Choosing David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor: A Bold and Exciting Move

The Big Picture

Doctor Who fans are excited about the upcoming 60th anniversary specials featuring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and the return of Catherine Tate as Donna Noble.

Tennant's return as the Doctor has overshadowed Jodie Whittaker's exit, hinting at a lack of confidence in Ncuti Gatwa's potential to attract viewers as the Fifteenth Doctor.

The decline in the show's viewership and decreasing social media presence can be attributed to showrunner Chris Chibnall's writing, whereas under Russell T. Davies' previous leadership, the series gained significant popularity.

Doctor Who fans are currently filled with excitement as they eagerly await the release of the first of the three 60th anniversary specials on BBC and Disney+. These specials will feature the return of fan-favorite actor David Tennant, now portraying the Fourteenth Doctor, as well as beloved companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). Showrunner Russell T. Davies, who previously revived the classic British sci-fi series after a 15-year hiatus, will also be making a comeback. Many fans see this as a return to a glorious era after the underwhelming seasons under Jodie Whittaker's portrayal of the Thirteenth Doctor, written by Chris Chibnall. The anniversary specials also hold significance for Doctor Who as Tennant's character will pass the sonic screwdriver to Ncuti Gatwa, known for his role in Sex Education, who will debut as the Fifteenth Doctor. Gatwa will be the first Black actor, the first queer actor, and the first performer of color to play the iconic Time Lord. This milestone follows Whittaker's historic casting as the first woman to take on the role. However, while fans anticipate Gatwa's debut, Tennant's return overshadows this moment. In fact, Whittaker's departure is also overshadowed by the comeback of a more popular Doctor. Two important moments for Doctor Who are being undermined by the decision to bring back a former Doctor disguised as a new incarnation. This choice implies that Gatwa is not trusted to regain the love of lost fans. Furthermore, Tennant's return alongside Donna feels like a complete erasure of the series' developments in the 13 years since Davies left as showrunner. In essence, Tennant's return as the Fourteenth Doctor in Doctor Who is seen as a cop out in every aspect.

Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a beloved science-fiction series that has gained a dedicated following. The Doctor, often referred to as a "Time Lord," is a scientist from a distant planet who possesses the ability to travel through time and space in a remarkable machine called the TARDIS. The TARDIS is unique in that it appears larger on the inside than its exterior suggests and is said to adapt its appearance based on its surroundings. As the Doctor journeys across the universe, they can regenerate their physical form, resulting in various incarnations throughout the course of the show. The Doctor harbors a deep affection for Earth and frequently visits our planet to protect it from imminent dangers or to seek assistance from its inhabitants for intergalactic missions.

Release Date March 17, 2006Cast Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, pearl mackie, Matt SmithSeasons 14

'Doctor Who's Popularity Has Been Dwindling Over the Years

These words may seem harsh, but considering the numbers related to Doctor Who, it becomes difficult to view Tennant's return in any other way. Since Jodie Whittaker took over as the face of the series, the show's viewership has been consistently declining. While precise figures are hard to come by, it is noteworthy that only 4.04 million people watched her transformation into the Fourteenth Doctor in "The Power of the Doctor" in 2022, whereas 10.9 million tuned in for Whittaker's debut episode, "The Woman Who Fell to Earth," in 2018. According to the fan website Doctor Who Guide, the show lost an average of 3.5 million viewers between Whittaker's first and final year.

Furthermore, social media buzz surrounding Doctor Who has significantly diminished in recent years. What used to be a massive fandom, known as Whovians, has now dwindled to a small group of dedicated fans who still faithfully follow every journey in the TARDIS. It is not uncommon to come across posts and videos by former fans who claim to have completely stopped watching the show when Whittaker and Chibnall took over.

The Problem With 'Doctor Who' Hinges on the Writing For the Show

Image via BBC

Chibnall's writing for the series is the main cause of its decline in popularity. Even when he was just a part of Doctor Who's team of writers, Chibnall was never known for creating great episodes. From Season 3's "42" to Season 7's "The Power of Three," the five episodes he wrote for the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors were, at best, uninteresting. As the showrunner, Chibnall's writing failed Whittaker as the first woman to play the Doctor.

