Doctor Who: Every Doctor Ranked From Worst To Best

5. The Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann)

Doctor Who The Night of the Doctor Paul McGann Eighth Doctor
BBC Studios

Paul McGann made his first (and, for a long time, only) appearance in the ill-fated TV movie in 1996. With Sylvester McCoy's appearance confirming that this Eighth incarnation was canon, some fans were left quite puzzled about this new dandy claiming to be part-human on his mother's side.

When the show returned in 2005, this element of the character was quietly dropped - and McGann was nowhere to be seen.

Then, in 2013, Steven Moffat shocked fans with the completely unexpected, and completely brilliant, Night of the Doctor. Here, Eight's regeneration into the War Doctor was shown in full, with McGann returning to reprise the role. It was a triumph, airing in the run-up to the 50th anniversary special. It was also a slice of what could have been, had he been given a full series order.

While this fun little curio could've been his final outing, McGann then returned in The Power of the Doctor. He would display a cantankerous aversion to robes, prompting the Seventh Doctor to roll his eyes and grumble "There's always one". Wonderful stuff.

McGann's Doctor has appeared far more often in the Big Finish audio stories, which have elevated him to being one of the most beloved Doctors in the show, despite his frustrating lack of screen 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"