|
La personalità del personaggio ha mostrato di avere diverse sfaccettature: il Dottore è stato infatti descritto come un uomo imprevedibile, clownesco e infantile, ma al contempo saggio, serioso e oscuro.<ref name="telegraph" />
Sebbene ciascun interprete abbia rappresentato il personaggio a suo modo, tutte le versioni del Dottore condividono la sua natura compassionevole e pacifista: egli infatti dedica la sua vita alla preservazione della vita, sia umana che aliena, battendosi contro il male e la guerra.<ref name=conf>Doctor Who Confidential; 8 May 2008</ref> Ciononostante, ha anche ucciso per legittima difesa,<ref name=confthe_tomb_of_the_cyberman/>''[[The<ref Tombname=the_dominators>{{cita of the Cybermen]]'', ''[[episodio/temp|titolo=The Dominators]]'',|stagione=6|episodio=1|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref name=the_invasion>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=The Invasion (|stagione=6|episodio=11|serie=Doctor Who)|The}}</ref><ref Invasion]]'',name=the_krotons>{{cita ''[[episodio/temp|titolo=The Krotons]]'',|stagione=6|episodio=19|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref><ref name=spearhead_from_space>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=Spearhead from Space]]'',|stagione=7|episodio=1|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref name=the_sea_devils>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=The Sea Devils]]'',|stagione=9|episodio=9|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref><ref name=the_three_doctors>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=The Three Doctors (|stagione=10|episodio=1|serie=Doctor Who)|The}}</ref><ref Threename=the_brain_of_morbius>{{cita Doctors]]'', ''[[episodio/temp|titolo=The Brain of Morbius]]'',|stagione=13|episodio=17|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref><ref name=the_talons_of_weng_chiang>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=The Talons of Weng-Chiang]]'',|stagione=14|episodio=21|serie=Doctor ''[[TheWho}}</ref><ref Invasionname=the_invasion_of_time/><ref ofname=earthshock>{{cita Time]]'', ''[[episodio/temp|titolo=Earthshock]]'',|stagione=19|episodio=19|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref><ref name=vengeance_on_varos>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=Vengeance on Varos]]'',|stagione=22|episodio=3|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref><ref name=the_two_doctors>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=The Two Doctors]]'',|stagione=22|episodio=7|serie=Doctor ''[[Who}}</ref><ref name=silver_nemesis>{{cita episodio/temp|titolo=Silver Nemesis]]'',|stagione=25|episodio=8|serie=Doctor ''[[WorldWho}}</ref><ref Warname=alieni_a_londra_II>{{cita Threeepisodio/temp|titolo=Alieni a Londra (Doctorseconda Whoparte)|titolooriginale=World War Three]]'',|stagione=1|episodio=5|serie=Doctor ''[[Who (nuova serie)}}</ref><ref name=the_christmas_invasion/><ref name=l_impero_del_lupo/> <ref name=l_ascesa_dei_cyberuomini_II>{{cita episodio/temp|titolooriginale=The ChristmasAge Invasion]]'',of Steel|titolo=L''[[Toothascesa anddei ClawCyberuomini (Doctorseconda Whoparte)|Toothstagione=2|episodio=6|serie=Doctor andWho Claw]]'',(nuova serie)}}</ref><ref name=la_sposa_perfetta>''[[TheEpisodi_speciali_di_Doctor_Who#La_sposa_perfetta|La Agesposa of Steelperfetta]]'', (''[[The Runaway Bride (Doctor Who'')|The, Runawayepisodio Bride]]''speciale, ''[[Smith and Jones (Doctor Who)|Smith and(nuova Jones]]serie)''</ref><ref name=alieni_sulla_luna/> spingendosi fino al genocidio nei confronti dei Dalek, i suoi più grandi nemici (nel serial ''[[Episodi di Doctor Who (venticinquesima stagione)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'', ad esempio, ordina la distruzione del loro pianeta natale).
Non fa uso di armi (ad eccezione dell'innocuo [[cacciavite sonico]]) ed è critico contro chi usa la forza; ha invece fatto più volte uso di trucchi per ingannare i suoi avversari, confondendoli con le parole o con un comportamento bizzarro.
;Primo Dottore
From the beginning, the First Doctor was a mysterious figure. He appeared to be a frail old man, despite the eventual revelation that he was actually the youngest of the Doctor's incarnations, and yet was possessed of unexpected reserves of strength and will. (An early [[bible (writing)|writers' guide]] by [[script editor]] [[David Whitaker (screenwriter)|David Whitaker]] describes "Doctor Who"{{sic}} as "frail-looking but wiry and tough as an old turkey".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Howe |first=David J. |authorlink=David J. Howe |coauthors=[[Mark Stammers]] and [[Stephen James Walker]]|title=Doctor Who: The Sixties |year=1992 |publisher=[[Virgin Publishing]] |edition=paperback |___location=London |isbn= 0-86369-707-0 |page=8 }}</ref>) He obviously held tremendous knowledge of scientific matters, and yet was unable to pilot his [[TARDIS]] time ship reliably; his granddaughter Susan explained this by saying that her grandfather was "a bit forgetful". He was abrasive, patronising, and cantankerous towards his human travelling companions, yet shared a deep emotional bond with his granddaughter [[Susan Foreman|Susan]]. He also harboured a streak of ruthlessness, being willing to lie – and in one case attempt to kill – to achieve his goals. Initially, he distrusted his first two human companions, [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright (Doctor Who)|Barbara Wright]], who were forced on him. Over time, however, as they shared adventures together, he grew closer to them, and the TARDIS crew came to share almost a family bond.
