Doctor Who: Every Doctor Ranked From Worst To Best

3. The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant)

Doctor Who Midnight David Tennant Tenth Doctor
BBC Studios

There's simply no denying the impact that David Tennant's Tenth Doctor had, not simply on Doctor Who, but on pop-culture as a whole.

His turn as the Time Lord is easily one of the most popular to date, almost directly responsible for the show's renewed longevity. The combination of Ten's excitable demeanor and Russell T Davies' writing was, more often than not, a recipe for victory.

The emotional stakes of the show were dialed up to ten during this period. Hearts would break during stories like The Girl in the Fireplace, Doomsday, and Journey's End. Tennant simply had one of those faces that could make you cry at the drop of a fez.

Ten's youth was mixed with Tennant's ability to play an older, wiser Doctor than the few who had come before. It was a marvel to see him running (and running some more) through tunnels and streets one moment, then facing down the Cybermen and the Daleks the next. His regeneration was more than a little self-indulgent, though this was to mark not just Tennant's exit from the series, but the complete handover of stylistic control from Davies to Moffat.

Ten will always remain some fans' favourite Doctor, and it's not hard to see why. He brought a special charm to the TARDIS, one that hopefully the Fourteenth Doctor will be able to replicate.

 
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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"