Topic: Doctor Who **USE SPOILER TAGS PLEASE**

[JerseyKloppite]

Of all the names bandied about, Richard Ayoade would be my favourite. He won't get it because he doesn't seem to do the emotional stuff but he'd be a fantastic Doctor - great combination of confidence and indifference

Willing to bet it won't be given to a white male though. Which doesn't bother me in the slightest as long as whoever gets it would be the best person for the part, and not seem like someone shoehorned in to tick a box etc.

[MagicHat]

and a LOT of bad writing

It is the writing that I think has held him back. I would have liked him to get a chance with a new writer but perhaps he felt best to give a new writer a chance to mold his own doctor.

[Redman0151]

Time to bring back Eccleston's working class northern charm





Apparently Miranda Hart is 3rd favourite, I nearly threw up. I'm done with this show if they cast that annoying woman

[tubby]

I'm indifferent to Miranda Hart but she's completely wrong for the Doctor.  I'd imagine they'll cast someone fairly youngish after going with an older guy in Capaldi.

Never happening in a million years but would love to see someone like Idris Elba.

[Nessy76]

Apparently Miranda Hart is 3rd favourite, I nearly threw up. I'm done with this show if they cast that annoying woman

That would be the Colin Baker moment for nuWho.

[PaulF]

Of all the names bandied about, Richard Ayoade would be my favourite. He won't get it because he doesn't seem to do the emotional stuff but he'd be a fantastic Doctor - great combination of confidence and indifference

He'd get my vote. Isn't he tied up with the Crystal Maze though?

[Nessy76]

He'd get my vote. Isn't he tied up with the Crystal Maze though?

I've seen a few people suggest him, and I think I must have missed something really popular he's been in where he's showed that he could carry it off, I've only seen him in very broad comedy roles, and he's pretty similar in all of them. Very funny, but what's he in that shows he can act?

[JerseyKloppite]

I've seen a few people suggest him, and I think I must have missed something really popular he's been in where he's showed that he could carry it off, I've only seen him in very broad comedy roles, and he's pretty similar in all of them. Very funny, but what's he in that shows he can act?

I'd just like his style of doctor. He can clearly act - I suspect the people who like him would want to see him paly the doctor in a style similar to existing roles. Asexual, slightly nerdy, impassive and borderline autistic, but funny in an offhand way.

It won't happen though, because the doctors have in new-Who all been rich, complex characters who bounce between zany comedy, passionate drama, emotion etc in any given week. And maybe that's for the best.

[Nessy76]

I'd just like his style of doctor. He can clearly act - I suspect the people who like him would want to see him paly the doctor in a style similar to existing roles. Asexual, slightly nerdy, impassive and borderline autistic, but funny in an offhand way.

It won't happen though, because the doctors have in new-Who all been rich, complex characters who bounce between zany comedy, passionate drama, emotion etc in any given week. And maybe that's for the best.

You say he can clearly act. Can you tell me what he was in? The I.T. Crowd/Nathan Barley/Garth Marenghi/Mighty Boosh, all very funny but only because he's excessively wooden. How does that translate to straight drama? How are we meant to buy into him as an emotional, complex, authority figure?
Not saying he can't, just wondering if he has and I missed it or if everyone is on smack?

[JerseyKloppite]

You say he can clearly act. Can you tell me what he was in? The I.T. Crowd/Nathan Barley/Garth Marenghi/Mighty Boosh, all very funny but only because he's excessively wooden. How does that translate to straight drama? How are we meant to buy into him as an emotional, complex, authority figure?
Not saying he can't, just wondering if he has and I missed it or if everyone is on smack?

I explained in my previous post. We're not. I'd like a different kind of doctor, a bit more acerbic and irreverent. Maybe immature. I think it would make an interesting change from the way the series has gone in recent years.

[Nessy76]

I explained in my previous post. We're not. I'd like a different kind of doctor, a bit more acerbic and irreverent. Maybe immature. I think it would make an interesting change from the way the series has gone in recent years.

So you see Doctor Who as a comedy? I can't get my head round this.

[JerseyKloppite]

So you see Doctor Who as a comedy? I can't get my head round this.

