Doctor Who: Every Doctor Ranked From Worst To Best

8. The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison Doctor Who
BBC Studios

Peter Davison was, at the time, the youngest actor to play the Doctor, something that was worked into the design of his new costume. While the decorative celery remains a bit of an odd choice, the cricket-inspired attire is another of the instantly-recognizable sights for Whovians around the world.

Davison's Fifth Doctor saw an increase in dark storylines, one of which, Earthshock, saw the much-derided companion Adric killed. While the Doctor was still a fun character, the show got more violent. Resurrection of the Daleks saw a slaughter, one so bad that Tegan Jovanka decided enough was enough, opting to leave the TARDIS from that point.

Davison was among the most popular Doctors from his tenure onward. He returned in the 2007 special Time Crash, playing the Fifth Doctor once more opposite David Tennant's Tenth. He would also appear in The Power of the Doctor, having a final (brave) heart to heart with Tegan - a wonderful moment fans had been wanting to see for quite some time.

 
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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"