David Tennant opens up about stepping back into the TARDIS ahead of next year's 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. The 51-year-old will be reclaiming his role as the Time Lord in his Fourteenth incarnation after Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor surprisingly regenerated into him; Tennant previously played the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2010. Russell T Davies will also be making his return, entering his second stint as showrunner after reviving Doctor Who in 2005. His era will begin with three special episodes starting in November 2023, plus a Christmas special which will introduce Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. Doctor Who season 14 will then debut in 2024.
In an interview with AP News promoting his upcoming series Litvinenko, Tennant had some time to reflect on his latest Doctor Who return. He previously returned to the role in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode, "The Day of the Doctor," where he played alongside Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor and John Hurt's War Doctor. His full quote can be read below:
“There’s a slight precedent for that, old doctors showing up for five minutes here and there. But to get a proper old run around in the Converse again was more than I ever dared imagine. So, it was a treat from start to finish."
What's In Store For The Fourteenth Doctor?
In his quote, Tennant makes the distinction between making a special appearance, and getting a "proper old run around" as the Doctor once again. Previous Doctor Who actors reprising their roles is something the show has done for decades, beginning with Doctor Who season 10, episode 1, "The Three Doctors", all the way back in 1972. The most recent episode, "The Power of the Doctor," saw the return of six previous incarnations, including Tennant. Usually, the returning actor is given a main role, but the focus of the episode will remain on the current Doctor. This is where Tennant's upcoming story will deviate from previous instances of a returning Doctor.
Tennant's unprecedented casting as the Fourteenth Doctor fulfills the Curator's claim in the show's 50th anniversary that the Doctor will eventually revisit some past faces. With three full episodes to look forward to, it seems Tennant is receiving a true reprisal and not just another "five minutes." It marks the first time that an actor has played more than one incarnation of the Doctor. He doesn't mask his delight at having been given one more go as the incumbent Doctor, and many will be as overjoyed as he is; they have already been speculating about what the 60th anniversary might entail, despite the BBC revealing very little.
Some believe that the Tenth Doctor's famous last words, "I don't want to go," may lend some insight as to how the Fourteenth Doctor's journey will go. This incarnation is a lot older and a lot wiser than the Tenth Doctor, who was still reeling from the Time War. The 60th anniversary may see the Fourteenth Doctor undergo an examination of his identity; the teaser trailer sees him lament, "I don't know who I am anymore." Across the three episodes, the Doctor's character could develop until he reaches a point where he understands and comes to terms with who he is, and will thus be "ready to go." Whatever happens, viewers can rest assured that Tennant's return will be unlike any other in Doctor Who's history.
Doctor Who will return in November 2023.
Source: AP News