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A skeptic's thoughts on David Tennant as the 14th Doctor - is this a good idea?
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- čas přidán 26. 10. 2022
- After months of speculation we now know for certain that David Tennant is not only back, but he's actually what Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor regenerated into. Russell T. Davies has even referred to future Doctor Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor, making Tennant the 14th. And I've railed against this idea in the past, quite harshly. Now that it's reality I'm much more comfortable with it than I expected to be, but I've still got concerns.
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My video on the issue of the BBC's support of Transphobia: czcams.com/video/aN4uc0HZrWE/video.html
My video on the BBC's response to complaints of its reporting: czcams.com/video/skh81N5lcYY/video.html
My short on why I'll continue to put up the note at the front of these: czcams.com/users/shortsHpwwzjzFXiE
Shaun's 1st video, which includes some additional confirmed information: czcams.com/video/b4buJMMiwcg/video.html
Shaun’s 2nd video, which follows how the BBC is trying to dodge accountability for all of this: czcams.com/video/qfjTG6SVjmQ/video.html
Shaun’s 3rd video: czcams.com/video/fRn1UZ4fhdE/video.html
Laura Kate Dale's protest speech outside the BBC offices: czcams.com/video/hBjGnWkwAjI/video.html
Well, I think RTD is sticking to what he knows and I think he wants to pick up where he left off in the direction and trajectory he originally intended, there were many unfinished 10th doctor and Donna noble plotlines for series 5
@@edmundprice5276 Series 5 was Matt Smith’s first series, I think you mean Series 4.
@@tokublwhovian no, I mean series 5.
A hypothetical series 5 in which the doctor 10th and Donna were still having adventures.
@@edmundprice5276 Oh, now I see
@@edmundprice5276 yeah, that would be a good idea!
My little pet theory for The Plot of the 60th is this: Neil Patrick Harris is indeed playing the Celestial Toymaker, and he's interfered with the regeneration and with reality itself, to turn The Doctor back into Tennant. He's given him back Donna (hence why Donna doesn't seem to be affected by knowing The Doctor), Donna's Family, and he's manufactured a load of alien invasions for Tennant to stop, hence Beep The Meep and the Wrarth Warriors.
Why? Well The Toymaker is essentially offering him "The Good Ole' Days". In the Tenth Doctor's body with Donna Noble, saving the earth just like old times, before River Song, before The Hybrid, before The Timeless Child, isn't this everything The Doctor could want?
After some deliberation, maybe even being tempted to live in this made up reality and pretend like nothing's happened since the Tenth Doctor, The Doctor refuses, defeats The Toymaker and his fake reality, most likely dying in the process and regenerating into Ncuti Gatwa.
If the themes aren't obvious, then long story short, it's a meta commentary presenting the idea of just doing Tennant and Tate again for as long as possible is not a good idea. Instead of regressing into doing the old hits over and over, it instead says that this is not good, that the show needs to move forward in order to succeed. Doing the DoctorDonna for another 60 years would result in the show's death, if it just becomes formulaic and predictable, it needs to try new things and constantly change and move forward, and an episode that has a meta commentary with that message to the fanbase could make for one of the best episodes in the show's history. I can't wait to see what this is all about, but I guess I'll have to
Quick edit: I reckon if I'm on the right lies with this idea, that the episodes will consist of the first 2 episodes being "Run-of-the-mill" doctor who episodes but where something notably isn't quite right, and where the Toymaker keeps turning up and is hinted at being the mastermind behind all this. Then the last episode can be The Doctor stopping the Toymaker
Yeah I love this - Matrix 4 esque
I adore this.
@@joelmole3157 yes, that's my thought. He's talking to past Doctors, and is confused why he's not out in the real world, and just stuck there.
Or, David Tennant doesn't die and after defeating the Toymaker his regeneration is fixed and carries the role over to Ncuti Gatwa
@@TomoBakerinio yeah, and then after it’s reset we see a redo of Jodie’s regeneration where she now regenerates into Ncuti. Of course RTD calling him the 15th doctor constricts that, but idk
I feel like it would be interesting to look at maybe the Doctor is subconsciously wanting to go back to the past as it was scary being forced into a forced regeneration and it was a literal defence mechanism. But I'm really excited for Ncuti Gatwa and the stories with him.
No way will any of Chibnal’s stories be referenced in any way!
I’d like to see that
It's the first time the Doctor has regenerated since discovering they aren't really a Time Lord - that might make it happen strangely.
I think the fact she just went through a forced DEgeneration may be part of it too, like she’s still regenerating in reverse
@@dmmoctober Sure buddy. Keep telling yourself that, ya bratty child.
Tennant is my favorite doctor so more of him in any form makes me happy! The one way I think they could make his re-exit really special is if he says "I'm ready to go", in contrast to his first exit "I'm not ready to go". The idea of him being at peace with letting go would be a great way to end his return and a nice message too.
I feel the same way. After RTD's run, Ten got a lot of criticism (I'm specifically thinking of Steven Moffat's comments but there were plenty from certain fandom circles too) for not wanting to go but getting another chance, with both retrospection and introspection -- and more maturity, yes -- I hope and trust Fourteen will be able to pass on the reins to Fifteen in a more dignified fashion.
Plus they can do right by Donna -- erasing her memories was just terrible.
YES I WAS THINKING THAT TOO
I was unsure at first, however the fact Ncuti is playing a role in the story has me interested. My hope is that this is an opportunity to explore Fandoms fear of change and desire for the good old days to return, rejecting shake ups to the status quo, which fits 10s Doctor. Power of the Doctor discussed the idea of the past Doctors personalities residing within their subconscious, so I'm guessing 10 is brought to the surface by NPH with Ncuti lost in the void. 10/14 is given his old life back, including Donna, fighting Beep the Meep, but it turns into a Turn Left be careful what you wish for situation or something like the first Trickster episode of the SJA. Tennant finishes his arc and finally he/the audience learns to let him go and embrace what comes next.
Not a chance NEVER letting go of David Tennant’s doctor and that’s coming from someone who started watching doctor who from the 3rd incarnation of the doctor (Jon Pertwee ). I wasn’t born when the first two doctors were around. David Tennant’s doctor was everything i ever imagined the doctor to be and exceed that. Take care 😘🏴❤️
@@alisonscott1469 That's fair, it's more so for the "Tennant or nothing" crowd.
This kind of holding-pattern feeling is sort of how I've felt about RTD returning, and I'm with you on this as well. It's something I was very against, because I had a lot of issues with RTD's previous work, but once I heard him (and Moffat) start to talk about the direction he's approaching it from and now how carefully this is being done, and honestly just considered that RTD is a different writer than he was 10 years ago, I'm feeling very neutral and just open to whatever happens.
(It does probably help that I dislike Chibnall so much that I'm just relieved that he's going.)
I share your holding pattern optimism. Concluding RTD has made a mistake before seeing the episodes is like seeing a magician get locked up without the key and saying, "why's he done that? How does he expect to escape before he drowns?"
This is definitely an interesting move. Near the end the 10th Doctor was breaking a lot of rules. He was doing everything he could to make things better before he ran out of time.
And of course there was that heartbreaking "I don't want to go". Maybe he actually did something, something possibly terrible, in order to come back, like broke some fundamental rule. Facing your end, and while the Doctor goes on an incarnation has definitely ended, is terrifying. And fear makes people do all kinds of terrible things.
