TMC
12-31-2020, 11:55 PM
https://screenrant.com/doctor-who-actors-quit-reasons-why/
William Hartnell
When the show began, the idea that anyone other than Hartnell could be the Doctor wasn't a serious concern. The BBC had no idea they'd launched a multigenerational science fiction institution; they were simply managing a popular family program. The irascible, sometimes menacing First Doctor brought a decidedly different energy to the show, often letting his younger companions take on most of the action.
Hartnell's health began declining by the show's second season, and by season 3 it was obvious he could no longer endure the hours required to star in a weekly TV series. Rather than cancel the show, the producers came up with the idea of the Doctor "renewing" himself, a concept that would later be established as regeneration. After taking on the Cybermen one last time, Hartnell's Doctor collapsed, bathed in blinding light, and morphed into Patrick Troughton, the Second Doctor.
Patrick Troughton
Patrick Troughton is much more identifiable as the Doctor than Hartnell. Troughton sported a silly outfit and goofy charm that disguised a massive intellect an even bigger heart(s). Troughton would go on to establish many of the traits we most associate with the Doctor; Matt Smith famously based many aspects of his Doctor on Troughton's.
But by the Troughton's third year in the role, the show's popularity was on the decline, and the BBC decided a radical reinvention was required to keep Doctor Who afloat, including a new leading man. To his credit, Troughton took the move in stride; having tired of the grueling weekly schedule, he was ready to move on.
Jon Pertwee
Doctor Who would dramatically change in 1970. Now in color, the show's setting was changed to a stationary location on Earth, UNIT headquarters, where the Doctor served as the scientific advisor for the international military organization. The biggest change of all was the man playing the Doctor, as Jon Pertwee made the Doctor something of an action hero. Gone were easy charms of Troughton's intergalactic hobo, replaced by dandy fashion and karate chops, facing off against classic adversaries like the Autons and, most famously, the Master, played with villainous gusto by Roger Delgado.
Pertwee's tenure rejuvenated the show, making it one of Britain's most popular family series once again. But Roger Delgado's tragic death in a car accident, as well as the departure of companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning) and producer Barry Letts led to Pertwee's decision to leave the role behind and restart his stage career.
Tom Baker
Arguably the most beloved Doctor, Tom Baker instantly made the role his own. His wide-eyed weirdness, sharp-tongued humor, and penchant for jelly babies made him easy to like, and the show's writing was never better than in his early seasons under producer Philip Hinchcliffe. Baker relished playing the Doctor, even routinely showing up at schools in full Doctor Who regalia.
Baker played the Doctor for seven seasons, still the longest tenure of any actor. But Baker's final season on the show was an unhappy one; he clashed with new producer John Nathan-Turner, endured health problems, and was engaging in a tumultuous offscreen relationship with Lalla Ward, who played companion Romana. After his final season, both Baker and the producers were happy to part ways.
Peter Davison
After the odd, alien-like Baker, the next Doctor had to be something completely different. That turned out to be Peter Davison, who was already a star in the U.K. thanks to the series All Creatures Great And Small. At 29, he was at that point the youngest actor to play the Doctor, and he was far less self-assured and infallible than some of his predecessors.
Davison didn't have the contentious relationship with John Nathan-Turner that plagued Tom Baker, but Davison was disappointed by the quality of most of his stories. And while he thought the show got better in his final year, Davison decided to take the advice given to him by Patrick Troughton to bow out after three years to avoid burnout and typecasting.
Colin Baker
To say Colin Baker's tenure as the Doctor is polarizing would be an understatement. By the mid-1980s the show's writing and production values had devolved to the point of self-parody, and Baker was simply unequipped to deal with the shambles of a production that surrounded him. His Doctor came off as pompous, arrogant, and occasionally cruel; he also sported what is easily the most hideous costume in the show's history. At one point during Barker's run the show was to have been cancelled, but it ultimately returned after a longer than usual offseason.
