"Doctor Who" has captivated audiences across generations with its blend of science fiction, adventure, and profound storytelling. From the enigmatic Time Lords to the fierce Daleks, the show delves into complex themes while delivering unforgettable lines that resonate with fans worldwide. Whether you're a longtime Whovian or new to the universe of the Doctor, the series offers a treasure trove of quotes that inspire, provoke, and entertain. In this post, we’ve curated a collection of the top 31 quotes from "Doctor Who" that embody the show's timeless wisdom and whimsy. Join us as we explore these iconic lines and the moments that made them unforgettable.
1. “Doctor Who: You want weapons? We're in a library. Books are the best weapon in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!(from Tooth and Claw in Season 2)” - Russell T. Davies
2. “John Smith: Mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honour and valour. Let's hope that from now on this country can find its heroes in smaller places. In the most ordinary of deeds.” - Paul Cornell
3. “Cyber Leader: Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen. Dalek Sec: This is not war - this is pest control! Cyber Leader: We have five million Cybermen. How many are you? Dalek Sec: Four. Cyber Leader: You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks? Dalek Sec: We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek! You superior in only one respect. Cyber Leader: What is that? Dalek Sec: You are better at dying.” - Russell T. Davies
4. “Well we've moved through the funfair a bit - we've done the rollercoaster, now we're on the ghost train.” - Steven Moffat
5. “It's Smith, actually.' Dr Smith smiled, bowing. 'I've remembered that my name is Smith. Almost definitely. Good old English name. Hopefully means 'noble valiant warriot' and not 'he who hits kittens with a hammer.' You'd be surprised the derivations of common surnames in the English countryside...” - James Goss
6. “Don't get me started on the whole Doctor-Amy-Rory thing. It's kind of like... I dunno. Suppose you'd always fancied Ryan Reynolds. That's fine, yeah. You meet someone else, who is maybe not Ryan Reynolds, but perhaps he's got the same goofy smile. And you think, 'Yeah, that's it, I'm happy.' Then Ryan Reynolds himself roars up in a camper van and says 'Hey guys! Let's all go on a road trip. Bring the boyfriend! It'll be fun.' Only Ryan Reynolds doesn't save the universe. Well, not at weekends.So I guess that's my life. Crammed in a camper van, sneaking the odd glance at Ryan, squeezing the hand of my lovely husband...” - James Goss
7. “So... Boris. Are you evil?' [said the Doctor].'Not at all, my dear sir,' chuckled Boris.'You just chuckled,' groaned the Doctor. 'Chuckling's a dead givaway in my books. Along with putting your hands on your hips and snogging another man's wife.” - James Goss
8. “Rory, Rory, Rory - was it your idea to get The Sea to cure me?' [said the Doctor.]'Yes,' said Rory, smiling.'That was brilliant.' The Doctor beamed, then his face fell. '-ly awful.” - James Goss
9. “Maria?... She's been writing all this down? Oh, bless her...' He leafed on through the pile. 'Although that's not how that happened... and no, she's wrong, bowties are cool.” - James Goss
10. “He [the Doctor] groaned. 'Why does it always have to be me?''Mr Rory is ill. You're the next best thing,' I [Maria] said simply.'Thank you,' he muttered. He didn't sound very pleased at all at that.” - James Goss
11. “Really, awfully, terribly, I had a sudden attack of hiccups. I was staring at the Doctor, murderously angry with him. And hiccuping...'That's it. I'm going down there. I'm offering myself to them instead. If you're too much of a coward.'The Doctor winced at that last word.I hiccuped again.'Amy Pond,' he said. 'Try holding your breath.''I will not hold my breath! This is important! Rory is having his mind vacuumed and we're just standing here-''Hiccuping.''Yes.'We stood, glaring at each other. I hiccuped again.'Seriously,' said the Doctor, patiently. 'I know it's not the best time, but really, try holding your breath.'I stood there. Hiccuping and scowling at him.” - James Goss
12. “Rose: Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas!The Doctor: Who says I'm not, red-bicycle-when-you-were-twelve?Rose: [shocked] What?The Doctor: And everybody lives, Rose! Everybody lives! I need more days like this! Go on, ask me anything; I'm on fire!” - Steven Moffat
13. “I saw the Fall of Troy! World War Five! I was pushing boxes at the Boston Tea Party! Now I'm gonna die in a dungeon.... [disgustedly] in Cardiff!” - Russell T. Davies
14. “The Doctor: Hello, I've come to see the Lord Mayor.Idris Hopper: Have you got an appointment?The Doctor: No, just an old friend passing by, bit of a surprise. Can't wait to see her face!Idris Hopper: Well, she's just having a cup of tea.The Doctor: Just go in there and tell her "the Doctor" would like to see her.Idris Hopper: "The Doctor" who?The Doctor: Just "The Doctor". Tell her exactly that, "The Doctor".Idris Hopper: Hang on a tic.[Idris goes inside. There is the sound of a teacup smashing and Idris returns.]Idris Hopper: The Lord Mayor says "thank you f-for popping by." She'd love to have a chat, but, um, she's up to her eyes in paperwork. Perhaps you would like to make an appointment for next week...The Doctor: [happily] She's climbing out the window, isn't she?Idris Hopper: Yes, she is.” - Russell T. Davies