Personally I think it's risky. If they make this a one-off or caused by the bad guy I can buy it. If it's just something that can happen then that sets a bad precedent. I'm glad to see Tenant back but the apprehension is still there - eased by 14(?) being confused as well about the regeneration and the fact his clothes ALSO regenerated, which seems off too.
It is just for three episodes and it's a good way to transition between Jodie's era into the new era with Ncuti, plus it will definitely bring back fans who lost interest during the Jodie era and that's a smart move cuz the popularity and interest in the show has massively dropped since Jodie's era
Oh definitely. I've already had two of my friends say on different occasions 'Oh Tenant is back? I might have to give that a watch then...' so it's working I suppose!
Well back with the second doctor forced regeneration they offered him to pick his new appearance. They can definitely use that as an excuse to explain why this is a one time only thing.
This is true - I'm looking forward to seeing what RTD does, his run on the show was excellent IMO and he knows the lore well enough that I'm not particularly worried. Can always be surprised though! haha
I'm hoping this too. It's a shame the clothes changed in the regeneration but if that and the old face is an indication that it's a one-off fault or caused by bad guy interference then I not only buy it but look forward to its explanation and resolution. If it turns out to be just something that can happen on a whim whenever they want to bring back an old face and the costume change was 'just because', without reason, then I'm not so keen.
I absolutely adore David Tennant returning temporarily. This might lead to some Big Finish content as well. He has such energy and I’m glad to welcome him back.
That being said, I hope that this works and that it doesn’t steal the thunder from Ncuti Gatwa, because I know that he is going to be brilliant. Gatwa brings such energy and love and positivity to his roles and he is just so charismatic. I don’t know if he can be scary, like the Doctor can be sometimes, but he checks every other box for me and I’m sure he’ll fill that in later.
Also excited to see Catherine Tate come back. And I always love me some Beep the Meep. I am beyond excited to see Neil Patrick Harris as (most likely) the Celestial Toymaker. If I was running the show and people would let an American play the Doctor, he and Jack Black would be my top picks.
I am taking everything with a grain of salt and managing my expectations. I really didn’t know what to expect with “Power of the Doctor”, and, even though there was, perhaps, a little too much going on, it managed to be enjoyable and emotional and the cameos and call backs got to shine without overstaying their welcome. Even though Jodie’s tenure was a bit troubled, she does seem like a really sweet lady who was easy to work with and I wish her and the other TARDIS crew the best.
I think Tennant is only the 14th doctor because of the 60th coming up, if RTD took over after the 60th then I really think Jodie would have regenerated into Ncuti. I think for the 60th it’s fine doing something a little weird, if Tennant was coming back for a full season or three more seasons as 14 I would not be as keen on this, but three specials for the 60th I’m excited, and it’ll be fun to see him interact with Ncuti as well!
Exactly - what's happening is only what everyone knew would happen even before the announcement he was in it. He's just back for the 60th, which we knew anyway.
Yeah, Tennant was gonna return for the 60th anniversary pretty much no matter what. I think it’s all being handled well, and I’m really excited to be getting back into Doctor Who again when it looks like there are much brighter days ahead for the show (fingers crossed knock on wood I just knocked on wood)!
I've always agreed with you when you've ranted about this idea in the past. I am more okay with it knowing he's going to change into Ncuti Gatwa soon after but I would've prefered it if Whittaker just regenerated into Gatwa.
Yeah I would have preferred Whittaker to Gatwa. If we had a necessity (for the story of the 60th specials) to have Tennant in place then it would have been nice to have seen Gatwa for maybe a moment and then the regeneration is interrupted or glitches out etc and we get the reversion to Tennant, clothes and all so we know something is afoot and the specials are likely the 'fix'.
Whittaker directly changing into Gatwa would have fit the "Doctor Whoever-I'm-About-To-Be" line better too, I think (even if we only saw Gatwa for an instant).
I think that’s what was supposed to happen but it’s possible that the toy maker interfered I heard something about the toy maker being a reality warper or something like that but i’m not saying it’s the case or that i’m right or anything like that but if it’s the case then that explains a lot even why the doctors clothes changed with them instead of just getting shredded like usual
I would love it if this ends up being an unstable regeneration where he cycles through the past 4 doctors. Giving them all one last hurrah. I would even like it if Jodie got one last moment in the spotlight with some strong writing behind her. Either way I'm excited to see where this goes and I haven't felt that way in a while
Sadly, Peter Capaldi has said he's done his time. As much as I love Twelve, his actor has spoken.
This is also one reassurance to keep the fandom at bay. They can't simply make demands. Vera and others have posed a legitimate question, yes: What's stopping the fans from demanding that the Beeb bring back certain really popular doctors, like Matt Smith or Peter Capaldi? Well, my answer to that is the actors themselves. To borrow and tweak a phrase from another Doctor Who writer: "XXX ain't your biatch." They can demand 'til turn Tardis blue but these are the actors' lives they're huffing ang puffing about, not to mention those of writers and creative teams.
I'm not saying you're making demands by the way. I love your idea (but with 5 doctors instead of 4). But Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi are both busy with their own projects and Chris Eccleston's unlikely to come back.
@@luzmaya7787 Eccleston is of course VERY unlikely to be involved but I'm taking Capaldi's comments with a pinch of salt. We just don't know, yet. I think we've got a lot of reveals and tricks still to go. It did strike me that nearly all of the 10 second 'trailer' was from filming we'd already seen- even the 'stunt'. Possibly nothing, but seems a little odd.
I know if only dreams came true
@@luzmaya7787 I dunno. I feel like Capaldi could very well be in it. And Smith.
Just think about this time last year. Andrew Garfield was definitely not going to be in Spider Man no way home
This would be so amazing
I just learned that Wilf is coming back as well in this video and that's what's got me really excited. He is who the Doctor had a conversation with about regeneration being like death and it's a great door to revisit that conversation.
Was just reading up on the actor (because i knew he passed away and didn't know the shooting schedules) and they got him back in the role just before he passed away in July this year. So happy to see him back in this role and fortunately just in time before his passing.
I've commented this on other channels but getting a Doctor like David Tennant who will bring everyone back and then introducing them to Ncuti in the same episodes, knowing that many people who grew up with Tennant now watch Ncuti in sex Ed is a fantastic move.
I agree. The more I watch this persons videos as they’re in my recommended, the more I think they don’t represent the majority of the fans opinions and I hope the show runners take no notice and skip past these videos.
@@jtasker1992 Well like she said in the video if they did Tennant coming back the wrong way it wouldn't be good - which I agree with - but the way they're doing it seems smart and planned, we'll just have to see if it's executed well. I completely agree with what she's saying! This channel always has well thought through takes, and you can't always agree with everything someone says. ;)
I have faith that Davies will deliver. I 100% think David Tennant returning is going to be used as commentary on the fandom as well as a sort of "one last look back" before the show moves forward into this new era.
Let's hope not. "commentaries on the fandom" almost always leave a foul aftertaste, especially when everybody claims the bad actors in fandom are so small in number, but yet you take the time to acknowledge them and comment on them?
@@NelsonStJames Pretty sure the people wanting Tennant to literally come back as the next Doctor (as in instead of a new actor, which hasn't happened) are just the fans who grew up with that era and wanted RTD back. The bad actors/those that take dodgy CZcamsrs claiming 'insider knowledge' that never comes true seriously are surely a tiny subset of that group.
