Regarding...

[selenak]

...that Doctor Who casting spoiler which yesterday it was impossible not to run into, what with it being on various news websites in addition to the blogging world - my two Euros.



I like Eleven (who may or may not be Twelve already, given Recent Relevations *g*), and I like Matt Smith, who has done a great job, especially in conveying that age-in-a-young-body factor. But I'm not sad, partly because of my general state of zen re: all things Doctor Who these days. I do think it would be a good opportunity for Stephen Moffat to wrap up things and leave as well, because while Smith's performance is as good as ever, there is no getting around - for me, it's a personal opinion, as always, I'm not claiming to speak for anyone else - that the last season had a sense of neither excellent nor bad, just pleasantly tagging along, and coupled with that, a sense of repetiveness when it comes to the Moff's narrative tricks. Of course, there is only so much you can do within the format. But I suspect that in addition to Patrick Througton's legendary advice to Peter Davison - to play the Doctor for three years, and then to get out - which Matt Smith evidently is obeying, there should be a similar advice for DW show runners. This isn't Moffact specific. The current production conditions, as detailed here, sound terrible, and who ever is the headwriter has to deal with them. But, you know - just coming in with new ideas and not yet exhausted strength could make a difference.

Which Moffat did with the start of season 5. Undoubtedly whoever succeeds the Moff, whenever such a succession takes place, will be praised as exactly the kind of change that was necessary and be seen as the avenger of fannish wrongs (except for the fannish faction who mourns for the past era), just as Moffat was... for the first year. After which the unlucky fellow or lady will be seen as the epitome of wrongness more and more, or at any rate as fair game for scathing reviews, on the familiarity breeds contempt principle, whatever faults she or he has, and they will have them, will be examined in detail, etc. And thus it will ever be. I know that. I still think this would be a good idea for Moffat to leave. He's wrapped up River's story, he's wrapped up the Ponds' story, he's freed Clara from her Impossible Girl mystery so she can be a character in her own right. And it looks like the big Anniversary special will have the Doctor confront his past in several ways. So, once that's done, go out on a high note, let a new team in and tell the next story.

As for who will play Twelve-who-may-be-Thirteen: I have no idea. Paul Cornell amusingly suggested Damian Lewis on twitter, because ginger. (Which I could see, and it would freak out everyone who's only heard him with an American accent and never with his own.) Several friends of mine still want Patterson Joseph, which would be terrific, as would Idris Elba be, but I've given up hope the BBC will go there. I also suspect, unfortunately, that jesuswasbatman is right in saying that none of the previous Doctors would have a chance of getting cast today with the exception of Paul McGann.... but then again, at least for the Anniversary special, there will be Kilgarrah John Hurt. Who definitely could have been an old style Doctor. As for the next one? It'll probably be someone no one has ever heard of before. Just like Matt Smith.

Comments

[rembrandtswife]

I am greatly in agreement with you. Smith has done his turn, and he'll have that on his resume now; I totally understand his wanting to do other things. And I found myself not caring about Clara and the second half of series 7; maybe I just missed the Ponds even more than I expected to, maybe it was the repetitiveness that you mentioned. I would not be sorry to see Moffat go and concentrate on Sherlock (before the two shows sort of meld into one because he's getting tired, you know?)

[selenak]

Yes indeed. Which is why, now that we have Matt Smith's announcement, I'm daily waiting to hear Moffat's.

[percysowner]

The articles about the state of production and the BBC were very enlightening. I do think Moffat has hit a wall in his storytelling for whatever reason. I admit I miss classic Who where companions had lives that didn't revolve around the Doctor and who left for many reasons and we didn't need a grand explanation for why the Doctor moved on and never looked back. Heck School Reunion was wonderful when Sarah Jane talked about how the Doctor did just dump his companions and move on. But now they have to be trapped in another dimension, have their memories wiped (I will NEVER forgive what they did to Donna) or be in a special place in time so they can never see the Doctor again. I really felt that a lot of the weaknesses of the last season came from the long and often uninspired write out of Amy and Rory. Making Clara a complete cypher and "the impossible girl" did not help either. Something is missing for me. I don't know if the budget limitations have hurt, but since I loved Classic Who with the cheapo sets, I'd be willing to go back to that. I suspect much of the audience would not.

[selenak]

To be fair, Old Who did the memory wipe, too, with Zoe and Jamie at the end of Two's time. But yes, it would be ever so good to have a non-traumatic reason why a companion leaves.

[kalypso]

That's odd, I thought I'd replied to this a couple of hours ago, but I can't see it. Anyway, I was saying that, given the physical demands and time commitment now required by the role, I can't see anyone but a young actor on the way up doing it*.

But of course I have my fingers crossed behind my back.

* Obviously 2005 was different as they needed actors well-enough known to pull in new viewers.

[selenak]

I think we're all crossing our fingers madly.:)

[sabra_n]

Damian Lewis would be absolutely killer as the Doctor, but the chance to cast him was last time around, when Life was cancelled and Homeland hadn't started up yet. Also, he's probably way too expensive at this point - he'd require Eccleston money at least, probably more, and clearly the BBC isn't going to pay that.

[selenak]

No, they won't. I guess the only factor which could make it possible were if he, like Tony Head once upon a time, didn't want to work in the US anymore because of the family separation problem. Also, he does theatre now and then, and I'm not sure whether the various theatres can pay super sums, so maybe he's a bit flexible?

(I don't think it'll happen, I'm just fantasizing.)