Thats true Doc, 1, 2 and 3 were always sparring with each other.

Doc 1 called "his replacements", 2 and 3 a "dandy and a clown" in The Three Doctors

Doc 2 and 3 traded "fancypants" and "scarecrow" respectively in The Five Doctors.

Infact the First Doctor insulted all his replacements at some point either directly or indirectly in TFD.

Have to agree with other posts, that it was about Tennant leaving.

For me its simple, the reason RTD wrote Doc10 as being upset at the thought of regenerating was purely to mirror a lot of fan reaction to David Tennant leaving. It wasn't about the Doctor, it was completely about Tennant. The pathetic 'I don't want to go line' was about Tennant, not The Doctor. It became self indulgent sentimentality.

And I say that as a Tennant and RTD fan.

But DT fans lapped it up. I spoke to a few who were not afraid to admit they shed a tear. Are we in a position to criticise those people though? It worked for them. "I don't want to go" was a profound statement to them although admittedly to others (like my mum, her first words were, "you shouldn't have bloody resigned then") it was overblown sentimentality.

^^^ Couldn't have put it better myself. It was unnecessary and totally shameless on the part of RTD.

I agree that RTD was trying to do something different with this regeneration and maybe he should eb applauded for trying to do something original. However, I think the fact the 10th Doctor getting upset he was dying goes against what had gone before. None of the other Doctors got upset, I mean, you didn't see Pertwee getting all emotional before he went into that cave on Metebelis Three did you? He knew he was going to die but he didn't kick off over it and neither did the others!

So what I'm trying to say basically is that if it had fitted in with what had gone before it maybe would have worked but there again, I wouldn't like to see The Doctor react like that everytime he knows he's going to die and somehow I can't see Matt Smith being like that when his time comes.....

I didn't mind it at the time, but I don't like it so much now. However, I think RTD tried to do something new, and from a philosophical point of view this was an interesting question. What aspects of his former self does the doctor keep, and does he want to go? If he dies quickly in battle without having time to think about it, then it's maybe not such a big deal. Maybe it's like a terminal illness. If I had a terminal illness (I do apologise I don't mean to be disrespectful to anyone with a terminal illness), and I was dying for months, I would find it very hard to go. Meanwhile if you are dying suddenly, you might not have the time to ponder on your demise.