I think it makes sense to have a commentary on nostalgia - something that Who has had a problem with since at least the 70s. "Yes, it's nice to go back, but you can get trapped- time to move on" seems an obvious arc for the story to me.
We don't know, though!
Something I thought about upon seeing Tennant as the fourteenth doctor was about how vain his doctor was in his run. Not to say that I don't like the tenth doctor, he's actually my favourite, but he never wanted to leave. This is the THIRD time the doctor regenerated into Tennant. If someone interfered with the doctor's regeneration, wouldn't it make sense for the one they'd relive to be the one who never wanted to leave in the first place?
I’m on the clothing theory train. As another CZcamsr noted, the waistcoat and jacket length are early Capaldi, the tie is not tapered so it can easily be shifted to a bow (Smith). Despite RTD’s (noted liar when the opportunity suits him) announcements, I suspect we’ll see at least both of them during the special(s?) next year but it’s really Gatwa and he just cant’t see or feel it.
I would love to see Smith and Capaldi in the specials.
Yay, those specific clothes, they probably going to do something with that
Yeah I agree, I just got to that bit of the video and while I can't say anything about the coat that tie certainly doesn't look like a normal tie. The fabric looks a lot thinner and only one layer and you mentioned the lack of tapering which doesn't really work for a tie but would totally work for an untied bowtie.
@@sbcd7808 that looks like a ribbon or something. Like you can use it as a long or a bow tie. It's too specific this clothing. 🤔
I'm hoping this means we will have something that I hoped for a while the show would do, which is have the regeneration story be a multi doctor story with the departing and the new Doctors actually sharing the story.
Finally someone's who's pretty much summed up my thoughts. I'm actually specifically interested in seeing Tennant without the Time War looming over everything about him. That alone could be really fun to see, even if he's closer to 10 than I'd like, that aspect is already gonna be different.
Another thing to note is The Doctor doesnt technically remember their interaction with The Curator (being a future version of themself) which is another reason 14 views this regeneration as wrong. They don't remember being told that they could/will regenerate into their "old favorites".
Oh man, I didn't even think of that!
When I watched the episode, I did roll my eyes and think, 'Why have they done that?' I was of the assumption the 60th Anniversary specials would work well as flashbacks/additional stories that were a celebration of Doctor Who's history.
But then I thought about it a little bit, and the potential reasoning behind it made sense in my mind. The Doctor went through a forced regeneration AND was hit by the energy beam from that alien (which the Doctor themself said wasn't a fully understood creature). Those two things combined could have led to the anomalous regeneration in my mind.
Factoring in The Doctor's confusion... The clothing change... Donna being with The Doctor and not dying... The fact we will see Ncuti in some capacity... It makes me believe the audience is meant to realise something isn't quite right, and this will be a plot point that is expanded upon in the next 3 episodes...
From a logistical standpoint, I can understand why Ncuti wasn't thrust into the limelight straight away. I feel it would have been too much pressure on them being introduced as The Doctor AND leading the 60th Anniversary episode/s.
But at the same time, I do not understand why 3 specials are needed or how they will celebrate the shows history. I am sure RTD will do a good job being such a big fan and passionate about Doctor Who, but I feel like the Power of the Doctor had a rather 'celebratory' attitude towards the history of the show, The Doctors companions and moving into a new era. It certainly felt like an Anniversary episode.
Basically, I'm looking forward to the future and interested to see what happens... 🙂
I don't mind Tennant back, weather he plays the part differently or not, just as long as there is a good story and a good reason for this. My main concern when I heard Tennant was back along with other characters from his era was that RTD was going to pull of some sort of alternate universe thing with this being a unregenerated 10th Doctor leading into Ncuti as a new 11th Doctor and starting from where he left off in 2009.
Now I'm actually intrigued to what is happening more than just the fact Tennant is back.
If you want to be really technical, David Tennant would now be portraying three different incarnations of The Doctor if you include the Meta-Crisis Doctor.
The idea of everything being sort of uncanny and not quite right also fits with the character named Rose from these new specials.
Its been heavily speculated that Neil Patrick Harris will be the Celestial Toy Maker. I’m not familiar with the character from Classic Who, but I’m sure that might factor in as well.
to help you a bit this might be a nod to a theory Peter Cushing once had about his Doctor where he was a future incarnation stuck re-doing Previous adventures
@@jadenbryant9283 I had no idea about that, that’s actually a pretty fun way to canonize that Doctor.
@@gamer3ed484 agreed
I completely agree with everything you said here, but at the same time, I'm such a Tennant fanboy, I'm hella excited to see what Davies is going to do this next year. I hope your theory that this will be a meta "you can't go back" message and that after this we can move on and bring new things to Doctor Who.
Did you see the teaser for the 60th Anniversary episodes? The throughline for that is "I don't know who I am anymore" with a little glimpse of Ncuti saying "What the hell is going on". So I think this will be about the Doctor "deciding" who they are, so we can have a "fresh start" with Ncuti. Putting behind all that has happened, writing wrongs (maybe fixing Donna), and moving forward with a renewed purpose, reason for being.
3 part comment
1. This may be THE fourteenth Doctor story, since he’s so similar to 10, people may get confused in expanded media.
2. I hope they don’t write him TOO similar to 10, they’re already pushing it by bringing back Donna Noble and Wilfred Mott
3. Having the same actor play 2 different numbered Doctor incarnations (however long), isn’t my ideal method, but it is what it is. (I mean hell, even though we have a straight, white, male doctor again after we had just had our first female doctor, playing 2 different numbered Doctor incarnations is a milestone in and of itself.)
Those are just my thoughts
I really feel like Tennant is a palette cleanser before we get a new doctor. You got Tennant and RTD... gives the old fans a "getting the band back together" feeling... then while people are in a good mood, you slot in the new doctor and hope it keeps them engaged.
He is the ‘Ginger’ before the next wasabi laden course!
Thank you for articulating everything that I feel about this scenario. After initially being foaming-at-the-mouth outraged, I've calmed down to the point where I still don't like the idea, but can't help but be curious as to where things are going to go now that they've done a thing that I hate.
I do disagree with the idea that elements of the regeneration flag it as being an abnormal thing, though, based largely on the fact that there is precedent, not only from The Curator's dialogue in The Day of the Doctor, but also from things that we have seen stretching all the way back to Season 17 of Classic Doctor Who with Romana I regenerating into Romana II and taking the physical appearance of Princess Astra.
I remember when Jodie regenerated and I first saw Tennants face, I jumped off the couch, walked up to the television and cursed. Now, having watched the specials, I enjoyed it more than what I thought I would and I am so, so, so glad.
I agree with everything you said. Another reason why I'm okay with this is that the idea, or at least the way it's executed so far, seems strategically smart for the future of the show. As Elizabeth Sandifer put it on Twitter: "I think writing franchise material has to be focused on moving forward, but strategic use of the past is part of the game, and this looks very strategic". I still think bringing Tennant back is a little gross, but if something a little gross has to be done in order for my favorite show to survive (and/or reach new heights), I'm fine with it.
My point is the entire franchise work on the fact the protagonist is one even if with different incarnations.
Even if regenerated as Tennant the Doctor is now in a different moment of his life of when he was 10 (he is something like 1000 years older).
Basically the reason he is now the 14 doctor is that he has been 11,12 and 13 before.
Hopefully this will make him a different character than 10 (althought he is always the doctor)
Well said. Same person, but older with more life lived.
