Sigh. OK, so Matt Smith's leaving. It's a shame, but not a surprise. I'd hoped for maybe one more season from him, and his earlier comments made it sound like that was what we were getting. However, there were already rumours afoot that we'd be seeing a regeneration in the Christmas special, and considering that David Tennant is appearing in the anniversary special, I had already built in a stagger to my 'Doctor by Doctor' posts. (The fact that the last two have been up late is purely coincidental.) So, Tennant will get a post in late November, after the first special, and Smith right at the end of the year, after his farewell. I've also upped the count by adding three more sidesteps into the mix, so that'll be fun.
Of course, this means a new Doctor is imminent, and that is exciting. However, this also means we will have to wade through thousands of posts in which various idiots make their own suggestions/predictions for the next lead. I think I can sum up my feelings on this matter thus: two days ago, some wag mocked up a fake BBC News page which revealed that Zac Efron had been cast as the Doctor. This was blatantly fake and was pretty funny (especially the links to other 'top stories,' my favourite being 'Will the Myrka return at last?'). What makes me despair is how many fangirls and fanboys believed it. These are the sorts of people who keep suggesting Daniel Radcliffe for the role. (Please, no. Please, please, no.)
More enjoyable threads have started along the lines of 'Which actor's casting would stop you watching the show?' (Russell Brand would do it for me, although Daniel Radcliffe would push it close.) On the other hand, every bloody cult site and tabloid is full of the latest odds from the UK bookmakers. I work for William Hill, so I have some easy access to their odds, but frankly, I had to call up the raceroom for them, and they went online. People are not queuing at the counter to place bets on Russell Tovey. The fact that the major bookies all have completely different odds for completely different lists of people show how arbitrary the whole thing is. I'm also confused as to how we can be accepting bets on something that is clearly already known by a number of people at the BBC.
Oh, come on, you don't seriously believe Moffat's claim that 'somewhere out there, someone is going about their business etc etc...' Of course it's known. The Christmas special starts filming in a month or two, and with contracts being what they are, the new Doctor must have been cast months ago.
Still, here are my thoughts on some of the various names cropping up, primarily so that when people ask me what I think of such-and-such I can just direct them here. To be honest, I doubt the new Doctor is on any list. He, or she, is more likely to be someone less well known.
Rory Kinnear (Ladbrokes 3/1) Perfectly happy with this one. He's 35, so that's a Tennant-ish sort of age group, not too young. A decent, well-regarded actor with an unusual look and an intelligent, lightly eccentric demeanour. Not a bad choice at all.
David Harewood (Lads 4/1) Not a bad choice. I didn't rate him too highly before his performance as the Marquis on the Neverwhere radio serial, but I think he has a good quality and could potentially be a decent Doctor. He's already been in the show, as Naismith in The End of Time, but there's no reason that has to matter. And I am very much in favour of a non-white actor being cast; it really is about time.
Ben Wishaw (Lads 5/1, Hills 14/1) Has definite potential as the Doctor. Not as young as he looks, and had a very Doctorish thing going as Q in Skyfall. However, he's rather similar in appearance and acting style to Smith, so I wouldn't like him to follow on directly.
Rupert Grint (Hills 10/1) Let's just say he'd be better than Daniel Radcliffe.
Billie Piper (Hills 16/1) Oh, for pity's sake. What a stupid idea.
David Tennant (Lads 20/1) I hate this idea. Go backwards and cast the previous guy? For crying out loud. Thankfully, Tennant's fangirls are not running the show (yet).
Richard Coyle (Hills 20/1) Hell, yes. Coyle's a great actor, very underrated. He just says Doctor to me.
Tilda Winton (Hills 20/1) I'm totally happy with the idea of a female Doctor. Tilda Swinton has a great unearthly quality to her. I could support this idea.
Philip Glenister (Hills, 33/1) It'll never happen, but... yeah. I like it. A Doctor who'd smack a Cyberman in the face. 'Take that, you silver nonce!'
Miranda Hart (Lads, 33/1) NO.
John Hurt (Hills, 50/1) Look, it's pretty clear that whatever version of the Doctor he is playing, he is from the Smith Doctor's past. Listen to the dialogue, for crying out loud. Also, how much money do you think the BBC has? They have him for one episode. And he's 73, not exactly the best age for a gruelling production like Doctor Who. Unless we're getting one TV movie a year from now on, this isn't going to happen. (The same goes for Helen Mirren (Lads, 20/1). An amazing choice, but completely unrealistic.
