Doctor Who has been telling the story of a time-traveling alien and his blue box for over fifty years, with thirteen different actors taking on the role of the Doctor and bringing something different to the character every time. In 2010, David Tennant stepped down from the role as the fan-favorite Tenth Doctor, effectively ending one of the show's most successful eras.
Newcomer Matt Smith would take on the character's eleventh regeneration, a self-proclaimed mad man with a box, a bow tie, and overflowing charisma that would redefine Doctor Who entirely.
11 "Hello. I'm The Doctor. Basically, Run."
The Eleventh Doctor's reign officially starts in "The Eleventh Hour." After returning an escaped alien prisoner back to the Atraxi, the Doctor introduces himself as the protector of Earth and urges them to stay away lest they go up against him.
Even though the Doctor doesn't tend to weaponize his reputation, masking his true influence with his unassuming, charming persona, he will never hesitate to play all his cards if lives are on the line. His Eleventh incarnation might not be as god-like as the Tenth, but the Doctor's heroism will always be a part of him.
10 "I Like The Bit When Someone Says 'It's Bigger On The Inside,' I Always Look Forward To That."
The Doctor welcomes Amy's fiancée Rory into the TARDIS in "The Vampires of Venice." To his annoyance, Rory doesn't seem particularly fazed by his time machine, prompting the Doctor to explain that he actually enjoys when people utter the 'it's bigger on the inside' quote that has become a recurring joke in the show.
The Doctor has always enjoyed sharing time and space with humans who are driven by adventure and wonder, so coming to face to face with someone who doesn't care for any of that irritates him. Despite their rocky start, Rory eventually befriends the Doctor and willingly accompanies him in his travels.
9 "Everything's Got To End Sometime. Otherwise, Nothing Would Ever Get Started."
Everything ends and nobody knows it as well as the Doctor. He's had to say goodbye to so many people over his long life that he's used to it, even if the pain never leaves. In the 2010 Christmas Special, "A Christmas Carol," however, the Eleventh Doctor adds a positive note to this grim knowledge by explaining that nothing would get started otherwise.
The show regularly deals with ends and beginnings with every new Doctor and companion that graces the screen, but it certainly doesn't hurt to remind viewers to be ready when the time comes.
8 "Good Men Don't Need Rules. Today Is Not The Day To Find Out Why I Have So Many."
After confirming that Amy has been kidnapped by The Silence, the Doctor and Rory assemble a rescue team made up of the Doctor's allies in "A Good Man Goes To War." They take Demon's Run by storm, leading the Doctor to tell Madame Kovarian that despite what many might think, he's not a good man and has plenty of rules.
Despite his fun and carefree demeanor, the Eleventh Doctor has always held a hint of darkness inside him that tends to come out in full when his friends are threatened. Amy is an incredibly important companion for the Eleventh Doctor, helping him define his personality after his regeneration, so it makes sense why he would go all out to bring her back to safety.
7 "I'll Be A Story In Your Head. But That's Okay. We're All Stories, In The End. Just Make It A Good One, Eh? Cause It Was, You Know. It Was The Best."
Before rebooting the universe in "The Big Bang," the Doctor seeks out a young Amy Pond the day she waited for him and puts her to bed. He laments that she won't know who he is anymore, but hopes that he will be a good story in her head since that's what they all are in the end.
After eight hundred years and over ten regenerations, the Doctor knows the power of legacy. His presence in his companions' lives will affect them forever, even if they have their memories taken away. Here's to hoping Donna will one day remember she was one of the best companions of the modern era.
6 "I Am Definitely A Mad Man With A Box."
After saving the day in "The Eleventh Hour," the Doctor invites an adult Amy to travel with him and makes it very clear that Amy is correct in that he is, indeed, a madman with a box.
The Doctor has been traveling all over time and space with his stolen TARDIS for hundreds of years, making a name for himself as a kooky but powerful being in several alien worlds. Always trying to look on the bright side first, the Doctor completely embraces this perception and even uses it to his advantage.
5 "We All Change, When You Think About It. We're All Different People Through Our Lives. And That's Okay, That's Good, You Gotta Keep Moving, So Long As You Remember All The People That You Used To Be."
The Eleventh Doctor's timeline meets its end in "The Time of The Doctor." Matt Smith delivers a heartfelt speech towards the end of the episode as a love letter to his time in the Doctor's bow tie, explaining that change is a natural, healthy progression of things as long as one never forgets who they were before.
Doctor Who's cyclical recasting of its main character is part of what makes it so unique. Fans are used to a new Doctor being introduced every couple of seasons and look forward to whoever will take on the role, despite the sadness accompanying the previous Doctor's departure. While some have been better received than others, each Doctor brings something new and fresh to the show.
4 "The Name I Chose Is The Doctor. The Name You Choose It's Like, It's Like A Promise You Make."
While in his own timestream in "The Name of the Doctor," the Doctor notices the ominous, shadowy figure of a previous incarnation. He tells Clara that this version of him isn't the Doctor, since the awful things he did weren't executed in that name.
The Doctor's real name might always be a mystery, but the Eleventh Doctor comforts viewers with this quote about chosen identity. For the Doctor, what one chooses to be and stand for is far more important and meaningful than what's predetermined by others. As River Song says, he chose a name that now stands for 'healer' and 'wise man', and that's all that matters in the end.
3 "The Way I See It, Life Is A Pile Of Good Things And Bad Things. The Good Things Don't Always Soften The Bad Things, But Vice Versa, The Bad Things Don't Always Spoil The Good Things Or Make Them Unimportant."
"Vincent and The Doctor" is one of the best episodes of Doctor Who for its treatment of mental health and its tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, arguably one of the most beloved artists of all time. When Amy feels dejected over not being able to help Vincent, the Doctor sweetly explains to her that Vincent's fate doesn't undermine the joy she brought him in the first place.
The Doctor is incredibly empathetic and compassionate, always rushing to comfort those who need it. The Eleventh Doctor, in particular, as the most positive incarnation yet, never hesitates to reassure his friends with wise words and a tight hug.
2 "Nine Hundred Years Of Time And Space And I've Never Met Someone Who Wasn't Important."
In "A Christmas Carol," the Doctor meets Kazran Sardick, a grouch of a man who keeps people cryogenically frozen if their family can't pay their debts. When the Doctor points out one of the frozen people, asking for their name, Sardick replies that they're unimportant, prompting the Doctor to retaliate that in almost a millennia he hasn't met anyone who wasn't important.
The quote is a favorite amongst fans of the Eleventh Doctor, being regarded as one of his best as it sums up his character quite well. The Doctor might be a madman from outer space, but he can be surprisingly human when viewers least expect it.
1 "Bow Ties Are Cool."
The Doctor is known for his outrageous outfits, which tend to change with every new incarnation. In "The Eleventh Hour," after saving Humanity for the millionth time, a freshly-regenerated Eleventh Doctor finally dresses in his outfit of choice, which to Amy's dismay, includes a bow tie.
From then on, "Bow ties are cool" is used as a recurring catchphrase in the same way as "Geronimo!" with other variations making an appearance over seasons five and six of the show. The Eleventh Doctor made glasses, stetsons, and even fezzes the new cool with his disregard for the conventional and his unwavering confidence.