Eventually, the Doctor began to enjoy his travels through time and space, taking people along for the ride and was always reluctant and sad to see them go, even when he knew it was for their own good. The Doctor's personality mellowed around the time of the serial ''[[Marco Polo (Doctor Who)|Marco Polo]]'', and he evolved into the more familiar grandfatherly figure that children loved.
It was also during this time that the Doctor first met what would become his most persistent adversaries – the [[Dalek]]s and the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]]. It would be the latter encounter that would see the Doctor first regenerate; stating "This old body of mine's wearing a bit thin," he collapsed at the end of the serial, regenerating inside the TARDIS into the [[Second Doctor]].<ref>{{Cite serial | title = The Tenth Planet |episode=Episode 4| seriallink=The Tenth Planet | series = [[Doctor Who]] | credits = Writers [[Kit Pedler]] and [[Gerry Davis (screenwriter)|Gerry Davis]], Director Derek Martinus, Producer [[Innes Lloyd]] | network = [[BBC]] | station = [[BBC One|BBC1]] | city = London | began = 8 October 1966 | ended = 29 October 1966}}</ref>
William Hartnell described the Doctor as "a [[Wizard (fantasy)|wizard]]", and "a cross between the [[Wizard (Oz)|Wizard of Oz]] and [[Father Christmas]]".<ref>Howe, pp. 16–17.</ref> One quirk of the First Doctor was his tendency to become occasionally tongue-tied and stumble over words. Sometimes this was a deliberate acting choice: [[William Russell (actor)|William Russell]] recalls that it was Hartnell's idea for the Doctor to get Ian Chesterton's surname wrong, calling him "Chesserman" or "Chatterton".<ref>Howe, p. 19.</ref> This character choice also gave the series' producers the ability to use [[take]]s in which Hartnell flubbed his lines. Due to the series' tight production schedule, it was rarely possible to reshoot such scenes and dubbing the dialogue was usually not an option. Hartnell suffered from undiagnosed [[arteriosclerosis]], which affected his ability to remember lines, increasingly so as his time on the series progressed.<ref>Howe, p. 17.</ref>
;Secondo Dottore
He has been nicknamed the "Cosmic Hobo"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/index_second.shtml |title=Doctor Who - Classic Series - Episode Guide - Second Doctor Index |publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=22 June 2010}}</ref>, as the impish Second Doctor appeared to be far more scruffy and child-like than his first incarnation.
Mercurial, clever, and always a few steps ahead of his enemies, at times he could be a calculating schemer who would not only manipulate people for the greater good but act like a bumbling fool in order to have others underestimate his true abilities. Sometimes this appears simply as a joke, such as in ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'', where he finishes the archaeologists' calculations behind their backs, but at other times, it seems much darker. In ''[[The Evil of the Daleks]]'' he coldly manipulates Jamie into trying to rescue Victoria (thus setting in motion the Human Factor tests) and is unsympathetic when Edward Waterfield tries to apologise for his collaboration with the [[Daleks]]. But despite the bluster and tendency to panic when events got out of control, the Second Doctor always acted heroically and morally in his desire to help the oppressed.
This Doctor is associated with the [[catchphrase]]s "Oh my giddy aunt!" and "When I say run, ''run''!", and is noted for playing the [[recorder]]. In early stories he also demonstrates a fondness for hats and other types of headgear, mainly sporting a distinctive [[stovepipe hat]] when outdoors.
;Terzo Dottore
The Third Doctor was a suave, dapper, technologically-oriented, and authoritative man of action, who not only practised [[Venus]]ian [[Aikido]] (or [[Karate]]), but enjoyed working on gadgets and riding all manner of vehicles, such as the [[List of Doctor Who vehicles#Motor vehicles|Whomobile]] and his pride and joy, the canary-yellow vintage roadster nicknamed "[[List of Doctor Who vehicles#Motor vehicles|Bessie]]," a construct which featured such modifications as a remote control, dramatically increased speed capabilities and even inertial dampeners.
While this incarnation spent most of his time exiled on Earth, where he grudgingly worked as [[UNIT]]'s scientific advisor, he would occasionally be sent on covert missions by the Time Lords, where he would often act as a reluctant mediator. Even though he developed a fondness for Earthlings with whom he worked (such as [[Liz Shaw]] and [[Jo Grant]]), he would jump at any chance to return to the stars with the enthusiasm of a far younger man than himself (as can be seen in his frivolous attitude in ''[[The Mutants]]''). If this Doctor had a somewhat patrician and authoritarian air, he was just as quick to criticise authority, too, having little patience with self-inflated bureaucrats, parochially-narrow ministers, knee-jerk militarists or red tape in general. His courageousness could easily turn to waspish indignation; it is thus no surprise that a common catchphrase of his was, "Now '''''listen''''' to me!"
Despite his now-and-then arrogance, the Third Doctor genuinely cared for his [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]] in a paternal fashion, and even held a thinly-veiled but grudging admiration for his nemesis, [[Master (Doctor Who)|the Master]], and for UNIT's leader, [[Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]], with whom he eventually became friends. In fact, even when his much-resented exile was lifted, the highly-moral and dashing Third Doctor continued to help UNIT protect the Earth from all manner of alien threats.
In general, this incarnation of the Doctor was more physically daring than the previous two, and was the first to confront an enemy physically if cornered (both of his previous incarnations would nearly always attempt to dodge, flee or negotiate rather than attack). This often took the form of quick strikes, with the occasional joint lock or throw—usually enough to get himself and anyone accompanying him out of immediate danger, but usually not to the extent of a brawl, in keeping with the Doctor's non-violent nature. He would only use his fighting skills if he had no alternative, and even then generally disarmed his opponents rather than knock them unconscious. Indeed, his martial prowess was such that a single, sudden strike was usually enough to halt whatever threatened him, and at one point he reminded Captain Yates (physically as well as verbally) that Yates would have a difficult time removing him from somewhere when he did not want to be removed (''[[The Mind of Evil]]'').
