My favorite sci-fi TV series of all time, #1: Doctor Who

As your reward for sticking with me up to #1, I will not try to include #2’s title in some sort of one sentence stinger. You’re welcome.

Doctor Who may be the greatest television series in history, and I say this based only the newer ones (I have not seen anything before the Ninth Doctor). The Doctor (who has no name, or at least it has not revealed) is an alien from the planet Gallifrey, who happens to look human (he has two hearts, however). He can die, but if he dies he regenerates into a new form with the memories of the last one. He goes throughout time and space, battling foes like the Daleks and the Cybermen and interacting with people all over history and the universe.

My favorite Doctors, in order:

The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) — Has two of the most heart-wrenching plot lines, as both Mr. Smith and his relationship with Rose.

The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) — The snarkiest Doctor yet, and the most even in terms of emotion.

The Ninth Doctor (Chris Eccleston) — The first of the new Doctors, but it takes him a while to hit his stride; I was not overly sad to see him go. He has an edge to him the others didn’t, which is both a strength and a weakness.

My favorite companions, in order: (Note: I do not count River Song as a companion in the traditional sense; if I did, she would be right below Rose).

Amy Pond (Karen Gillian) — She’s a redhead, and to the best of my knowledge, a natural one, but that isn’t why I like her. She’s smart and talented, and when combined with Rory (Arthur Darvill), really make the Eleventh Doctor work. She’s also just the slightest bit risque (for Doctor Who), which helps.

Rose Tyler (Billie Pond) — There have been rumors of her becoming the Doctor someday; I hope they’re true, because her story with the Tenth Doctor was so utterly fantastic that it made the series; she carried Christopher Eccleston, in my opinion, as the Ninth Doctor into being someone you could associate with.

Claire Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) — I’m eager to see how she’ll work with the Twelfth Doctor. She was a good replacement for Amy and Rory and gave the Eleventh Doctor a reason to care again.

Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) — The feistiest of the Doctor’s companions, and a good tonic for Rose — in many ways, she is the anti-Rose.

Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) — The smartest companion he’s ever had, but I just didn’t quite the same chemistry with her that I did with the others.

Why this show is #1: It has made me cry more than once. It is funny and sad and, overwhelmingly brilliant. It is a testament to the brilliance of the actors that play the part that make the Doctor always seem the same — and yet always different. It is a show you could share with children but also enjoy perfectly well as an adult. The music is wonderful. There are literally no flaws I can think of, except that I can’t see the next season until I get back to the states with this crappy internet connection. It is a masterpiece.

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