Doctor Who's best stories ever.

Eccleston's iteration of the Doctor is very different from the more jovial, eccentric versions of the character that preceded him. His take on the Time Lord is much more serious and down-to-earth, which helped get audiences on board right from the beginning. Additionally, his dynamic with Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) remains some of Doctor Who's most compelling character work, with the show's mature storytelling immediately proving that it was trying something new to distance itself from the mixed reviews of the '80s. Showrunner Russell T. Davies has since praised Eccleston's work on the show, and he's become a fan favorite.

Christopher Eccleston & RTD Collaborated On The Second Coming 2 Years Before Doctor Who

The Pair Worked Together On An Acclaimed Drama

Even before Doctor Who's 2005 revival, Russell T. Davies had made a name for himself as one of television's most promi-and-coming writers. His work on The Second Coming was equally well-received, with this quirky British serial putting his name on the map and likely contributing to his involvement with Doctor Who. The show, which also stars Christopher Eccleston in the lead role, follows the exploits of a man named Steven Baxter who claims to be the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The Second Coming was understandably controversial given its religious implications, but the show certainly sparked an interesting conversation about the importance of stories like this on TV. Regardless of audiences’ opinions on the project, The Second Coming was likely responsible for Davies and Ecclestone's later collaboration on Doctor Who, which would unfortunately only last for a single season. Ecclestone has since confirmed he left Doctor Who due to ongoing conflicts with the crew and behind-the-scenes disputes about the show's creative direction.

Doctor Who Often Depicts The Doctor As A Christ-Like Figure & The Second Coming Proved Eccleston Could Do It

There's Some Interesting Religious Imagery In Doctor Who's First Season

One interesting comparison between The Second Coming and Doctor Who's first rebooted series is the depiction of Christ-like figures in everyday life. The former is obviously a much more overtly religious show that uses a modern messianic character to explore how religion has evolved and changed over the past centuries, but there are some subtle aspects of religious commentary in Doctor Who also. Eccleston's Doctor is also often portrayed as a Christ-like figure with an inherent knowledge of the universe that he decides to share with humanity at their own expense.

Many audiences have read this as a kind of Christlike sacrifice, which fits neatly with the figure's characterization in the rest of the series.

The most obvious example of this allegory is when the Doctor absorbs the energy of the Time Vortex at the end of Doctor Who's first season. Many audiences have read this as a kind of Christlike sacrifice, which fits neatly with the figure’s characterization in the rest of the series. Of course, the fact that he's "reborn" moments later only lends credence to this theory. Luckily, Eccleston proved that he could handle a role with these connotations through The Second Coming and give a grounded performance even in a story like Doctor Who, possibly contributing to his casting.

The Second Coming's Devil Also Appeared In RTD's Doctor Who Revival

Clive Is A Crucial Character In Doctor Who's First Episode

Another connection between The Second Coming and Doctor Who's revival is the inclusion of Mark Benton, who starred in both projects. The actor plays a modern version of the Devil in The Second Coming, whom Eccleston's protagonist fights against to prevent the apocalypse and save humanity. Their relationship is much less hostile in Doctor Who, however, as Benton plays a conspiracy theorist named Clive who'd been tracking the Doctor's off-screen adventures.

Though Benton had a much larger role in The Second Coming, his Doctor Who character was also a very prudent inclusion in the show's first episode. Much of the audience's perception of the Doctor comes from Rose, who's equally unknowing about the Time Lord and his adventures. Clive helps shed some light on who the Doctor is, giving the viewers all the information they need to understand the basic premise of the show.