Doctor Who: 10 Most Memorable Quotes From The Seventh Doctor

Doctor Who‘s Seventh Doctor was a completely different man in contrast to his previous selves. He was every bit as sarcastic, flamboyant, and disarming as his past iterations, but he used them to manipulate both friend and foe alike, for his own gains. By the time Doctor Who had ceased production in 1989, the writers seemed to be setting up a story arc for the character which would reveal his mysterious origins and the reason for his sudden moral shift.

Regardless, the Seventh Doctor (played by the wonderful Sylvester McCoy) was a familiar face for those who grew up watching Patrick Troughton. He possessed many of the same traits, which led to a remarkable bounty of memorable quotes. Here’s 10 of his best.

10 Time & The Rani

Quote: “You don’t understand regeneration, Mel! It’s a lottery, and I’ve drawn the short plank!”

The Seventh Doctor wasn’t above a little self-deprecation, which is a theme that would pop up many times over the course of his run. Whether it’s acknowledging the errors of his past or taking a jab at his physical appearance, this Doctor was more about disarming those around him with a little good-natured humor, which may have been done on purpose.

9 Paradise Towers

Quote: “Are these antiques dotted about all over the building? It really is a splendid piece of audioarchitectonicalmetrasynchosity!”

Perhaps one should simply take the Doctor’s word on this one. While glimpsing an antique telephone, the Doctor utters this quote whilst tacking on a word at the end that nobody could repeat 5 times fast. It’s another nod to the Seventh Doctor’s unique brand of eccentricity, and a penchant for using speech to his advantage.

8 Dragonfire

Quote: “Think about me when you’re living your life one day after another, all in a neat pattern. Think about the homeless traveler and his old police box, with his days like crazy paving.”

When it was time for the Doctor and his companion Mel to finally part ways, he offered this sincere advice to her so that she would remember him after moving on. The quote is symbolic in that it sums up the Doctor’s haphazard relationships with his companions, like a monkey wrench thrown into their normal, predictable lives.

This theme would be revisited in the first season of the 2005 Doctor Who series revival by Rose. The mention of “crazy paving” is a reference to outdoor surface paving, which is typically done in a disjointed, irregular fashion.

7 Remembrance Of The Daleks

Quote: “Every great decision creates ripples, like a huge boulder dropped in a lake. The ripples merge and rebound off the banks in unforeseeable ways. The heavier the decision, the larger the waves, the more uncertain the consequences.”

This quote comes courtesy of a scene featuring the Doctor taking a moment of respite to chat with coffee shop owner John (played by Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s Joseph Marcell) about the nature of decision and consequence.

It was one of the first hints that something was weighing heavily on the mind of the Seventh Doctor, which might explain his course of action in dealing with several of his greatest foes, including the Daleks and the Cybermen. This plot arc would never be fully realized, but it could be argued that his feelings were a precursor to the Time War that was fast approaching.

6 Silver Nemesis

Quote: “I don’t suppose you’ve completely ignored my instructions and secretly prepared any Nitro-9, have you?”

The Doctor’s relationship with Ace was tempestuous, to say the least. Nevertheless, both complemented each other in a way that past companions failed to manage. Ace was a rebel in every sense of the word, and she wasn’t afraid to get up close and personal with anyone who challenged her or threatened the Doctor.

That also meant Ace was extremely disobedient and rarely paid heed to the Doctor’s instructions. During a run-in with the Cybermen, this proved useful. Ace was quite fond of the explosive substance known as Nitro-9, and the Doctor quickly came to realize its advantages!

5 The Greatest Show In The Galaxy

Quote: “Anybody remotely interesting is mad in some way or another.”

People continue to speculate as to the truth of statements such as this, but there’s no denying that madness has played a role in the lives of some of history’s most notorious outlandish and eccentric characters. The total abandon of care in favor of an unapologetic way of life has made icons out of people who ended up being appreciated for their mad genius. The Doctor is no exception.

4 Battlefield

Quote: “All over the world fools are poised, ready to let death fly. Machines of death, Morgaine, screaming from above. Light brighter than the sun. Not a war between armies, nor a war between nations, but just death. Death gone mad! A child looks up into the sky, his eyes turn to cinders. No more tears, only ashes. Is this honor? Is this war? Are these the weapons you would use?”

In an attempt to prevent Morgan le Fay from enacting a horrific plan, the Doctor used his cunning linguistics to weave an all-too-true analogy about the horrors of weapons of mass destruction, and how easily they can be used in the name of a perverse sense of righteousness. It’s a bold statement that was especially powerful during the 1980s when the threat of nuclear war was far from over.

3 Ghost Light

Quote: “Only the madman can see the way clearly through the tangled forest.”

This quote rings true for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the clarity through which madmen see the world, the struggle, and the end goal. So singular and precise is their view that all else falls away, distilling the endgame down to its purest form. The Doctor had seen many madmen in his time, most notably Davros, the creator of the Daleks. His vision was pure, calculated, and precise, despite its immorality and evilness.

2 The Curse Of Fenric

Quote: “Love and hate. Frightening feelings, especially when they’re trapped struggling beneath the surface.”

The power of emotions wasn’t lost on the Doctor. In fact, he manipulated these emotions of both friends and foes to effect his schemes. The basic truth of this quote is undeniable.

Though either emotion can be channeled into a positive force, often they are distorted countless times over and abused. Impulsive humans who lose control of either love or hate can fall victim to disastrous outcomes.

1 Survival

Quote: “There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea’s asleep, and the rivers dream; people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there’s danger, somewhere there’s injustice, and somewhere else the tea’s getting cold. Come on, Ace. We’ve got work to do!”

It’s not known if these words were meant to signal the demise of the original Doctor Who series, but they certainly had a profound effect on fans who were given the sad news that the show would not be returning.

It’s a fitting quote to end the series with, and one that stuck with Whovians for years. Eventually, Doctor Who would see a revival, with Sylvester McCoy temporarily reclaiming his role as the Seventh Doctor in the 1996 movie, where he regenerated into his eighth incarnation.

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