The Doctor of the Davies era was riddled by guilt. First Eccleston's Ninth was brooding over his actions in the Time War. How does a man who is essentially omnipotent and immortal come to terms with having committed multiple genocides to save the rest of the Universe? It's heady stuff, and it explains the weird distance between Eccleston and Billie Piper's Rose. But when the Doctor regenerates, the new Doctor, portrayed by David Tennant, while bearing the burden of his past, is much more focused on the people now closest to him.
This leads to a period where the show was just chock full of romantic angst as Rose and the Doctor swoon over each other, and Martha swoons over the Doctor who is still swooning for a lost Rose... it's a bit soap opera-y, and a lot of people probably liked that. The farewell tour Ten takes before regenerating at the end of the two part "End of Time" is evidence of how important the Doctor's relationships with his companions were to Davies. More than once Ten commented openly about how he actually needed a companion, and it was a major plot point in the Waters of Mars special.
Then came the time for Ten to finally regenerate into the Eleventh doctor, and with that change, the show runner behind the camera changed as well. But the man to take over the creative reigns was not new to the show. In fact, Steven Moffat had been writing episodes since the series returned, and many of them are considered some of the very best, such as The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and of course Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. With Moffat now in charge, the Doctor seems bolder, but kinder. That is to say, he wants a companion to humanize himself, but he is exhausted by personal connections that always seem to lead to disaster. At least, he started that way, and it's no surprise considering what Davies put Ten through at the end.
Needless to say, when Eleven meets the six some odd year old Amelia Pond, he's a bit concerned for her safety, but more, genuinely appreciates her curiosity and bravery. For the first time in 4 years some kind of romantic innuendo between Doctor and Companion would be short lived, almost absent. It was glorious. Though, that's because the romantic innuendo is now focused on proto-Companion River Song, and that's okay, because at least it's not in the Tardis anymore. Despite the lack of romance though, it becomes obvious as season 5 carries on that the Doctor, Amy, and even Rory are actually all some kind of strange familial unit with the Doctor playing the zany and eccentric grandfather in a young man's body.
Anyways, in anticipation of the next episode I have compiled what I consider to be an essential list of episodes to refresh with before the exciting future Mr Moffat has in store for us all.
The Runaway Bride
Blink
Utopia
The Sound of Drums
Last of the Time Lords
Voyage Of The Damned
All of Series 4
The Next Doctor
Planet of the Dead
The Waters of Mars
End of Time, Part 1
and 2
All of Series 5
I know that seems like a lot. If I'd posted this 4 days ago it would seem much more reasonable. Also, confession, I've already watched all of these up to "All of Series 5" in the last week... if you want a start point that's more accessible, start at series 5 with the 11th Doctor and Amy. It will only be 13 episodes (14 if you check out the amazing Christmas Special) about 45 minutes long. You've got like 9 days and that is totally doable. Oh, yea, and as a taste, here's the prequel Moffat wrote that sets up the new series.
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