David Tennant: MY Doctor

Since Doctor Who began in 1963 there has been 10 incarnations of the Doctor in all, 10 actors playing the larger than life Time Lord from Gallifrey and with each successive actor, the Doctor exhibited different personnalities – not to mention different outfits – that enthralled generations of viewers.

Everyone who watched Doctor Who has their favourite Doctor. For David Tennant, his favourite is the Fifth Doctor played by Peter Davison, who in 1981 was then the youngest man to have played the Time Lord at age 29. For me, David Tennant is MY Doctor.

Though I was first introduced to the wonderful world of Doctor Who with the Ninth Doctor, played by the fantastic Christopher Eccleston, and though I really, really liked him (and still do) and was sorry when he left, he didn't quite capture my heart like Ten would.

Where Christoper Eccleston's 9th Doctor was an energetic man, Tennant was a pure bundle of energy. Always running around, always being overly ecstatic about everything and just god damn enjoying himself immensely. Often described as being manic, everytime he was faced with something new, mysterious, and interesting he would face it with the complete delight of a child. The running and action is synonymous with the whole Russell T. Davies Era but the Tenth Doctor elevated it to an art form, always running to and from danger. My fondest memories were when he was doing it while holding Rose's hand.

Kissing seems to have been an important part of the Tenth Doctor's persona. Though Paul McGann's Eight Doctor was officially the first kissing Doctor – he kissed his companion Dr. Grace Holloway to the utmost horror of most Doctor Who fans in the 1996 movie. Tennant's Doctor became the first Doctor to have kissed (or been kissed by) all of his female companions. No one seemed to complain there anyway. I need to point out that Captain Jack did kiss the Doctor but that was in his Ninth incarnation. Though David Tennant did kiss John Barrowman at Comic-Con 2009. That was rather interesting . . . Haha!

Another thing I love about David Tennant's Tenth Doctor is that the actor is a master at conveying emotions with his eyes and his face. Emotions such as fear, happiness, anger, indifference, joy and anguish to name a few. Who can ever forget his magnificent performance during the season 4 episode Midnight? The fear on his face and in his eyes when he is possessed by the mysterious alien entity that possessed Sky Silvestry (this whole episode is a real tour de force by both actors) and the other characters want to throw him out of the space tour bus? Pure drama!!!

The hair has it! Seriously, the Doctor's hair has become bigger and bigger with each passing season. Rose mentioned how great she thought his hair was in the season 4 episode Turn Left. Let me say that she was simply voicing what many of us were thinking internally.

Fun! Fun is what this Doctor was all about. When he showed up on Bowie Base One in The Waters of Mars and Adelaide asked him to state his name, rank and intention the Doctor answered in all seriousness: ''The Doctor, Doctor, Fun.'' You got to love that man.

I also believe Ten was at his best with his companions. Especially Donna Noble and Rose Tyler. Whereas it was pure friendship that united the Doctor to Donna, there was something a bit more romantic uniting him to Rose.

Most importantly, as a friend of mine pointed, David Tennant's Doctor was completely lovely, enthusiastic and bubbly. His was a Doctor we wanted to have fun with, a Doctor we wanted to kiss – Yes, I said it – a Doctor that we would have left family and friends to go travel with. Most importantly, I believe that the actor's love for the character shone and it drew us all in.

And so, on january 1st 2010 (in the UK), at the end of part 2 of The End of Time, the RTD/Tennant Era of Doctor Who comes to an end, and a whole new Era looms when David Tennant's beloved Tenth Doctor will die, to regenerate into Matt Smith's Eleventh incarnation.

David Tennant has often said that people would soon forget him after that. I say, no one ever will.

Here's to you David!