The Best Fictional Doctors from TV & Film

The Best Fictional Doctors from TV & Film

All of these “MDs” have made their way onto our screens over the last several decades, whether making a weekly appearance on prime time or being projected across the wall of a movie theater.  From everyone’s favorite doctor Dad and patriarch of the Huxtable family, to the ever-evolving incarnations the greatest TARDIS-travelling, Time Lord of all, well, time.  Here’s a roundup of some of the fictional doctors we have all come to know and love.

 

Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones – Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

The fedora, the whip, the smirk.  Harrison Ford has brought this iconic globe-trotting Archaeological adventurer to the screen four times and never fails to be the single-handedly coolest professor there ever was. From unearthing the Lost Ark of the Covenant, to battling evil and chopping through rope bridges and navigating through booby-traps to grab the Holy Grail. But snakes, no snakes please.

 

Doctors Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore – Ghostbusters

Whether you’re having an ectoplasmic encounter or need a lift to the firehouse in The Ecto-1, these docs have got you covered. With more PhD’s to go around than Stay Puft goo, these scientists and all-round paranormal experts are definitely the doctors you’re gonna call.

Doctor Who

“Somewhere there’s danger, somewhere there’s injustice, somewhere else, the tea’s getting cold.” How could we pick just one? With 12 incarnations of the wacky and wonderful Time Lord and the series deemed as the ‘longest-running science fiction television show in the world’ by Guinness Book of World Records, it’s all quite the feat really, and one only the Doctor could order

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Michaela “Dr. Mike” Quinn, bringing a woman’s touch to the list as the feisty city doc, brought to life by Jane Seymour, who takes on three children and a whole town.  Colorado Springs and our TV sets hadn’t seen anything like Dr. Mike and turns out the prognosis was pretty healthy for both, with series lasting for six seasons.

 

Dr. Gregory House – House

“Everybody lies,” according to Dr. House.  But we’re only telling the truth when we rank Hugh Laurie’s brilliant turn as the surly, cynical  and conflicted doctor among the most memorable GP’s of all time. Laurie won numerous awards over the show’s eight season run and has forever marked a place in the dynasty of hospital television series.

 

Dr. John Watson – Sherlock Holmes

Easily one of the most infamous sidekicks in history, Dr. John Watson is a fearsome friend and a shy but brilliant medical practitioner.  What he lacks in the hat and pipe department he generously makes up for in his companionship (and that time he tried rocking a mustache.) Let’s be honest, Sherlock couldn’t do it without him and they are one of the most perfectly foiled crime solving duos to grace the back of a handsome cab.

 

Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy – Star Trek

Bones is the Chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise and forever tirelessly attempting to be the logical voice to Captain James T. Kirk’s often wild and egotistical flights of fancy. Both DeForest Kelley and Karl Urban have filled the great shoes of Dr. McCoy over the years, providing the diagnosis for space exploration, boldly going where no doctor has gone before – and all that.

 

Doc Brown – Back to the Future

“Great Scott!!” Dr. Emmett Lathrop “Doc” Brown, the eccentric scientist and inventor not only brought us the flux capacitor, he can also be attributed with inspiring one of the most frequently spotted Halloween costumes of the last few decades. Also, Christopher Lloyd is a total legend.

Dr. Jake Houseman – Dirty Dancing

Often overlooked due to his quiet demeanor, Dr. Houseman (brought to life by the incomparable Jerry Orbach) was the doctor everyone wanted approval from.  I mean, maybe he didn’t technically put Baby in the corner, she might have just picked that seat for the view of the stage, no?

 

Have we missed any?  Let us know who your favorite fictional doc is!

Image credit:  Billion Photos/Shutterstock

 

 

Image sources: BBC AmericaFanpopNerd ReactorGeek Style GuideBlogspot80sRebornRuneSoupBBC.co.ukNextMovieWikipedia

 

 

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