Least shit RTD Doctor

[rushy]

I won't hear any Eccleston slander. To me, he's still top 5. I wouldn't be a fan without him.

[rushy]

I love Eccleston's sense of humour

[rushy]

I don't necessarily agree with him here, but I find it ironic how Eccleston - who is inarguably the most detached from the franchise - seems to have the most interesting opinions about Doctor Who. 

I mean, if you read interviews with the other actors, pretty much everyone just yammers on about how warm and wonderful everything is, save perhaps for Davison being self-critical. But Eccleston actually has a firm perspective on what he thinks works and doesn't work for the show. I find it really refreshing. He sounds like a fan!

[medicusitic]

Nov 22, 2023 1:49:31 GMT rushy said:

I won't hear any Eccleston slander. To me, he's still top 5. I wouldn't be a fan without him.

The 9th "Doctor" is not the Doctor he was not playing the Doctor. I will go far as to say Jodie Whitaker was a better pick than Ecceleston because she was at least trying to play a very simplified version of what could be called the Doctor. Ecceleston did not look, dress, act, anything remotely like the Doctor and the only reason anyone likes him is nostalgia. Series 1 is more dated than many seasons of the classic show, its shallow, we spend 3/13 of that season with the Slitheens and another 3/13 with the daleks, and 2/13 on space X-factor. It all ends with Rose unlocking Admin perms and banning the daleks for "reasons".

Ecceleston performance was shallow and he was clearly uncomfortable in nearly every scene you can just see him waiting to hear cut. The 9th "doctor" comes across like a one-off side character instead of the main character. His character is so widely inconsistent he goes from being an immature 5 year old who is incredibly stupid and manages to be out smarted by his 19 year old companion to a puesdo dark emotional tumblr teenager except he doesnt have the gravitas or the care to sell it. Ecceleston was good at was standing around smiling and look liking an idiot, but he couldn't do the comedy or do the drama bits. Maybe this was just a bad showing for him and he is good else where, but I am not interested in watching anything he is in. All I can base my opinion of him is from Doctor Who and he ranks very lowely from his showing in it.

I dont like RTD or the BBC, more so than most here, but just because Ecceleston hates RTD/BBC does not mean Ecceleston is a great man. From an interview I saw he said he did the show out of spite for people saying he didn't having acting range, to prove he could act for kids. He then buggers off for years thinking he is above the show only comes back when his career is at its end so he can finally get that Big Finish money, and the only thing people remember him (largely) is Doctor Who. You can't blame that on RTD because Moffat gave him a chance to return with no RTD and he could have done big finish for years, but only came back in 2021 (surely not for cynical reasons). Its clear he came back and started doing big finish because he is at the end of his career (stopped being in films in 2018 and that is when he started attending conventions) and he ran out of other options. Say what you will about Tennant, but he actually attends the conventions, does Big Finish, and etc. He doesn't have to he could probably do other things, but he cares about the show. Tom Baker attended the 20th anniversary convention one year after leaving the show despite issues he may have had with JNT. John Pertwee was the face of Doctor Who until his death doing anything Dr.Who related he could. Patrick Troughton died at a hotel while attending a Doctor Who convention. I find all this Ecceleston praise weird when he is probably the weakest of the NuWho doctors in terms of acting, how the character is written, and how he has conducted himself.

[rushy]

cue Mark Hamill "every word you just said is wrong" gif

[Deleted]

Tennant. Series 2-4 wouldn't have been half the mainstream success it was if Eccleston had been in them.

[rushy]

I feel like I saw a different performance to you guys lol. I'd easily rank Eccleston as a top 2 Doctor. Above everyone who succeeded Hartnell. He gave a phenomenal, heartfelt take on the role and has some of the most gravitas of any Doctor. Really don't see what there is to dislike about him.

[burrunjor]

Dec 3, 2023 8:07:13 GMT medicusitic said:

Nov 22, 2023 1:49:31 GMT rushy said:

I won't hear any Eccleston slander. To me, he's still top 5. I wouldn't be a fan without him.

The 9th "Doctor" is not the Doctor he was not playing the Doctor. I will go far as to say Jodie Whitaker was a better pick than Ecceleston because she was at least trying to play a very simplified version of what could be called the Doctor. Ecceleston did not look, dress, act, anything remotely like the Doctor and the only reason anyone likes him is nostalgia. Series 1 is more dated than many seasons of the classic show, its shallow, we spend 3/13 of that season with the Slitheens and another 3/13 with the daleks, and 2/13 on space X-factor. It all ends with Rose unlocking Admin perms and banning the daleks for "reasons".