15. “Daleks: [simultaneously] Exterminate! Exterminate![They fire their weapons, none of which so much as touch the Doctor]The Doctor: Is that it? Useless! Nul points! [to Rose and Jack] It's all right, you can come out; that forcefield can hold back anything!Jack Harkness: Almost anything. [pause]The Doctor: Yes, but I wasn't going to tell them that. Thanks.” - Russell T. Davies
16. “The Doctor: Rose... before I go, I just want to tell you: you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what? [Pause] So was I![The TARDIS lights up with energy as the Doctor regenerates into his tenth incarnation.]The Tenth Doctor: Hello! Okay— [The Doctor pauses and swallows uncomfortably] New teeth. That's weird. So where was I? Oh, that's right. Barcelona! [Grins]” - Russell T. Davies
17. “The Doctor: This is bad, I don't like this. [kicks console and yells in pain] Never use force, you just embarrass yourself. Unless you're cross, in which case... always use force! Amy: Shall I run and get the manual? The Doctor: I threw it in a supernova. Amy: You threw the manual in a supernova? Why? The Doctor: Because I disagreed with it! Now stop talking to me when I'm cross!” - Steven Moffat
18. “There's something that doesn't make sense. Let's go and poke it with a stick.” - Steven Moffat
19. “What kind of person actually sits down and decides that no one should be allowed to end a sentence with a preposition? Not even decide what ideas you should or shouldn't talk about, but to actually make rules about what order to put your words in... It's such an amazing kind of petty tyranny.” - Jonathan Blum Kate Orman
20. “LEELA: 'To be, or not to be, that is the question.' That is a very stupid question!THE DOCTOR: It's Shakespeare.LEELA: And that is a very stupid name. You do not shake a spear, you throw it! Throwspeare, now that is a name.” - John Dorney
21. “You want weapons? We're in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world!” - Steven Moffat
22. “There was a goblin, or a trickster or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. Nothing could stop it or hold it or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world...” - Steve Moffat
23. “Everything about me is pretty and a lot of it is shrewd. So I had a pretty shrewd idea what was going on.” - Melody Malone
24. “William Shakespeare: 'Close up this din of hateful decay, decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains, consider me your toy, my doting doctor tells me I am not!' Lilith: No! Words of power! William Shakespeare: 'Foul Carrionite specters, cease your show, between the points... ' [he looks to The Doctor for help] The Doctor: 761390! William Shakespeare: '761390! Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee... ' [he again looks to The Doctor] The Doctor: Uh... [he looks to Martha] Martha Jones: Expelliarmus! The Doctor: Expelliarmus! William Shakespeare: 'Expelliarmus!' The Doctor: Good old JK!” - Gareth Roberts
25. “Captain Jack: Rose, you are worth fighting for. [Jack kisses Rose passionately] Captain Jack: Wish I'd never met you, Doctor, I was much better off as a coward. [Jack kisses the Doctor the same way]” - Russell T. Davies
26. “He took her by the hand and led her out of the control room and into a little side room. There, amid a lot of sculpting paraphernalia, was her statue. The statue from the museum. The statue of Fortuna. New and gleaming.Rose gaped. 'But I never posed for this.''No need,' said the Doctor, patting it on the arm -- an arm which still had a hand attached.'What d'you mean?''I mean,' he explained, 'that you won't have to pose for it. As Mickey said -' the Doctor smiled to himself - 'it was sculpted by someone who knew you pretty well.'He ran a hand through his hair and looked as though he was expecting applause.Rose walked round the statue. 'Is my bum really that--''Yes,' the Doctor interrupted testily. 'This statue is accurate in every detail. Bum. Arms. Legs. Nose. Broken fingernail on your right hand.'* * *Rose stood looking at the statue for a bit longer. 'It is perfect,' she said at last.'I was inspired.'They smiled at each other. All was right with the world again.” - Jacqueline Rayner
27. “Because she deserved more than me. She deserved someone who could give her the whole universe.” - Jacqueline Rayner
28. “Lewis Carroll. He was an odd one. Real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Completely denied having anything to do with the Alice books. Daft as a brush. You'd have liked him!” - Mike Tucker
29. “Gonna have to give myself a mental enema when we get back to the TARDIS.” - Mike Tucker
30. “Young Reinette: Monsieur, be careful!The Doctor: It's just a nightmare, Reinette, don't worry, everyone has nightmares. Even monsters under the bed have nightmares!Young Reinette: What do monsters have nightmares about?The Doctor: Me!” - Steven Moffat
31. “I have lived a long life, and I have seen a few things. I walked away from the Last Great Time War. I marked the passing of the Time Lords. I saw the birth of the universe and I watched as time ran out, moment by moment, until nothing remained; no time, no space. Just me. I walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a madman. I watched universes freeze and creations burn. I have seen things you wouldn't believe, I have lost things you will never understand. And I know things, secrets that must never be told, knowledge that must never be spoken. Knowledge that will make parasite gods blaze! So come on then! Take it! Take it all, baby! Have it! You have it all!” - Neil Cross