View source for It's Doctor New On 'Doctor Who': 10th Actor Takes Title Role On Sci-Fi Series

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| publication = The Tampa Tribune
| file = 2006-09-29 Tampa Tribune.jpg
| px = 450
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| date = 2006-09-29
| author = Walt Belcher
| pages = 4-D
| language = English 
| type = 
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The cheeky British sci-fi series "Doctor Who" returns with new episodes and a new Doctor at 8 tonight on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Once again, Earth is about to be destroyed by some icky-looking aliens, and it's up to the eccentric Time Lord to save the day.

He gets help from his able and attractive "companion," Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), a simple shopgirl who is a novice to time and space travel.

David Tennant, who was Barty Crouch Jr. in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," is the 10th actor to have the title role.

"Doctor Who" is the longest-running sci-fi show on television, according to Guinness World Records.

Tennant has been in numerous British movies and TV series, including the mystery musical "Viva Blackpool," which aired on [[broadwcast:BBC America|BBC America]] last year.

He replaces Christopher Eccleston, who starred in a batch of episodes made in 2005 that aired this year on Sci-Fi.

Eccleston left the role after one season because he didn't want to be typecast, and he landed the lead role in a remake of the 1960s series "The Prisoner."

This second season of the new "Doctor Who" has already aired in Europe. American fans may be sad to learn that Piper also left the series after the season. Reportedly, producers are trying to get her back for a big-screen version that may be made in Hollywood.

Replacing actors on this series is easily explained: Doctor Who may look human, but he's actually an alien with two hearts who can "regenerate" himself.

In the debut episode tonight,,the Sycorax, the evil warrior aliens, plan to wipe out the planet, and Rose is confused by the new Doctor. By the second episode, Tennant's charm and droll humor emerge, making him one of the better Doctors.

The first "Doctor Who" debuted as a low-budget children's show 43 years ago. There have been 723 episodes. The show went out of production for 16 years before "regenerating" itself in 2005 with improved special effects.


Caption: Veteran British actor David Tennant will play the Time Lord on BBC America's second season of "Doctor Who." 
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