10 Heartbreaking Times Lead Characters Left TV Shows
1. The Tenth - Doctor Who
It goes with the territory that The Doctor doesn’t last forever in Doctor Who. Regeneration has always been a huge part of the franchise, and actors show up, put their own spin on things for a few seasons, then move on.
However, David Tennant’s departure as The Tenth still managed to be heartbreaking because of how utterly brilliant he was in the role. After starring in over 100 episodes as the character, saying goodbye proved very difficult.
Though he was largely an upbeat and jovial Doctor, Tennant’s final few episodes had a dark edge, with the Doctor not wanting to give in to his inevitable regeneration. This mimicked Tennant’s connection to the role and fans’ reluctance to move on, only making his eventual departure even more gut wrenching.
In his final episode, he saves the day but is faced with a dilemma. Wilf is trapped, and the only way the Doctor can save him is to take the deadly blast himself. He knows he ‘could do so much more’, but he also realises - quite angrily at first - that he can never leave a man behind.
After saving Wilf, he stumbles out into the street for his final words ‘I don’t want to go...’