Hurndall vs. Bradley

Setting aside Moffat's atrocious writing and focusing solely on performance, who was the best Hartnell stand-in?

Bradley. He really made An Adventure in Space & Time something special.

I don't think Hurndall was bad in The Five Doctors, but I just think Bradley captured the spirit of Hartnell far more.

Tanmann wrote:Bradley. He really made An Adventure in Space & Time something special.

I don't think Hurndall was bad in The Five Doctors, but I just think Bradley captured the spirit of Hartnell far more.

Hmmm. I haven't seen 'Twice Upon A Time' (reading about it was more than enough!) but I seem to recall that in 'An Adventure In Space & Time', Bradley did a fine job as Hartnell the man but seemed completely at sea when trying to capture his performance as the Doctor.

Difficult. I voted Hurndall but Bradley was okay - especially in that docudrama thing by Gatis.

The programme was in a happier place then - i enjoyed it so much more then than i do now. So that may be influencing my vote as much as the individual performance.

Hurdnall.

Not that he's much like Hartnell, but his performance is an authentic artistic interpretation of the role, as opposed to an impression of Hartnell. I think that gives Hurdnall more presence, and the flexibility to put his own mark on the character.

For many of us, he was our first First Doctor.

I totally agree with Boofer on this. Hurndall plays the First Doctor. Bradley's doing a Hartnell impression playing the First Doctor (and not a very good impression, and - while not his fault - a pretty shittily written caricature to boot). I always thought Hurndall made a damn believable Doctor in his own right, which is pretty impressive under the circumstances.

Hurndall for me too, at the time it was probably JNT's canniest piece of casting, he really reminds me a lot of the First Doctor in the Blakes 7 episode he was in too.

Bradleys okay, but like others observe, he's pretty much playing a caricature of Hartnell playing the First Doctor with too many "Ummmm?"'s and "Aaaah"'s and pauses halfway through dialogue delivery as if struggling to remember his lines.

Hurndall. Bradley nicked my shower gel once so he can do one.

Physically David Bradley resembles hartnell more but I think Richard hurndall captured the spirit better and had much better writing.

I just did a impression of the first doctor i will share it.