However, when the show returned it was with a new Doctor, as the BBC thought Baker was one of the show's biggest problems. Colin Baker holds the dubious distinction of being the only actor to be fired from the role.
Sylvester McCoy
The last actor to portray the Doctor during the show's original run, the deck was immediately stacked against Sylvester McCoy. Waning public interest, tiny budgets, and BBC leadership that despised the show meant that McCoy was essentially always on borrowed time. He'd get to play the Doctor for the classic run's final three seasons, with each season getting a little better than the last.
His final year, with companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) is a beloved one by Doctor Who fanatics, and managed to let the show go out with some creative dignity. When a backdoor pilot was produced in 1996, McCoy graciously agreed to return to regenerate into the new Doctor, Paul McGann.
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is the one of the great "What If?" stories in Doctor Who history. After laying dormant for seven years, a big budget TV movie was commissioned as a co-production with the American network Fox. McGann's movie was a relative hit in the U.K. but bombed hard in the United States, dooming the franchise to another decade of purgatory.
When the show returned in 2005, the Doctor had already regenerated into his next iteration, Christopher Eccleston (give or take John Hurt's War Doctor). But during the show's 50th anniversary, McGann would get one more bow as the Doctor in the special mini-episode "The Night of the Doctor," where he regenerated into Hurt's unnumbered War Doctor.
Christopher Eccleston
It's easy to forget now, but the 21st century iteration of Doctor Who was far from a surefire hit. There were still plenty at the BBC who had nightmares of cardboard monsters and lousy acting from the show's nadir in the '80s. But hiring bonafide talent like producer Russell T. Davies and leading man Christopher Eccleston gave the show a gravitas it might not have otherwise enjoyed.
It was to be a short-lived victory, however, as Eccleston left the show after only one season. He's never explained in detail why he left, only citing unexpected difficulties during the first season's production. Eccleston has always declined to return for anniversary specials and didn't hit the convention circuit until very recently, but his Doctor is still the reason the show got off the ground again.
David Tennant
Davies made his second brilliant choice of Doctor with David Tennant. Lacking Eccleston's name recognition, Tennant still immediately made the role his own with his easy charm, quick wit, and, for the first time, his penchant for romance. His star-crossed relationship with companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) is one of the more polarizing aspects of his run, but it brought in a massive new audience of Doctor Who fans.
Tennant stayed in the role for three seasons and an additional year of specials, but decided to depart the role when Davies stepped down as the show's producer. He was tempted to stay on one more year with new producer Steven Moffat, but ultimately decided it was time to move on.
Matt Smith
Matt Smith had some giant Converse sneakers to fill. After Tennant's dizzyingly successful run, there was some trepidation over how the show would thrive without the Tenth Doctor and Russel T. Davies. Those worries were almost immediately alleviated when it became apparent Smith - the youngest actor to play the Doctor at 26 - was born for the role. His first season is still among the show's very best, and his tenure saw the show's popularity explode in America.
After three years in the role, and finding himself burned out by the show's intense shooting schedule, Smith decided to bow out, copying the "three years and out" rule established by Troughton and Davison. Smith has admitted he may have left the role sooner than he should have, and seems like a sure thing to be back in the TARDIS for anniversary specials in the future.
Peter Capaldi
After the young, manic Matt Smith, producer Steven Moffat wanted an older, slightly less friendly face behind the TARDIS controls. He found his man in Peter Capaldi, the actor best known for his cantankerous role as Malcolm Tucker from in The Thick Of It. A lifelong Doctor Who fan, Capaldi was the oldest actor since William Hartnell to play the role, and brought an alien, slightly abrasive energy to the show that worked wonders.
Like so many before him, Capaldi decided to leave the TARDIS behind after his third year in the role, citing the show's grueling schedule and a desire to work on other projects. Most importantly, he wanted to leave the role while he still loved it, refusing to let his relationship with Doctor Who degenerate like it did for Tom Baker and others. Like everyone else, Peter Capaldi wants to always love Doctor Who, which is tough to argue against.
