David Tennant is celebrating his 52nd year today and Doctor Who has decided to honor him by sharing a new image from the upcoming 60th anniversary special.
When he isn’t grappling with Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor for the number one spot, Tennant is usually recognized in the fandom as the most beloved incarnation of the titular character. Now, after his last appearance in 2013’s “The Day of the Doctor,” the Scottish thespian is picking up the TARDIS keys and the sonic screwdriver to bring back the 10th Doctor for one last time.
Of course, going by the show’s own moniker, David Tennant’s return will mark the fourteenth incarnation, with Ncuti Gatwa coming in after him as the Fifteenth Doctor. We still don’t know how this reprisal came to be, or what in-universe justification Russell T. Davies has cooked up for us, but we do know for certain that November can’t come soon enough.
Not convinced? Perhaps this new image of the 60th anniversary will take you back to the good old days and remind you of why you fell head over heels in love with Tennant.
David Tennant first appeared in Doctor Who through the 2005 special, “The Christmas Invasion,” and went on to portray the role for another five years. His final appearance as the main lead was in 2010’s “The End of Time,” where the 10th Doctor finally regenerated into Matt Smith’s 11th.
That’s why the 60th-anniversary special is a monumental milestone for the long-running British sci-fi show. Not only is the show bringing back two beloved alumni in the form of David Tennant and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), Russell T. Davies has contracted Neil Patrick Harris for the story’s main enigmatic villain. And, of course, there’s the general gravitas and epicness that comes with Doctor Who anniversaries every few years.
At any rate, we join the rest of our fellow Whovians in wishing Tennant a continued and successful incarnation in this life.