I was also deeply troubled to hear this at first, but this video actually made me feel better about it, so thanks for that! :) I like to think it happened (in-universe) because of time-travel shenanigans colliding with his old self, so that this new doctor IS in consciousness both the 10th Doctor but also having the memories of his last couple of regeneration and the kind of conflicts 10 was having toward the end of his run . . .
Honestly, I'm partly scared this was a stipulation as part of the Disney+ deal..."Hey, we wanna air new episodes... but, we want that popular guy back." I really hope Tennant's return is not evidence of network interference on such a scale.
I mean--- I've heard "jokes" about how Disney is trying to figure out how to do a Marvel/Star Wars crossover--- well, having a TARDIS on the payroll... certainly gives them the possibility of doing that: Imagine the TARDIS landing at Coruscant and She-Hulk stepping out. I shudder to think that some executive might think THAT is on the table.
When the 60th set photos first came out and it was basically revealed David would be coming back as the Doctor my first reaction was contempt. I thought RTD was just picking up where he left off which felt quite insulting and backwards and found the idea of the Doctor regenerating into a previous face antithetical to the show's emphasis on renewal and change. But after a while I calmed down and thought about it some more. Davies is no writing slouch, I think if he approaches this cleverly, we could get a very interesting 60th.
I'm imagining almost RTD revisiting and deconstructing his first run on the show. the 14th Doctor tries to go on a nostalgia trip but Donna with her family and new life kind of isn't into it. Meanwhile the 15th Doctor is constantly badgering the 14th inside his mind with Ncuti proclaiming that he was meant to be the 14th and Tennant's incarnation is basically a hiccup/glitch in the regen cycle. I also think it'd be fun to explore the absolute identity crisis 14 might be having, as he's a technically a new incarnation but has the body and personality of an old one.
I'm still very mixed on the decision but I see its merits as well and if it succeeds it could be really good.
that's very insightful, what you said about Tennant's outfit. It was pretty conspicuous how it was pulling in elements from Tennant's original run while differentiating itself quite clearly. The colors are mismatched, there's a vest in there, and I agree with you, I think that sets the tone for how they're going to handle this
I think Tennant is about to pull a move like Eccleston did . He'll reintroduce the series to a new generation in all it's grandeur, have an emotional arc and close his specials by familiarizing them with the concept of regeneration. He will do in 3 specials what Eccleston did in the first series. I don't think it's a coincidence that they produced 3 episodes, it's a classic structure for a self contained satisfying introduction and then to hand off the TARDIS for the 15th Doctor.
I will say I wasn't thrilled by it and I'm still not. It would have been nice for Ncuti to have his moment in the sun. Being front and centre. Also I feel a more interesting narrative would have been The Master turning into Tennant. The whole premise of The Power Of The Doctor was The Master trying to become the Doctor so they could destroy them both physically and by reputation. We see the Master do the forced regeneration but after it's reversed we see that The Master is weak and more than likely dying. It would make sense out of an act of desperation for The Master to regenerate into one of the Doctor's old faces to mess with them. Plus if its true that Neil Patrick Harris is playing the Celestial Toymaker having him team up with The Master but with the Doctor's old face and go against a newly regenerated Doctor who isn't quite fully with it would be an amazing story. the ultimate 3 way battle of wits. not knowing who to trust and who's good and who's bad. I'd watch it. Plus just like I said it would just be nice for Ncuti to have the spotlight and be front and centre and shine. Tennant is brilliant and we love him and it is always nice to see him back in these one of specials and stuff but he's had his time. He's not The Doctor anymore. Ncuti is The Doctor. Plus it messes up the numbering and my neurodivergent brain hates that.
The numbering was messed up anyway with the timeless child reveal and it was even messed up before with the war doctor. Ncuit was never confirmed as the 14th doctor, thats just what articles said. And tbh its probably a smart move to bring Tennant back as a transition between Jodies era and the new era, it will be a way for fans to easily jump back into the show who lost interest during the Jodie era, at least it's just for three episodes
@@dylanburton4955 i just about managed to get my head around the numbering with the War Doctor but i am a person of routine and structure and stuff and my brain works a certain way and unexpected things like this throw me off.
What has Ncuti been denied? He will get his big moment when Tennant regenerates into his 15th Doctor. Probably , in front of a much larger audience. His big moment has been delayed not denied. Although, I think the Celestial Toymaker is responsible. Hence the costume change. I would not be surprised if Gatwa is the 14th Doctor.
I still stand my decision that John Hunt should've played the Master.
@@raymondwilliams5587 I hope he actually is the 14th and Tennant is just an anomaly. The numbering is confusing.
Number of Doctors/Regenerations known
1st Doctor ?(Only known Pre-Hartnell Doctor): Jo Martin
2nd Doctor: William Hartnell
3rd Doctor: Patrick Troughton
4th Doctor: Jon Pertwee
5thDoctor: Tom Baker
6th Doctor: Peter Davison
7th Doctor: Colin Baker
8th Doctor: Sylvester McCoy
9th Doctor Paul Mcgann
10th Doctor (War): John Hurt
11th Doctor: Christopher Eccleston
12th Doctor: David Tennant
13th Doctor: David Tennant (My Handy Spare Hand)
14th Doctor Matt Smith
15th Doctor: Peter Capaldi
16th Doctor: Jodi Whittaker
17th Doctor: Sacha Dhawan
18th Doctor: Jodi Whittaker
19th Doctor: David Tennant
Call Ncuti Gatwa the 15th Doctor, or the 14th, or the new new 1st. His character is still the 20th chronological incarnation of the Doctor that is known, until they rewrite the timeline in the future to boost slumping viewership.
I agree with your take on it a terrible idea on paper but it could work if executed properly. I think it will be a meta commentary on some of the fandom's negative comments about Jodi Whitaker's term and their nostalgia about previous Doctors. And the only producer that could pull that off successfully is Davies. Ironically the return of a previous Doctor Who show runner is fraught with many of the same problems as bringing back a previous actor to play the Doctor again. However Davies is in the position of being part of the "old" guard who brought back Doctor Who. He is also as not another straight white male show runner. So fan reception to him can be positive on both sides of the spectrum. Plus he has the talent and experience to actually pull this off. Make a story that will satisfy fans across the spectrum and at the same time prepare them for the expansion of their world with the introduction of the 15th Doctor. Or, at least, that is what I hope will happen.. ;)
I agree with you on that. I hope that it’s done properly. I actually never thought of the bringing back a show runner thing.
The only thing I definitely don't like so far is calling Tennant the 14th doctor. We've long established that regeneration shenanigans doesn't make you a doctor (otherwise Sacha Dhawan would've been like the 16th doctor or something as of the finale), calling Tennant the 14th goes directly against the idea that this is in-universe wrong and a special event. Regenerating the clothing I'm withholding judgement on.
Other than Tharries, I have never seen any other CZcams channel offer an in depth, intelligent, and interesting dissection of Doctor Who as you do. Your stern analysis, coupled with your modesty and humility, is both an inspiration and the healthiest way to discuss film and TV. I especially enjoy the fact that when I watch your videos I don’t feel like I’m sucked into a polarised perspective. Keep up the good work, but not that you need me to say that!
I'm predicting that, for these upcoming specials they are initially going to going with the idea of being a throwback to the 10th doctor era. But this will gradually start to unravel, things will not go as we all the doctor would expect and the sense of something being 'wrong' Will be ever present. And I think one of the overarching themes RTD will go for will be the idea that 'you can't go home. Again' and away for him to make a statement that he isn't coming back to replicate the past.
