i've sort of realised that while 10 is a really good character, he's not a good doctor. the problem with having a special interest in doctor who and a large part of that interest being in the 10th doctor is that for a while I was sort of immune to seeing his mistakes. because he is SUCH a good character, he's fun; he's entertaining; he has well written relationships with other characters, my brain confused that for him being a good doctor. the 10th doctor is selfish. he's also charming so you find yourself as the viewer looking past the selfishness, but in actual fact he regards himself higher than any other being in the universe. he's conceited!!
when you look even one regeneration later at 11, the change in attitude is there. he still has his temper tantrums, but the way he regards other life forms is so different. the most obvious example of this that comes to mind is 10's speech in the End of Time pt2 vs 11 in a Christmas Carol. 10's attitude towards other beings really shows through in the way he rants about Wilf being 'not remotely important' and talks about him (10) being able to do 'so much more'. he is saying that Wilf has no potential, that his life has less value. of course we, as the viewer, think that the doctor is more important than other life forms because of the people and the planets he saves but the doctor is meant to be a message to us that says 'no, one life isn't worth more than another, no matter what a person has done with it' and the 10th doctor does not hold this view. when the 11th doctor says he's never met someone that wasn't important before, it's clear that his attitude has changed.
"but 10 is always trying to sacrifice himself, all of the doctors do!" you know what that is? it's a manipulation tactic. it's a self defense technique the doctor has developed in order to get other people, "not important" people to sacrifice themselves instead. imagine you are in a situation where the world is ending and there is only one way to save it. one of you has to die and you both know it. you watch this man, this incredible being who looks just like one of you except he's lived for hundreds upon hundreds of years and he's saved countless civilisations and done so much good, you watch him insist that his final act will be to save your planet. and you have this moment of realisation. how many people will die if this man here sacrifices himself? how many more planets will burn? and so obviously you say no, no, you stupid ancient being, why would it be you? because he's amazing, and you're just some human. no planets saved, no civilisations still standing because of you. it's obvious who has to die. but of course this is what the doctor meant to happen. maybe he doesn't know he's doing it, but I think he does. and I think the fact that he thinks of himself as so much higher than everyone else is all just a way of distancing himself from the pain of sacrificing so many people. he thinks it's the only way he can cope with killing so many (sure he doesn't kill them directly, but he is the reason for their deaths), which is why I'm so glad of 12's "am I a good man" arc. it shows that while younger him forgets everyone who sacrifices themselves in his name, eventually he remembers. he gives them the respect they deserve and it really makes him think.
12 wasn't popular at the time because of people like me, people who didn't want to question the morality of their favourite funny, awesome, silly guy because he saves people, it's just what happens sometimes!! but oh my god I'm so glad he developed that way. don't get me wrong, I still love 10 and I always will, and David Tennant did such an incredible job portraying him, but I don't think he is always worthy of calling himself the doctor.
