Doctor Who in the Media

[HauntedBathroom]

We were damn lucky to have him. and he was brilliant. Which is only to be expected of an actor of John Hurt's calibre.

[Meredith Quill]

Capaldi announces departure:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4173684/Peter-Capaldi-quitting-Doctor-Who.html

[FormerMod-a1]

Dammit

[quazimodo]

Balls.

[HauntedBathroom]

Nuts. But I can't blame Capaldi for not wantng to hang around for Chibnall.

[hnygrl]

I'm sad. It's not unexpected but still. I wanted to see what kind of character he'd be with a different showrunner.

Please no more youngsters as the Doctor. Let's not go the sex symbol route again, please? They do that and I'm giving up on this show. Close to it now, only thing keeping me watching is (well, was) Capaldi is so damned good. If they go 20-something sexy I'm out.

[Mabinogia]

Just now, hnygrl said:

I wanted to see what kind of character he'd be with a different showrunner.

I wanted to see what kind of character he'd be with a different companion. I feel like he was wasted in the Clara Show. I'll see who they choose to replace him but I'm no longer optimistic.

[bugsmum]

Crap.  I wonder if it's entirely his idea.  Perhaps Chibnall wants to pick his own guy.  Honest to God, if the next Doctor is a cute and callow 20-something I'll be more than a little cranky.

[benteen]

I had a feeling this was going to happen after Moffat announced he was leaving.  I know that as much as Capaldi loved the job, it put a strain on him with all the demands it made and time away from his family.  I haven't always been the biggest fan of the 12th Doctor but I've always liked Capaldi.  He's been a great representative for Doctor Who.  I only wish he and Matt Smith would have been given a showrunner worthy of their talents.

[ratgirlagogo]

2 hours ago, benteen said:

I only wish he and Matt Smith would have been given a showrunner worthy of their talents.

A-fucking men.  Damned if these folks don't almost seem to be deliberately making it hard for the long time fans to remain fans.

[justmehere]

Very sad to hear this. He's been brilliant.

[Llywela]

8 hours ago, hnygrl said:

I'm sad. It's not unexpected but still. I wanted to see what kind of character he'd be with a different showrunner.

Me too. I wanted to see what Smith's Doctor was like with a different showrunner, as well. I seem to be doomed to disappointment on that front! It's something that hasn't happened yet in the modern era, a Doctor or companion spanning showrunners.

8 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

I wanted to see what kind of character he'd be with a different companion. I feel like he was wasted in the Clara Show. I'll see who they choose to replace him but I'm no longer optimistic.

Well, we will at least get to see Capaldi's Doctor with a new companion when season 10 airs.

[Mabinogia]

5 hours ago, Llywela said:

Well, we will at least get to see Capaldi's Doctor with a new companion when season 10 airs.

True, at least we get that much. I'm excited about the coming season. Less excited about the following season now. :(

[proserpina65]

The article I read said that Ben Whishaw was the betting favorite at William Hill.  To which, I say hell to the no!

[HauntedBathroom]

15 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

A-fucking men.  Damned if these folks don't almost seem to be deliberately making it hard for the long time fans to remain fans.

Speaking as a long term fan, speak for yourself.

[Darth Nigel]

7 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

The article I read said that Ben Whishaw was the betting favorite at William Hill. 

Well, I can see why..  I read the name and said, "Who?"

[darkestboy]

I'm indifferent. His Doctor has been a bit hit and miss and I think Chibnall is better off with his own Doctor.

Speaking of future Doctors, things to consider ....

Actors who won't be Doctor 13: Any former Doctor actor. I do not want Baker. McGann, Tennant or Smith back in the role. No-one does.
A Female Doctor: Fantasy cast Anderson, Atwell, Tena all you want, superb actresses, but it's going to be a bloke who plays 13.
The likes of Cumberbatch, Freeman, Redmayne, Hiddleston, Ayoade, Ejifior, Whishaw, Tovey, Kinnear and so on.
Look at 30 something actors who aren't connected to long running television shows and upcoming Hollywood blockbusters and movie franchises.
Those are the guys who the BBC, Chibnall, Pryor and company will be looking into. Also someone who will at least commit to three series.
Some of the names being trotted out on social media and in the paper inevitably are ridiculous and deluded, casting wise. 
 