I am very excited Tennant is back, and remain optimistic the team can make it work. But I'm also glad it's a limited run because I am looking forward to Gatwa as the Doctor also.
I like the theory that Tennant manifesting is sort of a defence mechanism, but I also wonder if Donna somehow has something to do with it. Like maybe the cloister bell went off because Donna was in trouble and somehow the Doctor sensed that and regenerated into her Doctor (Tennant) specifically to help her.
Whatever the case, the future seems bright for the show, which is a good thing. Will still miss Jodie a little though.
It is appropriate for the anniversary, I think, instead of starting with a brand new doctor. I also wonder if part of this move is to give Ncuti Gatwa time to wrap up his role in Sex Education before officially moving on to Doctor Who - Netflix has confirmed a season 4 for the show, and Ncuti is confirmed to be appearing.
I remember when it was announced that Catherine Tate was coming back for Series 4. I thought it was a huge mistake. I actually said it to a friend. Blimey was I wrong. Donna Noble was fantastic. She grew on me very quickly and has become my favourite companion. I'm not sure about the idea of reusing an old Doctor, however I am excited to see RTD and DT back together again. Those two together were phenomenal together. I'm looking forward to seeing what Ncuti Gatwa has to offer. With RTD at the helm it's going to be amazing.
I think it's a very sensible thing to do. Many fans are disappointed with Chibnall's era, and feel that under his guidance, Jodie never had that moment where she WAS the Doctor. For the past 5 years, I've got my Who-fix from old Doctors. I didn't want Chibnall to write the centenary special. It wasn't terrible, and in my opinion it was the best episode of his era, but that's not saying much. The 60th anniversary is supposed to be a celebration of Doctor Who. No other sci fi series has lasted as long. To expect Ncuti to hit the ground running is a big ask for anyone, and to headline the 60th anniversary with his debut is tricky. It would be far more effective to end the anniversary with Ncuti's appearance, and then an awesome trailer of next season. If you look back at Matt Smith's start, they filmed the first few episodes out of sequence, and if I remember correctly it was the Byzantium episode that was actually filmed first, and he hasn't quite got his Doctor 100% in it.
I want the 60th to be a celebration of Who, and it's hard to argue that DT isn't one of the most popular incarnations of the Doctor. Is this regeneration a trick, or an illusion, an anomaly or the real thing? I plan on spending the next year speculating and coming up with crazy outlandish theories about it, but ultimately I don't really care. I want a good story, well told, and that'll be me happy. I have every confidence that's exactly what we're going to get, and I hope they surprise us all with what they have in store for us.
I felt as though Chris wanted to leave his mark, but in wanting to do that, he decided to upend too much too quickly. Now I know, the whole Idea of doctor who as a series is accepting change, but Chris tried to change things way too fast. Bringing the master back after only one season's gap, drastically changing his character from Missy so fast, having him destroy Gallifrey *again* after we just go Gallifrey back. Yet he didn't stop there. He had to try and make the Doctor more important to the Time Lords than she needed to be with the whole timeless child debacle. Oh also, let's make time a living thing. He took some of the basest foundations of Doctor who as we know them and flipped them completely on their heads. This would have been a good thing if done right, but he so quickly introduced all these new things that they weren't thought out far enough and it simply left everyone dazed and confused.
So when I heard RTD was coming back, I rejoiced. Say whatever else you want about him, he knows how to build a foundation for a story, and follow through with it. He takes his time with his plots and values a show don't tell approach. He is methodical with his season arcs, and he that them with care. This is what I want back. Even Moffat managed that about as well as RTD. This is what I'm excited for. So even if it doesn't end up being exactly like the good ol' days, I look forward to RTD being back in the saddle and having well crafted coherent stories once more. A more distinct soundtrack by a different composer won't hurt either. Leitmotifs are important! Whether that's Murray Gold or not I just want distinctive music back in this show.
I’m not a big fan of wasting regenerations, it makes them feel less special, the war doctor is the only exception, other than that, I’m not a big fan of 10’s fake out regeneration or the timeless child, and this as well, because, david tennant is not the 14th actor to play the character, it feels like ncuti should be 14th imo (like 9 was still 9 even though he’s the 10 incarnation)
Worth also keeping in mind that David tennant has now been the face of the doctor following three separate regenerations, lest we forget the time he regenerated back into himself.
I kinda feel this. I was DEAD against bringing back Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, and not because of some hater BS, as you know, he's my favourite Spidey, but I generally think that the "Bring back X, bring back Y" thing can be kinda cheap. THAT SAID, I loved No Way Home and was happy to see Tobey Maguire back. I think the reason I'm okay with this is, as you say, because I know that Ncuti Gatwa is coming, it's just a thing for the anniversary special, and I'm okay with them bringing back Doctors for anniversary events. I definitely felt bringing back Doctor #1 in Twice Upon a Time was particularly odd given that there was no attachment to any kind of anniversary, and I do think a network centenary is pushing it a bit as far as bringing back Doctors for POTD.
But my number 1 priority is entertainment. If it's a good story, I can overlook it. But I think the real reason this was done was to kickstart a much larger interest in the show. It was a major publicity move ultimately but I think it could lead to something exciting.
I think that because there wrre so many unanswered questions that RTD is going to use David to clear some of that up, the 60th anniversary and maybe to give Ncuti a bit more of a clean slate. To give him a chance to succeed without carrying all of that baggage.
I didn't mind Jodie, it was the writing. If they don't want that in fans minds having a popular doctor back as a palette cleanser might work.
Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor seems to be wearing the 14th Doctor's shirt and tie in the small clip we get of him. Making me think that the clothes thing is deliberate and not the norm.
I have to be honest, the shock of seeing David Tennant on screen got me excited, and nostaligia/fanbrain went into gear! Tennant is back! Yay. But I've gotten more mixed feelings on it since.
My take is, we'll see... I'm apprehensively excited.
I think the whole "14th" Doctor thing is mostly just marketing speech. Clearly, there is more to this. This isnt just The Doctor randomly regenerating into Tennant again. I dont think he is actually "14" in a classic sense and I very much expect this not to be an actual regeneration in the classic sense either. I very much expect that NPHs Character - whoever it might turn out to be - is involved in messing with regeneration.
I think in retrospect fans will opt to Call this Incarnation TenThree or The 60th Doctor or something, rather than 14th Doctor.
Because of this news, I def wanna catch up on the show now. With regards to what you said, I do hope that this 14th Doctor is distinct from the 10th or they could’ve just have him be a Non-Doctor like The War Doctor and that wouldn’t have broken up the numbering and Ncuti Gatwa would still be the 14th. Regardless, I wouldn’t be surprised if fans would refer to this iteration as Doctor 13.5
I feel strangely confident about it. It's certainly nostalgia for fans of Russell's era but I think it will be successful in increasing interest in the show for Ncuti's doctor. Obviously it could be a dreadful idea but I highly doubt it.
If it was a season of Tennant, I'd be dreading it. It's only the specials however so I'm not too bothered.
Two writers got into a discussion. One said that it doesn't matter how good the writer is, if the idea is good, the product will be good. The other said that it doesn't matter how good the idea is, if the writer is good, the product will be good. The first writer then challenged the second to write a good story from a terrible idea: mix the lost Roman legion and Pokémon.
This resulted in the six book series "Codex Alera" by Jim Butcher, made on a dare by Brandon Sanderson.
