73 Doctor Who Quotes

For nearly six decades, "Doctor Who" has captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences around the globe. This iconic British sci-fi series transports viewers across time and space, weaving stories of adventure, wisdom, and the enigmatic allure of its titular Time Lord. One of the show's most compelling elements is its wealth of memorable dialogue—pearls of wisdom that resonate beyond the screen. Whether you’re a long-time Whovian or a newcomer to the TARDIS, join us as we explore a meticulously curated collection of the top 73 Doctor Who quotes that encapsulate the essence of this extraordinary series.

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. “When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it'll never end. But however hard you try you can't run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies and nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark if he ever for one moment, accepts it. Everybody knows that everybody dies. But not every day. Not today. Some days are special. Some days are so, so blessed. Some days, nobody dies at all. (In the library, the Doctor walks back to the TARDIS. He stops, looking at the doors. Then he raises his hand, and stands there poised like that for a long moment. Finally he snaps his fingers. The doors open. He smiles slowly and walks in, joining Donna. Then he snaps his fingers again, and the doors close. River's voice continues over this.) Now and then, every once in a very long while, every day in a million days, when the wind stands fair, and the Doctor comes to call... everybody lives.” - Steven Moffat

3. “Reinette: One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel.” - Steven Moffat

4. “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

5. “He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe. And... he's wonderful. - Tim Latimer” - Paul Cornell

6. “I travelled across the world. From the ruins of New York, to the fusion mills of China, right across the radiation pits of Europe. And everywhere I went I saw people just like you, living as slaves! But if Martha Jones became a legend then that's wrong, because my name isn't important. There's someone else. The man who sent me out there, the man who told me to walk the Earth. And his name is The Doctor. He has saved your lives so many times and you never even knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked. But I've seen him, I know him... I love him... And I know what he can do. - Martha Jones” - Russell T. Davies

7. “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

8. “No, look, there's a blue box. It's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. It can go anywhere in time and space and sometimes even where it's meant to go. And when it turns up, there's a bloke in it called The Doctor and there will be stuff wrong and he will do his best to sort it out and he will probably succeed 'cause he's awesome. Now sit down, shut up, and watch 'Blink'.” - Neil Gaiman

9. “Something pretty bad's happening nearby in the space-time continuum.' the Doctor shouted over the noise. 'The TARDIS is a terrible rubbernecker - like a little old lady, she can't resist slowing down for a gawp at a car crash in the next lane. Bless.''This is not slowing down,' bellowed Rory.'Good point,' agreed the Doctor.” - James Goss

10. “Rose:i love youDoctor:Quite right, and i guess if it's my last chance to say it... Rose Tyler...(the doctor fades, him in his TARDIS, with tear tracks and a tear running down his cheek)” - Russell T. Davies

11. “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

12. “Oh, and I [Amy] may also have told him that I quite fancied Dr Smith [The Doctor]. Which in the 1780s was probably punishable by stoning or corsets.” - James Goss

13. “The Doctor. He grabbed hold of Rory's ankle, dragging him protesting out from under the table. 'Rory!' he grinned, wrapping him in an enourmous bear hug that squeezed the breath out of him. 'I've been you!''Right,' mumbled Rory.'You've had a gorgeous time, I bet.''Not... especially, no.'The Doctor stepped back, his eyes were wide and dancing. 'Did you escape from any monsters? Did you set anything on fire? I'm always doing that. Honestly, one minute it's Tell Me Your Plans, the next it's BOOOM! My insurance premiums are terrible... Anyhow, you're all back to normal, yes?''Yes.' Rory was ever so tight-lipped.The Doctor nudged him with his elbow. 'Go on then. What was it like being me? Wasn't it just a bit brilliant? Did it open up your tiny mind?'Rory looked a little ill. 'It's nice to be me, actually. I'm not a hero... And what was it like being me?' he asked.The Doctor tugged at his braces, embarrassed. 'Oh, don't apologize - I'm sure I'll get over it.” - James Goss

14. “Which brings me to you, Prince Boris. And I'm sorry, but here's the thing... I think you're one of the nicest Russian aristocrats I've ever met and not been forced into an arranged marriage with,' [said the Doctor]” - James Goss

15. “Well, what do you want me to say?' The Doctor was so angry he was almost hovering. 'Well done on marrying the only male nurse not to have a full set of Barbara Streisand records? Why did you pick him, anyway? Were there no flight attendants in your village?''Only Jeff,' [Amy replied].'Ah.'...'I picked Rory, always Rory, because he is just like you,' I [Amy] yelled at him. 'He is sweet and understanding and funny and he always tries to do the right thing. Plus you both run the same way.''We do not.''Do so.” - James Goss