[sugarbaker design]

6 minutes ago, darkestboy said:

Look at 30 something actors who aren't connected to long running television shows and upcoming Hollywood blockbusters and movie franchises.
Those are the guys who the BBC, Chibnall, Pryor and company will be looking into. Also someone who will at least commit to three series.

I agree totally, big names would be too expensive (and the BBC is notoriously cheap), but a hungry actor in his 30's would have the requisite training plus the longing for fame/paycheck/ambition that 3 series would bring.  Plus a younger Doctor would be a nice contrast to the more mature Capaldi.

[proserpina65]

3 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

I agree totally, big names would be too expensive (and the BBC is notoriously cheap), but a hungry actor in his 30's would have the requisite training plus the longing for fame/paycheck/ambition that 3 series would bring.  Plus a younger Doctor would be a nice contrast to the more mature Capaldi.

I've had enough of young Doctors.  A nice middle-aged one would be good.

[Lokiberry]

I think there was some truth to that Mirror article about the BBC wanting to clean house for the Chibnall era; and to make things more like the Tennant era (only without Tennant, as I imagine he's too expensive these days). So expect someone in their early to mid 30s for the Doctor, and the usual pretty, twenty something for the companion.

[Llywela]

I'll be disappointed for Pearl Mackie if she gets shuffled off-screen purely to create this 'clean house'. A new showrunner coming onto any show would expect to inherit the existing cast and work with them to move forward.

[Lyndy]

Quote

A Female Doctor: Fantasy cast Anderson, Atwell, Tena all you want, superb actresses, but it's going to be a bloke who plays 13.

Fraid you're right there darkestboy although it would be a fun experiment. Tennant endorses Olivia Colman which, yes, she'd kick ass but frankly I need her to be free to be cast in some high profile project wherein she completely steals every scene she's in from some posh actor who was supposed to be the star.

[hnygrl]

Please sweet baby Jesus, NO. MORE. PRETTY BOYS.

PLEASE. Just a nice, normal nobody of a guy who has a nice, normal, not pretty not ugly face who can act his ass off.

Young, old, older, black, white, I don't care (Not ready for a girl Doctor yet though).

Just please. No More pretty boys...please!!!!

I'd like to see the "Capaldi's too old" Crowd react to a normal looking nobody as The Doctor. Nothing to write home about but damn can he act!

True, Smith and Tennant could act their faces off, and did so as The Doctor. But so did Eccleston. And he set the standard. And he wasn't a twenty-something pretty boy either. You forget that when you watch his season/series, cause he's just so damned good.

[NeenerNeener]

My hopes for Peter Wingfield as the next Doctor just died when I read that he left acting, finished med school in the US, and is now a doctor in California. Damn.....

[maraleia]

It's premiering on BBC America on Saturday, April 15.

I threw out these names- Gemma Whelan, Olivia Colman, Hayley Atwell, Sophie Okonedo, Nina Sosanya to be the next Doctor.

[Unclejosh]

I definitely prefer a younger doctor.  Not too young but no older than mid 30's to  40-ish.  I am middle aged myself, I don't want to see people my age or older on adventures.  Takes me out of the show to see older people doing stuff that only young people can really physically pull off even if it is aliens.  I know the actors are old so I cannot suspend my disbelief enough.   Just my own preference.  Of course I grew up with Tom Baker, Colin Baker, and Pete Davidson as my Doctors and even though TB and CB were already 40, they acted and looked much younger.   I loved Christopher Eccleston who was 40 too when he got the role.   Basically I hope it is someone between 30 and 40 if I had my way.  

I would absolutely welcome a woman doctor too as long as the same age bracket is in effect.  I really don't have any interest in watching Grandma or Grandpa Who.

[Lokiberry]

There's a rumor going around that they've already cast a woman as the Doctor, and  they're going to have a tv special to announce  it, like they did with Peter Capaldi, in March. Take it with a grain of salt, it's just what I've heard.

Also, Series 11 apparently won't air till autumn 2018.

[Llywela]

I thought they'd learned their lesson about moving the show to the autumn - it didn't work last time they tried it, and the lag time from that is the reason we've had a year off now, to get back to the spring schedule.

I'm not going to believe any rumours until there's evidence. The media loves making stuff up about Doctor Who!