No, I see it as a family entertainment show on prime time on a Saturday night. It's not a comedy, it's not really drama, it's not sci-fi. I don't see why that means they can't have a funny Doctor though? I'm not saying jokes and a laughter track, I'm saying the character could have a bit more levity. The Doctor is frequently funny or light-hearted about stuff, then in the next scene he's staring dramatically out into space in a moody way thinking about River Song or Rose or the Daleks or whatnot.

I get it, you don't think he'd fit the part. That's fine. We're not at cross purposes as to the kind of characters he tends to play. I don't think Ayoade would work as the Doctor if written in the same was as Capaldi's slightly grumpier doctor or Eccleston's swaggering doctor or Tennant's more emotional doctor. But I think he could play the role differently in a way that would be entertaining without losing the core of what 'the Doctor' is supposed to be.

The way the show is written now, he'd probably fit more as a companion. But I think it would be an interesting idea to have a slightly deadpan, irreverent character.

[Nessy76]

Fair enough, I'll just say this.

https://youtu.be/BJP9o4BEziI

I just can't see how anyone could imagine Moss from the IT Crowd pulling this off. The role needs a performer with emotional range. Tennant had it. Capaldi has it. Deadpan I can definitely live with, Tom Baker did some superb deadpan stuff, but he could also do the sincere edge of the seat stuff, the big speeches, the call to revolution, the speaking truth to power bit.

[MagicHat]

I agree with Nessy. The Doctor is meant to be a bit silly, young at heart, good with one liners and a sense of fun for the kids, Ayoade would seem perfect for that part. However the lightness, the comedy is meant to be balanced out by the sense of a man who has lived for so long, seen a lot of tragedy and had a lot of loss, who sometimes takes hard decisions, the big dramatic speeches, will have a big regeneration scene. No idea if Ayoade can supply that part.

[Ray K]

I agree with Nessy. The Doctor is meant to be a bit silly, young at heart, good with one liners and a sense of fun for the kids, Ayoade would seem perfect for that part. However the lightness, the comedy is meant to be balanced out by the sense of a man who has lived for so long, seen a lot of tragedy and had a lot of loss, who sometimes takes hard decisions, the big dramatic speeches, will have a big regeneration scene. No idea if Ayoade can supply that part.

Comedy is harder to act in than drama, if you ask me, so I wouldn't have too many worries.

Bryan Cranston was primarily a comic actor before people discovered he was one of the best serious actors on TV.  Given Ayoade's ability as a serious director with Submarine, I imagine there's a lot more in that particular locker.


Not sure why I'm defending Richard Ayoade.  It's Hayley Atwell or GTFO for me 

[sideshowme]

so are we never going to see the fabled iannucci-penned episode with capaldi?  gutted.

not sure on ayoade, but i'd love to be proved wrong.

[Red Beret]

so are we never going to see the fabled iannucci-penned episode with capaldi?  gutted.

not sure on ayoade, but i'd love to be proved wrong.

Maybe Peter Jackson will write and direct his last Christmas Special? 

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Time to bring back Eccleston's working class northern charm





Apparently Miranda Hart is 3rd favourite, I nearly threw up. I'm done with this show if they cast that annoying woman

Great shout! I think he could actually do a good job of being the Doctor as well - he's a better actor than many seem to give him credit for.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

So you see Doctor Who as a comedy? I can't get my head round this.

Tom Baker was pretty 'out there' when he played the role. Jon Pertwee certainly had his 'twee' moments as well.

[Trada]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Cd6T-kwVYi4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Cd6T-kwVYi4</a>

[gerrardisgod]

So...yeah...a massive spoiler's just been announced...

Spoiler

John Simm's back as The Master, alongside Missy. Multi-Master story? Something else? Whatever it is I hope they give him a better story than that dross RTD served up for Tennant's last two episodes

[close]

[Red Beret]

So...yeah...a massive spoiler's just been announced...

Spoiler

John Simm's back as The Master, alongside Missy. Multi-Master story? Something else? Whatever it is I hope they give him a better story than that dross RTD served up for Tennant's last two episodes

[close]

Spoiler

I had an idea for an epic Capaldi finale where he had to battle John Simm's Master, and then we found out how he regenerated as Missy - probably through one of the elixirs of the Sisters of Caan.  Seriously injured and dying, Capaldi's last act would be return to Gallifrey to complete the "All Thirteen" segment in the 50th anniversary.

What we're seeing here could be a variation on that theme, seeing as we know John Simm's Master was drawn back onto Gallifrey at the end of the 50th as he blasted James Bond.