16. “When I was your age — about, ooh, a thousand years ago — I loved a good bedtime story. The Three Little Sontarans. The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes. Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday, eh? All the classics.” - Mark Gatiss

17. “Now here's Amy Pond, standing in the freezing ocean, holding the body of her imaginary friend, and shouting at the sea to make him better.Yeah. If only my therapists could see me now.” - James Goss

18. “The Doctor puffed out some air and looked down to the sea. 'A very charming man. I should be more careful of very charming men... At least I don't have that problem with you, Rory.''Oi,' said Rory.” - James Goss

19. “You see, there's a drill:1. I [Amy] will say 'Right then, let's go and rescue him [Rory].'2. The Doctor will say 'Ah yes, but...'3. And then he'll list the fourteen things that we have to do before we resuce Rory4. And why they're all more important than rescuing Rory5. The list normally includes wounded puppies6. An exploding bus full of grannies7. You know what I mean8. So we'll go and do those instead9. Cos they're all so important10. And Rory has to come last.” - James Goss

20. “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

21. “How are you, Rory?' [the Doctor] asked.I [Rory]... answered him. 'It's been odd being you.''Isn't it?' The Doctor's smile didn't quite reach his eyes.'How do you cope?''Ah...' The Doctor picked away at a scrap of loose paint on the door. 'Well, I just get as close as I can to a happy ending, then I shut the door behind me and move on.'I nodded.We shut the door behind us and moved on.” - James Goss

22. “Rose: Who are you then? Who's that lot down there? [The Doctor ignores her] I said who are they?!The Doctor: They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by a relay device on the roof. Which would be a great big problem if- [he pulls a bleeping bomb out of his coat] -I didn't have this. So I'm gonna go upstairs and blow it up. And I might well die in the process. But don't worry about me, no. You go home, go on! Go and have your lovely beans on toast. [suddenly serious] Don't tell anyone about this 'cos if you do, you'll get them killed. [closes the door] [opens it again] I'm The Doctor, by the way. What's your name?Rose: Rose.The Doctor: Nice to meet you, Rose. [holds up the bomb, shaking it slightly while grinning.] Run for your life!” - Russell T. Davies

23. “The Doctor: It's my nose; it has special powers.Nancy: Yeah? That why it's so...?The Doctor: What?Nancy: Nothing.The Doctor: What?Nancy: Nothing. Do your ears have special powers too?” - Steven Moffat

24. “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

25. “Amy: I never knew you drank wine.Doctor: I'm 1103 I must have drunk it sometime in my life.*takes sip and spits it out in disgust*” - Steven Moffat

26. “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

27. “There's something that doesn't make sense. Let's go and poke it with a stick.” - Steven Moffat

28. “People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff.” - Steven Moffat

29. “This was supposed to be yesterday. I was sitting on the Cardiff/London train, supposedly about to write this very column, and realising something quite terrible. My head was entirely empty. A vast echoing void. Bigger on the inside, but with nothing in it. You could drop a pebble in my brain and wait for an hour to hear it land. No actually, you couldn't - that would be aggressive and unhelpful, so keep your damn pebbles to yourself.” - Steven Moffat

30. “Big flashy things have my name written all over them. Well... not yet, give me time and a crayon.” - Matt Smith

31. “Very efficient," a new voice said approvingly. He decided to take it as a sign of approval, anyway. The speaker was a European-looking youth with a slightly haughty air.” - David A. McIntee

32. “There's an emergency link to the defence grid, but that's only for use in the direst emergencies." "And of course a mile-long unknown intruder approaching your main source of power isn't an emergency?" Karan hesitated, his chins wobbling slightly with their own momentum. "It'll take time, but I could access the defence grid's sensor logs for that sector..." "I won't tell if you don't.” - David A. McIntee

33. “Then what do we call you?" another of the heat forms asked. "We are Rutan." "Our species need something a little more particular," the first heat form of the Time Lord said. "I think we’ll call you Fred, for ease of reference.” - David A. McIntee

34. “The bemused Brigadier shook his head. "You and that TARDIS.” - Peter Grimwade

35. “Mawdryn stared at the Brigadier with such a look of pain and longing. For a moment the old soldier's mind went back thirty-five years to his first taste of action as a young lieutenant in Palestine, with his platoon badly shot up by terrorists, and he remembered the mangled conscript who screamed at the officer to take his rifle and kill him.” - Peter Grimwade