Ecceleston performance was shallow and he was clearly uncomfortable in nearly every scene you can just see him waiting to hear cut. The 9th "doctor" comes across like a one-off side character instead of the main character. His character is so widely inconsistent he goes from being an immature 5 year old who is incredibly stupid and manages to be out smarted by his 19 year old companion to a puesdo dark emotional tumblr teenager except he doesnt have the gravitas or the care to sell it. Ecceleston was good at was standing around smiling and look liking an idiot, but he couldn't do the comedy or do the drama bits. Maybe this was just a bad showing for him and he is good else where, but I am not interested in watching anything he is in. All I can base my opinion of him is from Doctor Who and he ranks very lowely from his showing in it.

I dont like RTD or the BBC, more so than most here, but just because Ecceleston hates RTD/BBC does not mean Ecceleston is a great man. From an interview I saw he said he did the show out of spite for people saying he didn't having acting range, to prove he could act for kids. He then buggers off for years thinking he is above the show only comes back when his career is at its end so he can finally get that Big Finish money, and the only thing people remember him (largely) is Doctor Who. You can't blame that on RTD because Moffat gave him a chance to return with no RTD and he could have done big finish for years, but only came back in 2021 (surely not for cynical reasons). Its clear he came back and started doing big finish because he is at the end of his career (stopped being in films in 2018 and that is when he started attending conventions) and he ran out of other options. Say what you will about Tennant, but he actually attends the conventions, does Big Finish, and etc. He doesn't have to he could probably do other things, but he cares about the show. Tom Baker attended the 20th anniversary convention one year after leaving the show despite issues he may have had with JNT. John Pertwee was the face of Doctor Who until his death doing anything Dr.Who related he could. Patrick Troughton died at a hotel while attending a Doctor Who convention. I find all this Ecceleston praise weird when he is probably the weakest of the NuWho doctors in terms of acting, how the character is written, and how he has conducted himself.

I agree with everything you said there about series 1 being absolute shit. I do think Eccelston has a right to be pissed though considering RTD blacklisted him, and also he didn't take the role out of spite, it was more to do something new, which to be fair is why lots of actors take roles. Hartnell himself took the part of the first Doctor for that reason. Also who knows if Eccelston would have been better considering he hated the shit he was given. Refusing to outright say "mind not farting when I'm saving the world." 

Meanwhile Eccelston has been good in other things I've seen him. You should check out Brian Pern. It is an exceptionally good and underrated comedy series. Lot's of funny references to Classic Who, and Eccelston has quite a funny role in it, showing he could do comedy after all with better material. 

[Monster X]

Dec 3, 2023 8:07:13 GMT medicusitic said:

Nov 22, 2023 1:49:31 GMT rushy said:

I won't hear any Eccleston slander. To me, he's still top 5. I wouldn't be a fan without him.

The 9th "Doctor" is not the Doctor he was not playing the Doctor. I will go far as to say Jodie Whitaker was a better pick than Ecceleston because she was at least trying to play a very simplified version of what could be called the Doctor. Ecceleston did not look, dress, act, anything remotely like the Doctor and the only reason anyone likes him is nostalgia. Series 1 is more dated than many seasons of the classic show, its shallow, we spend 3/13 of that season with the Slitheens and another 3/13 with the daleks, and 2/13 on space X-factor. It all ends with Rose unlocking Admin perms and banning the daleks for "reasons".

Ecceleston performance was shallow and he was clearly uncomfortable in nearly every scene you can just see him waiting to hear cut. The 9th "doctor" comes across like a one-off side character instead of the main character. His character is so widely inconsistent he goes from being an immature 5 year old who is incredibly stupid and manages to be out smarted by his 19 year old companion to a puesdo dark emotional tumblr teenager except he doesnt have the gravitas or the care to sell it. Ecceleston was good at was standing around smiling and look liking an idiot, but he couldn't do the comedy or do the drama bits. Maybe this was just a bad showing for him and he is good else where, but I am not interested in watching anything he is in. All I can base my opinion of him is from Doctor Who and he ranks very lowely from his showing in it.

I dont like RTD or the BBC, more so than most here, but just because Ecceleston hates RTD/BBC does not mean Ecceleston is a great man. From an interview I saw he said he did the show out of spite for people saying he didn't having acting range, to prove he could act for kids. He then buggers off for years thinking he is above the show only comes back when his career is at its end so he can finally get that Big Finish money, and the only thing people remember him (largely) is Doctor Who. You can't blame that on RTD because Moffat gave him a chance to return with no RTD and he could have done big finish for years, but only came back in 2021 (surely not for cynical reasons). Its clear he came back and started doing big finish because he is at the end of his career (stopped being in films in 2018 and that is when he started attending conventions) and he ran out of other options. Say what you will about Tennant, but he actually attends the conventions, does Big Finish, and etc. He doesn't have to he could probably do other things, but he cares about the show. Tom Baker attended the 20th anniversary convention one year after leaving the show despite issues he may have had with JNT. John Pertwee was the face of Doctor Who until his death doing anything Dr.Who related he could. Patrick Troughton died at a hotel while attending a Doctor Who convention. I find all this Ecceleston praise weird when he is probably the weakest of the NuWho doctors in terms of acting, how the character is written, and how he has conducted himself.