Remember the episode "The day of the Doctor" When Tom Bakers Curator told the 11th doctor that he'd possibly revisit some old faces again.. Perfect tie-in to the return of Tennant as the 14th
The 10th Doctor said it himself with "I don't want to go" as he's about to regenerate. This was followed by the 11th Doctor examining why he regenerated with THAT face from a significant, fixed-point event from his past. The Doctor has a strong, subconscious need for closure, with that part of their personality pulling them back to clear up unfinished business from the past so they can move forward. This is "wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey"
If it were up to me, I'd have had him play the role completely differently and with a totally different look. For a while before he came back, Tennant had long hair and a beard so I'd have told him to keep that look and use his own accent, but at the same time, the similarity to the face of the 10th Doctor would still be there. Maybe have him in an outfit a bit like the Master/Doctor wore where it was bits and pieces of several previous Doctor's costumes to indicate that something's not quite right and he's not sure who he is. The new TARDIS set could look like it's old and falling apart, held together with bits of electrical tape and that sort of thing, just go really grungy with it.
The thing that has me slightly concerned about how it's going though is that it's a bit like RTD is saying that everything between when he left and when he came back isn't canon anymore. I know that's not what he's trying to do, but I'm sure the fans who tuned out after Tennant left will probably see it that way and act like the last few Doctors never happened, especially Jodie based on the toxic reaction some fans had to her. I can just imagine them calling Ncuti the "real" 11th Doctor. I hope that doesn't happen.
Wait river song, river song......this can fix a big big issue for me. How does she recognise tenants face even though that incarnation only meets once.
But if she meets the 14th, it fixes it completely.
I found all your points to be good and valid. In my opinion Davis was the best show runner and I have never found them to be without a good, well thought out plan. I can't imagine Davis just getting Tennet back just for a trip down memory lane. I don't think Davis would do it for the sake of it. I love David Tennet as the doctor and I'm so excited to see them back but if anyone was going to handle this that wasn't Davis I'd be worried. I feel like I stuck with Dr who after Tennet and Davis and I have struggled a few times with it. Ok in parts, sometimes good but not jump and down excitement. Just the mention of Davis been back made me want to hug everyone, then Tennet for even a few specials has got me excited in a way that I haven't in a long time. I think they know there are fans out there that feel like this and that's why they are doing it. Because there seems to be a lot of fans like myself who regard the Davis and Tennet era as the pinnacle of new who. To give us this and, ( fingers crossed) do it well could be a really good way to move forward. I am so looking forward to Tennet but knowing Davis is back leaves me also looking forward to what comes after they depart and I think that's a deliberate intention. I have never known Davis to be sloppy with Dr who and I think there is a clear plan, that will allow us to remember the "good old days" and will make us excited and relaxed for what comes next.
Here’s my theory about The Doctor’s clothes changing.
11 was wrong about the regeneration in Journey’s End being one of his 12 regenerations (we know from the-episode -that-shall-not-be-named that he was never subject to the limit of 12 regenerations in the first place, so it makes sense that what he said was just a guess) and either the regeneration in The War Games that was forced by the time lords or the one in Night Of The Doctor which was triggered by the elixir of life also didn’t count towards the 12, meaning that 13 really is the “true” 13th Doctor and her regeneration was the first in her second cycle of regenerations (or rather her second cycle after losing her memories of being The Timeless Child) just as 1’s regeneration was the first in his first cycle of regenerations (again, post mind wipe), and the clothes changing is just something that happens at the start of each regeneration cycle.
The 14th Doctor a.k.a The 10th Doctor Extended Boogie Remix Limited Edition
(More relevant point to this video with the 2nd paragraph below, I just wanna give some background on my history w/ Doctor Who 1st👍)
I’m getting back into Doctor Who, rewatching NuWho for the first time since middle school (and a bit of Classic from the 80’s, my brother got me hooked again this summer through that!). I was out of my Doctor Who “phase” with Capaldi at the end of 8th grade & start of high school, so I had stopped watching during or somewhat after Heaven Sent. I know it’s considered one of the best episodes of the whole show, but I wasn’t as much of a fan of 12th as the previous 3 Doctors, and like I said was exiting my obsessed w/ Doctor Who phase, so I stopped keeping up with the show, even though I didn’t *dislike* what I’d seen of Capaldi’s run.
All that to say, I see Tennant returning temporarily as a good ‘soft reboot’, after the past few seasons with the 13th Doctor’s run, which many just didn’t like much at all. I haven’t watched any of those seasons yet (if u skipped down here I stopped watching in middle school a bit before 12’s run ended), so I can’t speak for how I liked them yet (soon enough though, I’m nearing the end of Season 7 with my current rewatch soon!).
But, if there was anything to get many people’s faith in the franchise back, it’s bringing back Tennant before the brand new person to play The Doctor. And I agree that the order of reveal with Ncuti Gatwa being announced first was really smart. With this, and the return of Davies (woo!!), you get the best of two worlds: both a direct reassurance to casual viewers and/or those unsatisfied with recent Doctor Who that some of the magic is indeed coming back, AND getting new people on board with Gatwa who hadn’t considered the series much or at all before (his casting is brilliant and I read a linked tweet in an article recently with someone saying they didn’t know much about that blue box but were on board because of Gatwa, which YES more people watching Doctor Who!! WOO!!).
Sorry, this whole comment is overly long and with too many parentheses 😅 What I’m trying to say is that I am also cautiously optimistic and excited along with you, and many in the fandom for the Tennant specials. And also the future with Gatwa! I think I’m gonna like the specials from the trailers, and I’m excited to finally get back into Doctor Who when it looks like we’re (fingers crossed, knock on wood) heading for a bit of a renaissance for the show. :)
With regard to the clothing changing as part of the regeneration, I suspect it's just that it's considered more acceptable for a woman to be seen wearing men's clothes (Jodie wearing Peter Capaldi's outfit) than for a man to be seen wearing women's clothes (to the extent that Thirteen's outfit could be viewed as "women's clothes" - which, although they're quite neutral - I think they would be, after watching a woman wearing them for several seasons).
But I admit, I'd rather go with your "it's part of the weird wrongness of this regeneration".
iirc the clothes changing from the first to second Doctors was because they wanted to show that he'd gotten younger, and wanted the clothes not to fit the second Doctor as well, but since Troughton was actually about the same size as Hartnell, the only solution was to just get him larger clothes
I think it was the best move; next year is the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who and throwing Ncuti, the new Doctor into the fold at that moment; that's a ton of pressure on the poor guy for his first day on the job.
Bringing back David and Catherine for 3 anniversary episodes and letting Ncuti take over at Christmas is absolutely the right way to go. But that's just my take. I'd rather Ncuti have a smooth Christmas start like David did, not a full on pressure start like Jodie did.
I personally love the idea of doing this sort of thing for the specials. If they had tennant come back for an extended period of time? No screw that. But having it here it could lead to an interesting story about change and how would the doctor react to this sort of change. Going back to an old face and going back to the face that more than any other doctor didn't want to regenerate. Will he struggle letting go of that face again? How does seeing Donna again affect him? Plus it is a unique way to celebrate the 60th as every other anniversary has been a multi doctor story this is a way to make it different.
So I'm all for this .
How funny would it be if they let David use his natural accent? Like it'd be a great way to establish this isn't Ten 2 Electric Boogaloo and a different version of the Doctor. But also it'd be objectively hilarious.