36. “The Brigadier had no wish to shake hands with the improbable young man in the ridiculous frock-coat.” - Peter Grimwade

37. “There's one thing you don't put in a trap, if you're smart, if you value your continued existance, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never ever put in a trap.And what would that be sir?Me” - Steven Moffat

38. “The Doctor: Doctor Song, you've got that face on again.River: What face?The Doctor: The "He's hot when he's clever" face.River: This is my normal face.The Doctor: Yes it is.River: Oh, shut up.The Doctor: Not a chance.” - Steven Moffat

39. “Amy: I had something I wanted to tell him. Stuff always gets in the way.Canton: Stuff does that.” - Steven Moffat

40. “As we learn about each other, so we learn about ourselves” - William Hartnell

41. “Eighth Doctor: I love humans. Always seeing patterns in things that aren’t there.” - Matthew Jacobs

42. “River Song: Use the stabilisers! The Doctor: It doesn't have stabilisers! River Song: The blue switches! The Doctor: The blue ones don't do anything, they're just... blue! River Song: Yes they're blue: they're the blue stabilisers! [presses the button and the TARDIS indeed stabilises] See? The Doctor: Yeah? Well, it's boring now, isn't it? They're boring-ers! They're blue... boring-ers! Amy: Doctor, how come she can fly the TARDIS? The Doctor: You call that flying the TARDIS? [scoffs] Ha! River Song: Okay, I've mapped the probability vectors, done a foldback on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination and... [presses a button, the cloister bell clangs] parked us right alongside. The Doctor: Parked us? But we haven't landed! River Song: Of course we've landed; I just landed her. The Doctor: But it didn't make the noise. River Song: What noise? The Doctor: You know, the... [does an impression of the TARDIS materialisation sound] River Song: It's not supposed to make that noise. You leave the brakes on.The Doctor: Yes, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise.” - Steven Moffat

43. “The Doctor: Sorry, do you have a name?Idris: Seven hundred years and finally he asks. The Doctor: But what do I call you?Idris: I think you call me... Sexy? The Doctor: [embarrassed] Only when we're alone. Idris: We are alone. The Doctor: Oh. Come on then, Sexy.” - Neil Gaiman

44. “Amy: This time can we... lose the bunk beds? The Doctor: No Bunk beds are cool, a bed with a ladder, you can't beat that!” - Neil Gaiman

45. “The Doctor: Don't blink. Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. Don't turn your back. Don't look away. And don't blink.” - Steven Moffat

46. “So is this how it works Doctor? You never interfere with the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there are children crying?” - Steven Moffat

47. “Amy: Pond and her boys . . . my poncho boys. If we're going to die, let's die looking like a peruvian folk band.” - Simon Nye

48. “Just a quick glimpse to assure myself that everything was buttoned and unbuttoned in the best places and pointing in the right direction.” - Melody Malone

49. “Let me through – I’m a doctor.’ My heart beat a little faster, and I lingered just long enough to be sure he’d used the indefinite article. But the man was short and bald and rather ugly – not at all like any Doctor I’d consult. I hope. If ‘consult’ is the right word.” - Melody Malone

50. “I don’t often need rescuing, but it’s nice when it goes well and doesn’t involve great heights.” - Melody Malone

51. “I sat with my feet up on my desk and started to make a mental list of the people who’d want me dead. Once I got to fifty, I decided this wasn’t helping.” - Melody Malone

52. “Complicated” is my middle name.’ Actually, it’s not my middle name – any more than Malone is my last name. Whether Melody is really my first name is, well, complicated.” - Melody Malone

53. “He seemed as oblivious to it as he probably was to the meaning of the word.” - Melody Malone

54. “Rose Tyler: The time war ends. Emperor Dalek: I will not die! I cannot diieee! [we see Rose's eyes light up, and the Dalek Emperor and his entire fleet disappear in an explosion of golden dust] The Doctor: Rose, you've done it, now stop. [Rose stares straight ahead] The Doctor: Just let go. Rose Tyler: How can I let go of this? I bring life. [we see Jack start breathing again and open his eyes] The Doctor: But this is wrong! You can't control life and death! Rose Tyler: But I can. The sun and the moon, the day and night... but why do they hurt? [she is crying] The Doctor: The power's gonna kill you and it's my fault! Rose Tyler: I can see everything... all that is... all that was... all that ever could be. The Doctor: [stands up] But that's what *I* see. All the time. And doesn't it drive you mad? Rose Tyler: [Rose nods, barely able to speak] My head... The Doctor: Come here. Rose Tyler: ...is killing me. The Doctor: I think you need a Doctor. [He leans down and kisses her, and the golden light transfers from her to him through their lips]” - Russell T. Davies

