This month the British sci-fi series Doctor Who celebrates its 45th anniversary. It’s bittersweet as news comes that David Tennant has decided to leave the show. The Doctor, the intrepid time traveler from Gallifrey has been played by 10 actors over the last four-and-a-half decades, but none have come to the role with as much gusto, charisma and sex appeal as David Tennant.

When I first heard he was going to be playing The Doctor, I was not too happy. I had seen him in ‘Casanova’ and thought he was a horrible choice for the role. However, only a few episodes into his reign as the Timelord and I quickly changed my mind. In fact I have become so enamored with Tennant and his interpretation that he has become my favorite Doctor, usurping old favorites Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee and William Hartnell.

While his version of The Doctor pays certain homage to those who have played the role before, something unique that is David’s alone is his sex appeal. There is a definite sexiness that he himself exudes and lends to the role, adding even more depth to the 900-year-old time traveler. Perhaps I also feel a kinship with Tennant as I’m only two years older than he and we both have many memories of watching Doctor Who while growing up. He is getting to live a boy’s fantasy of not only traveling through time and space with The Doctor, but to actually be The Doctor!

Many a gay boy may also have lost themselves in the fantastic and outrageous world of Doctor Who to escape the turmoil and pain of life as a gay boy in the late 70s and 80s. And now 20 years later we have a Doctor who we not only have a kinship with, but who on screen openly embraces everyone of every race and sexual orientation. Although the character of Captain Jack Harkness was introduced at the end of Tennant’s predecessor’s run as The Doctor, it was not until Tennant arrived on the scene that the gay/bi/omni-sexual character of Captain Jack came into his own, even spawning his own spin-off series, Torchwood.

Speaking of Captain Jack, his portrayer, John Barrowman, once said in an interview he had to find out whether or not Tennant lived up to his supposed nick name, David “Ten-inch!” Hmmm… I would love to know the answer to that too. One can only dream and fantasize of things, places and people too fantastic to believe in.