"You look Time Lord."

David Tennant himself said it was a "What have I done" moment of realization

Ah, well, if he says that he meant to do, then it I guess that what it was supposed to be. I'm a little different than many TV show fans ---- I never listen to or read anything but the most surficial comments by actors as to what they were trying to do (which is why I won't watch those Confidential things that are on the New Who DVDs, even though I love the commentaries and special features about the productions on the Classic Who DVDs). Trusting my own instinct isn't something easily shaken, not even for fun TV watching.

I do agree that there is a difference in Classic and New companions and precisely what they do in terms of acting as a catalyst or enabler for the Doctor. Classic companions largely did not, as their function was to be instructed by or serve as a sounding board for the Doctor. New Who companions quite often exert influence, though not necessarily consciously, on the Doctor to act or behave in particular ways. Maybe it's supposed to be because there are no other Time Lords (mostly), I don't know. Sometimes it and the companion doing it bother me ***cough, Rose, cough***, other times I don't find it so egregious. However, whatever it is, it does seem to be something RTD felt was necessary to put in and, (and not making apologies for Moff here, just stating what I see to be a fact) it can't be dropped now or legions of New Who fans will not tune in because they've never seen (or aren't inclined to look for character continuity between Classic and New) any Classic Doctors and don't want to get used to anything other than what they've been treated to since 2005.

Poor Adric! Not a good day for the Doctor, that was for sure. (Even worse for Adric!) Not sure if that's where it all started to spiral out of control for Five, but I agree that he started off positive in outlook and shifted to darker by the end of his run, so much so that he wasn't really equipped for it. Not dark like Seven or Eleven (who are equipped for it), but life caught up with him. (Which is a theme I've already visited in essay form for Nine and Ten as well as Five, hence my hankering to finish up on the one I'm working on now; whether it ever sees the light of my computer screen is another story).