[close]

[Pistolero]

Reece Shearsmith would be my shout....has the acting chops as demonstrated in Inside Number 9 ....but can be as silly and as witty as anyone on TV....all requirements of the Doctor I'd have thought

[Ziltoid]

Well I enjoyed that one.  Sam had a couple of jumpy moments and he was trying to hide behind me!

[[new username under construction]]

Hugh Laurie That's who should be Dr Who

[blert596]

Hugh Laurie That's who should be Dr Who

Ahh Dr Hugh

[MagicHat]

It was one of those "the episode was fine but I wasn't quite engaged" but I would put that down to me rather then the episode. I liked the new companion but there elements that feel too similar to Clara, the big bad was a nice idea and I liked it but felt it had diminishing returns within episode, I really liked how they handled the "new companion sees Tardis" which they managed to keep fresh in an amusing way.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Hugh Laurie That's who should be Dr Who

Great. Now I can't get a vision of the Doctor as Bertie Wooster with a really dark Vicodin addiction out of my head. 

Spoiler

As for the opening episode, I didn't bother watching until yesterday as I was so disillusioned with the last couple of seasons. To my surprise, it was quite good. The new companion was interesting and had a good chemistry. I was fully prepared to dislike her, but found myself warming to her spirited character. (I particularly liked Bill's reaction to one of the Doctor's really quite nasty snarks about such an intelligent person serving chips - it clearly struck home, and she reacted as one should to a nasty old man - went cold, politely said goodbye and walked out).

The story itself was a bit weak and derivative - Waters of Mars with no explanation as to back story - but served its purpose as wallpaper for the new relationship between Bill and the Doctor. Matt Lucas' Nardole was not as good as Strax for the comedy sidekick, but had his moments.

I'm fully prepared for Moffatt to screw things up in his usual spectacular fashion, but for now, I'm actually going to watch the next episode, which I didn't think was likely.

[close]

[PaulF]

It's got itself caught up on being a kids showed watched by adults. Harry potter?
Meh episode, I want to watch more episodes to find out what's in the vault. Not hugely warmed to the companion, but equally I never hated any of the old ones.

[tubby]

I like Bill.

[Alan_X]

Enjoyed that.

I like Bill.

Me too.

[gjr1]

Enjoyed the feel of the episode except for the story. Which to be honest, I've not enjoyed that many of late.

Loved the Doctors lecture and the introduction of Bill, who I quite like.

Not sure about the character of Nardole.

[Riquende]

Enjoyed the feel of the episode except for the story.

I never care too much about the story when the episode is introducing a new Doctor/companion, as long as it does that job well. Which I think it did.

[Titi Camara]

Richard Ayoade

Idris Elba

Hugh Laurie

Any of those would be boss as fuck! If Kris Marshall gets it I think that might just be the end of it for me.

[tubby]

Any of those would be boss as fuck! If Kris Marshall gets it I think that might just be the end of it for me.

Yeah I'm really not keen on him getting the part.  Only ever seen him in My Family ages ago and those terrible BT adverts and he was immensely annoying in both.

[Redman0151]

Oh no not Kris Marshall please. Echo the Above, he annoys the shite out of me. When somebody said my family star I hoped they meant the dad

[Ray K]

I missed this bit when I watched the episode

[MagicHat]

Felt the econd episode had a nice basic idea, warmed me more to Bill who seems to be getting a good dynamic with the Doctor and offer a refreshingly fresh angle on things, robots were cute but it flagged badly in the middle, they didn't seem to have enough idea's to flesh out the basic concept over the whole episode.

[Igor Tripod Biscan]

I think Daniel Rigby would be good as Dr WHo.  He was excellent as Eric Morecombe in that Eric and Ernie drama a few years ago.  He won a Bafta for it as well  He was in Black Mirror as the Waldo episode

[reniformis]

Second episode was OK, nothing special, which is disappointing given it was written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. I like Bill, thought I'd hate the character - another southern gobby youngling. Seems the most perceptive since Rory.

On the Kris Marshall shouts, I can see why he'd fit if it's like his Death In Paradise character but wouldn't be my choice, too generic in that 'brilliant english eccentric' way. Might as well go full Hugh Laurie. I'd prefer a relatively unknown actor with no baggage in terms of typecasting. Do something new.