War Doctor

The Shalka Doctor is The Could've Been King who was replaced by the War Doctor. With all the timey-wimey business of the time war he was able to find a way into the universe.

This has always bugged me and I'm curious what others think. We're always told how the War Doctor was willing to be a soldier and do what other Doctors couldn't, but this has never seemed accurate to me. Several Doctors have killed people and destroyed planets, but the War Doctor is supposed to be the one who broke the promise.

Same with the War Master, who claimed his other incarnations couldn't do what he did; keep in mind all these others are killers, one of which wiped out a good chunk of the universe.

Is there something I'm missing? Is it more show vs tell? I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks.

Jo Martin

Holby City (2019-2022, most episodes)

Dreaming Whilst Black (2023)

* I decided to watch this on a total whim one day, and unexpectedly it was a total delight. Honestly felt my life was better for having seen it. Wonderful.

David Bradley

Harry Potter (2001-2011)

Game of Thrones (bits)

* No, never seen an episode of this either. I do occasionally feel like the only person in the world who hasn't, but "what if Tolkien had written a porno?" wasn't a question I'd ever considered worth asking, let alone producing eight series to answer.

Broadchurch

* Again. But only series 1.

Richard E. Grant

Withnail and I (1987, bits)

* With Paul McGann.

This (from 7:23)

Michael Jayston

Emmerdale (various episodes, 2007-2008)

Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

* I didn't think this was brilliant when I watched it the other week, but anyone who likes Jayston as the Valeyard will appreciate his performance. He's fine, the film itself is just a bit boring.

Peter Cushing

Star Wars (1977)

Many Hammer horror films

* Including but not limited to Dracula (1958, and excellent), The Blood Beast Terror (1968, and dreadful), Island of Terror (1967, and occasionally both), and The Abominable Snowmen (1957, and nowhere near as good as the Troughton story). There will be others I've seen. He was a very good actor, Cushing, who I'm afraid is now more or less only remembered for being Moff Tarkin. He was also in The House that Dripped Blood, which featured in the Pertwee list too.

John Hurt

10 Rillington Place (1971)

Champions (1984)

The Elephant Man (1980)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

* Normally when people say they have "controversial opinions", they mean being a closet racist or homophobe. For me it means this is my favourite Indiana Jones film. Unfortunately, I think that's genuinely seen as worse.

Harry Potter etc.

Whistle and I'll Come to You (2010, bits)

* Back in the 70s and 80s the BBC used to do a show called "A Ghost Story for Christmas", which I've mentioned many times on here, usually in connection to 73 Yards. The early episodes, usually based on M.R. James stories, are absolutely superb. Don't let production limitations sway you from thinking they can still be scary. Very very good indeed. Unfortunately something unusual happened to the series in more recent years, where they stopped being made every year, and when we did (eventually) get a new one, they were often absolutely terrible. But this one looked very chilling, so I was delighted when we settled down at Christmas last year to watch this when it was shown on TPTV...only for our "guests" (nothing to do with me) to choose something else instead. Still, every villain needs an origin story, and it's important to exercise misanthropy every now and then or you might lose your touch.

For anyone unaware, John Hurt is basically one of the greatest actors of all time. Anything at all with him in it is worth a look if convenient. Must admit I also have a soft spot since he's from around the same parts as I am.

My completionism would normally tell me to include Sacha Dhawan for his brief stint as Dr. Who in The Power of the Doctor, but it'd be much more obvious to do him for a Masters one (at some point), so I'll do that instead. An honourable mention also goes to the brilliant Tim Treloar, who does Pertwee for Big Finish. He pops up in virtually everything, but I'm only doing the TV series here.

it would kind of make sense. they are slightly similar and plus in the day of the doctor we can see the war doctor's hatred for the war so it would make sense he'd try and run away at some point. he would try and run away and take the name of the doctor again and then scream of the shalka and the feast of the stone happen. He is then forcefully brought back into the time war and says goodbye to Alison (probably without telling her why he's leaving)