Well-known and acclaimed for his performance as the Tenth Doctor in the iconic British TV showDoctor Who,David Tennanthas made his mark on the entertainment industry with his exceptional acting skills and captivating performances. He left the show in 2010, and now in 2023,he is back for the 60th anniversary of the show. But apart from The Doctor, he has starred in many other exceptional television shows that have cemented his status as one of the most talented actors of his generation and even granted him anhonorary degreefrom the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as Honorary Doctor of Drama.
This article will discuss some of David Tennant’s most prominent television shows outsideDoctor Who. From crime dramas to historical biopics, he has immersed himself in various complex roles and characters in shows likeBroadchurch,Good Omens, andDes. If you’re a David Tennant fan or want to see great political dramas and crime miniseries at home, this list is for you.
10Inside Man (2022)
Inside Manis a miniseries from Netflix written by former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat. The show starts with the story of Jefferson Grieff (Stanley Tucci), a criminologist on death row in Texas, US, known to solve cases people bring him. Then, we go to England and learn the story of Janice, a math teacher going to her class with Harry, the vicar’s son, played by David Tennant. The vicar, Harry Watling, had helped a church verger by hiding some adult content that the verger had on a USB flash drive. During class, when the computer stops working and the son tries to help, they end up inserting the flash drive, and Janice sees something she was not supposed to. This story now unravels to unimaginable situations, escalating quickly throughout only four episodes.
Inspired by the dark humor in shows likeFargo,Inside Manexplores situations where an ordinary man finds himself in extraordinary situations. The plot may not be the best on this list,but it is bingeworthyand seeing an excellent cast in action is always a great watch.
9Camping (2018)
Campingis a comedy seriesproduced by Lena Dunhamand Jenni Konner based on a British series of the same name that aired in 2016. The story follows a group of friends who get together to celebrate the 45th birthday of Kathryn, played by Jennifer Garner. Kathryn is an overbearing and controlling person who has planned every aspect of the trip, including activities and meals. However, things quickly go awry as tensions between the friends rise, secrets are revealed, and Kathryn’s neuroses spiral out of control.
While the show focuses on the characters' interpersonal relationships, it also touches on deeper themes such as identity, ageing, and the complexities of modern relationships. David Tennant’s character, Kathryn’s husband Walt, is quiet and calm in contrast to his anxious wife. A nice role that differs a bit from the characters we usually see Tennant play.
8Des (2020)
Desis athree-part limited seriesfrom ITV in the UK and Sundance TV in the US. Based on the real-life crimes of the serial killer Dennis Nilsen (David Tennant), who murdered at least 12 young men in London in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The investigation follows the police and Nilsen’s eventual arrest and trial, diving into the motivations and events that led him to commit these horrific crimes.
David Tennant’s performance as Nilsen is a standout in the series, as he portrays the killer’s complex personality with depth. Des is a well-crafted and intense series that offers a disturbing and unsettling look at one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers, exploring the killer’s psychology, as well as its examination of the police investigation and legal proceedings, making it a compelling and thought-provoking show to watch.
7Spies of Warsaw (2013)
Spies of Warsawis a historical and political miniseries based on the novel by Alan Furst set in the years leading up to World War II. In the show, we follow Jean-Francois Mercier (David Tennant), a French spy stationed in Warsaw, Poland. As tensions rise between Germany and France, Mercier is tasked with gathering intelligence and thwarting Nazi plans to invade Poland. Even though the series was acclaimed for its costumes and historical accuracy, the slow-paced drama wasn’t a favorite to the audience.
One of the things this show does great is to use a very specific point of view from World War II since we already have somany movies and shows about this specific period in history. They fit dramatic events with the real ones, making a concise story, even if it’s too much information for the audience. In that matter, Tennant’s character serves as a human conductor between the political and the emotional and serves as a great lead for the viewer as we embark on the story with him.
6Casanova (2005)
This was David Tennant’s first project with Russell T Davies, showrunner of the first seasons ofDoctor Whoand who had the idea of casting him to play the Tenth Doctor. InCasanova, Tennant plays Giacomo Casanova, a famous adventurer and seducer in 18th-century Italy. This hilarious historical comedy focuses on relationships and emotional struggles with great scenery and costumes in the backdrop. A great role and show that got to explore see the charm and charisma that Tennant has on screen, standing out among his cast.
