I have a theory, the current doctor when you started watching is your favorite doctor. Would this apply to you?
I started watching Dr who when the reboot was 3 seasons in, I think David Tennant was the greatest doctor. A few years later I finally got wife to give it a shot as I started a fresh rewatch in preparation for Matt Smith's second season, she was ok with Eccelston and Tennant but Matt Smith is far and away her favorite doctor. Does this pattern hold true for any other Dr fans?
The first Doctor I saw was Pertwee, but Tennant is my favorite. Being a life-long fan, he brought such enthusiasm to the part, and was just completely amazing. I'm hopeful that Gatwa is going to wind up a favorite too, as RTD knows how to pick a great Doctor.
Eccelston was my first doctor, watched through the first season with Smith. Then I started from the beginning. Working through Davison now. So far, my favorite doctor is Pertwee, I just love how tough situations are solved with martial arts and my God, his wardrobe!
Pertwee did have a rather iconic run in his own right. Kind of a shame so much of Patrick Troughton's series are lost though. I know I wish I could have seen more. Since he's cited by a number of the Who old and new as one of the defining and influential for them. Tennant included.
The little I've seen of Troughton seemed like a trip and a half. Definitely meant to be an oddball in the best of ways. And hey, they're still producing those animated reconstructions, which are surprisingly decent all things considered.
Who knows if it takes much longer we might actually see AI reconstructions. That would definitely be a trip and a half. Hell imagine if they did an enhancement of all the big finish audio stories etc.
Pertwee was also my first Doctor but David Tennant and Peter Capaldi are tied as my favorite Doctors. I am a particular fan of the scene where Capaldi makes his entrance to a medieval axe fight by playing electric guitar atop a tank. And Tennant - well he's just David Tennant.