55. “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

56. “The Doctor: [hologram, speaking towards the console] This is Emergency Programme One. Rose, now listen, this is important. If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing: we must be in danger, and I mean fatal. I'm dead, or about to die any second with no chance of escape. Rose Tyler: No! The Doctor: And that's OK, I hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after you, and that's what I'm doin'. The TARDIS is takin' you home. Rose Tyler: I won't let you. The Doctor: And I bet you're fussing and moaning now, typical. But hold on, and just listen a bit more. The TARDIS can never return for me. Emergency Programme One means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hooves on this machine. So this is what you should do: let the TARDIS die. Just let this old box gather dust. No one can open it, no one will even notice it. Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner. And over the years, the world will move on, and the box will be buried. And if you wanna remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all, one thing. The Doctor: [hologram turns to face Rose, and with a full voice] Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life.” - Russell T. Davies

57. “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

58. “So we're getting close to suggesting that camp is both the opposite of cool and a refinement of it. Camp and cool both have an element of not-caring, of disdain for the ordinary. The difference is that cool implies a lack of conscious effort, whereas camp is about putting everything you've got into it. Either you love something too much (much more than it's "worth", so the stereotypical anorak-wearing Doctor Who fan and the Barry Manilow cultist are both manifestations of this, at least to the outside world), or you're given to going over the top. Or you do both at once, in many cases. Both phenomena are examples of people fashioning an identity for themselves, and if you're reading this book then you must know people like that. Cool is not caring, camp is actively defiant.” - Tat Wood

59. “Rose wasn't 'ordinary'. What was I supposed to do? Wrap her in cotton wool? Tell her 'Here, I could give you the universe, but I'm not going to in case you get hurt? There's all this stuff out there, all these planets, all these wonders, but I want you to stay at home and work in a shop?” - Jacqueline Rayner

60. “Never run when you're scared. Rule 7.” - Steven Moffat

61. “Rule 1: The Doctor lies.” - Steven Moffat

62. “I don't think my mum ever understood my love of Doctor Who. Surely her strongest memory would have been me, standing at the top of the stairs, crying about how the "jelly men" were going to get me? Sorry, Mum, for those sleepless nights, but it was with good reason they called it Terror of the Zygons.” - Steve Berry

63. “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

64. “Of course, the machinery was also operating on similar frequencies to the TARDIS, so there's a possibility that she had a hand in it somewhere...''The TARDIS...' Rose looked at him quizzically.'Yeah, well, she does like to...interfere sometimes.''Right. I wonder where she gets that from.” - Mike Tucker

65. “Gonna have to give myself a mental enema when we get back to the TARDIS.” - Mike Tucker

66. “I do think there’s always a way to put things right. If I didn’t believe that I wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning, I wouldn’t eat breakfast; I wouldn’t leave the TARDIS ever. I would never have left home. There is always something we can do.” - Paul Magrs

67. “I'd forgotten not all victories are about saving the universe.” - Steven Moffat

68. “But Amy Pond. Oh! The Sea had briefly been able to touch her mind — it knew that the Doctor was the most important thing in the world to her, and it had given a copy of him to her. If they spent enough time together, the copy would become every bit as good as the real Doctor. It stood there now, wheeling her down to the beach, one hand resting lightly on her shoulders, drawing all it could from her.” - James Goss

69. “I don't know. I can't tell the future I just work there.” - Steven Moffat

70. “Because this exact leaf had to grow in that exact way, in that exact place, so that precise wind could tear it from that precise branch and make it fly into this exact face at that exact moment. And, if just one of those tiny little things had never had happened, I'd never have met ya. Which makes this leaf the most important leaf in human history” - Neil Cross

71. “The clever people at CERN are smashing particles together in the hope that Doctor Who will turn up and tell them to stop” - Ben Aaronovitch

72. “Magic?' Kate snorted. 'There's no such thing. Is there?''Magic?' Barnabas shrugged. 'Why not? Magic is cool.''But there has to be a rational explanation.''Oh there is,' Barnabas led her our of the cave and back to the shore. 'But a rational explanation is rather complex. We're dealing with a psycho-temporal entity manifesting through a critical mass of its sentient shell...um. Magic sounds more fun.” - Amelia Williams

73. “The Doctor: I've seen bigger.Clara: Really?The Doctor: Are you joking? It's massive!” - Steven Moffat