Top 10 Doctor Who Quotes

Matt Smith quickly made his mark as the Eleventh Doctor, facing the Atraxi in his first episode. The adventure brings he and Amy Pond together, as the pair hunt for Prisoner Zero – with Rory’s help, of course. And the killer quotes come at the story’s conclusion. First, Smith sends the Atraxi packing with this epic line;. And then he provides Amy with some to-the-point character analysis, setting the tone for the series to come.

Peter Capaldi’s Doctor cuts a complex kind of chap, and quite the contrast to Ten and Eleven before him. A harder, sometimes harsher character, Twelve’s humour has a bit more bite, which gives moments like this even greater poignancy. With Clara seemingly on her way out of the show (although history shows us that she stayed), the Doctor turns a hug into heartbreak with just a few short words. See, there’s a sensitive soul beneath that serious façade.

An incarnation which some fans have compared to Capaldi’s version of the character, William Hartnell’s First Doctor was also awash with memorable lines. An authoritative, no nonsense figure, he could seem a little scary at times – but only to his enemies. Here we see Hartnell in full and fantastic flow, sticking it to the Sensorites who are trying to keep him captive. Because you’ve gotta be a bit badass when you travel through time.

OK, so our next entry is obviously said countless times throughout the series. But, sometimes it’s said with particular feeling. We might’ve included David Tennant’s rousing speech in “The Voyage of the Damned”, but we’ve a soft spot for Colin Baker too. This moment sees he and Peri argue over his recent regeneration, until the Doctor cuts the convo short with a trademark flourish. The Sixth Doctor’s reign proved quite a divisive one, but this clip is brilliant.

To one of the most memorable quotes in today’s top 10, delivered during one of New Who’s finest episodes. David Tennant’s ‘wibbly-wobbly’ run-through of all things time travel cleverly gets Carey Mulligan’s attention, but the brain-bending scenario serves as a warning. The angels are coming, and the Doctor’s stuck in the ‘60s. So, when his autocue runs out, he goes ad-lib – and the timey-wimey, temporal terror sets in.

To an episode written by Richard Curtis, and one which centres on the life and struggles of Vincent van Gogh. The Doctor and Amy visit the artist just before he died in 1890, discovering a mysterious beast called the Krafayis. The story sets up an emotional end, as Vincent travels in the TARDIS to glimpse his future fame – but the adventure doesn’t alter his fate. Cue the Doctor with a pep talk for Amy, packed with worldly wisdom.

Of course, part of the Doctor’s charm is that he’s pretty down-to-earth – most of the time. Yes, he saves planets on an almost daily basis, but there’s always a lighter side to life as a time-traveller – and Tom Baker used that more than most. The Fourth Doctor’s run was peppered with witty one-liners, but we like this one best. When Sarah Jane suggests he should act his age, Baker quips a classic comeback before offering a Jelly Baby. Jon Pertwee shared the sentiment, too.

The Doctor has a habit of saving his best lines for last – and who can forget David Tennant’s parting plea? But Christopher Eccleston’s curtain call saw the first regeneration of the reboot series, and a poignant scene steeped in sadness. Having helped revive “Doctor Who” for a new generation, Nine’s final words seem to transcend the show itself. And while Rose is bewildered, the Time Lord knows what’s coming – he’s just not sure how he’ll look by the end of it.

Mark Gatiss takes centre stage for today’s runner-up, though it’s David Tennant who does the talking. Gatiss plays Professor Lazarus, a scientist seeking eternal life, but his genetically-modified methods don’t sit well with the Doctor. In one of Who’s more poetic moments, the pair face-off on a London rooftop, as Lazarus outlines his ideas. But the Doctor hits back with this;. A life-affirming thought, the Doctor’s doubts are immediately proven right.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

We’re All Stories

Change the World

Deadly Jelly Baby

We finish with another ending, but this time it’s Matt Smith who’s minutes away from regeneration. Having followed David Tennant into the TARDIS, it might’ve been an impossible task for Smith to succeed as the Doctor. But he made the character his own, and had fans balling their eyes out when it was his time to leave. But just before he goes, he delivers these glorious and insightful lines, leaving us with one final, fabulous life lesson. Then it’s off with the bowtie and that’s your lot. Geronimo.