return of an old icon :)

[selenak]

Look, you may know him as Malcolm Tucker, but I still haven't watched In the Thick of It and thus I primarily think of him as Frobisher from Torchwood: Children of Earth. In which he was so stunning, outstanding and moving that I refuse to believe this wasn't the role that got him his third gig in the Whoverse. (The first one being a Roman in Fires of Pompeii.)

Come to think of it, I first saw him as the Angel Islington in Neverwhere, which was also a good performance, but really, Frobisher all the way. Though I have no doubt his Twelve will overturn that.

As you may have gathered by these chaotic ramblings, the next Doctor shall be Peter Capaldi.

Obligatory bigger picture remark: yes, it still sucks they didn't cast a poc and/or woman for a change. But: not only is Peter Capaldi a superb actor, but he's NOT A YOUNG MAN, and I'm really really glad we're taking a break from the youngsters now. Bring back the middle-aged looking Doctors, I say.

(Also: this means Idris Elba still has a shot when Capaldi's run is over.)

Comments

[monanotlisa]

Since I have resigned myself to another white dude: This is a good choice, among them!

(Moffat was never going to do a female doctor because women are just meant for other things like child-bearing and being mysterious...but I had been hoping for a non-white one.)

[selenak]

Moffat actually did cast a female Doctor, Joanna Lumley, in the Doctor Who sketch he wrote back when Old Who had been cancelled and New Who hadn't started yet. (That's the one that starts with Richard Atkinson as the Doctor, goes through Richard Grant and Hugh Grant, and ends with Joanna Lumley. The Master is Jonathan Pryce.)

More seriously, I don't think he was the only one who got to decide - something like the Doctor will always be a group decision of BBC executives - though obviously as the current showrunner Moffat would have a key voice in the decision making process.

[jesuswasbatman]

That was mostly a dirty joke, though.

(Did not like that "it's time the Queen was played by a man" gag in his interview: talk about false analogies)

[selenak]

Having gotten the casting not from tv but from twitter, I heard about the "Queen" comparison (which I entirely agree was stupid) only via the internet as well. The last time a writer was that prone to make annoying statements in his public pronouncements was when David Fury duked it with Spike fans at the Bronze message board during season 5 of BTVS. (The infamous "women who marry serial killers" comparison.)

[lonelywalker]

I'm really, really happy about this choice. He's terrific - as you say, Frobisher was a remarkable performance.

The first thing I saw him in was the TV mini series The Crow Road, which was a formative experience in my teenage life, and remains just as good today - so I highly recommend seeing it if you have the chance.

[selenak]

So noted, and I shall look out for this series.

[lonelywalker]

Also - bloody hell - Local Hero, which is one of the finest Scottish films ever made. And hilarious.

[kalypso]

I also recommend The Crow Road, which I have just been rewatching (they showed it on BBC Four as a tribute to Iain Banks). But deep down I still think of him as Chief Petty Officer Grieves in Our Brave Boys...

[saturnofthemoon]

Wow, this might get me to start watching the show again. I expect a lot of inside Torchwood jokes to pop up on the Internet.

[selenak]

Well, I should hope someone is already writing the crossover wherein Jack meets Twelve and has a double case of angst. Or the crack fic about the first time the Doctor after his regeneration meets anyone from MI5....

[percysowner]

He was Angel Islington? Well that makes me feel better. I'm glad they went with an older actor. I knew that a non-white, non-male was pretty much out of the question. I do root for Idris Elba to play the Doctor some day, although having seen Hustle, I would go for Adrian Lester as well.

[selenak]

Neil Gaiman joked on twitter that now Original Islington is the Doctor while Newest Islington (in the BBC radio production a few months ago) is Sherlock.

Re: Adrian Lester: by all means.

[petra]

My vote for Companion goes to Anna Chancellor, as the actress who has recently shown she is highly qualified to hold onto Peter Capaldi's hand while heartbreaking things happen.

[muccamukk]

I'm doing the dance of At Least He's Over Twenty Five. Should do well.

[andraste]

(Also: this means Idris Elba still has a shot when Capaldi's run is over.)

And even Paterson Joseph!

(My dream is actually for Idris Elba to be the First Black James Bond while Joseph is the First Black Doctor. I fear that Elba is too expensive and famous for Doctor Who these days, but he'd make a fabulous 007.)

[selenak]

Oh, Idris Elba would be a fantastic James Bond! And you're right, that's probably more plausible at this point.