Saturday, November 8, 2008

Good-bye my dear Doctor

David Tennant was the tenth Doctor on the British television show Doctor Who. The show is the longest running television show ever, with the immortal character of the Doctor. He lives forever by regenerating into a new incarnation with each death. The Doctor is a modern (alien) phoenix. Instead of rising from ashes and flame, he uses cosmic energy to regenerate. The tenth doctor (the doctor for the last three series) has announced that he is leaving the show, leaving a gap for the eleventh doctor. http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/misc/news

Now while Doctor Who is often considered Sci-fi, the tenth doctor has also delved into the land of fantasy and myth. In his second episode as the Doctor ("Tooth and Claw"), he and his companion encounter werewolves in the Victorian age. In "The Impossible Planet and Satan Pit," the origins of the Devil mythos are explained and expanded. During his second season in "Shakespeare's Code," witches are explained with a scientific twist using Shakespeare's never written (or lost) play, "Love's Labors Won." In the third year of this Doctor, Agatha Christy's work is brought into play in "Unicorn and the Wasp."

The tenth Doctor also referenced Harry Potter, stating once that he cried while reading the seventh book (this was before the seventh book was out). He takes myth seriously and often finds in his time travels that it is mixed with truth. All three of his companions have viewed the world as we would see it. They marveled at myth made factual through history and science.

The Tenth Doctor was lighthearted and entertaining. He was my favorite doctor, and will be my true Doctor (as the fifth Doctor was David Tennant's, as he stated in the episode "Time Crash"). He will be missed, but hopefully the eleventh Doctor will live up to the title, and bring something new to the table.

Forever a Who fan,
J.R West The Raccoon

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a lovely post. I'm very sad that we will soon be losing the 10th Doctor! "Doctor Who" was a show that people had been telling me for years that I would love, but being an American without cable, it wasn't until last year that I was properly introduced to this wonderful series. I didn't grow up with the idea that it's just "part of the series" to switch Doctors, so I fear I'm going to take this change rather hard!

Anonymous said...

I've become a true who fan, and I loved the 10th doctor. This post was lovely. How will doctor who ever be great again, now the best doctor ever has regenerated. i feel like i've lost a friend. 10th Doctor, we will never forget you. In the words of the ood, his song may be over, but his story will never end.