8. 3rd Doctor (Jon Pertwee)
Best Serial: Inferno (Season 7, Serial 4)
Worst Serial: The Green Death (Season 10, Serial 5)
Jon Pertwee's Doctor is an interesting case, in that he's extremely well-defined in who he is and how he acts, but so much of his tenure is defined by being restricted to Earth by the Time Lords. As such, he's largely relegated to acting as a scientist...which works to his benefit. It allows Pertwee to really play up the "smartest man in the room" aspect of the Doctor's personality, while regularly putting him at odds with the Brigadier, who is more of a warrior/action man in his own right. I think having a central character who is regularly at odds with the Doctor's core philosophy gives the Doctor more of a chance to define himself...and that's even before we realize that Pertwee's era introduced the Master to the conversation as well.
However, Pertwee is a LITTLE bit stuffy, and I feel like he's very much the dividing line between my top seven (Doctors who I think completely work), and my bottom eight (Doctors who perhaps don't quite work). He's certainly got a few quirks here and there, but Pertwee very much feels like one of the more serious Doctors, and his comedic chops don't make as many appearances as some of the Doctors I've ranked above him. However, that does make him stand out, since his serious nature and his propensity to fight (when it's the obvious solution at times) makes him more willing to try alternate solutions. I appreciate that. He's a perfectly good Doctor, and he stands out more than the ones I've ranked already, but the Doctors above him have just stood out much more.
Hint for #7: Has appeared in a blockbuster fantasy and/or superhero film.
Touch fuzzy. Get fuzzier.
Inviso