This.
( I agree, as much as I dislike Whittaker as the Doctor, she's still preferable to Eccelston). 

[rushy]

I'd put up counterpoints, but it's like trying to counter the sky being green or blood being yellow. I just don't see where any of this is coming from lol.

[Bernard Marx]

Hang on. What am I reading…? 

As unlike the original character and arguably miscast as Eccleston was, precisely how was Jodie (“Fam! Are Ya Ed Sheeran?!”) Whittaker better in the part, or closer to the classic Doctor?

[Deleted]

Eccleston's Doctor is just a horrible person. In fact, a lot of characters in the RTD era are incredibly conceited which ties in with the idea that RTD smears his own persona over everything and everyone in his episodes.

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2023 18:32:21 GMT Bernard Marx said:

Hang on. What am I reading…? 

As unlike the original character and arguably miscast as Eccleston was, precisely how was Jodie (“Fam! Are Ya Ed Sheeran?!”) Whittaker better in the part, or closer to the classic Doctor?

To put it in simply,  Whittaker is better because she makes my willy go BOING! and Eccleston doesn't. 

[Monster X]

Dec 3, 2023 18:32:21 GMT Bernard Marx said:

Hang on. What am I reading…? 

As unlike the original character and arguably miscast as Eccleston was, precisely how was Jodie (“Fam! Are Ya Ed Sheeran?!”) Whittaker better in the part, or closer to the classic Doctor?

TBH, there's not much between them - both Eccleston and Whittaker are miscast Northerners in a role they clearly don't understand very much. JW was slightly more energetic and clownish and a bit more convincing, whereas Eccelston's Doctor -a skin-head in a leather jacket - just looked awkward and out of place, unless he was being shouty or angry.  Personally, I'm just a bit less forgiving of Eccers because he was the first Doctor of the NuWho era - he helped bring about the idea that the Doctor could be any type of person.  So, by the time Whittaker turned up, nobody really cared anymore. In interviews, Eccelston seemed proud of the fact that his Doctor wasn't an eccentric and dressed plainly, unlike his predecessors - he came across as slightly arrogant. But please don't think I'm a Jodie fan - she was diabolically bad and I couldn't wait to see the back of her ( and unlike some folk here, I don't find her remotely attractive ).

[medicusitic]

Dec 3, 2023 17:59:15 GMT Monster X said:

This.
( I agree, as much as I dislike Whittaker as the Doctor, she's still preferable to Eccelston). 

 I think disliking the 9th Doctor is basically one thing you cannot do in the Doctor Who space, and I see no reason as to why. Whittaker at the very least WANTED to be there and you can tell she is trying to do act doctorish (its more like a parody of the 10th, 4th,and various other doctors). But the 9th Doctor is basically nothing, there is no consistent character. I have looked up videos/reddit posts/forum posts that are anti 9th Doctor and I can only find posts asking why people hate the 9th Doctor, but I never saw this "hate". Its purely due to nostalgia Series 1 and 2 hold up worse than the 60s show, parts of the 70s show, and parts of the 80s show.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=StB9sJXtHyw Here are the best 9th doctor moments and notice how most of them he has not dialogue, just standing around, and it centers on the other characters because they are far more interesting. At 7:00 minutes we see him see "Jade you are made of wood" which describes how I see the 9th Doctor in this series. At 11:31 we get some more major dialogue and its stiffly delivered and he clearly does not care. The 9th Doctor can't sell any of the time war stuff because the way he says it is like he is reading an audio book. Its not being stoic because the other doctors could be stoic, but he is just uncomfortable in this role. 13:36 "I'm sorry" wow really engaging this makes him the best Doctor. He then goes its all my fault, Rose says "no". Then he starts inconsistent with his prior characterization and how he is characterized in Dalek (and E12/E13) and acts like Donna Noble saying "I am going to die in a dugeon..., in Cardiff (laugh its funny, right?)". The 9th Doctor acts more like the companion and Rose more like the Doctor in many scenes in the series.

The best story of Series 1, Dalek has the 9th Doctor act like a completely character than he does in the rest of the show, and if that episode did not exist he would lose lots of the praise he received. Can anyone describe to me the character of the 9th Doctor? In Rose (Ep.1) he goes from mysterious stoic guy to make mum jokes to crying about the time war. He goes from slapstick comedy that makes Delta and the Bannerman seem solemn to yelling about "muh hole' world's gone". The 9th Doctor is not a character he is a plot device who has a catch phrase.

At least with the 10th Doctor from the various first episode he has a character, its unique, he carries and acts in an certain way. Its relatively consistent throughout the series (the no 2nd chances bit is dropped along with some other parts from series 2, but I can still define the 10th Doctor). You can replace the 9th Doctor in nearly all of his episodes with another character and it would change very little to how he acts.