In contrast, under Davies' time as showrunner, Doctor Who experienced a significant surge in popularity. According to Doctor Who Guide, between the show's return with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor and Davies' final specials with Tennant, the series' average viewership increased from 8.08 million to an all-time high of 10.70 million people. Although the numbers dropped slightly when Moffat took over with Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor in 2010, they remained above 7 million until 2015 when Peter Capaldi became the Twelfth Doctor. Therefore, while viewership troubles became more apparent during Chibnall and Whittaker's tenure, they were not entirely unprecedented.

It is no wonder, then, that the BBC is endeavoring to restore Doctor Who to its former glory, when over 10 million people tuned in to follow the adventures of the Time Lord and his numerous human companions. And there’s no more effective way to achieve this objective than by bringing back the individuals who initially made it all possible. However, in doing so, the BBC is not truly addressing the issue; it is simply revisiting the past. Instead of striving to create something new with Doctor Who, something that will once again captivate audiences, the network is merely returning to the period when the show was a success. Instead of attempting to teach an old horse new tricks - a possibility we'll never know until we try - it is merely exhibiting the same old tricks repeatedly.

David Tennant’s Return to ‘Doctor Who’ Is a Setback for the Show

Image via BBC

This repetition of history also serves as a blow to both actors who will be positioned on either side of Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. The optics of this decision are not favorable. From Whittaker's perspective, reintroducing a more beloved Doctor and a companion who was adored more than her own "TARDIS fam" may imply that the show is implying a return to a better era before Whittaker's portrayal. Furthermore, it gives the impression that the BBC is suggesting that their attempt to propel the show forward by casting a female Doctor was actually a setback, as they now feel compelled to retrace their steps and rely on the most popular Doctor to correct the course.

As for Gatwa, Tennant's casting as the Fourteenth Doctor suggests that he is unable to attract viewers on his own. The intention, of course, is to entice viewers by promising them the same beloved elements from years past and then engage them in Gatwa's initial adventures. However, wouldn't the mere change of Doctor and showrunner be sufficient to win back those former fans who are curious? The current placement of Tennant, sandwiched between Whittaker and Gatwa, implies that the BBC (and possibly Davies) lacks confidence in the show's writing quality and the actors' performances.

Tennant's Return Is Not as the Tenth Doctor, That's the Problem

Certainly, it is important to acknowledge that we are discussing a series of anniversary specials. Therefore, it is to be expected that the show will feature the return of previous versions of the Doctor, as it has done on numerous occasions in the past. However, in those previous specials, the returning Doctors remained their own distinct incarnations, rather than introducing a new iteration. For instance, in the 50th anniversary episode "The Day of the Doctor" in 2013, David Tennant appeared alongside Matt Smith as the Tenth Doctor, while Peter Capaldi made a cameo as the Twelfth Doctor. Tennant's character was not sandwiched between Smith and Capaldi's respective portrayals of the Doctor.

Making David Tennant the Twelfth Doctor between Smith and Capaldi would not carry the same significance as making him the Fourteenth Doctor. Whittaker and Gatwa's portrayals of the Doctor are groundbreaking for Doctor Who, and the regeneration that was supposed to signify the transition from one to the other would have been an even more significant milestone: a woman regenerating into a Black man. By buffering these two Doctors, it feels as though the show is attempting to win back viewers who may have lost interest, but in doing so, it has deprived us of a historic moment.

Lastly, bringing back David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor alongside Donna Noble feels like a form of retcon. Not in the sense that the special episode may see Donna reclaiming her memories from her time with the Doctor, which was lost at the end of Season 4. That is simply the plot moving forward. When we say it feels like a retcon, it is because the Tenth Doctor and Donna were the final Doctor-companion duo that Davies wrote for the show. Bringing them back feels odd, as if resetting the clock to a time before Moffat resurrected Gallifrey and Chibnall introduced a new Time Lord mythology in his "Timeless Children" storyline. Whether Davies will actually retcon anything or not remains uncertain, and in a show as long-running as Doctor Who, retcons are often unavoidable. Nevertheless, it does not give off a favorable impression.

The 60th anniversary specials of Doctor Who will be available to stream on Disney+ on November 25, December 2, and December 9.

Stream all seasons of Doctor Who right now on BritBox in the U.S.

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