David Tennant is an exceptionally talented and versatile actor. The youngest person ever to audition for and actually win a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he has been studying theatre and film acting from the age of 16. Considered a national treasure of Scotland, his artistic range spans from leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Time Lord known as The Doctor in the famous BBC series.
His recent roles in the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens and Netflix’s Jessica Jones brought him even more prominence. Without further ado, let us explore his 10 best works according to IMDb (excluding documentaries, cameo/very short appearances, and reality TV).
10 Recovery (2007 TV Movie) - 8.1
For a TV movie, this film was remarkably well-received by critics. It was even called the best thing Tennant had ever done (up to that point) by some. Tennant stars as Alan Hamilton, a happy family man and head of a building company.
When he is run over by a car and falls into a coma his family is worried that he may never wake up, only to realize that when he wakes, he is not the man he used to be. Through persistence, love, and memories his wife Tricia tries to remind the man she loves of who he was. Tragic, but ultimately optimistic, this film was a great addition to Tennant’s career.
9 How To Train Your Dragon (2010 Animated Feature Film) - 8.1
This touching and beautifully animated film was loved by children & adults alike around the world. It tells the story of a small Viking village, and especially of protagonist Hiccup. Berk is often attacked by dragons that steal livestock, burn houses, and leave mayhem in their passage. Hiccup feels like an outsider because he is not big and strong like other Vikings.
He wants to kill a dragon and prove his worth, but his mind changes when he discovers and helps an injured dragon that he names Toothless. Tennant had a small role here as Spitelout Jorgenson, one of Berk’s council members and soldiers and the father of Hiccup’s (eventual) friend, Snotlout.
8 Good Omens (2019 Mini-Series) - 8.1
This Amazon Original was eagerly expected and warmly welcomed by fans of the book, of Gaiman and Pratchett, and of course of Tennant and Michael Sheen. They star as demon/Serpent of Eden Crowley and angel Aziraphale, friends and representatives of Hell and Heaven on earth that want to prevent Armageddon because they care about humanity.
The show involves them trying to locate the Antichrist that was “misplaced” 11 years ago (partially Crowley’s fault) and stopping him from setting off the end of times. The two protagonists were praised for their superior acting and chemistry.
7 DuckTales (2017 – 2020 Ongoing Animated Series) - 8.2
In the revival of this beloved animated classic by Matt Youngberg and Francisco Angones, Tennant lends his voice to the well-known greedy and filthy rich, but still endearing character of Scrooge McDuck. After having been estranged for 10 years, Donald Duck and his uncle Scrooge reunite when the former requests that Scrooge babysit his great-nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
Initially, they are supposed to only spend the day together but this reunion sparks Scrooge’s previously lost desire for adventure, so he invites the four to move in with him and they embark on many adventures together, while discovering things about themselves along the way.
6 Royal Shakespeare Company: Hamlet (2009 TV Movie) - 8.2
The RSC has a “tendency” to film their theater productions and then sell them on DVD, but for this one they actually adapted their 2008 stage production of Hamlet into a film. The celebrated Shakespearean director and esteemed member of RSC Gregory Doran directed both the stage production and this film.
Shakespeare's tragedy (adapted with modern-day set and costumes) stars David Tennant as Prince Hamlet in one of his best and most praised performances, with Patrick Stewart (famous as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men) as both Hamlet’s uncle King Claudius and the ghost of Hamlet’s father.
5 Royal Shakespeare Company: Richard II (2013 Filmed Stage Production/TV Movie) - 8.3
Alright, this is actually a filmed stage production but it was released on DVD and broadcasted live in cinemas, so it counts. If you love Shakespeare you should definitely watch it; Richard II is a difficult play (the histories tend to be) written only in verse with significant lengths of rhyming couplets and this version has a 3-hour duration.
But it is a strong and touching political drama that will get you thinking about the fleeting nature of power and about experiencing arrogance and weakness in the face of great responsibility. Tennant was highly praised for his performance as the titular King and Gregory Doran’s direction is once again exquisite.
4 Broadchurch (2013–2017 Series) - 8.4
This show is, first and foremost, bleak. It is characterized as a drama, but tragedy probably is the best descriptor. This British crime series reached high viewership and achieved critical acclaim, but unfortunately lasted for only three seasons (it was remade in the USA as Gracepoint, again with Tennant leading).
Its title refers to the fictional English town where it’s set. Tennant stars as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, a man who moves to Broadchurch tasked with finding the murderer of 11-year-old Danny Latimer, whose death has shocked the community to its core and exposed secrets that had remained hidden for years; during all this, Alec has to face the ghosts of his own life and the hostility of the locals.
3 Much Ado About Nothing (2011 Filmed Stage Production/TV Movie) - 8.5
Again, a filmed stage production, but David Tennant is so damn good for Shakespeare. He stars with Catherine Tate (another brilliant British actress and comedy gold) in this comedy as Benedick and Beatrice respectively and the setting is transported to 1980s’ Gibraltar. Benedick and Beatrice feel an adamant mutual scorn, while their friends Claudio and Hero are deeply in love.
Tired of the negative energy that the main duo brings out in each other, the other characters trick them into falling in love. Tennant was mostly praised for his performance as it was full of humor, sexiness, and an underscoring kindness.
2 Doctor Who (2005 – 2020 Ongoing Series) - 8.6
Tennant portrays the 10th Doctor, and the 2nd one after the show’s 2005 revival (interestingly, he is married to Georgia Moffett, the daughter of one of the old Doctors). The number of spin-offs, specials, and documentaries this show has spawned is just unprecedented.
This celebrated BBC sci-fi series follows The Doctor (an alien and the last of a race known as Time Lords) and his companions as they travel with the Tardis (a police booth time machine) through space and time to embark on numerous adventures.
1 Takin’ Over The Asylum (1994 Mini Series) - 8.7
OK, so if you have not lived in the UK and/or were born after the late 90s you have probably not heard of this show, but if you can find it anywhere it is worth your time. This show was a true pioneer of its time when it comes to addressing mental health and the toxic approaches that surround it.
Set in an imaginary Glasgow psychiatric hospital called St Jude's Asylum, the show focuses on the radio station that alcoholic patient and aspiring DJ Eddie McKenna (Ken Stott) sets up. Along the way he develops intriguing relationships with other patients and contributors to the station, the most prominent one being with Campbell (David Tennant) – a young, passionate member of the station’s team who has bi-polar disorder.
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