The series finale of Doctor Who was a smashing success for the BBC where an estimated 47% of the viewing TV audience settled into their couches to watch the show, or just over 9 million viewers.
The success of the finale could be partially due to the show’s star, David Tennant.
I’ve been following the rumors and noise about David Tennant and what the plans are for his version of The Doctor, but it seems the rumors are being put to rest. At least as best they can.
This has been sparking all kinds of speculation as to what David Tennant’s plans were in regards to the the Doctor Who franchise since he’s going to the stage to play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
TiVO / DVR / U.S. SPOILERS AFTER THE BREAK
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In addition to the stage role, the other factor that fueled the rumors of Tennant’s possible departure was The Doctor being shot by a Dalek at the end of the next to last episode and it appeared he was starting to regenerate. Regeneration is one of his abilities, and the infamous process that contributes to the switching of actors if need be.
Rather than regenerate, he cloned a half human version of himself who will live out the rest of his natural mortal life with one of his past companions, Rose Tyler… lucky dog.
The Doctor also parted ways with his current companion, Donna, after wiping her mind of memories of being with him on his adventures.
Whew! For one, I really like David Tennant in the role of The Doctor and I would have been disappointed to see him deinitively leave the role.
The news is that Tennant will be in the Christmas special this year and another three specials next year, but (Here we go again) he has not been confirmed for the fifth series when it starts back up again in 2010.
Reportedly, the show is taking a bit of a break so Tennant can go play Hamlet.
For those of us in the U.S., the full 65 minute episode of the finale can be found at BBC’s iPlayer site, but it will only be there until July 18th. (Thanks to Belly for letting us know) At press time, the link to the BBC iPlayer keeps spitting up the message “This doesn’t seem to be working. Try again later.” I’m so totally trying to get around my Sci-Fi Channel feed!
Sources: BBC News, Google UK Press, image courtesy of BBC iPlayer screen shot.
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21 Comments
Sounds like their going to stay with Tennant that’s great news. I don’t need another Doctor for awhile.
Hurry up with the Season 4 dvds !!!!!
And let’s get a Doctor Who movie going before I die allready. !!!!
Jup, they (BBC) say so:
“In 2009 Doctor Who will return with three specials starring David Tennant, with Head Writer, Russell T Davies.”
Can’t they just make up an contract for about … let’s say … ten years or so?
You can’t access the iPlayer outside of the UK.
That’s a bugger.
The episode is up on you tube.
Over at Wired News (http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/07/regenerating-do.html) states that: “A news report from Tennant’s home country of Scotland lists about a million reasons why Tennant may wish to stay with the BBC show — or, more accurately, £1.3 million reasons. That’s the supposed salary the BBC is offering Tennant to remain as The Doctor through 2010 and perhaps beyond. That’s about $2.6 million a year in the Unitied States, give or take the day’s exchange rate.”
So, in my opinion, he’ll at least stay for the fifth series, if not one more beyond that. And didn’t Tom Baker do like seven seasons? With that in mind, Tennant isn’t going anywhere soon.
THE LAST EPISODE OF DR WHO WAS FANTASTIC AND CAN RIVAL SHOWS MADE IN THE USA…DAVROS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TERRIFYING AND I THINK THE EMPORER IN STAR WARS WAS NICKED FROM HIM!!!
Reckon Tennant will stay a while longer. He’s onto a really good thing.
They’re slowing it down for him, and I think the show, which is probably for the best, then back in 2010 properly with Moffat. Think that will be very interesting.
Think of the break as a very, very good thing. Why? Because it’ll give Moffat & Co. plenty of time to write a quality season of the likes we have never seen! So let’s hope they’ll use the break wisely.
Die Davaros die!
^
IMO//
Doctor Who has the best intro and theme song of ALL time.
Red Dwarf also has a great theme. (Love the Elvis version)
And I’ve recently heard that the UK has a different and BETTER theme for BSG !!!! Wtf???
On BSG we have this melodious voice warbling away, almost prayer like, and goes along for a bit with the names coming up, and then the music kicks off and goes a beat African drums and you see snippets of the episode you’re about to watch.
Is that different and if so, what do you lot get?
Oh, and Doctor Who’s theme tune is famous here. Even most non fans would know it.
I’m not sure what the BSG theme sounds like but I have friends over in Britian that say its different than the US version.
The us version also has the warbaling voice, hmm I’ll have to listen again.
Since I’m watching the series on dvd right now I FF thru the credits.
Doctor Who theme rules! And so does that blue wormhole.!
Thanks. Yours is one of the few American sites that give the Doctor his due. Its truly a phenomenal show thanks in large part to David Tennant. They better chain this guy down. He’s oozes magnetism. Who in their right mind would want him to leave? He’s the best Doctor ever! No disrespect to Tom Baker or Eccleston
Yeah I agree David Tennant is the best Doctor. I hope he plays it for a few more seasons at least!
Flying Daleks speaking German did it for me. Now there’s something you don’t see every day.
Check out Orbital’s version of the theme.
Oooo Orbital
Where do I find that track. Is on one of their albums???
Yeah, it’s on The Altogether from 2001. There’s some great footage of them doing it live on Youtube, or you can hear the untouched original, and some genius has even cut it to the actual Dr Who title sequence. And it bloody works! When they revived the show I’d really hoped the BBC would use it, or at least go back to the original, which still sounds like nothing on earth now. Instead they went for a kind of semi-orchestral thing, which is okay, but those strings actually dominate the tune and turn it into something else for me.
It’s funny that the Orbital guys admitted that when they came to do their version, with all their shedloads of equipment they still couldn’t recreate what Delia Derbyshire did in one room with a few tape loops in the early ’60s!
That’s right, sheesh I think I have that track.
Yeah (imo) this new series Opening theme nails every nuance of the textured synths. The Tom Baker years theme was also very good.
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