‘Doctor Who’ 50th anniversary special: David Tennant teases different ‘challenges’

In the long wait for both the “Doctor Who” 50th anniversary special and also the announcement as to who is going to play the 12th Doctor, there has been plenty of time to comb over everything from John Hurt’s mystery to character to whether or not Steven Moffat has tipped his hat as to the possibility of seeing a female Doctor.

But at the end of the day, there is one interesting aspect of the 50th special that has been by and large looked over by most: The idea of seeing David Tennant and Matt Smith together on the show, but with neither one of them serving as the sole Doctor. Given that this is currently Smith’s stint as the character, really it is not even Tennant’s time to be top billing.

It is for this reason that Tennant, who is now starring in “Broadchurch,” told SFX that he finds the gig this time around to be distinct, and hardly the same to the version of the Doctor that he has ultimately played many times over:

“The Doctor tends to lead every scene he is in and when you are sharing that out it becomes slightly different. You have a new relationship with that aspect of the character and that gives you fresh challenges to work on.”

Tennant and Smith will also have some other company in the special with John Hurt, who is playing the part of the mysterious “Doctor” who has shirked his duties that go with the name. He’s almost the un-Doctor, and we wish that this was a nickname that stuck with him. (But also, Doctor #0 seems to be the hipper of the two terms.)

In case you had not heard the glorious news, the 50th anniversary special will be simulcast around the world as a way to try and keep spoilers at bay. You can read more about that, and about some other “Doctor Who”-related topics, just by visiting the story over at the link here.

Photo: BBC One