Ranking each Doctor Who based on who you’d get a pint with

British Actor Peter Davison Who Plays The Doctor In The Bbc Television Series Dr Who, 15.04.1981. (Photo by Photoshot/Getty Images)

Fifth Doctor // Peter Davison

The youngest Doctor of the classic Doctor Who era, Five is another incarnation that stands apart from his previous (and most of his latter) selves. He is charming, sensitive and vulnerable. And he’s a much quieter, more emotional Doctor than we are used to seeing. Particularly if you watch the episodes in order and see Peter Davison’s performance right after Tom Baker’s. Five feels a little bit like narrative whiplash after the (much) more manic Four. Poor, Davison, right? Having to follow the guy who is pretty much the most popular person to ever play the role had to be difficult. But he actually acquits himself well in the part, though is quiet style isn’t going to be for everyone.

But Five is a pretty interesting character in his own right. He is a gentle, rather old soul – even though at first glance he looks like he ought to be more of a dashing hero type. He’s thoughtful and deliberate in both words and actions. And he is also the first incarnation of the Doctor that openly embraces his pacifist nature. (That speech Twelve gave the Zygons that everyone loved in Season 9? It has its roots in this version of the Doctor’s character.)

Five also has the distinction of being the first Doctor who suffered through the death of a companion. And he’s the first Doctor who sacrificed himself to save one, too. In short: Five feels like a tragic hero, in a way the show doesn’t really match again until some of David Tennant’s later episodes. His final story, “The Caves of Adrozani”, is particularly gut-wrenching in this way.

Thanks to all this personal angst, it seems safe to assume that Five might be something of a maudlin drinking partner. Though a generally congenial and nice person, he definitely has the potential to be more of a downer than some of the other versions of the Doctor we’ve met. Plus, he just has one of the all-time least attractive Who signature looks. Do you really want to hang out with a guy whose idea of being interesting is to attach celery to his clothes?

Booze of choice: Wine. Probably a white of some type.