Doctor Who: All 6 modern Doctors ranked from worst to best

6. John Hurt – The War Doctor

While he isn’t typically seen as one of the ‘core’ Doctors, we can’t leave John Hurt out, simply for the lasting impression he had on fans. We’ll never forget the moment John Hurt was unveiled as the Doctor. The hype was immense. His three-episode term as the Doctor was a rollercoaster of fun and emotion.

Doctor Who’s Endgame-esque episode, The Day of the Doctor, was easily one of the most beloved episodes in the show’s entire history, bringing together the War Doctor, the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), and the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith). It was the crossover event that fans had dreamed of, and it exceeded all expectations.

John Hurt’s grizzly, haggard War Doctor — the Doctor who fought in the Time War — was stellar in his short stint. I mean, we’re talking about John Hurt here… it was never in doubt.

It’s hard to rank the War Doctor any higher because his role was only short-lived, but it was great while it lasted. Let’s put him down as an honorable mention; we couldn’t leave him out.

Best episode/s: The Day of the Doctor.