Opinion: Why Peter Capaldi might be the best Doctor of the New Era

SAN DIEGO, CA – JULY 23: (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

With Peter Capaldi leaving, I look back on the journey of the man who became my favorite Doctor.

Many people’s opinion’s vary as they watch Doctor Who, each person has a different favorite Doctor. However, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people come together and appreciate Peter Capaldi as an actor. In fact, I think I would go as far to say that he might be the best Doctor we’ve seen in the New Series.

First of all, all the actors chosen for the Doctor in the New Series have been incredible. They’ve all brought something to the table to make the show bigger and better than it was when they came in. Yet, Peter Capaldi brought something that even David Tennant couldn’t bring – a callback to the Classic Series.

When Capaldi was cast, many people weren’t happy about his age. They wanted a younger, hotter Doctor that they could have posters and wallpapers of on their phone. Peter Capaldi was never about that, and neither was his Doctor. He wasn’t here to make the fangirls happy. He was here to be the character he’d always wanted to be.

Callback to the Classic Series

Whether it’s the fact that Capaldi watched so much of the Classic Era, or it’s his portrayal, he reminds me of the Classic Era. He opted out of using the sonic screwdriver (yes to use sunglasses, but it was a reminder of the fifth Doctor), and his relationship with his companions were different. You were never rooting for the Doctor to fall in love, you were rooting for different things. To find out he was a good man, to save the day.

He gave us a different Doctor. A taste of what the adults in the fandom know. Through his attack eyebrows and Scottish accent and sonic sunglasses, he brought a little bit of the good old days with every episode.

Heaven Sent

Heaven Sent is unanimously Capaldi’s best episode. And it’s why he’s my favorite Doctor, and why I’m taking the time to write this article. Peter Capaldi’s talents shone brightly through in this episode, where he was completely alone for the entire episode. For anyone else, not just Doctors, I think seeing someone on an adventure by themselves would get boring. Especially one where they’re doing the same thing.

Somehow, even though the point of the episode was the Doctor had to redo his tracks for billions of years to get to the TARDIS, my heart was pumping. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. I was truly invested in how he was going to get to Clara, even though I didn’t know what was going on, with no one to explain it.

Writing is important in an episode, of course. But it means nothing without an astounding actor to play it out. And there has never been an episode that has shown off talents like Heaven Sent. It’s a beautiful episode, and more than enough proof to say that, in my opinion, Peter Capaldi is the best Doctor of the New Series.

A tearful goodbye

We’re in for a sad goodbye, even if Twice Upon a Time is the funniest episode ever. We’ve been able to see a man’s dreams come true for three years. We’ve been able to live his dreams with him and watch him have the time of his life. He’s going out with what any Classic Series fan could want, but such a talented actor will make those final minutes rough.

It will be sad, and we’re all going to cry. I know that going in. But I will always remember my Doctor Disco. My Rockstar Doctor, Peter Capaldi.