The Ninth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Christopher Eccleston during the first series of the show's revival in 2005. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey who travels in time and space in the TARDIS, frequently with companions. At the end of life, the Doctor regenerates; as a result, the physical appearance and personality of the Doctor changes. Eccleston's Doctor was a war-torn loner who disguises his trauma brought on by the Time War using a sense of humour and determination to protect the innocent. The production team's approach to the character and Eccleston's portrayal were highlighted as being intentionally different from his predecessors, with Eccleston portraying the character as being less eccentric.

To fit in with a 21st-century audience, the Doctor was given a primary companion, Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), who was designed to be just as independent and courageous as the Doctor. He also briefly travels with Adam Mitchell (Bruno Langley), a self-serving boy genius who acts as a foil to the companions but ultimately proves unworthy, and Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), a reformed con man from the 51st century. The Doctor, Rose and Jack form a close team but are separated in the series finale in which each character has to make difficult choices and face sacrifice.

In 2006, readers of Doctor Who Magazine voted Eccleston's Doctor the third most popular Doctor. Both mainstream press and science fiction reviewers generally credit Eccleston and his incarnation of the character as helping to re-establish the show following its hiatus between 1996 and 2005. The character's interactions with his arch-enemies, the Daleks, were particularly praised. Eccleston won several awards for his single series including the 2005 National Television Award for Best Actor.

Christopher Eccleston (/ˈɛkəlstən/; born 16 February 1964) is an English actor. A twice BAFTA Award nominee, he is best known for his television and film work, which includes his role as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who (2005), playing Matt Jamison in The Leftovers (2014–2017), and his collaborations with filmmakers Danny Boyle and Michael Winterbottom.

Eccleston trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and made his professional acting debut onstage in a Bristol Old Vic production of A Streetcar Named Desire. He garnered attention for his film roles as Derek Bentley in Let Him Have It (1991) and David Stevens in Shallow Grave (1994), and for his television performances in Cracker (1993–1994) and Hillsborough (1996). His BAFTA Award-nominated performance as Nicky Hutchinson in the BBC miniseries Our Friends in the North (1996) established him as a household name in the United Kingdom, and he followed the role with appearances in the films Jude (1996), A Price Above Rubies (1998), Elizabeth (1998), eXistenZ (1999), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), The Invisible Circus (2001), The Others (2001), 24 Hour Party People (2002), and 28 Days Later (2002), as well as television roles including the drama series Clocking Off (2000) and a second BAFTA Award-nominated performance as Stephen Baxter in the ITV drama series The Second Coming (2003).

Eccleston garnered widespread attention and acclaim for his role in the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, becoming the first to play the title character since 1996. He departed the role after just one series, for which he won a National Television Award and received nominations for a Broadcasting Press Guild Award and BAFTA Cymru Award. He has since appeared in the television series Heroes (2007), The Shadow Line (2011), Blackout (2012), Lucan (2013), The Leftovers (2014–2017), Safe House (2015), Fortitude (2015), and The A Word (2016–2020) and films such as G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Amelia (2009), Song for Marion (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Legend (2015). He won an International Emmy Award for his performance in an episode of the anthology series Accused. On stage, he has played the title roles in productions of Hamlet and Macbeth and starred in productions of Miss Julie, A Doll's House, and Antigone. Since 2017, he has narrated the documentary series Ambulance.

"Father's Day" is the eighth episode of the first series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on 14 May 2005 on BBC One. It was written by Paul Cornell and directed by Joe Ahearne. It was one of three Doctor Who episodes that year to be nominated for the 2006 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.[1]

In the episode, alien time traveller the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) agrees to take his companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) back to the day her father Pete (Shaun Dingwall) died in 1987. When Rose intervenes and pulls her father out of the path of a car, time is wounded and dangerous Reapers attack, threatening to erase history. Pete eventually realises that to get rid of the Reapers, he must throw himself under the car that was originally meant to kill him.

Lead writer and executive producer Russell T Davies conceived "Father's Day" as an emotionally driven time travel story to explore Rose's character. He chose Cornell to write the episode; Cornell had written spin-off material during the years the programme was on hiatus. The monster element of the story was expanded based on suggestions from Cornell and BBC Head of Drama Jane Tranter, and the Reapers went through many designs. The episode was filmed in November 2004 at St Paul's Church and streets in Cardiff. "Father's Day" was watched by 8.06 million viewers in the United Kingdom and received generally positive reviews. Critics praised the focus on character and emotion.

Plot

The Ninth Doctor takes Rose to the day her father Pete died so that he is not alone when he dies. Upon their arrival in London in 1987, they witness the accident, but Rose is unable to go to comfort Pete. Going back to try again, Rose suddenly runs out and pushes Pete aside, saving his life.

The younger versions of the Doctor and Rose vanish. The Doctor and Rose argue about her actions, with the Doctor rebuking Rose for potentially damaging the timeline. Rose decides to go with Pete to his friend's wedding, while the Doctor walks back to the TARDIS only to find that it is now an empty shell. Strange flying beasts called Reapers[N 1] appear and begin consuming people.

Rose and Pete drive to the wedding together, and the car that was meant to kill Pete appears and nearly collides with their car. A Reaper attacks the wedding guests, including Rose's mother Jackie and an infant Rose. The Doctor runs to the church and directs everyone inside, noting that the age of the church will protect them against the Reapers. The Doctor explains to Rose that "time has been damaged," and the Reapers have come to "sterilise the wound". Feeling that his TARDIS key is still warm, the Doctor sets it up in the middle of the church and the TARDIS slowly begins materialising around it.

Pete realises that Rose is his and Jackie's daughter, and when Rose is unable to answer questions about how good a father he was, Pete realises he was meant to die in the accident. Jackie thinks Rose is Pete's daughter with another woman. Pete hands the baby Rose to adult Rose in a fit of frustration, creating a paradox, and a Reaper is able to enter the church. The Doctor declares himself the oldest thing in the church and offers himself to the Reaper, which consumes him and disappears. The TARDIS key goes cold and drops to the ground.

Pete realises that he must die to restore the timeline. He runs in front of the car that was originally meant to kill him; it had continued to appear and disappear on the road just outside the church. After Pete is fatally injured, the timeline is repaired, and the Reapers' victims including the Doctor reappear. The Doctor sends Rose to be with Pete, and she holds his hand until he dies.