Countdown to 60: They Must Be Fought

DOCTOR: No Ben. We can't go yet.

BEN: Well why not? They don't want us here.

DOCTOR: Because there is something evil here and we must stay.

HOBSON: Evil? Don't be daft!

DOCTOR: Evil is what I meant. There are some corners of the Universe which have bred the most terrible things. Things which act against everything that we believe in. They must be fought...

Every Doctor has at least one defining moment. It's a particular scene in which a speech or monologue is delivered, which tells us something about this particular incarnation of the character - as well as adding to the Doctor's overall persona. It's generally a statement of his beliefs, setting out what he is - or what he is not.

More recently it has come to be known as the "Stonehenge Moment", after Matt Smith's address to the massed alien spaceships gathered above the Pandorica location. It's actually Smith's second such moment - the first being his speech to the Atraxi towards the conclusion of his first appearance in The Eleventh Hour.

These sorts of moments are very much written into the revived series scripts - from Eccleston's words to Rose about feeling the Earth move beneath his feet to "Have a great life". I've just written a piece on Voyage of the Damned, in which Tennant addresses the survivors (but direct to camera) about Gallifrey, Kasterborous, 900 years of age, and saving people - summing up a bit of who he is and what he does.

Capaldi has too many moments to mention, whilst I can't really think of a single one for Whittaker that doesn't sound like she's preaching or being patronising.

The First Doctor's defining moments tend to be the self-reflective ones - such as his brief eulogy for Katarina, and his musings on the fleeting nature of companionship in The Massacre. The scene which is always repeated - related to the latter - is his farewell to Susan.

Jon Pertwee often reminded Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts that he would like occasional "moments of charm", so he gets little talks like the one with Thal Codal about the nature of bravery in Planet of the Daleks. His best known moment is the one where he tells Jo about his troubled youth on Gallifrey - the "daisiest daisy" scene in The Time Monster.

The Fourth Doctor sets out his stall early on - in only his fifth episode. It's his speech to Harry about the indomitability of the human race in The Ark in Space. Tom will be around for a while, so gets a few more moments - though he also seems to backtrack on his famous "indomitable" speech by comparing humans to vermin scattering through the Universe, negatively affecting other species, in the "Great Breakout" (The Invisible Enemy).

Unfortunately, the Fifth Doctor isn't as well served by his writers. He has some well-known speeches (though I find the "well-prepared meal" one from Earthshock to be embarrassing). Adric's death provides the ideal opportunity for this Doctor's big moment - but he simply suggests a trip to the Great Exhibition to cheer everyone up...

Colin Baker wasn't in the role very long - but he gets to grandstand at his trial with his tirade against the corruption of the Time Lords. McCoy has some smaller, quieter moments - such as his musings on lost luggage and burnt toast. And then there's his address to Ace as they walk away at the conclusion of the final episode of Survival: "Come on Ace, we've got work to do...".

Prior to The Moonbase, the Second Doctor's character has been unsettled, relying too much on not terribly funny comedy and silly dressing up. We only really get to see the Second Doctor we all know and love here - especially with the above exchange. There are those who don't actually approve of these comments. The Doctor should not be so belligerent, and ought to be more open to the diversity of alien life-forms in the Universe. He should not resort to violence to overcome them even when they are themselves belligerent.

However, it's an adventure series which has always concluded with the destruction of the villains - so he's only confirming what we have already observed. If he didn't fight against evil whenever he encountered it, would any of us still be watching?