The countdown to the final days of David Tennant as the tenth Doctor Who have begun, and I couldn’t be sadder.

I remember when the announcement that Tom Baker was leaving Dr. Who in 1981 started circulating, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing the character.  He was my favorite Doctor and I just didn’t want to think about anyone else in the role, ever.

After I suffered through the Doctors that followed, and then the years with no show at all, I was greeted with the introduction of Christopher Eccleston as a very different Doctor, and I loved him!

… then he left after a year.

Then came David Tennant, and I just wasn’t sure how he would be in the role.

I can easily say my sadness over Tom Baker moving on is nothing compared to the sadness I am feeling over David Tennant leaving the role.

Mr. Tennant has brought a depth to the character that I don’t think anyone even imagined this character could ever exhibit.  Remember, this was originally envisioned in the 1960’s as a kids show to teach them about history, but it left that behind a long time ago.  Mr. Tennant has brought a mixture of excitable wonderment and dark brooding to the role that portrayed a man that is the last of his kind.  He has completely changed the perceptions of this character forever, and I can’t imagine the pressure Matt Smith, the eleventh Doctor, is feeling as he films his first episodes.

I’ll give Matt Smith a fair shake as the newest incarnation of this character, but he will have a long way to go to fill David Tennant’s Converse sneakers.

Make sure to check out the BBC site that is counting down to the end of David Tennant, and also don’t forget to voice your opinion on the best Dr. Who.  BBC America will be airing the ending episodes also this month for those of us here in the United States.