This Is A Small Clip From The New Audio Adventure Death And The Queen Starring David Tennant As The Tenth

This is a small clip from the new audio adventure Death and The Queen starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as Donna Noble courtesy of Big Finish Productions. I just pre-ordered my copy for all three audio adventures on CD starring the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble last night, and I can’t wait to listen to them in full. But this small clip between Donna and the Doctor almost made me cry, though. 

-tennydr10confidential aka Katie

“Right then. Thanks, you two. I can handle this. See you later.”

I’ve thought a lot about what was the moment where it all went wrong for the Doctor in the Turn Left universe, and I think it’s right here. We know he has to make his way to HC Clements and the Torchwood base below it, and to do that Lance and his unfortunate bride would have to come with him this far.

But then the Doctor says this. He still thinks he’s better off without taking on a new companion and he’s projecting an air of absolute confidence and ease. And considering we know most of what whoever took Donna’s place would have been through, is it any stretch of the imagination that she would take his word for it?

Most people would head for the hills at this point. Nearly dying, attacked at their own reception, the company they work for revealed to be harboring shady secrets? Maybe they might even leave to phone the police. It takes a special kind of person to say, “No chance, Martian. You’re the man who keeps saving my life. I ain’t letting you out of my sight” and get right on the lift with him to unknown danger.

It takes Donna Noble.

A lot of people tend to describe Turn Left as a “what if the Doctor died story” and they entirely miss the point. It’s a “what if Donna never met the Doctor” story. Because Donna was the crucial element that, if missing, sent the whole thing crashing down. No other substitute would do. The Doctor needed someone as loud and strong-willed and stubborn as he was, who both could see through his lies and could reach him at even the worst of his downward spiral, and who needed healing of her own. Only one person could save him in so many ways, and that was her.

This kind of story had to be done with Donna. To me, Turn Left is far more a showcase of her ability than Journey’s End. Because she saved the Doctor on her own just by being herself, and in turn ensured the survival of countless others. One seemingly inconsequential, coincidental human was all that stood between the Earth and total ruination. One simple act of kindness.

And I absolutely think the Doctor knows it.

Donna Noble, and the plucky young man who helps her out.

Stranger, approaching Donna at a bar: Did it hurt?

Donna, internally rolling her eyes: Did what hurt?

Stranger: Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?

Ten, sliding up to Donna and wrapping an arm around her waist: No it didn't because I was there to catch her

Okay I posted about this on my tumblr but it’s never gonna gain traction bc I rb like there’s no tomorrow.

Hear me out: Ten accidentally kinda sorta confesses his love for Donna, and she’s like lol that’s so embarrassing but I’ll go out with you as a pity date hahahaha unless…?

And ten is like ur taking that out of context and not being fair but I’ll take u out for that date just to prove how not into you I am hahaha unless…?

And they go out for that date but it’s them so they are interrupted by some disaster and she’s like “well you owe me a not-date that is normal and not catastrophic” and he’s like “well obviously lol we need a do-over”

And mutually they like “yeah a DO-OVER definitely not a second date, obviously.” On and on repeating.

Then it starts getting a little awkward with the couple denials bc like “NO NO DEFINITELY NOT. but yeah we have been going out yk from time to time and drinking champagne on the beach under the stars but like. As a joke.”

And they’re both super bothered that people give them the “yeah sure keep telling yrself that” look and they are in huff about it because people are being so superior abt it. 

They love an inside joke so they are like “well if everybody else thinks they’re so smart thinking they’re a couple, maybe we should present ourselves as a couple and it can be our private joke that were secretly completely platonic.”

Then later on one of them is like “lol we should get married” and the other is like “lol that’s the stupidest thing ever” and they bicker about it out of obligation but internally they are mutually like “YES I will agree to this after we’re done fighting bc there is no one else in the universe I would rather be married to. But obviously not bc Im IN love with u… just like it could be funny, and we can get free couple’s stuff and tax benefits.”

THEN like either before or after their marriage of contrivance the bit can be when one of them slips up and acts couple-y without an audience the other teasing mercilessly… and yk… sometimes the best way to tease them is to act all couple-y right back, because why do they get so flustered?? Bc we’re totally platonic lol what’s wrong babe. 

Really long head cannon but I just need to figure out how to execute their relationship in way they could be canon together but keep that tension intact without typical romantic drama that I hate lol.