Perhaps due to his time spent on Earth, or maybe just as a function of his pacifistic and authoritative tendencies, the Third Doctor was a skilled diplomat (keeping talks going in ''[[The Curse of Peladon]],'' for example) and linguist, as well as having an odd knack for disguises; all of this, combined with his formidable galactic experience, often allowed the Third Doctor to play a central role in the events in which he found himself.
;Quarto Dottore
To an extent, the Fourth Doctor is the most unpredictable in terms of his emotional depth, slightly more distant and Alien than his other incarnations - before or after.<ref>[http://www.cumberlandspaceman.co.uk/spaceman-home/classic-doctor-who/classic-doctor-who-profile-tom-baker/ Classic Doctor Who Profile - Tom Baker</ref>
Despite his obvious moments of whimsical charm, offbeat humor, permeated by his manic grin, the Fourth Doctor is more aloof and somber than his previous incarnations. He could become intensely brooding, serious and even callous. He also displays a darker edge to his personality and in ''[[The Invasion of Time]]'' he seems to cruelly taunt and play with the Time Lords, after his emergency inauguration as President. He also has a strong moral code, such as when he faces the dilemma of whether to destroy the Daleks in (''[[Genesis of the Daleks]]'') stating that if he did, he would be no better than the Daleks himself. He is truely appalled at the actions of the Pirate Captain in ''[[The Pirate Planet]]'' and refuses to listen to Professor Tryst's attempts to justify drug-running in order to fund his scientific work (''[[Nightmare of Eden]]''), simply telling him to go away.
At the same time he is capable of moments of genuine warmth. In ''[[The Ark in Space]]'', he salutes the human race's indomitablity and latter stories establish that Earth is his favourite planet (''[[The Ribos Operation]]''). He is the first Doctor to refer to his companions as his best friends.
To his companions, especially [[Sarah Jane Smith]], he was protective and somewhat of a fathering figure. In stories such as ''[[Pyramids of Mars]]'' he is concerned that he is approaching middle age with almost melancholic weariness, something which becomes the main focus of his personality in his final season. He often contemplates his outsider status to both humanity and his Galifreyian heritage, as he seems more inclined toward a solitary existence (''[[The Deadly Assassin]]''). In contrast to this "outsider existence" he emphasises that he found mankind to be his "favourite species" as if he was scientifically studying it. He could also be furious with those he saw as stupid, frivolous, misguided or just plain evil. When taking charge, he could be considered authoritative to the point of controlling and egocentric. He generally maintained his distance from the Time Lords, remarking in ''The Pyramids of Mars'' that, while being from Gallifrey, he doesn't consider himself a Time Lord. He clearly resents that even after they had lifted his exile, they continue to beckon the Doctor whenever they deemed it necessary (''[[Genesis of the Daleks]]''). .
Although like all his other incarnations he preferred brain over brawn, he is a capable swordsman (''[[The Androids of Tara]]'') and fighter when needs dictate, following on from the martial expertise of his immediate predecessor. He improvises non-lethal weaponry when necessary (''[[Genesis of the Daleks]]''), but was also not averse to more lethal weaponry as a necessity against both sentient and non-sentient beings, like the matter-destroying DeMat Gun (''[[The Invasion of Time]]'') or contemporary firearms (''[[Image of the Fendahl]]'' and ''[[The Talons of Weng-Chiang]]'').''
One of the Doctor's most significant relationships occurs during his fourth incarnation and is explored further in his tenth incarnation. His friendship with [[Sarah Jane Smith]] is implied to be deeper than the relationships he shared with other companions to that point (as alluded to in the Tenth Doctor episode ''[[School Reunion (Doctor Who)|School Reunion]]''). She is consequently still profoundly affected by their separation many years later in her personal timeline.
;Quinto Dottore
The Fifth Doctor was far more vulnerable, sensitive, and reserved than his previous incarnations, and often reacted to situations rather than initiating them. Frequently, he made decisions by flipping a coin. Unlike his more authoritative predecessors, he treated his young companions as parts of a team, and often willingly participated in situations under the leadership of someone else who had the strong command presence that he apparently lacked. However, the Fifth Doctor's boyish appearance, nervous energy, and charm all hid the fact that he was a [[Time Lord]] of great age, compassion, and experience.
This Doctor greatly abhorred violence and often hesitated about taking matters into his own hands. For the first time, indecision weighed seriously on the character, and it had its consequences - yet this Doctor was also one of the most courageous of his incarnations. He was willing to take chances with companions like [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] and [[Kamelion]], who were originally threats, even as he pretended to be unaware of it at first in order to grant his companion the opportunity to do the right thing. He was also willing to make enormous personal sacrifices (''[[Mawdryn Undead]]'') simply to keep his word and liberate others from suffering. It was perhaps the awful realisation that his very existence begat violence and the weight of companion [[Adric]]'s death on his conscience, and perhaps [[Tegan_Jovanka|Tegan]]'s near emotional breakdown as well, that led him to sacrifice his own existence to save his last companion, Peri. In an episode of ''Doctor Who Confidential'', [[Steven Moffat]] said that "this Doctor takes the emphasis off the eccentricities and turns it into a pained heroism of a man who is so much better than the universe he is trying to save but cannot bear to let it stand."
