But if you love this show, you probably lost your mind when news of David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s involvement in the 60th anniversary special reached you. I have liked every Doctor I have seen since this franchise returned in 2005. That includes Jodi Whitaker. I think Chris Chibnall misused her. A better writer would have squeezed a fantastic Doctor out of Whitaker.
Whitaker did a decent job; however, she pales in comparison to Ten. Eleven was incredible and the closest rival Tennant will ever have in my eyes because he had that strange mix of childlike whimsy and godlike fury you see in great characters. But even at Matt Smith’s best, Tennant was still the superior Doctor.
What can I say about Donna? If Tennant is my Doctor, Rose is my companion. My appreciation for Martha has grown over the years. I rewatched Tennant’s seasons a few months ago, and enjoyed her performance.
But she was a poor replacement for Rose. Donna, on the other hand, was perfection. Again, as the kids say, Rose is the ‘goat’, but Donna is a close second. Catherine Tate brought a refreshingly sassy attitude that I did not know I wanted, and her story had such a tragic end.
Donna, the human, was insufferable. She was every bit her mother’s daughter: loud, brash, vane, and vacuous. The Doctor touched Donna and eradicated her worst instincts, allowing the character to bloom. But then the meta-Crisis happened, and Donna lost everything: her memories of the Doctor and all their wonderful adventures through time and space.
She reverted to that annoying woman we met all those years ago. The Doctor moved on. I don’t think her absence wounded Tennant as deeply as Rose’s departure. But the resolution of the Meta-Crisis left its mark.
I believed Ten when he called Donna his best friend (I rarely do). Strangely enough, Donna seemingly disappeared from the Doctor Who landscape. We get allusions to Rose, Martha, and Clara (I refuse to acknowledge Bill. She was so bleh!) from time to time.
You got the sense that those companions were still out there, all except for Donna. And now she’s back. I still can’t believe it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that Tennant’s coming back. But his return was hardly a secret. If anything, I would have been shocked if he failed to make an appearance.
The bigger news is Tennant’s reunion with Donna. I think they tried to recreate that relationship with Capaldi’s Doctor and Clara. Like Martha, I have grown to appreciate Clara after rewatching her seasons. Like Donna, Clara challenged the Doctor at every turn. But Clara’s seasons were not as fun the first time around.
The 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who is expected to air in 2023. They have my attention. The only missing component is the ninth Doctor. Someone should find Ecclestone, grab him by the shoulders, and shake him until he sees some sense. Can you imagine Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Donna on the screen at the same time? I would die. Literally.
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