William Hartnell
When the show began, the idea that anyone other than Hartnell could be the Doctor wasn't a serious concern. The BBC had no idea they'd launched a multigenerational science fiction institution; they were simply managing a popular family program. The irascible, sometimes menacing First Doctor brought a decidedly different energy to the show, often letting his younger companions take on most of the action.
Hartnell's health began declining by the show's second season, and by season 3 it was obvious he could no longer endure the hours required to star in a weekly TV series. Rather than cancel the show, the producers came up with the idea of the Doctor "renewing" himself, a concept that would later be established as regeneration. After taking on the Cybermen one last time, Hartnell's Doctor collapsed, bathed in blinding light, and morphed into Patrick Troughton, the Second Doctor.
Patrick Troughton
Patrick Troughton is much more identifiable as the Doctor than Hartnell. Troughton sported a silly outfit and goofy charm that disguised a massive intellect an even bigger heart(s). Troughton would go on to establish many of the traits we most associate with the Doctor; Matt Smith famously based many aspects of his Doctor on Troughton's.
But by the Troughton's third year in the role, the show's popularity was on the decline, and the BBC decided a radical reinvention was required to keep Doctor Who afloat, including a new leading man. To his credit, Troughton took the move in stride; having tired of the grueling weekly schedule, he was ready to move on.
Jon Pertwee
Doctor Who would dramatically change in 1970. Now in color, the show's setting was changed to a stationary location on Earth, UNIT headquarters, where the Doctor served as the scientific advisor for the international military organization. The biggest change of all was the man playing the Doctor, as Jon Pertwee made the Doctor something of an action hero. Gone were easy charms of Troughton's intergalactic hobo, replaced by dandy fashion and karate chops, facing off against classic adversaries like the Autons and, most famously, the Master, played with villainous gusto by Roger Delgado.
Pertwee's tenure rejuvenated the show, making it one of Britain's most popular family series once again. But Roger Delgado's tragic death in a car accident, as well as the departure of companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning) and producer Barry Letts led to Pertwee's decision to leave the role behind and restart his stage career.
Tom Baker
Arguably the most beloved Doctor, Tom Baker instantly made the role his own. His wide-eyed weirdness, sharp-tongued humor, and penchant for jelly babies made him easy to like, and the show's writing was never better than in his early seasons under producer Philip Hinchcliffe. Baker relished playing the Doctor, even routinely showing up at schools in full Doctor Who regalia.
Baker played the Doctor for seven seasons, still the longest tenure of any actor. But Baker's final season on the show was an unhappy one; he clashed with new producer John Nathan-Turner, endured health problems, and was engaging in a tumultuous offscreen relationship with Lalla Ward, who played companion Romana. After his final season, both Baker and the producers were happy to part ways.
Peter Davison
After the odd, alien-like Baker, the next Doctor had to be something completely different. That turned out to be Peter Davison, who was already a star in the U.K. thanks to the series All Creatures Great And Small. At 29, he was at that point the youngest actor to play the Doctor, and he was far less self-assured and infallible than some of his predecessors.
Davison didn't have the contentious relationship with John Nathan-Turner that plagued Tom Baker, but Davison was disappointed by the quality of most of his stories. And while he thought the show got better in his final year, Davison decided to take the advice given to him by Patrick Troughton to bow out after three years to avoid burnout and typecasting.
Colin Baker
To say Colin Baker's tenure as the Doctor is polarizing would be an understatement. By the mid-1980s the show's writing and production values had devolved to the point of self-parody, and Baker was simply unequipped to deal with the shambles of a production that surrounded him. His Doctor came off as pompous, arrogant, and occasionally cruel; he also sported what is easily the most hideous costume in the show's history. At one point during Barker's run the show was to have been cancelled, but it ultimately returned after a longer than usual offseason.