The Fifth Doctor was the last to use the original [[sonic screwdriver]], which was destroyed during ''[[The Visitation]]'', although the [[Seventh Doctor]] and subsequent Doctors were later seen using new versions of the tool. In "[[Time Crash]]", he declined to borrow the Tenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver.
;Sesto Dottore
The Sixth Doctor was an unpredictable and somewhat petulant [[egoist]], whose garish, multicoloured attire reflected his volatile personality. He was both portentous and eloquent, even for the Doctor - of whom he saw himself as the finest incarnation yet – and his unpredictability was made even wilder by his mood swings, manic behaviour, bombastic outbursts and glib, unflappable wit. His personality also displayed occasionally fatalistic overtones.
The Sixth Doctor was almost supremely confident in his abilities and did not suffer fools gladly; he sometimes seemed to endure Peri's presence far more than he actually appreciated it, and his superiority complex applied to almost everyone he encountered. His intellect could support his ego; for instance, the Sixth Doctor was the only one who was able to repair and operate the Chameleon Circuit within the TARDIS, allowing it to change shape to suit its surroundings rather than looking constantly like a police box (although the appropriateness of the TARDIS's appearance to its environment was more-or-less nil) in ''[[Attack of the Cybermen]]''. However, not only did his melodramatic arrogance and caustic wit eventually subside, it actually hid the fact that this incarnation retained the Doctor's strong moral sense and empathy, as seen in ''[[Revelation of the Daleks]]'', in which he showed great compassion for a dying mutant; and ''[[The Trial of a Time Lord]]'', where he displayed outrage at his own people for their part in a plot and cover-up which resulted in the death of most of the Earth's population. Underneath his blustering exterior, he was more determined than ever in his universal battles against evil, possessed of a tenacity and a thirst to do what was right that was far more visible than ever before. Despite his often unstable demeanour, he was always ready to act when necessary, and very little – even his [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]] – could hope to stand in his way.
His condescension towards the universe around him also extended to his companions, especially Peri. While his use of violence against his foes and his abrasive relationship with Peri were both often criticised by fans, the violence was largely in self-defence, and his relationship with Peri had mellowed significantly when the programme returned from hiatus for Season 23's ''[[The Trial of a Time Lord]]''.
He was well-known for his love of [[cat]]s, and always wore one of a number of cat-shaped pins or brooches on the lapel of his patchwork coat, itself said to be the height of fashion on a distant planet{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}.
The events surrounding the production of ''Doctor Who'' in the mid-1980s caused the Sixth Doctor's tenure to be cut short, and for a long time Colin Baker bore the brunt of the blame as the "unlikeable" Doctor.
The Sixth Doctor's return in the Big Finish Productions audio plays, voiced by Baker, have gone some way to changing this impression, with the Sixth Doctor appearing to be a somewhat calmer, wittier and altogether happier character (attributed in-story to the influence of companion [[Evelyn Smythe]]). In a 2001 poll in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'', Baker was voted the "greatest Doctor" of the audio plays.
The popularity of Baker's portrayal as the Sixth Doctor would appear to have grown substantially in recent times, and his interpretation of the part is now critically acclaimed as one of the strongest by revisionist aficionados. In April 2010, a poll was launched at Yahoo! TV entitled "Who is your favourite 'Doctor Who' actor?", and which to date has attracted more than 300,000 votes. This has seen Colin Baker emerge as a favourite among the eleven actors to have played the part, Baker receiving 19% of the vote, narrowly pipping David Tennant, who currently holds an 18% share. <ref>http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/poll_results.html?poll_id=53776&wv=1</ref>
;Settimo Dottore
The Seventh Doctor displayed perhaps the most profound change in attitude of any of the [[Time Lord|Time Lord's]] personae, beginning as perhaps the most outwardly amiable and bumbling (to the extent of putting himself in danger but not at the cost of his overall great intelligence and benevolent intentions) and progressing into a driven, dark gamemaster whose plans to defeat his adversaries, both old and new, would play out across space and time. He generally displayed an affable, curious, knowledgeable, easygoing, excitable and charming air. However, as he began to choose his battles and keep a tighter grip on his secrets - from his plans to his very identity - he also presented more serious, contemplative, secretive, wistful and manipulative sides with undercurrents of mischief and authority, constantly giving the impression that there was more to him than met the eye.
As something of a showman, the Doctor would sometimes act like a buffoon, usually preferring to manipulate events from behind the scenes; much like his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]], he was prepared to play the fool in order to trick his foes into underestimating him, inevitably leading to their defeat at his hands. He was an adept physical performer and once deployed a repertoire of magic tricks, illusions and escape artistry to this effect as part of his plans. Although his more obvious whimsical tendencies disappeared over time (particularly his spoons-playing), he maintained a fondness for idiosyncratic speeches that occasionally referred to literature, ordinary places and even food and drink amidst the weightier concerns on his mind. He was empathetic to his friends (and even his enemies, such as Helen A) and somewhat melancholic at times (such as during Mel's departure and before his decision to eradicate the Daleks) but now placed greater burdens upon himself in the name of protecting the universe. This may have led him to surround his true intentions in mystery and the use of sleight of hand as befit his fondness for performance, in effect, subverting his more lighthearted qualities to complement and enhance his heroic and darker ones.
Given the Seventh Doctor's appearance and stature, he was surprisingly capable of both directly and indirectly taking control of situations involving strangers, using his greater intelligence to assess and direct events. Concerned with the bigger picture, he would sometimes overlook the finer details and his planning, both pre-prepared and improvised, would sometimes have fatal results and consequences. When he acted to end threats, it was usually a ruthless, destructive and final manoeuvre. He was also not above hiding the truth from his friends and allies and using them in order to complete his schemes and gambits.
