David’s a truly worthy Doctor

9:43am Thursday 19th January 2006

If you had told me a couple of years ago that the flagship programme on Christmas Day might one day be Dr Who, I would have suggested that you seek specialist medical help immediately.

But building on the excellent series transmitted last year, the special festive episode introducing David Tennant as Doctor number ten was the undoubted success amongst what was a predominantly lacklustre batch of offerings this holiday.

In fact, it was the only programme that tempted the Baker family away from the delights of enjoying each others' company.

Once again that genius Russell T Davies has produced not only a great script and a great new Doctor, but just when you thought the story was over and the world saved, there was a judiciously crafted hefty sideswipe against those most un-Christmasey characteristics greed, selfishness and political expedience, that so depressingly regularly nudge humanity and honour out into second place.

A contemporary message every bit as powerful as that in Dickens's Christmas Carol.

To offer the viewers whirling dervish Christmas Trees and homicidal Santas without losing credibility is quite an achievement.

And I am glad to be able to confirm what I already knew that David Tennant would be an worthy recipient of the Tardis baton.

He's grabbed it with both hands and has already given us exciting glimpses of a Doctor that embodies the familiar Time Lord characteristics of passion for justice, loyalty and compassion, whilst promising a greater self awareness, vulnerability and humour than his immediate predecessor.

Tennant has also been blessed with not only considerable acting ability but compelling looks and an innate charm that will prove invaluable in retaining the viewers' interest when the series returns.

I continue to envy the production values and, in particular, the scripts that remarkably contrived to flesh out the familiar Doctor repels alien threat to humanity' storyline in original and witty ways.

And none but the bravest and best scriptwriter could get away with overt references to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Doctor aware of the connection to that programme that could be inferred by fighting alien invaders while wearing pyjamas!) or indeed allowing our hero to stop himself in mid-rant as he realises that he is quoting from the Lion King.

I have been astounded when die-hard fans have expressed to me a preference for the old series. Fortunately they are in a minority. It is hard to imagine how the series could be bettered. I look forward to its return.

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