Quite right, Chewy! Every incarnation that's been worth its salt has been by an actor who knew that being your own interpretation of the character was the way to go.....not copying previous ones.

Eccleston was instantly classic. He carved his own dark, brooding incarnation in mere episodes, and, gave us a Doctor we've never seen before. That's saying something, given that eight guys had preceeded him. He was, as is said... "Fantastic!"

Tennant didn't truly grab me until 'Tooth & Claw'. At that point, he truly came into his own, and you can tell that's when the actor realized how he wanted to play the 10th Doctor. I attribute at least half of that on the fact that the first two episodes (Christmas Invasion and New Earth) were extremely gay RTD wankfests.

Personally, The Girl in the Fireplace has become my number-two favorite Who episode of all time. It just hits me in all the right spots...