I agree. Though since we already heard him in voiceover in the trailer I don't think it'll happen.
I think this could go into quite a few interesting directions. I know Tennant right now plays this as being 14, but I am hoping for something so much weirder - namely, a Doctor in flux. The specials giving us a Doctor who keeps shifting appearances like we have seen with the hologram. Either way, I expect this re-run to be a repercussion of the reverted forced regeneration and also the arch to sort out the Timeless Child mess. Expect Jo Martin to show up a lot, she will probably become established as the final 0th Doctor and have most of the explanations on what happened before the 1st and how the Doctor eventually became a mostly normal timelord. Well, her and Romana, just because of the multiple faces thing. Luckily, timey-wimey stuff like the Timeless Child is exactly the thing Davies tends to be good at.
I have a feeling that they are going to deal with the "Time Lord Victorious" story arc. I am not worried about Tennant because he is a great actor and can deliver what is needed.
TENnant is the only Doctor that makes any sense to bring back... it's baked into his character and history:
He regenerated into himself.
His last words (after a long rant about how be could still do SO MUCH MORE) were "I don't wanna go."
This means that his essence and personality might still be hovering near the surface.
Also, this ISN'T actually 10. The fact that his outfit is a color swapped facsimile to his old look, means that this is a new variation... be it as initiated by an outside force (Celestial Toymaker, or whomever Neil Patrick Harris is playing).
Also, Ncuti Gatwa is wearing the same tie and shirt as Tennant,while standing in the void.
To use a baseball analogy:
Ncuti is in the "on deck circle"... he was supposed to be next at bat, but a pinch-hitter was substituted (temporarily) to get the show back on base with fans.
But Tennant -as 14- needs to be different than his portrayal of 10.
Either way, I wouldnt expect any more past Doctors to be brought back any time soon.
All the worries are definitely valid, and I do worry that the storylines in the 3 specials won't satisfy us. However, I feel like the franchise is in a triage moment and needs this bridge to help build back some momentum to capitalize hopefully on the buildup to #15 and the Disney+ marketing opportunities etc. Love Jodie but very glad to see the end of the Chibnall era and unfortunately the franchise might really need Tennant and Davies to bring it back from the ledge in order to really move forward and bring back fans/gain a new generation of them.
While I know that the 60th Anniversary is coming up, I think what would've been cool is for Jodi to change into Ncuti, then have him run into 10 and Donna. A mix of old and new.
That said, his one line in the teaser reminded me so much of Get Out!
i became a Whovian in 1979, the final season for Tom Baker...never before have we ever seen the doctor regen into a previous actor....i honestly agree that it has now opened the door for a MESSY story....i was on the fence with the "Timeless Child" line putting Jo Martin in as a regen previous to William Hartnell....but as much as i love David Tennant and do look forward to him playing the doctor....i wish they would have had Jodie Whitteker regen directly into Ncuti Gatwa and do a cross over with 10 and Donna showing up....it would have been better for a cleaner story to have set precendent with a 3 part story or 3 separate stories cross over (either one will do)
Tennant is my #2 favourite Doctor. It was great to see my #1 on screen again. McGann may have been cheated out of a TV series, but he has been playing the Doctor consistently on Radio for over 20 years.
Tennant will be an unstable regeneration.
If ppl want more Tennant, the 10th Doctor is available at Big Finish.
Hey, it's RTD, at the peak of his game, back after a long time with fresh ideas. It's sci-fi, anything can happen so I don't understand any restrictive old style views on this. DW is fantastic IP for the BBC and it was flagging badly. They needed to revive it and popular David, along with Catherine, will help achieve that and set the stage for Ncuti. RTD brought DW back from the dead in 2005. From what he's said about his vision for the show going forward I'm sure he'll succeed in reviving it. As long as he and the BBC stay in control, no interference from Disney. Sci-fi has to change and evolve to survive and RTD's intentions are to do just that.
Before David Tennent or Even Ncuti Gatwa were announced I was concerned about the idea of the 60th anniversary being carried by an untried and untested Doctor who hadn't had a chance to establish themselves in the role. Bringing Tennant back alleviates that issue. As long as this is the main reason for his return it works. If RTD would have done this anyway irrespective of the anniversary that shouts of desperation a bit
How is David Tennant back, and why did his clothes seemingly regenerate with him this go around?
Here's my personal working theory on the matter:
In DWM, there were particular quotes/comments made by Russell T Davies that were brought to my attention (thank you crispy pro).
"Doctor Who Magazine: Together Again...But How?"
"Then again, maybe, just maybe, this return is so impossible that it's actually an intricate illusion created by an old enemy of the Doctor's."
"Of course, I wouldn't give that away in the pages of DWM, would I? But then again. This magazine is the first place I ever revealed the name of Billie Pipers Rose (in issue 340). So read carefully. There are truths in here."
I think the doctor's clothes changing during the regeneration has something to do with it, with this potential elaborate illusion by one of his old enemies. My working theory is that Jodie does actually regenerate into Ncuti Gatwa at the end of 'The Power of the Doctor'. We know that Neil Patrick Harris will be playing a villian for one of the 3 60th specials, as potentially the celestial toymaker, a 1st Doctor Villian. Like Crispy Pro comments, what better way to celebrate 60 years of Doctor Who then by bringing back a classic villian. I believe his character is tricking the doctor into believing he regenerates into an older face (Tennant's), when in reality it's actually Gatwa. That's why during the next time trailer, we see Gatwa in the 14th Doctor's clothes (Tennant's) but with a different face. It seems awfully weird that the doctor's clothes wouldn't/don't change again when regenerating into Gatwa during the specials, if that's what indeed happens. But then again, this is just my personal theory, so take it with a ginormous grain of salt 😆!
You're reminding me a bit of how I felt when watching Tennant in The Day of the Doctor: glad to have him back for a bit, but just a touch disappointed because he wasn't quite how I remembered him. Not sure why it is that he doesn't quite give the same impression - he's not _that_ much older, and Moffat did know how to write for him (for the most part), but either way, he's not _quite_ the same. And he'll probably be even more different now!
So, yeah, while I hope he's pretty similar to the Tenth Doctor, there's no way we get him back as he was. It's been over a decade, after all. So if that's part of the theming, it'd possibly even work better than it would if they tried to make it all as it was before
What if the Toymaker just wants to fight sand shoes specifically?
Casting Tennant for 2023 gets Davies out of a huge problem he was left by Chibnall and Whittaker’s departure in 2022.
You have a new Doctor, you’re also launching on Disney+, you’re trying to attract as many new viewers as possible to the show, and maybe pull in some of the old ones who’ve drifted away. That means you’ll essentially want to do a soft reboot, carrying as little baggage as possible.
That’s REALLY hard to do in an anniversary year. To celebrate the anniversary, at some point you have to remind people they’re watching a show that’s been around for 60 years.
To launch into the 60th anniversary with Gatwa would create a raft of problems for Davies that could have been avoided by Jodie sticking around for just one more year. But that wasn’t going to happen.
Instead Davies had to find a way to celebrate the 60th with all the baggage, bells and whistles that it entails, while also keeping the decks clear for the actual relaunch in 2024.
Short of having a Doctorless anniversary, the only other option is another Doctor to bridge the gap.
And not just any other Doctor either: you need a drawcard. Preferably a big name to reassure and excite people in equal measure. Preferably someone who won’t require any introduction.