His tendency to reveal only select information to his companion Ace – as well as anyone else around them – was utilised both in her education and in their adventures, as if he were the only one who should know all the answers and others should come to their own conclusions. At two points he even abused Ace's trust in him, once to develop her as a person and again to keep her alive (on both occasions, freeing her from the evil influences that had haunted her during her life), while on one of these adventures, he showed great difficulty in admitting his foreknowledge of the situation's severity to her when she finally confronted him. In spite of his immense fondness for her, and her for him, he often frustrated her with his secretive nature as his alien behaviour, the great importance of his objectives (especially his focus on obliterating enemies from his past) and his strong desire to both educate and protect her would lead him to keep even her in the dark and would even subordinate her feelings towards him in order to succeed in their battles. Fortunately, their close, almost familial bond was likely what helped Ace in moving past the feelings of betrayal she sometimes felt towards the Doctor, particularly as he genuinely had her best interests at heart. In fact, while he appeared to be an unassuming figure, fond of performing magic tricks and displaying notable showmanship, the Seventh Doctor was actually quite powerful and calculating, for he would use his friends and foes alike as pawns in his elaborate [[chess]] game against "evil". As Ace herself put it, he was "well devious."
In direct contrast to his [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]], this Doctor was absolutely opposed to violence of any sort (as demonstrated in stories such as ''[[battlefield (Doctor Who)|Battlefield]]'', where he stops a battle merely by ordering the warriors to desist) and he was totally against the use of firearms (to the extent of 'talking down' a soldier ordered to execute him in ''[[The Happiness Patrol]]'' by emphasising the easiness of the kill versus the enormity of ending a life), although he also proved capable of rendering a man unconscious with a touch (''Battlefield'', ''Survival''). In keeping with his established habits, he would use gadgetry of his own invention when the situation called for it, but never as his final gambit. Instead, he almost always managed to talk his enemies into submission, often into [[suicide]] – perhaps most memorably in ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks]]'', where he taunts the seemingly last [[Dalek]] in existence until it self-destructs, or in ''[[Ghost Light (Doctor Who)|Ghost Light]]'', where he defeats the malevolent Light by ramming home the folly of trying to prevent evolution (he employs variations of this 'talk to death' tactic in ''[[Dragonfire (Doctor Who)|Dragonfire]]'', ''[[Silver Nemesis]]'' and ''[[The Curse of Fenric]]'', although primarily to manipulate opponents to guarantee the outcome in his favour). Perhaps this Doctor's most definitive stand against violence and savagery was taken when he faced down his arch-foe [[Master (Doctor Who)|the Master]] in ''[[Survival (Doctor Who)|Survival]]'' whilst resisting the animalistic influence of an alien world, telling his enemy, "If we fight like animals, we'll die like animals!"
It is indeed fitting that this, at times the darkest Doctor of all, should not directly use physical force to implement his actions, even though he seemed to have the universe's weight on his shoulders more often than any other Doctor.
;Ottavo Dottoe
The Eighth Doctor encouraged those around him to seize life instead of withdrawing from it. He also seemed to enjoy giving people hints of their own futures, probably to prod them into making the right decisions. It is unclear if the eighth Doctor's knowledge of people's futures comes from historical expertise, psychic power or precognitive ability.
As with the [[Fifth Doctor]], the debonair Eighth Doctor's youthful, wide-eyed enthusiasm actually hid a very old soul with perhaps a darker side. In fact, whereas the Eighth Doctor of the audio plays (voiced by McGann) and the comic strip hew closely to the television movie Doctor, the Eighth Doctor of the novels exhibited what was, at times, a much darker personality, perhaps due to the rather traumatic adventures that he underwent.
The Eighth Doctor also attracted controversy in the television movie, breaking the long-standing taboo against romantic involvement with his [[companion (Doctor Who)|companions]] by kissing [[Grace Holloway]]. Fans were extremely divided on this. In the spin-off media that followed, the Eighth Doctor has often been the object of romantic interest, but has shown little to no romantic inclinations of his own.
Fans have also been divided on the Eighth Doctor revealing that he is apparently half-human on his mother's side. However, "[[Journey's End (Doctor Who)|Journey's End]]", an episode of the revived television series, sees the [[Tenth Doctor]] accidentally creating a half-human, physically identical second Doctor, and his reaction to the situation implies this is a new experience for him. Also, in the episode [[The Doctor's Daughter]], Jenny, who was created using a skin sample of the [[Tenth Doctor]], is initially dismissed by him since she is not a complete Time Lord, and according to him, "You're an echo, that's all. A Time Lord is so much more. A sum of knowledge, a code, shared history, shared suffering".
In the comic storyline 'The Forgotten' it is revealed that the Doctor's claim that he was half human was in fact nothing more than a ruse.<ref>''Doctor Who, The Forgottten'', issue #5 page 8.</ref>
In all his iterations, the Eighth Doctor has proven extremely prone to bouts of amnesia, a tendency apparently inspired by the plot of his sole television appearance. He also demonstrates, in his first and only televised appearance, a penchant for sleight of hand. He manages to "lift" or pickpocket various items from certain people he meets during his first adventure.
;Nono Dottore
As a character, the Ninth Doctor is less of a central heroic figure than an enabler, encouraging his companions and other people he meets to act upon their more positive impulses. Those he meets (in particular [[Jack Harkness|Captain Jack Harkness]]) often credit him with making them better people (this is indirectly referenced in the penultimate episode of Series 3 when [[Master (Doctor Who)|the Master]] calls the Tenth Doctor "the man who makes people better"). He uses this quality alongside his intelligence and the information he gathers to inspire and allow others to act to end the dangers they face, rarely taking direct action himself (although he tended to find himself incapacitated in some manner at crucial moments, therefore requiring the interventions of others).
