Out of all the Doctor’s incarnations we’ve seen on Doctor Who, the most popular ones just might be the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. Both of these were far younger than usual incarnations of the Time Lord and brought in many more fans for the show. You can find a richer history in the many comics that have come as a result.
On the face of things, these versions of the Doctor might seem similar, but one did do better than the other in specific departments. With that in mind, we’ve compiled just exactly what the Tenth might have been better at than the Eleventh, and vice versa.
Dark Moments: Tenth Doctor
It’s more important than you realize for the Doctor to show his anger, as these moments lay out how he’s very much capable of being the stuff of nightmares if pushed too far. Of course, the best example would the “Fury of the Time Lord” sequence where we saw the worst in him.
The Eleventh Doctor also had some dark moments, but these were unsettling rather than carry conviction, while the Tenth Doctor could even be believable as a villain. This made for more interesting TV moments.
Comedy: Eleventh Doctor
The Tenth Doctor was a far more human version than his other incarnations, which meant his comedy was in the relatable sort that comprised of sarcastic one-liners. However, the Eleventh Doctor’s more alien nature meant he had hilariously awkward moments that were a riot to watch.
His habit of flapping his arms around, bumbling in conversation, and being all-around like a clueless grandpa in a young man’s body was a different kind of comedy that is much more appreciated than the straight-up kind.
Charisma: Tenth Doctor
As he’s considered to be the best Doctor ever by most fans and critics, it goes without saying that the Tenth Doctor had loads of charisma. He could hold a conversation all on his own and command presence whenever he arrived.
This also enabled the Tenth Doctor to remain interesting in his other personas, such as when he was John Smith or whenever he was putting on the act of being someone else. The Eleventh Doctor was a late bloomer in this regard, and even later had to rely on the likability factor than a charismatic presence.
Likability: Eleventh Doctor
Speaking of being likable, here’s where the Eleventh Doctor trumps the Tenth as his adorable quality made him out to be one of the nicest incarnations of the Doctor. He would hardly ever engage in arguments, was always respectful of others, and would be apologetic when he stepped out of line.
The Tenth Doctor, meanwhile, had an arrogance that made him do rather terrible things on more than one occasion. He was also ambivalent toward those who weren’t close to him, and this contributed to him lacking in this department compared to other Doctor incarnations.
Better Storylines: Tenth Doctor
If you were to look back at all the series we’ve had of Doctor Who, you’ll find that the Eleventh Doctor’s ones tend to rank much lower. On the other hand, the Tenth Doctor had some of the best stories on the show, making these the ones fans tend to replay.
These stories also gelled well with the Tenth Doctor’s characterization, as they would be filled elements of romance and adventure. The Eleventh’s tenure relied on how much fans liked him, and it’s a shame that his stories just don’t match up with the Tenth’s.
Dynamic With Companions: Eleventh Doctor
This was a difficult one to decide in a particular Doctor’s favor; however, the fact that the Tenth had so many companions for a smaller amount of time meant the Eleventh came out with the victory. After all, his bonds with Amy, Rory, and Clara have been among the best ever on the show.
Another thing we prefer is how it was mainly about the friendship he had with these companions, while the Tenth’s had potential romantic connections with Rose, Sarah Jane, Martha, and even Captain Jack to an extent. With the Eleventh valuing his friendship above all else with his companions, we had some truly heartwarming moments to see here.
Love Interests: Tenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is popularly known as the romantic Doctor, for being the one who embraced this side of himself and engaged in several well-known relationships. These weren’t all just for fun either, as his romances with Rose, Astrid, and Madame de Pompadour were beautifully told.
The Eleventh Doctor’s best romance was with River Song, but since the latter also had lovely chemistry with the Twelfth Doctor, it doesn’t feel as exclusive as the Tenth Doctor’s relationships did. Some of the best episodes in the series have been the one where the Tenth Doctor had a love story unfolding.
Emotional Moments: Eleventh Doctor
In what was another difficult point to decide, the Eleventh Doctor manages to come away with the win for having the more memorable emotional moments, as well as these instances going along nicely with his innocent characterization.
Scenes such as his distraught state at losing Amy, his final goodbye to River, and his own regeneration are those that Doctor Who fans find near-impossible not to shed tears over. Watching him let his feelings loose, something the Tenth Doctor generally avoided, made the Eleventh’s emotional scenes both heartbreaking and beautifully done.
Costume: Tenth Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor did have an awesome get-up in the second half of the seventh season, but this was a little late to make up for the tweed coat that dominated his appearances. While we do love the Fez he donned on occasion, the Tenth wins here for having the perfect rebel Time Lord look.
The colored suits and sneakers are perfect for cosplayers to emulate, and those glasses he wore simply to look smart completed the Doctor-y appearance. It was a stylish costume that was appropriate to the dashing and suave Tenth Doctor.
Catchphrases: Eleventh Doctor
The Tenth Doctor’s catchphrase of “Allons-y” has proven to be quite popular, but he can’t compete with the Eleventh since this Doctor had more than just the one catchphrase. He was prone to shouting “Geronimo!” in times of action, yet had others in store too.
His most recurring one was calling things “cool,” with the “Bowties are cool” variant being the most popular one of these. Along with that, this Doctor was also known to frequently say, “Come along, Pond” to Amy, which has also proven to be a favorite among fans. All these combined made the Eleventh Doctor out to be perhaps the most quoted Doctor in the series.
