Doctor Who: Every Doctor Ranked From Worst To Best

2. The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker)

Doctor Who the Fourth Doctor Tom Baker
BBC Studios

Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor remains, to many, the most popular Doctor of them all. His deep voice, long scarf, and enjoyment of jelly babies are still considered among the most recognisable attributes of the Doctor, even with many more incarnations having turned up since.

Baker had a seven-year run as the Time Lord, during which he encountered the faces of the Morbius Doctors - which have since been retconned to fit the Timeless Child arc. His relationships with Romana, Harry, and Sarah Jane are among the most popular in the franchise. The serial Genesis of the Daleks also remains one of Who's most enduring stories, finally answering the question of why the Doctor hasn't simply nipped back in time and wiped the Daleks from history.

It's never that simple, is it?

Baker left the role once conditions behind the scenes had become untenable, something that caused great upset to viewers at the time. He refused to return for The Five Doctors special, feeling that not enough time had passed to feel comfortable taking part. This didn't affect his standing in Doctor Who history however: to this day, he remains one of the most magical, endearing, and downright brilliant versions of the Doctor we've ever seen.

 
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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"