Who Do You Think You Are? [06/06]

David Tennant
broadcasted in September 2006

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• David
• Tennant

[achau211]

I had set out to watch this because of David, but had no idea of the history lesson that I was to encounter watching this! I have to admit, as someone who grew up in the Philippines and sort of unaware of a lot of things outside of my country growing up, I had little to virtually, no knowledge of the conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants in Ireland back in WWI and so on. Thanks for uploading this program NBNges! I learned quite a few things.

And of course, DT, he's just lovely. :)

[Jaylxx]

Funny, I'm Protestant in NI and i was never taught in history about the rigging or the peaceful protest from the catholics to stop discrimination... interesting how still each side is unable to admit to flaws..

[myshiteify]

All that aside, amazing piece of Television and a good stop of history with my cuppa!! And it was quite nice seeing Tennant outside the TARDIS and watching him explore his own history and appearing to be a genuinely nice, down to earth bloke - and sharing quite a few similarities with my own political ideology!

[myshiteify]

Understanding rather than knee jerk judgement. Appreciating the world they lived in, the problems they faced, how they came to believe and act they way they did. Then you simply try and learn from it, hope that, in some way, we can improve a little and provide the next stepping stone in the evolution of humanity.

It doesn't seem to happen much, as, in the words of Huxley, "That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history." 

[myshiteify]

but then again, we too are also defined and confined by our own time, that our beliefs ideals and morals are shaped by the world we live in. That, and most of us with ancestors involved in not just the troubles, but many many other mars on history (Terra Nullius anyone? And that was just the beginning...) we enjoy the luxury of hindsight within privilege.

I personally believe nobody should be ashamed of their ancestors actions, but rather acknowledge them and delve into the why? It's all about

[myshiteify]

already well aware of the history of the Troubles in Ireland, and have a huge interest in having completed my Year 12 History (extension unit) major work on the Irish Civil War 1992/23. I understand the discomfort of knowing your ancestors were involved in something you personally find morally reprehensible, yet I always think we need to be reminded that all history is simply a product of it's time, and will always be trapped by those same constraints. It is easy to judge our ancestors...

[myshiteify]

In all fairness, I did watch this, as I'm sure many other did, for David Tennant. However, I have always loved Who do you think you are?; The history interwoven with self discovery is always amazing to watch, and the crimson past of Northern Ireland and indeed much of British and Commonwealth history is something I have always loved.

I'm Australian, with my ancestors living here for many generations (well, 'many' in the relative sense of the 200 odd years since settlement), however I was...

[KieranCampy]

Very ashamed of having family members that are part of the Orange Order. I have nothing against Protestants (my Mother is one, as are many of my friends) ... I just despise my Granny for talking me to see and Orange walk in Ayrshire when I was 3 when my Dada side of the family were discriminated against for being Cathoilc... Great documentary and interesting to see David's touching reaction through it all...

[EmeraldVideosNL]

amazingly interesting. I came to see David. I knew about general history of the troubles in Ireland but how must it feel that you ancestors were in the middle of it. About an hour ago David was only Dr Who and Hamlet to me, but he is much more a person now. that's nice, because that's what I hoped to see.

[jerseydevs2000]

What do you think the chances are that Billy Blair, who handed David the Orange sash, has ever sat down to tea with his cousin and fellow Derry resident Barry McLaughlin? A bit sad to think about it...

[simplybkuz]

@ 9:07 Are you my mummy?

[pineapple4nick]

Thank you for posting this, it was really interesting.