The 10 best David Tennant Doctor Who episodes, ranked

There’s nothing like Doctor Who. The sci-fi show about a face-changing alien who flies around the galaxy in a little blue box has thrilled audiences for six decades. One of the most recognizable names donning the Sonic Screwdriver during that period is David Tennant as the time-traveling Time Lord.

Having completed his four-year stint as the Tenth Doctor in 2010, Tennant is set to return as the Fourteenth Doctor in November 2023, with Catherine Tate’s beloved Donna Noble and Russell T Davies once again taking over the writer’s chair. But will be. Set to face Neil Patrick Harris as the Toymaker – a character who hasn’t appeared on the show since 1966 – it’s set to be an explosive and emotional reunion.

In the lead up to the three-part Doctor Who 60th anniversary and the return of David Tennant, we’re taking the opportunity to discuss the best episodes of the Tenth Doctor’s era and why they’re worth revisiting in time for the special. Allons-y!

10. Tooth and Claw (Season 2, Episode 2)

Whereas xmas attack Marks the first appearance of the Tenth Doctor, with him lying in bed for a long period of time. Then in her second appearance, she is possessed by the last human on New Earth – so, this encounter with a werewolf and Queen Victoria in 1879 Scotland is the perfect choice.

We all knew Tennant was a tremendous actor, having rocked the screen as Casanova (written by Davis) before getting this role, yet this tooth and claw That the actor really gets a chance to flex his muscles. If it’s not appreciating the beauty of the half-man, half-wolf, it’s ordering the queen’s guards “Why won’t bullets stop it.” There’s a lot to love here, and that still holds up today.

9. The Runaway Bride (2006 Christmas Special)

The 2006 Christmas special not only serves as the first meeting between Donna and the Doctor, but it also shows the Time Lord at his lowest, forced to say goodbye to former companion Rose Tyler moments earlier Was.

From the first minutes of Donna wandering around the TARDIS in her wedding dress to the chase down the A4232 with a robotic Santa, to the encounter with the terrifying Queen of Racnoss to the Doctor making ice, it’s got everything you need to know about the Doctor. Wanted from one episode. Who. And Tennant handles it all, going from emotional highs to lows at the drop of a hat.

8. Planet of the Ood (Season 4, Episode 3)

planet of otter Reinforces Donna’s true realization that the miracles of the universe are not always what they are believed to be. Exploring the planet Odd-Sphere in 4126, the pair seek to free its Odd inhabitants who are being sold as slaves. It’s an understated adventure with a serious tone that isn’t afraid to put capitalism in the spotlight.

Tennant and Tate have great chemistry here and also showcase some adrenaline-packed action – most notably, the scene where a giant crane chases the Tenth Doctor into a shipping warehouse, while Donna gets lots of OD. Is pushed into a container filled with.

7. Midnight (Season 4, Episode 10)

With no monsters in sight, the Doctor finds himself on a small, claustrophobic shuttle designed to visit a waterfall made of sapphires on the planet Midnight. Things get out of control when a leisurely journey comes to a halt and trust between the human passengers suddenly begins to break down.

We then get a masterclass performance from Tennant as he treats each passenger before slowly being possessed by some sort of hidden entity. It’s brilliantly written, and it’s even more impressive when you realize Davis wrote the script over the course of a weekend.

6 & 5. The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End (Season 4, Episodes 12 & 13)

If any story is a celebration of modern Doctor Who it’s the two-part finale of Season 4. Bringing back all the Tenth Doctor’s era companions to spectacularly battle the Daleks remains a highlight 15 years later.

Considering the outcome of these episodes – namely, Donna’s memory being erased – it’s fair to say that several plot threads will be integral to the upcoming anniversary special. It’s also worth it to see the David Tennant rain GIF in full swing.

4. The Day of the Doctor (50th Anniversary Special)

OK, so technically this isn’t David Tennant’s story as the 50th anniversary special is led by Matt Smith’s 11th incarnation of the Doctor, it’s still a wonderful experience to see the two share the same screen. Throw in John Hurt as the “War Doctor” and we get three amazing actors trying to outdo each other at every turn.

Tennant plays the “man who regrets it” philosophy incredibly well, which encompasses the bulk of the character’s tenure, proving that when called upon, the man can get the job done. .

3. Water of Mars (2009 Autumn Special)

what’s great about martian water How far does the Tenth Doctor need to be pushed before he breaks the laws of time? Arriving at humanity’s first colony on Mars in the year 2059, the Gallifreyans battle an intelligent virus known as the Flood that takes over the explorers’ bodies one by one, along with the destruction of the base. grapples with what becomes a fixed point in time.

It is terrifying, dark and very scary as water streams from the monster’s burst lips. Without a companion, this 2009 60 Minutes special shows the consequences of why the Doctor doesn’t travel alone more than other people.

2. and 1. The End of Times (2009 Christmas Special/2010 New Year Special)

Tennant’s swansong has it all: action, comedy, scares, twists, heartbreak and a showstopper performance from Scott. While desperately trying to escape death, the Doctor’s psychotic archenemy, the Master, returns to take over planet Earth with major consequences that push each other to the brink.

It’s a two-part spectacle, but at the center of it are the Tenth Doctor and Wilfred Mott (Donna’s grandfather is played by the wonderful Bernard Cribbins). The serious conversation between the old soldier and the 906-year-old Time Lord is what makes this episode so special. We can’t wait to see the two of them together on screen for the last time in their 60s.

The Doctor Who 2023 60th Anniversary Special Will air in the UK and Ireland in November 2023 before coming to Disney Plus in the US