We recently finished up watching the 2006 season of Doctor Who. I walked into this season with a chip on my shoulder; Christopher Eccelston, the ninth Doctor, was in my mind the perfect Doctor and frankly I resented losing him after a single season. My first five minutes of "The Christmas Invasion" assured me that, whatever other mistakes the BBC was making, they weren't trying to replace Christopher with a clone. David Tennant was definitely not a rehash of the Ninth Doctor, but I wasn't sure that I like his incarnation.
After the final episode, I am man enough to admit: I was wrong. David Tennant is a damn fine Doctor. I honestly cannot choose between the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, and I'll cheerfully watch further seasons with him.
Highllights of this season:
- Some very nice uses of returning characters from the 2005 season.
- Episode 3, "School Reunion": the return of Sarah Jane Smith, one of the most beloved Companions of all time. Elisabeth Sladen reprises her role with a lot more grace, intelligence, and character than I remember her having in her time-hopping days. I always liked Sarah Jane (even if her first inclination was to scream), but both the character and the actress have clearly matured and grown. Mickey gets off one of the best shots against the Doctor: "Ho ho, mate! The missus and the ex. Welcome to every man's worst nightmare!"
- Bringing back the Cybermen...and how!
- Torchwood and the continuing tie-ins with the Bad Wold theme of Season 1.
- Revisiting Rose's Dad...again, yet different.
- Mickey finally comes into his own and discovers his center.
- Best line of the season in the finale: "It's like Stephen Hawking meets the Speaking Clock." Again, uttered by Mickey.
- Best exchange of the season, again in the finale: "Daleks have no concept of elegance!" "This is obvious."
- An ending that actually made me cry. I knew that Billie Piper was leaving the show, but they wrote Rose out with a bang.