longest-serving sci-fi hero, but on his special day Baker can take heart(s) that he was at the forefront of a groundbreaking move in the unlikely setting of a family show. During this rather wobbly period, he became, for many people, the Doctor. Whether you like it or not. What did you think of this list? Did you agree with these choices, or are there any other iconic Sixth Doctor moments that should've been included? Let us know in the comments section below. Happy Birthday, Colin Baker!
I am a journalist and comedian who enjoys American movies of the 70s, Amicus horror compendiums, Doctor Who, Twin Peaks, Naomi Watts and sitting down. My short fiction has been published as part of the Iris Wildthyme range from Obverse Books.
