The medical drama or comedy is a staple of television lineups on just about any network, any night of the week. Who though, are the best television doctors of all time? Here’s my list. If you have other ideas, please leave a comment.
10. Dr. Perry Cox, Scrubs: He was the biggest jerk ever on a medical show, but he was hilarious as he abused the residents. Scrubs was also a very underrated great show.
9. House: Overrated show. If you watched the first three episodes you could see the formula every other episode followed: Strange symptoms, they think it’s something, but then almost kill the patient twice while trying to figure it out and in the end House has some brilliant insight and saves the day. All that being said, Hugh Laurie is a great actor.
8. Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman: A smokin’ hot woman out on the frontier saving lives? #badass
7. Doogie Howser,MD: This is more of a lifetime achievement award for Neil Patrick Harris because he was so good on How I Met Your Mother.
6. Dr. John Watson: Played impeccably by Martin Freeman, who is in everything.
5. Dr. Spock from the original Star Trek show. Only the original will do.
4. Dr. Meredith Grey: I think I saw the first episode and never watched it again, but people love it, so here she is. Spoiler alert: There will be no Dr. McDreamy.
3. Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Suess Geisel. Dude could rhyme anything. He was a rapper before rapping was a thing. My kids had a Dr. Suess book I’d read to them in a rap cadence and they hated that. The guy that created the Grinch has to be on any list of doctors.
2. Dr. Hawkeye Pierce, played by Alan Alda on MASH for 11 years. In the early seasons, about the only time his character didn’t have a martini was when he was in surgery.
1. Dr. Who: Look, I know a lot of you Americans have never seen the show, but Dr. Who has a 50 year run going. You’ve gotta respect that. Also, not only does Dr. Who save lives, he saves planets and universes on a daily basis. They’ve changed the actor who plays the doctor twelve times and people just keep watching.
That’s my list. Who would you add or take away? And why?
Have a great Tuesday! ~Phil
Excellent list. My favourite is probably your no.10. He was such an arsehole- I loved him. I was never into House either, but agree Hugh Laurie is a spectacular actor. Though, you’re probably right Dr.Who is the best doctor.
It’s nice to see The Doctor getting a lot of love in the comments so far. Which was your favorite doctor?
Tom Baker, without a doubt. As he was my “first” Doctor Who as a kid.
I just recently learned about Dr Who. It seems this entire magical world was happening unbeknownst to me. Thankfully I’m on the bandwagon now . I do adore McDreamy but didn’t watch his show. 😊 have a great day.
What season or Doctor did you start with?
I just started watching reruns a couple of months ago. Eckelston is my fave Dr Who
It is too bad that he only had one season. I liked him. Matt Smith is my favorite.
I really like David Tennant best. I haven’t sent Matt Smith.
I liked David Tennant too but I like Matt Smith better. At first I didn’t like him, but by the end of his run he was my favorite doctor
Of course The Doctor is the best doctor! I have to admit being a little behind on the Capaldi episodes. I didn’t like him and Clara together all that much, but I love the episodes with Bill. Anyway… how about Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy? (Also I don’t think Mr. Spock was a doctor… 😜)
Hmm.. you may be right. Maybe McCoy should replace Dr. Spock
I loved Dr. McCoy – so grumpy. And such great lines when he argued with Spock. 😃
I agree with you. I’ve only watched a handful of episodes with Capaldi. The two of them are not really that exciting.
I hope the new Doctor is an imrovement!
Me too!
As do I
Just a slight correction. It’s not ‘Dr Who’, it’s just ‘the Doctor’. That aside, I have to agree with him/her as your first choice. I’m not yet sure how to refer to the Doctor as a collective person after the recent sex change.
I would have Dr Cox higher. He got all the best lines in Scrubs. Sadly, the company that showed it here in the UK was inconsistent, so it proved impossible to keep up with any longer story that might be being told.
John H Watson would also be higher on my list. Martin Freeman is in everything because he’s brilliant. In every season of Sherlock but the last, he’s been better than Benedict Cumberbatch. Heresy, I know, but true.
I do love Sherlock, but I wish there were more episodes
I do, too. If there were more, though, I would have less reason to rewatch the existing episodes and discovering wonderful things I didn’t notice on the first, second or third time through.
That’s true. I do love to look for clues
I love Grey’s Anatomy but lately it isn’t as great as the first couple of seasons. Love Dr Cox Scrubs is still brilliant.
I have been watching Doctor Who for more than 40 years. Yeah!!! The next one is a woman!
I think it will be August when we get the next season of Doctor Who. I’m glad they decided to make her a woman to change things up a little bit
Ooo, you missed Dr Zachary Smith, the campest Doctor is Space. I loved him in the original series of Lost In Space. He’d be my number one Doctor.
https://youtu.be/QaIplf3E9XM
Did you see that Netflix has a new lost in space series?
Yes, I’m in the middle of watching the first season, but they’ve change Dr Smith into an unlikeable character. There’s been a lot of reaction to it, mostly saying to bring back Dr Zachary Smith as he was – camp, funny and outrageous.
The special effects are great but, halfway through, I’m already losing interest in the Netflix version.
It must be a sign of my age, but the first doctor who came to mind for me was Marcus Welby.
I have heard of him. I think it was on when I was a bit too young to want to watch
Scrubs is absolutely underrated – my sons and I binged several episodes a few weeks ago.
Me and one of my sons used to wAtch it all the time
Dr. Ben Casey. Oh well you were too young. Your choices are excellent. Well, there is Dr. Frankenstein as well.
Ooh! Dr. Frankenstein is good, but he wasn’t exactly a TV doctor, although in the recent Showtime series Penny Dreadful he is portrayed. Yes, I never saw Dr. Ben Casey.
I think Hawkeye would be my #1. Then Dr. Watson. And House.
Maybe I’m a lil meh on doctor shows.
I am too, to be honest. There are too many formulaic hospital shows
Dr. Quincy, you can’t beat Jack Klugman cutting up dead people and solving crimes.
True! That is a great one. I loved him. I may have to revise this list
I’ve been watching Dr. Quinn recently. It’s a lot different watching as an adult than it was when I was a kid.