When Peter Capaldi announced recently that his portrayal of Doctor Who was influenced by David Bowie, I came up with the following list of doppelgangers. (UPDATE: full descriptions are in “Comments” below because the plug-in I used now cuts off after 1st line.):
My picks are more about thematic connections than physical resemblances, hence a few weird/controversial choices. I probably thought about this more than I should have, but I’m still sure I left out someone good. Sorry if your favorite rocker didn’t make the cut.
Also, I haven’t seen every Who episode, so I don’t make any claims to comprehensive knowledge here. I hope full seasons of 60s-80s material will become more readily available.
More than anything, making this list proved to me that an overtly Bowie-ish Doctor was overdue.
Nathaniel Williams 
At some point, the slideshow features started cutting off my descriptions if they went past one line. I’m going to fix this, but it’ll probably take redoing the slideshow and importing it, a chunk of work I don’t relish. So here they are:
1st DOCTOR = MARK E. SMITH – Like the Fall’s frontman, the first doctor was a curmudgeon who spoke his mind. Smith’s ‘elder statesman’ status hasn’t made him less prickly.
2nd DOCTOR = RINGO STARR – With that hair, it had to be a Beatle. Like the Second Doctor, Ringo was an oddball who knew a lot more than he let on.
3rd DOCTOR = ROGER DALTREY – The Third Doctor was a mod and a man of action. Take classic, mike-swinging Daltrey and add 20 years–you get Pertwee.
4th DOCTOR = BOB DYLAN – B-b-but, he’s not British! No. He’s Bob-freaking-Dylan, and he keeps regenerating. For years, Baker was the only Doctor your average Yank recognized. So, it sort of works.
5th DOCTOR = DAVE WAKELING (ENGLISH BEAT/GENERAL PUBLIC) – May look like a sandy-haired preppy but, at heart(s), he’s an anti-authoritarian with a social conscience. Stand down, Daleks!
6th DOCTOR = NODDY HOLDER (SLADE) – Mad genius Noddy was rocking plaids and stripes when everyone else went space-age “glam.” Slade is sadly underexposed in the States, like the 6th Doctor.
7th DOCTOR = ELVIS COSTELLO – This one’s a stretch. But Costello’s hats have been his trademark for 10+ years. And, like McCoy’s Doctor, he’s alternately charming and dark.
8th DOCTOR = BRYAN FERRY – Since Oscar Wilde doesn’t count as a rock star (sorry *Velvet Goldmine* fans), I went with the most dapper S.O.B. in British rock.
9th DOCTOR = BILLY BRAGG – Two guys full of curiosity who balance their commitment to a larger cause with fun-loving spirit. I’d trust Bragg with a TARDIS.
10th DOCTOR = PETER GABRIEL – The right blend of mass appeal and street cred. Folks love Tennant. And, somehow, Gabriel had Top 40 hits and still got played on college alt-radio.
11th DOCTOR = JAKE BUGG – When I first encountered each of these guys, I had the same reaction: “He seems really young to be that good at what he does.” (And, yes, I know. They look nothing alike.)
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