30 Day Doctor Who Challenge - Day 1

I wasn't looking for something else to blog about right now, because there is so much else I have in my great big long list of Things I Must Get Round to Writing About. However, I am only slightly cursing Jennie for embarking on a 30 Day Doctor Who challenge.

Over the next 30 days, I intend to answer the following 30 questions about my favourite programme which I found listed on Facebook, here.

Day 1 - Favorite Doctor

Day 2 - Favorite Companion/Assistant

Day 3 - Favorite Villain

Day 4- Favorite Monster/Alien

Day 5 - Favorite 2 Part Adventure

Day 6 - Favorite Holiday/Special episode

Day 7 - Favorite Historical figure/guest appearance

Day 8 - Most shocking moment

Day 9 - Episode that made you cry the most

Day 10 - Episode that scared you most

Day 11 - Episode you loved but now hate

Day 12 - Favorite Black & White episode

Day 13 - Favorite Series/Season

Day 14 - Least Favorite episode

Day 15 - Funniest episode

Day 16 - Favorite Doctor gadget

Day 17 - Favorite Writer

Day 18 - Favorite Theme Song

Day 19 - Which episode(s) would you like to see brought back from BBC Archives

Day 20 - Favorite Master

Day 21 - Least Favorite Doctor

Day 22 - Favorite Doctor catchphrase

Day 23 - Least Favorite Companion/Assistant

Day 24 - Favorite Companion/Assistant Moment

Day 25 - Least Favorite Villain

Day 26 - Favorite Doctor Who Spin-off

Day 27 - Saddest episode

Day 28 - Favorite Celebrity supporting actor

Day 29 - Favorite Doctor Moment

Day 30 - Favorite episode of all time

So, let's get started with Day 1, favourite Doctor.

This believe it or not, is quite hard. First of all, let's say who it's not. Hartnell and Troughton are really out of the race because I simply haven't seen enough of them. I still have a lot of guilt about Peter Davison. I was so annoyed with him for not being Tom Baker that I couldn't really watch him. I thought Colin Baker was a really good Doctor but I didn't have the same connection with him as I did with others and he had the misfortune to be on at a time when I was away at university and not really watching much Doctor Who.

McGann doesn't count because he only did one episode.

The Contenders

The very first episode I ever watched was when Jon Pertwee regenerated into Tom Baker. It was much later, when UK Gold showed them in the 90s, that I watched his earth based episodes and loved them. Keeping UNIT on the straight and narrow, his partnerships with Liz Shaw, Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith and Bessie were marvellous. 

By the time Sylvester McCoy was in the role, I was back watching and I loved the combination of 7 and Ace. Meeting both Sylvester and Sophie Aldred at conventions in the 90s only served to increase my affection for the pairing. I still think 1988, with Remembrance of the Daleks and Silver Nemesis was one of the best seasons ever. 

Since the series was revived in 2005, I've loved all the Doctors. Chris Eccleston's dark broodiness, Tennant's comedy, pathos, grit and wonder and Smith's zaniness. Smith loses out because he seems to have lost a bit of the Doctor's moral compass. There's the small matter of questionable killings and the way he treated Strax in the Christmas Special that means I can't bring myself to give it to him, much though I mostly love him.

Tennant could easily win this. Not only did he play the Doctor brillantly and diversely, from the very start when he got into a sword fight with the Sycorax, to snogging Kylie Minogue to the agony of his parting from Rose, to bonding with 3 different long term companions, to the way he faced up to his looming death in The End of Time, but he was my daughter's Doctor. He was the one who will always be special to her because he was the one she first watched. The look for pure joy on her face when she met him at the recent Midnight convention. I could forgive that man anything now. And while we're at it, we know that he's a Labour supporter, something I took him to task for a few years ago. I mean, did he learn nothing from the Doctor? Anyway, the chances are, he doesn't support Scottish independence, so I hope we'll see him getting involved in Better Together. My dream is that he does some of the micro fundraising stuff that George Clooney did for Obama - anyone who donated $5 or more was entered into a draw to have dinner with Obama and sometimes an A list guest. It would be fab if Better Together could persuade Tennant to do the same. 

The winner

But I can't, actually to my surprise, make Tennant my favourite Doctor. For that I have to go back to my Doctor. Even now, the very sound of Tom Baker's voice can turn me to jelly. I loved every single thing about him. The scarf, the booming voice, the "would you like a jelly baby", the great big grin, the big curly mop of hair. I didn't understand half the stories - well, I was only 7 at the time he took over - but he was it for me. Something about the way he played the part hardwired itself into my psyche and he has to be the best of all time for me. I think the fact that I loved Sarah Jane Smith every bit as much made the first part of his tenure particularly special. 

Day 2 is here.