Stephen Fry (Hills, 66/1) I'm very much in favour of an older Doctor. However, Stephen Fry just isn't right for the show in its modern guise. Pre-Eccleston, he would have been perfection (listen to him as the Minister of Chance in Death Comes to Time, totally out-Doctoring the Doctor). Nowadays, he'd seem terribly old-fashioned.
Simon Cowell (Hills, 250/1) I'm going to say no.
Of course, this means a new Doctor is imminent, and that is exciting. However, this also means we will have to wade through thousands of posts in which various idiots make their own suggestions/predictions for the next lead. I think I can sum up my feelings on this matter thus: two days ago, some wag mocked up a fake BBC News page which revealed that Zac Efron had been cast as the Doctor. This was blatantly fake and was pretty funny (especially the links to other 'top stories,' my favourite being 'Will the Myrka return at last?'). What makes me despair is how many fangirls and fanboys believed it. These are the sorts of people who keep suggesting Daniel Radcliffe for the role. (Please, no. Please, please, no.)
More enjoyable threads have started along the lines of 'Which actor's casting would stop you watching the show?' (Russell Brand would do it for me, although Daniel Radcliffe would push it close.) On the other hand, every bloody cult site and tabloid is full of the latest odds from the UK bookmakers. I work for William Hill, so I have some easy access to their odds, but frankly, I had to call up the raceroom for them, and they went online. People are not queuing at the counter to place bets on Russell Tovey. The fact that the major bookies all have completely different odds for completely different lists of people show how arbitrary the whole thing is. I'm also confused as to how we can be accepting bets on something that is clearly already known by a number of people at the BBC.
Oh, come on, you don't seriously believe Moffat's claim that 'somewhere out there, someone is going about their business etc etc...' Of course it's known. The Christmas special starts filming in a month or two, and with contracts being what they are, the new Doctor must have been cast months ago.
Still, here are my thoughts on some of the various names cropping up, primarily so that when people ask me what I think of such-and-such I can just direct them here. To be honest, I doubt the new Doctor is on any list. He, or she, is more likely to be someone less well known.
Rory Kinnear (Ladbrokes 3/1) Perfectly happy with this one. He's 35, so that's a Tennant-ish sort of age group, not too young. A decent, well-regarded actor with an unusual look and an intelligent, lightly eccentric demeanour. Not a bad choice at all.
David Harewood (Lads 4/1) Not a bad choice. I didn't rate him too highly before his performance as the Marquis on the Neverwhere radio serial, but I think he has a good quality and could potentially be a decent Doctor. He's already been in the show, as Naismith in The End of Time, but there's no reason that has to matter. And I am very much in favour of a non-white actor being cast; it really is about time.
Ben Wishaw (Lads 5/1, Hills 14/1) Has definite potential as the Doctor. Not as young as he looks, and had a very Doctorish thing going as Q in Skyfall. However, he's rather similar in appearance and acting style to Smith, so I wouldn't like him to follow on directly.
Rupert Grint (Hills 10/1) Let's just say he'd be better than Daniel Radcliffe.
Billie Piper (Hills 16/1) Oh, for pity's sake. What a stupid idea.
David Tennant (Lads 20/1) I hate this idea. Go backwards and cast the previous guy? For crying out loud. Thankfully, Tennant's fangirls are not running the show (yet).
Richard Coyle (Hills 20/1) Hell, yes. Coyle's a great actor, very underrated. He just says Doctor to me.
Tilda Winton (Hills 20/1) I'm totally happy with the idea of a female Doctor. Tilda Swinton has a great unearthly quality to her. I could support this idea.
Philip Glenister (Hills, 33/1) It'll never happen, but... yeah. I like it. A Doctor who'd smack a Cyberman in the face. 'Take that, you silver nonce!'
Miranda Hart (Lads, 33/1) NO.
John Hurt (Hills, 50/1) Look, it's pretty clear that whatever version of the Doctor he is playing, he is from the Smith Doctor's past. Listen to the dialogue, for crying out loud. Also, how much money do you think the BBC has? They have him for one episode. And he's 73, not exactly the best age for a gruelling production like Doctor Who. Unless we're getting one TV movie a year from now on, this isn't going to happen. (The same goes for Helen Mirren (Lads, 20/1). An amazing choice, but completely unrealistic.
Stephen Fry (Hills, 66/1) I'm very much in favour of an older Doctor. However, Stephen Fry just isn't right for the show in its modern guise. Pre-Eccleston, he would have been perfection (listen to him as the Minister of Chance in Death Comes to Time, totally out-Doctoring the Doctor). Nowadays, he'd seem terribly old-fashioned.
Simon Cowell (Hills, 250/1) I'm going to say no.
If it's not Paterson Joseph, I'm not watching it, and I think it's unlikely the show will be able to continue without my viewing.
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