The Doctor's ninth incarnation was perhaps the most gritty, and informal, masking a lonely, guilt-ridden and melancholic personality with a jovial, witty, forthright and almost manic exterior. Similar to the [[Fourth Doctor]], he would often make jokes in the face of danger, but then become grim and serious when on his own. Like the [[Sixth Doctor]], he also tended to be fatalistic at times, to the point of near-panic when he and Rose were cornered in "The Unquiet Dead" and he realised that he was going to die. Despite being impatient with humans, whom he often referred to as "stupid apes" -- and Mickey receiving particular scorn and being dubbed "Mickey the Idiot" -- the Ninth Doctor was far more tactile with, and reliant upon, his human companions than previous incarnations. He was notably both sentimental and emotional, especially where his closest friend, Rose, was concerned, to the point of allowing her to view her parents' wedding and later, her father's last moments – this being just one example of his occasional lack of caution.
The Ninth Doctor was quite colloquial in his language and spoke with a distinctly [[Northern English|Northern accent]]. Although the Seventh and Eighth Doctor spoke with non-[[Received Pronunciation]] accents, the Ninth's era was the first time this was commented on in the series. When Rose questioned him on why, if he was alien, he sounded like he was from the North, the Doctor retorted, "Lots of planets have a North!"
Much of the Ninth Doctor's melancholy, lack of patience, levels of inaction and hard-bitten edge could be attributed to feelings of [[Survivor guilt|guilt]] at being the sole survivor of the Last Great Time War between the [[Time Lord]]s and the [[Dalek]]s, the conclusion of which apparently resulted from his own actions to end the Dalek threat, burning away 10 million of their ships and destroying [[Gallifrey]] and his own race in the process. This darker side came to the fore when he encountered the lone Dalek in "Dalek", exhibiting an angry, merciless and vengeful streak which surprised even Rose and led to the Dalek commenting that the Doctor would make a good Dalek. Previously, echoing the ruthlessness of his [[Seventh Doctor|seventh self]], he also impassively stood by as the villainous [[Lady Cassandra]] exploded, viewing it a fitting end for her actions (it was left ambiguous as to whether he could have spared her). However, a more light-hearted enthusiasm would surface on occasion, sometimes finding manic delight in tense situations such as his meeting with [[Charles Dickens]] (of whom he is a well-versed fan) whilst pursuing a kidnapped Rose. He also displayed a wide pop-cultural knowledge ranging from Dickens to 21st century celebrity gossip, while his joy on saving the victims of the nanogene attack in 1940s London, thus totally avoiding fatalities, restored some of his optimism and self-belief. Ultimately, the Doctor was able to put some of his demons to rest and seemed to find some peace through redemption towards the end of his incarnation. This redemption occurred shortly before his regeneration when he was given the opportunity to vanquish the Dalek fleet once more, but at the cost of the human race. He decided not to do it. When the Dalek Emperor asked if he would rather be a coward or killer, the Doctor merely responded, "Coward. Any day."
In contrast with his [[Tenth Doctor|successor]] and in common with his [[Third Doctor|third]], fourth and sixth selves, the Ninth Doctor did not shy away from using force in situations he would deem necessary. In "[[Dalek (Doctor Who episode)|Dalek]]", he located an alien weapon for use on the last Dalek in existence; were it not for Rose's intervention, he would have used it. In "[[Bad Wolf]]", he and his companions escaped from the custody of the Gamestation's armed guards using physical force, with the Doctor throwing a guard against a wall. Later, as he proceeded to the station's control room, he wielded a heavy two-handed weapon, even deactivating the safety as if he was going to use it. However, as he speaks to the controller, he reveals that he had no actual intention of shooting anybody. The Doctor also arranged for lethal weaponry to be used on the [[Slitheen]] in "[[World War Three (Doctor Who)|World War Three]]", sending a missile to destroy the alien family before they could nuke the world.
On several occasions, the Doctor indicates that he is 900 years old, the same age as the Sixth Doctor claimed to be in ''[[Revelation of the Daleks]]''. This appears to contradict the original series in which the Seventh Doctor, following his regeneration in ''[[Time and the Rani]]'', claimed to be 953 years of age, and who was in turn followed by the [[Eighth Doctor]]. To date this discrepancy has yet to be addressed on-screen. (See [[Doctor (Doctor Who)#Age|The Doctor's age]].)
The Ninth Doctor's catchphrase, used in a variety of manners, and sometimes ironically, was "Fantastic!" (In 2007, Eccleston joined the cast of the American series ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]''; in the episode "[[The Fix (Heroes)|The Fix]]", Eccleston's character [[Claude (Heroes)|Claude]] utters "Fantastic!" in the same occasionally ironic fashion as the Ninth Doctor.)
