NuWho Review: 2005 Children in Need “Born Again”

By: Russell T. Davies

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet watched this special, please go and do so before proceeding.

            So Christopher Eccleston’s 9^th Doctor absorbed all the energy of the Time Vortex, sacrificing himself for the sake of his companion, Rose Tyler. He then regenerated leaving us with a grinning Scottish bloke named David Tennant (although he doesn't use his native accent for the role).

      It takes the poor Time Lord a moment to regain his bearings (he was rather distracted by a brand new set of teeth) but he’s soon gobbing on about Barcelona - the planet, not the city - where they have dogs with no noses. After setting his beloved TARDIS en route to Barcelona, he then proceeds to examine his new form.

            “Now then…what do I look like? No, no no, no no no. No. Don’t tell me. Let’s see…two legs, two arm, two hands – slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle. Hair! I’m not bald! Oh, oh! Big hair! And sideburns, I’ve got sideburns! Or really bad skin…

 

            Little bit thinner, that’s weird. Give me time, I’ll get used to it. OH! I…have got…a mole! I can feel it – between my shoulder blades, there’s a mole. That’s all right. Love the mole. Go on then, tell me. What do you think?”

           This entire speech is an opportunity for Tennant to show off his impeccable comedic timing and he grabs it with both hands. The scene makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it and you’d be hard-pressed not to at least crack a smile. His exuberance and excitement over finding the mole is so cute and hilarious that it will make you fall in love with this new doctor in no time at all.

           It takes Rose a bit longer to warm up to him, however, and this is where it becomes obvious why Tennant was chosen for the part. After Rose goes through accusing him of being a Slitheen (Seriously, Rose? He's far too skinny for that!) and he's forced to recall that night in Henrik's where he saved her from the shop dummies to convince her that he is indeed The Doctor. 

           Rose asks him if he can change back to which he replies no. His emotions go from deadly serious (the Slitheen) to joyous grin (Rose calling him 'Doctor?') to sad realisation (when she wants him to turn back) to rejection and resignation (when he resets the coordinates for the Powell Estate in order to return her home). It is just a shame that so many of the writers for his first season seem to think he should bellow out bratty five-year-old lines like a pained buffalo because that's not who this Doctor should be. Tennant does his best with those scripts, but it is here with the subtle humour and meaty emotions that he truly excels.
          

            It's great when he's trying to cheer Rose up by recalling the adventure where they had to hop for their lives and his joke about Jackie's cooking got a chuckle from me (as did his joy at coaxing a smile from Rose) Unfortunately, the tentative peace was not to last as The Doctor seems to suffer some sort of seizure and breaths out a cloud of Artron energy. He realises that the regeneration is going rather wrong and starts accelerating the TARDIS so that he can get Rose home before he collapses. The last we see of him is The Doctor driving like a maniac and spluttering something about ripping through the Time Vortex as Rose desperately clings to the console. Remember this - it will be important for The Christmas Invasion.

        

           Over all, Born Again is a nice bit of fun that provides a bridge between the ending of Series 1 and the Christmas Special. Not entirely vital for the casual viewer (although it will make The Doctor's incapacitation during The Christmas Invasion make more sense) but certainly worth a watch!

        

What did you think? Who is your favourite version of The Doctor? There are eleven (soon to be twelve or potentially thirteen) correct answers to that question.