Doctor Who - Best Master Actor?

[Walker in Eternity]

Simply put, who do you think was the best incarnation of the Master in Doctor Who?

Personally I loved the Roger Delgardo incarnation and the Geoffrey Beaver (the Keeper of Traken Master, prior to becoming Anthoney Ainley).

I would have loved to have seen Derek Jacobi have a longer role as from his brief appearance he was excellent and could have been the best Master ever.

John Simm was good, but a little OTT, I even enjoyed the Eric Roberts version.

I liked Anthony Ainley's acting and characterisation, but sadly he was overused and the stories became a little ridiculous at the time.

Hoping to hear what fellow Whovians think....

[Walker in Eternity]

Sorry, put this in the wrong Forum, could a mod move it please.

Thanks.

Walker.

[CatInASuit]

Moved

[CatInASuit]

P.S. Roger Delgardo is the one and only Master. All others are just poor re-incarnations

[Zuul]

The only incarnations of the Master I've seen were John Simm and Derek Jacobi. I was greatly intrigued by the character, though, and have been looking to check out some of the older Doctor Who adventures. Any particular Master arcs you'd recommend? I'll hunt about and see if I can find any on DVD. Seems like a good place to start!

[pepperlandgirl]

Derek Jacobi is "my" Master (as Christopher Eccelston is "my" Doctor), but I also adore John Simm. He has such great chemistry with David Tennant and he really brought some madness to the show. However, Derek Jacobi is my favorite, especially in hindsight, because he so perfectly embodied what I think the Master is all about, and the tears as he got his memory back, and then the madness and evil...well, Jacobi is a master, and that was a pretty damned good demonstration of why.

[CatInASuit]

Derek Jacobi is "my" Master (as Christopher Eccelston is "my" Doctor), but I also adore John Simm. He has such great chemistry with David Tennant and he really brought some madness to the show. However, Derek Jacobi is my favorite, especially in hindsight, because he so perfectly embodied what I think the Master is all about, and the tears as he got his memory back, and then the madness and evil...well, Jacobi is a master, and that was a pretty damned good demonstration of why.

You have missed soooooo much

Christopher Ecceleston was one of the worst actors playing Doctor Who. I'm just not sure whether he was better or worse than Colin Baker.

The Master is not about being evil. It's about annoying the Doctor as much as possible while being self centered and trying to take over the universe.

[Walker in Eternity]

P.S. Roger Delgardo is the one and only Master. All others are just poor re-incarnations

Is the Master like the Doctor then? In that the first one you see is the one you prefer?

Roger Delgado was the original and therefore set the trend of the character, I think any subsequent problems arose when people tried to copy his performance a bit slavishly. He should have a changing personality like the Doctor with each new regeneration.

Having said that my favourite Master story ever is, of course, The Deadly Assassin.

I don't think the Master is irredeemably evil, in fact on several occasions when one of his plans has got out of hand he has teemed up with the Doctor to undo the damage.

[CatInASuit]

Actually, I saw Anthony Ainley first as The Master, but I still prefer Roger Delgardo.

I have a real soft spot for Sylvester McCoy who is really underrated even though I first saw Peter Davidson as the Doctor.

[Walker in Eternity]

Actually, I saw Anthony Ainley first as The Master, but I still prefer Roger Delgardo.

I have a real soft spot for Sylvester McCoy who is really underrated even though I first saw Peter Davidson as the Doctor.

I agree McCoy was a vastly underated Doctor, probably in part due to poor scripts like Delta and the Bannermen and the story featuring the Kandyman.

However, when it was good, the McCoy episodes were a good as anything produced before or since, e.g. Remembrance of the Daleks, Ghost Light, Survival and Curse of Fenric.

As for Roger Delgardo's Master, anyone who watches the Clangers can't be all bad. I think the Sea Devils was probably his best appearance.