In the supporting cast, you may recognize Peter O’Toole as the older version of Casanova and Laura Fraser as his romantic interest, a familiar face to everyone who has watched Lydia Rodarte-Quayle inBreaking Bad(2008) orBetter Call Saul.
5Good Omens (2019)
From the novel written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett,Good Omensbecame a show in 2019 by Prime Video, with David Tennant and Michael Sheen playing the main characters, the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale, respectively. The story starts with Crowley delivering a baby that is supposed to become the Antichrist to be switched with another human baby. But then, alerting Aziraphale, they wait eleven years to stop this from happening, which would cause the comeback of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse and the end of the world.
This comedy talks about the classic and biblical battle of good and evil, where the main characters need to join forces in order to stop Hell and Heaven’s ineffable plan. In the supporting cast, Frances McDormand plays the voice of God, and Jon Hamm (Mad Men) plays Archangel Gabriel. A great option if you’re looking for something light, entertaining, and suitable for the entire family.
4The Escape Artist (2013)
The Escape Artistis a crime/drama miniseries about the life of a defense barrister in the Crown Courts, William Burton (David Tennant). His character is known for never losing a case and for being able to get criminals out of “tight legal corners”. After hosting the defense case for a brutal murder suspect Liam Foyle (Toby Kebbell), and getting him off on a technicality, he shows uncertainty on whether Foyle was guilty. And this single moment comes back to haunt him and his family back. Foyle becomes obsessed with Burton and begins to stalk him, causing Burton’s life and career to unravel.
This know knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. The suspense and plot walk together as you face the morality of Burton’s actions while he uses all the legal corners he knows to protect himself and those he cares about. This is a total must-watch for fans ofcourtroom dramasand suspenseful thrillers, with a great script and top-notch acting.
3The Politician’s Husband (2013)
The Politician’s Husbandis another excellent political drama where David Tennant plays one of the main characters. Alongside Emily Watson, they play the couple Aiden Hoynes and Freya Gardner. Aiden resigns from his front bench ministry, stating that he wants to take a stand against the Prime Minister’s position on immigration when he is trying to start a campaign for the Party leadership position. But he did not count that his wife would be offered to take his old job, provided she spoke in favor of the Prime Minister and against Aiden.
Tired of being in Aiden’s shadow, we see a series of political and personal conflicts spiral between the couple as they navigate through ambition, love, and betrayal. One tries to return to the political arena as the other seeks independence and growth, stepping on the partner’s career. The characters were roughly based on two British ministers who were also married, but the story is mostly fictional. Really a great show and a lot of character-driven drama.
2Jessica Jones (2015)
One of Marvel’s Netflix originals released in 2015, now available at Disney+, Marvel’sJessica Jonestells the story of the part-time private investigator and part-time superhero Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter). She suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after being controlled by Kilgrave, played by David Tennant, who has the ability to control people’s minds with his words. The villain, alsoknown as Purple Man, was greatly adapted and is one of Tennant’s most terrifying roles, bringing an unsettling and chilling vibe to the character.
As Jones tries to rebuild her life and career, Kilgrave returns and begins to target her again, setting off a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Bringing themes such as assault and abuse, the show does a great job as Jessica tries to do her investigative work that leads back to Kilgrave and uses not just her powers to fight him back. In this show, we see the beginning of her relationship with Luke Cage (Mike Colter) since they’re a well-known couple in the comics and even more characters from the Jessica Jones universe.
1Broadchurch (2013)
The vastly awarded and popular showBroadchurchis a thriller and crime drama from Chris Chibnall, who later became showrunner of Doctor Who in 2018. Broadchurch tells the investigative story of the murder of an 11 years old boy, Danny Latimer, in a small seaside town in England’s countryside. An exciting whodunit since the community that forms this town is small, and everyone seems to know one another. Tennant’s character, D.I. Alec Hardy, is a grumpy detective from a bigger city who has just had a big setback in his career with an unsolved case and who had been assigned to work in Broadchurch, taking away the job that was supposed to be for Detective Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman).
The plot is beautifully crafted to make you suspect everyone and everything. One of the actors that deserve recognition on his show is Jodie Whittaker, who plays the mother of Danny Latimer and shows a range of emotions that are very real and touching. Tennant and Colman’s chemistry on screen is also the soul of the show, which was intended to have only one season, but after the big success and approval, got extended for two more seasons and even had a remake on the UScalledGracepoint. In the remake, Anna Gunn plays Detective Miller, and Tennant plays Detective Emmett Carver.