;Decimo Dottore
The Tenth Doctor generally displays a light-hearted, talkative, easy-going, witty and cheeky manner, but repeatedly demonstrates a vengeful and unforgiving streak as well. This emerged early on when he sends the [[List of Doctor Who monsters and aliens#Sycorax|Sycorax leader]] (who is attacking him from behind) falling to his death while commenting that, with him, there are "no second chances".<ref name="christmasinvasion">{{Cite episode | title = [[The Christmas Invasion]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Russell T. Davies]], Director [[James Hawes]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 25 December 2005}}</ref> In "[[School Reunion (Doctor Who)|School Reunion]]", he acknowledges that he is less merciful than he used to be and has stuck to his "one warning" code, punishing his enemies if they persist in their hostilities. This is demonstrated in "[[The Runaway Bride (Doctor Who)|The Runaway Bride]]" when he drowns the Empress of [[List_of_Doctor_Who_monsters_and_aliens#Racnoss|Racnoss']] children, prompting [[Donna Noble]] to declare that he needs somebody to stop him, and in "[[The Family of Blood]]" where he gives each Family member an individual and eternal punishment. His strong personal sense of justice makes him quick to anger when he feels it is violated, as in "[[New Earth]]" when he learns of the plague farm run by the Sisters of Plenitude, and after Prime Minister [[Harriet Jones]] gives the order to destroy the retreating Sycorax ship, bringing down her government. In "[[The Waters of Mars]]", he goes so far as to declare himself above the laws of time, although there are catastrophic consequences as a result. This is coupled, however, with an intense sense of regret of the deaths of both his friends and enemies. In "[[Journey's End (Doctor Who)|Journey's End]]", he has a flashback of those who have died instead of/for him, including [[Astrid Peth]], [[Jenny (Doctor Who)|Jenny]], [[Luke Rattigan]], [[Bad Wolf|Lynda Moss]], and the stewardess from "[[Midnight (Doctor Who)|Midnight]]". He also offers Davros the chance to escape the destruction of the Dalek mothership, but Davros spits the chance back at him, calling him the "Destroyer of Worlds". A recurring line on the part of the Tenth Doctor is his saying that he is "so sorry" for actions he takes, even as he takes them.
The Tenth Doctor has a tendency to babble, mixing apparent nonsense with vital information, sometimes acting erratically to put his enemies off-guard. He is prone to making comments that to outsiders seem obtuse or rude, sometimes to his own embarrassment. In "[[The Christmas Invasion]]" and "[[Tooth and Claw (Doctor Who)|Tooth and Claw]]", he is surprised at his own unintentional rudeness when making disparaging remarks, and [[Jack Harkness]], after reuniting with the Doctor, notes that his "new regeneration (is) kinda cheeky".<ref name="utopia">{{Cite episode | title = [[Utopia (Doctor Who)|Utopia]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Russell T. Davies]], Director [[Graeme Harper]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 16 June 2007}}</ref> He has a tendency to use [[technobabble]] to describe scientific concepts before substituting it with a simpler, analogous explanation, such as his description of non-linear temporal physics as "a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff".<ref name="blink">{{Cite episode | title = [[Blink (Doctor Who)|Blink]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Steven Moffat]], Director [[Hettie MacDonald]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 9 June 2007}}</ref> He is also able to rapidly switch between moods, from mania to anger to nonchalance and uses this as a form of [[reverse psychology]] on several occasions ("[[Fear Her]]", "[[Love & Monsters]]" and "[[Army of Ghosts]]"). In the latter, by switching gears suddenly after failing to dissuade Yvonne Hartman from her current activities, he is able to make her uncertain enough to get his way.
Another recurring theme in the Tenth Doctor's stories is that of his intense loneliness. In "School Reunion", he describes the ability of Time Lords to live so long as a curse, because while his human companions all someday leave him and eventually die, he continues to live. Other characters have also commented on the Tenth Doctor's loneliness. During a conversation with his nemesis, [[Master (Doctor Who)|the Master]], he admits that since the end of the [[Time War (Doctor Who)|Time War]] and the loss of the other Time Lords, he has been "alone ever since". Indeed, when the Master subsequently dies, the Doctor openly weeps over his body. In "[[The End of Time]]", he ultimately ends up regenerating in the TARDIS alone, despite visits to his past companions in his dying hours.
The Tenth Doctor is more extroverted and gregarious than his predecessor, quickly establishing a firmer rapport with Rose Tyler's friends and family than he ever did in his previous incarnation. He is openly fond of mankind and is apparently in awe of their tenacity and curiosity, a trait previously exhibited by his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]]. In "[[The Impossible Planet]]", he hugs the leader of an Earth expedition for daring to explore a planet orbiting a [[black hole]] merely "because it was there". In "[[The Age of Steel]]", he describes human beings as both brilliant and stupid in the same sentence while arguing the necessity of emotions with the [[List of Doctor Who villains#John Lumic|Cyber-Controller]]. The Doctor even goes so far as to exclaim he's willing to battle the Master across the cosmos so long as he leaves Earth alone in "The Sound of Drums". However, he is also quick to criticise mankind when he feels it is necessary.<ref name="fortytwo">{{Cite episode | title = [[42 (Doctor Who)|42]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Chris Chibnall]], Director [[Graeme Harper]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 19 May 2007}}</ref> Indeed, his confidence in the human race becomes far less pronounced in later series, and at the end of "[[Midnight (Doctor Who)|Midnight]]" he is left speechless after witnessing the steps humans can become willing to take when placed in a threatening situation, as he is almost killed by a panicky group of people who turn on him.
The 2006 series continued the exploration of the [[Doctor (Doctor Who)#The Doctor and romance|Doctor's romantic aspects]], with the Tenth Doctor sharing kisses with Rose (albeit while she was possessed by [[Lady Cassandra]]) and [[Madame de Pompadour]]. In "School Reunion", [[Sarah Jane Smith]] all but confesses that she had been in love with him. In "Doomsday", during their farewell, Rose tells the Doctor she loves him; he begins to reply but only manages to say her name before the transmission is cut off, leaving him alone in the TARDIS with tears on his cheeks. After this, whenever he is reminded of Rose he sometimes becomes depressed or pensive. In the audio commentary for "Doomsday", the executive producer, [[Julie Gardner]], claimed that she will confirm to the nation the Doctor was going to "say it back". In Series 3, the Doctor gradually learns that Martha harbours feelings for him before she leaves his company – which he inadvertently inspires by kissing her as a distraction<ref name="smithandjones">{{Cite episode | title = [[Smith and Jones (Doctor Who)|Smith and Jones]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Russell T. Davies]], Director [[Charles Palmer (director)|Charles Palmer]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 31 March 2007}}</ref> – and also exchanges kisses with Astrid in honour of "an old tradition" from her home planet. Following the complications with Martha (for which he blames himself), the Doctor seems reluctant to embark on any other potentially romantic companionship, and makes sure that before allowing her to join him, Donna understands that all he wants is a friend. In keeping with this, when he is poisoned in "The Unicorn and the Wasp" and asks Donna to give him a shock of some kind; kissing him proves to be so out-of-character for her that it is sufficient to trigger the detox process.