However, when the show returned it was with a new Doctor, as the BBC thought Baker was one of the show's biggest problems. Colin Baker holds the dubious distinction of being the only actor to be fired from the role.
Sylvester McCoy
The last actor to portray the Doctor during the show's original run, the deck was immediately stacked against Sylvester McCoy. Waning public interest, tiny budgets, and BBC leadership that despised the show meant that McCoy was essentially always on borrowed time. He'd get to play the Doctor for the classic run's final three seasons, with each season getting a little better than the last.
His final year, with companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) is a beloved one by Doctor Who fanatics, and managed to let the show go out with some creative dignity. When a backdoor pilot was produced in 1996, McCoy graciously agreed to return to regenerate into the new Doctor, Paul McGann.
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is the one of the great "What If?" stories in Doctor Who history. After laying dormant for seven years, a big budget TV movie was commissioned as a co-production with the American network Fox. McGann's movie was a relative hit in the U.K. but bombed hard in the United States, dooming the franchise to another decade of purgatory.
When the show returned in 2005, the Doctor had already regenerated into his next iteration, Christopher Eccleston (give or take John Hurt's War Doctor). But during the show's 50th anniversary, McGann would get one more bow as the Doctor in the special mini-episode "The Night of the Doctor," where he regenerated into Hurt's unnumbered War Doctor.
Christopher Eccleston
It's easy to forget now, but the 21st century iteration of Doctor Who was far from a surefire hit. There were still plenty at the BBC who had nightmares of cardboard monsters and lousy acting from the show's nadir in the '80s. But hiring bonafide talent like producer Russell T. Davies and leading man Christopher Eccleston gave the show a gravitas it might not have otherwise enjoyed.
It was to be a short-lived victory, however, as Eccleston left the show after only one season. He's never explained in detail why he left, only citing unexpected difficulties during the first season's production. Eccleston has always declined to return for anniversary specials and didn't hit the convention circuit until very recently, but his Doctor is still the reason the show got off the ground again.
David Tennant
Davies made his second brilliant choice of Doctor with David Tennant. Lacking Eccleston's name recognition, Tennant still immediately made the role his own with his easy charm, quick wit, and, for the first time, his penchant for romance. His star-crossed relationship with companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) is one of the more polarizing aspects of his run, but it brought in a massive new audience of Doctor Who fans.
Tennant stayed in the role for three seasons and an additional year of specials, but decided to depart the role when Davies stepped down as the show's producer. He was tempted to stay on one more year with new producer Steven Moffat, but ultimately decided it was time to move on.
Matt Smith
Matt Smith had some giant Converse sneakers to fill. After Tennant's dizzyingly successful run, there was some trepidation over how the show would thrive without the Tenth Doctor and Russel T. Davies. Those worries were almost immediately alleviated when it became apparent Smith - the youngest actor to play the Doctor at 26 - was born for the role. His first season is still among the show's very best, and his tenure saw the show's popularity explode in America.
After three years in the role, and finding himself burned out by the show's intense shooting schedule, Smith decided to bow out, copying the "three years and out" rule established by Troughton and Davison. Smith has admitted he may have left the role sooner than he should have, and seems like a sure thing to be back in the TARDIS for anniversary specials in the future.
Peter Capaldi
After the young, manic Matt Smith, producer Steven Moffat wanted an older, slightly less friendly face behind the TARDIS controls. He found his man in Peter Capaldi, the actor best known for his cantankerous role as Malcolm Tucker from in The Thick Of It. A lifelong Doctor Who fan, Capaldi was the oldest actor since William Hartnell to play the role, and brought an alien, slightly abrasive energy to the show that worked wonders.
Like so many before him, Capaldi decided to leave the TARDIS behind after his third year in the role, citing the show's grueling schedule and a desire to work on other projects. Most importantly, he wanted to leave the role while he still loved it, refusing to let his relationship with Doctor Who degenerate like it did for Tom Baker and others. Like everyone else, Peter Capaldi wants to always love Doctor Who, which is tough to argue against.