10 versus 1-9 & 11?

VicNoir

This is my first post, so please be kind.

Also, I don't think there are spoilers in this, unless people haven't seen The Eleventh Hour.

I'm 25 and I've only been a fan of Doctor Who since a friend sat me down and made me watch Blink last October. :eek:

However, I have watched every episode of the new series and have watched or heard (via Big Finish Audio Dramas) every Doctor save Tom Baker in a full episode/serial.

However, while Tennant was my introduction to Doctor Who and he is up there as one of my favourites (after Paul McGann and competing for second place with Matt Smith), I don't understand the vehement way some Ten Fans hold up Tennant as the example not only of the perfect Doctor, but almost the only Doctor.

I should note two things, before opening this up to the boards:

1) This is based only on discussions with a number of Ten Fans I know and comments on similar boards and on Facebook pages.

2) I may not be a perfect example of someone whose first Doctor was Tennant, as I am very much a fan of continuity and history behind characters and worlds, so much so that I was very exciting to see all 10 Doctors appear in that wonderful "Is this world protected?" moment in The Eleventh Hour and enjoyed Peter Davidson's appearance in Time Crash.

So, is there a reason that fans for whom Ten is their favourite are less likely to say 'I like this Doctor, never really liked that one' and more likely to say 'Ten is THE Doctor'?

Or are these people in a vocal minority?

Soulja boy

Tenant's character was designed for mass appeal, the nicer cuter doctor is the reason so many people like him.

He is better then the guy from all gods creatures great and small, and I was never a fan of the curly haired blond guy but he falls short because

He wasn't a great actor.
Personal preference says hes not ugly enough (ah tom baker, your face could crack a mirror).
He is goofy instead of weird.

ixoy

I started a whole thread about this here.

I don't think they're a small minority but many of those ardent Ten fans would only know him. Eccleston we barely had time to get to know and they mightn't have been around for the '63-'89 run.

You can read what I thought in that thread (it was a fairly long post!) but suffice to say he's not my favourite and I don't believe he embodies the ideal Doctor. From what I've seen of Smith so far - he's closer to the Doctor I know that was in the 600 odd episodes before DT appeared.

Doctor DooM

This is an interesting one.

the old school nerd in me wants to look down on people who view 10 as being the "only" doctor.

But then, we probably all did that with our first Doctor- we just didn't have the internet to spread our beliefs.

Second point is something I already mentioned- that most 10 fanboys are in fact 10 fangirls, and there's a disturbing undercurrent of mysogany in certain areas of geek fandom coming out recently (not here, I might add.)

I don't want a repeat of comicon with Doctor who, where grown men were intimidating teenage girls by screaming at them in mock imitation of squeeing at Twilight. Embrace the noobs, if they really like DW they'll grow to love the others, otherwise they'll drift away when the time comes.

Actually, it's kind of bizarre. you'd think the boynerds of the world would be delighted to have more girlies involved.