The Tenth Doctor sometimes dons a pair of spectacles, like the [[Fifth Doctor]], whose youthful appearance he shares. In the 2007 Children in Need special, "[[Time Crash]]", the Tenth Doctor notes other inherited/inspired tendencies when meeting the Fifth Doctor, aside from "the brainy specs" (which he observes were worn by the Fifth simply to look clever rather than out of necessity, therefore implying that his are used for the same reason despite the Fifth Doctor stating twice in series that he was actually near-sighted in his left eye ("[[Castrovalva (Doctor Who)|Castrovalva]]") and actually needed a corrective lens for that eye), such as wearing plimsolls/trainers and both of their voices becoming high-pitched when shouting. He also exhibits a remarkable sense of taste, again similar to the Fifth Doctor ("[[Planet of Fire]]"), able to identify the [[blood type]] of a blood sample ("The Christmas Invasion") or the presence of [[mistletoe]] oil ("[[Tooth and Claw (Doctor Who)|Tooth and Claw]]") just by licking. He also shares the Fifth Doctor's skill with a [[cricket]] ball, as demonstrated in "[[Human Nature (Doctor Who episode)|Human Nature]]". The Tenth also admitted to the Fifth that he was the Tenth's favourite past incarnation.
The Tenth Doctor speaks with an [[Estuary English]] accent, rather than the [[English language in England|Salford, Greater Manchester]] (Christopher Eccleston's own accent) that the Ninth Doctor used, the [[Received Pronunciation]] of most earlier Doctors, or Tennant's natural [[Scottish English]]. David Tennant told [[SFX magazine]] in 2006 that Russell T Davies had asked him to drop his natural Scottish accent, because he felt "we'd like to not go for another obvious regional accent, because I suppose they'd done that".<ref>[http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/scotland/I-agreed-to-drop-Scots.2763966.jp I agreed to drop Scots accent for Doctor Who - Tennant], 3 April 2006, [[The Scotsman]]</ref> In a 23 December interview on [[BBC Radio 1]], Tennant explained that a line had been scripted for the Christmas special explaining that the newly-regenerated Doctor had imprinted on [[Rose Tyler]]'s accent, "like a chick hatching from an egg", but the line was cut from the final programme. The Tenth Doctor also briefly affected a generic [[Appalachian English|American Appalachian]] accent in "[[The Christmas Invasion]]", and a Scottish accent (David Tennant's own) in "Tooth and Claw".
Like the Ninth Doctor, the Tenth Doctor used his [[Sonic Screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]] quite often. This Doctor relied heavily on the device, and chided his fifth incarnation for going "hands free" in "[[Time Crash]]", a reference to the Fifth Doctor's loss of the device in "[[The Visitation (Doctor Who)|The Visitation]]". This reliance came to a head when the screwdriver was burned out in "[[Smith and Jones (Doctor Who)|Smith and Jones]]", having been pushed past its limits in order to boost the radiation output of an X-ray machine. He obtains another screwdriver by the end of the episode.
Much as the Ninth Doctor frequently declared things "Fantastic!", this Doctor has also favoured certain phrases on various occasions, such as "What?!" (like the [[Fourth Doctor]], it is used to refer to something unexpected happening; however, the Tenth sometimes says it three times in rapid succession), "Brilliant!", "oh yes!" (used in an exuberant fashion, often when he has successfully done something), "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry", and the French expression "Allons-y" ("Let's go"). The latter was first used in "Army of Ghosts", where the Doctor stated that he should say it more often and that he would love to meet someone named Alonso so he could say "Allons-y, Alonso!", eventually achieving this aim in "Voyage of the Damned" with midshipman Alonso Frame. He also often used the Italian expression ''Molto bene'' ("Very good"). In addition, he often clarifies his own mistakes by beginning with an elongated "Well..." Like his predecessor, the Tenth Doctor shows a fondness for human popular culture—a characteristic not all of his previous incarnations seemed to share—but even more so, to the point where he finds himself unknowingly quoting the song "[[Circle of Life]]" from [[Disney]]'s ''[[The Lion King]]'' during a confrontation with the Sycorax leader<ref name="christmasinvasion" />, dropping a reference to [[Kylie Minogue|Kylie Minogue's]] ''[[Never Too Late (Kylie Minogue song)|Never Too Late]]''<ref name="idiotslantern">{{Cite episode | title = [[The Idiot's Lantern]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Mark Gatiss]], Director [[Euros Lyn]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 27 May 2006}}</ref> , and referring to the [[Harry Potter]] books twice during an encounter with William Shakespeare<ref name="shakespearecode">{{Cite episode | title = [[The Shakespeare Code]] | series = Doctor Who | credits = Writer [[Gareth Roberts]], Director [[Charles Palmer]], Producer [[Phil Collinson]] | network= BBC | station = BBC One | city = Cardiff | airdate = 7 April 2007}}</ref> .
;Undicesimo Dottore
===Accento===
|