There are a few options and potentially interesting solutions, but I think the two best case scenarios that would have gone through Davies’ mind would have been:
A) a Hollywood A-lister or their British equivalent. Acting royalty like Maggie Smith, Judy Dench etc. Another John Hurt, but an even bigger name. Or;
B ) David Tennant.
And he already had David Tennant’s phone number.
The more I think about the particular set of circumstances - the new production team, the anniversary year, the Disney+ relaunch, the more this just makes sense to me.
I liked the theory that it's an interfered with regeneration, as noted by the regenerated clothes AND the fact that they are not really Tennent's costume (which you are wearing). I hope it does mean Capaldi, Smith and others are there in the 60th.
Didn't Marvel beat Doctor Who to the punch when they brought back Tobey and Andrew as Spider-Men? (Fans ARE asking for both actors to get their own MCU Spider-Man movies.)
I actually think the idea of an early actor returning to the role as a "new" Doctor rather interesting. We know Timelords can choose their appearance (Capaldi and Romana II) so revisiting an old face isn't out of the question. What I think could be really cool is if Tennant LOOKS like Doctor 10, but has a wildly different personality. I also would really love to see McGann return and get an actual season or two. (Since imo, he kind of got screwed out of the opportunity.)
Thank you for making this video, because as soon as I heard hints of spoilers for the end of Power of the Doctor, I had a level of dread, because I fully agreed with the idea that DW should never go back. But now I see a way forward with an interesting and probably needed meta-commentary. RTD starting his new run with overtures of "We can't go backwards" might be exactly what the demanding parts of fandom needs to hear. Now I feel a lot more excitement for the new stuff, rather than the mix of mostly negative emotions I have been feeling about DW since the Flux
This is almost exactly what my thought process on the subject has been. The only other thing I have to add is, if the specials do pan out with the theme you and I are both hoping for, 14's last words have to be, "I want to go."
About catra:
What they did was important. Especially in the way.
They don't forget what she has done. They don't defend everybody forgive her. But they do offer a way forward.
And given how catra is borderline representation... yeah. That is important.
Having Tennent as the 14th Doctor, it allows him to age without been stuck in 10's narrative. Also, it opens the possibility for Jo Martin to become the official 16th Doctor? The 14th doctor is going to be the entry point for a worldwide audience, to give them a grounding of the Timelord law. Much as 9 did. Having an old doctor is a breather for the critics to prepare for 15.
David Tennant is the new Grover Cleveland. He's gonna be in that lineup twice and I don't know if I like that.
It seems that viewers are more particular about the numbering of the Doctor's incarnations than the showrunners have been. I mean, for one, RTD is really fun in his manner of trolling the fandom, so it's possible he's doing that in that particular interview. Not to mention, the numbers as referred to by the runners vs the fans has been different since Moffat. He made it canon in Time of the Doctor that the incarnation the fans and show had referred to as Eleven the whole time was, after Metacrisis Ten and the War Doctor, actually Thirteen. But nobody in the fandom has ever referred to Capaldi as anything but Twelve or Jodie as anything but Thirteen. And with the Fugitive Doctor and the unknown iterations of the Doctor that they don't remember, it's all semantics at this point with the numbering. Completely agree with you though that the mental separation of the incarnations is going to depend on the characterization of this new Tennant shaped Doctor incarnation. And as a person who started DW with RTD and was disappointed with the characterization of the Tenth Doctor in the 50th, I have high hopes that the 60th specials will feel more like what I had hoped for ten years ago. And that whatever RTD is writing intrigues new and estranged fans enough to give Ncuti's Doctor a chance to wow them.
My thoughts, more than likely this is something Neil Patrick Harris' villain character has done. Like some kind of reality altering effect. The teaser even shows Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor in what looks to be some kind purgatory, as if the regeneration was interrupted and the Doctor's new body was locked away and replaced with the Tenth Doctor's body.
I also hope he isn't exactly the same, mainly because... well, in general, the Doctor isn't in the same place he was emotionally when Tennant left. The Tenth Doctor was heavily defined by a lot of regret and guilt, mainly stemming from the Time War. A LOT has changed since then though, so I think it will be interesting to see how that is dealt with. Because it definitely wouldn't make sense at this point for Fourteen to be the same as Ten. Familiar, maybe, but I'm hoping they turn out to be at least somewhat different.
The clothes thing was a 100% on purpose, tennant grabs the jacket and looks at it bewildered as to why his clothes changed
Not sure if this will get seen but if anyone is curious, RTD explained in an interview that the reason that the Doctor's clothes regenerated was because he didn't want David Tennant dressed in what some would consider to be women's clothes, because he knew the tabloids would jump on that and broadcast it everywhere and didn't want to give them the time of day. He said he has a great respect for drag etc, and it has to be handled with dignity and respect (paraphrasing of course, go look it up, I think what he actually said was really well-spoken )
I agree with all this. In addition I also have some leniency for the idea at this specific point in the show's production. We have a returning show runner coming in just in time for big anniversary year. It makes sense that that he'd want to work with a one of his own Doctors so he can hit the ground running at full speed.
I do really hope he's different. Love your idea about theming it around you can't go back. I also need this to be anomalous. I think it will be. I'm not to familiar with the Celestial Toymaker, but I feel like he might have the power and definitely has the motivation to cause something like this. I don't usually speculate, but I feel like that's probably who NPH is.
"Wanky" is exactly the right word (and thank you for using it in the perfect context, deeply appreciated by us Brits! 😁)
At the moment, I can't help feeling like they did it purely to have their "Ha ha - PSYCHE, all you haterz!" moment. Which, okay, you got us, well done Russell and co., etc.... but if I'm honest, I'm getting a little tired of shows doing that whenever they get a huge amount of hate for badly-judged past creative decisions. If they ARE going to do something really creative and meaningful with this Tennant reboot, that adds some nuance and new slants to the Who lore, (but NOT in a Timeless Child way, please God, unless it's to somehow undo the worst parts of it!) that will be fantastic... and Russell T. Davies has a pretty good track record for being able to do that, so here's hoping. However, if it proves to be purely and very obviously a defensive move, to try and shame/charm the critics who railed hardest against the Chibnall era into getting back on board with the Who franchise, I'll be disappointed, because that feels unfair to Ncuti Gatwa - almost like they're saying to him "Nope, sorry bud, we need to have a cameo from a REALLY popular Doctor first, to trick people into accepting you."
If it wasn't for Catherine tate I'd think it was a time lord victorious thing 1. Having the master in your head could be a reason to turn dark 2. Being forced to regenerate could be a reason to turn dark 3.it would be a good contrast to 13 4.RTD is back and he never got to explore that much, but like I said Catherine tate wouldn't really fit in and I'm sure RTD has moved on but would've been cool I think
Like you, I felt that having a former actor back as the new Doctor would be self-referentialism of the worst kind, with the show just getting lost in navel-gazing and nostalgia for days gone by.
However, it makes a certain amount of sense to do it for the 60th Anniversary, because the anniversary specials always have been about looking back at the history of the show. If we're not getting a multi-Doctor special (which would be a shame because I always love seeing different incarnations interact - tell me you didn't love Seven rolling his eyes at Eight in 'Power of the Doctor'!), then having one of the iconic Doctors back for the specials is the next best thing and then we can start the next full series with the new Doctor.
Love Tennant, if I stand back..as a whovian of 40 years....Happy to see him back..yes a past glory but we simply wanted more Tennant.,,and now his doctor has a lot to chew on, bring it, am delighted.