[Lokiberry]

I hope it's not true about having to wait til fall 2018 for series 11. We've already had to wait a year for s10. I don't know what the problem is, American tv can pop out a show with more episodes every year.

[ApathyMonger]

9 minutes ago, Lokiberry said:

I hope it's not true about having to wait til fall 2018 for series 11. We've already had to wait a year for s10. I don't know what the problem is, American tv can pop out a show with more episodes every year.

American TV has money.

[Llywela]

6 hours ago, Lokiberry said:

I hope it's not true about having to wait til fall 2018 for series 11. We've already had to wait a year for s10. I don't know what the problem is, American tv can pop out a show with more episodes every year.

The reason we had no series in 2016 was that because they were moving the show back to spring from autumn, there wasn't enough lead time to complete filming by spring 2016. The seasons might be relatively short, but they take a long time to film. It's not like in the old days, when an entire 22 minute episode was recorded 'as live' in a single 90 minute studio session on a Friday night! These days, they can spend an entire day on a single scene. So after the show was moved to the autumn and failed to make the desired impression in that slot, the decision was made to move it back to the spring, which meant delaying transmission to allow sufficient time for that series to be recorded.

Which is why I'm surprised there's talk of pushing it back to autumn again, after it didn't do so well in that slot previously. The two series, 10 and 11, were meant to be being recorded back to back...unless they decided to push back recording of series 11 due to the change of showrunner? It could be to do with Chibnall (or the new Doctor's) availability.

[ApathyMonger]

Apparently Chibnall hasn't even started work on the new series yet: http://io9.gizmodo.com/its-going-to-be-a-long-time-before-we-hear-about-peter-1791999621

[Llywela]

3 hours ago, ApathyMonger said:

Apparently Chibnall hasn't even started work on the new series yet: http://io9.gizmodo.com/its-going-to-be-a-long-time-before-we-hear-about-peter-1791999621

That'll be why the new series has been pushed back to autumn - won't be ready in time for the spring schedule! A pity, though, the way it keeps getting mucked about like this.

[LiveenLetLive]

On 2/3/2017 at 2:32 PM, Unclejosh said:

I definitely prefer a younger doctor.  Not too young but no older than mid 30's to  40-ish.  I am middle aged myself, I don't want to see people my age or older on adventures.  Takes me out of the show to see older people doing stuff that only young people can really physically pull off even if it is aliens.  I know the actors are old so I cannot suspend my disbelief enough.   Just my own preference.  Of course I grew up with Tom Baker, Colin Baker, and Pete Davidson as my Doctors and even though TB and CB were already 40, they acted and looked much younger.   I loved Christopher Eccleston who was 40 too when he got the role.   Basically I hope it is someone between 30 and 40 if I had my way.  

I would absolutely welcome a woman doctor too as long as the same age bracket is in effect.  I really don't have any interest in watching Grandma or Grandpa Who.

Me too! EXACTLY how I feel regarding age--I am the same age as Capaldi and I damn know the physical limitations, not only that but PC looks even older and frailer than he is. I am with you--age 30-40 is perfect.

[truther]

Do people even care about this show anymore?  I mean yeah, obviously a lot of us literally do.  But in a larger sense it seems that this show has completely lost the plot.  I fear the producers are going to learn all the wrong lessons.  They brought in Capaldi and gave him absolutely crappy material to work with, and have likely concluded that an older Doctor won't work.  Then they take a long hiatus, causing casual viewers to forget about the show, and the producers seem to think they need to kickstart interest by bringing in some young, flashy person to take the show in a new direction.  So I can picture them making the next Doctor a sass-talking woman, perhaps, and alienating a lot of the long-term viewers in the process.  Which means the producers will learn another incorrect lesson -- that Doctor Who fans are misogynists or something -- and decide the show isn't worth it anymore, and it'll disappear for even longer.  

[Mabinogia]

1 hour ago, truther said:

Do people even care about this show anymore?

Sadly, I don't think the show runners cane about the show anymore. I know my interest is waning. I'm excited about this coming season, to finally see Capaldi not play second fiddle to the Great And Powerful Clara, but after that, I fear we may end up with another Clara type, or worse yet, a Clara type Doctor! I'm still amazed Capaldi got the gig. Glad, because I think he's great, but amazed because "OMG WRINKLES!!!!!!"

[hnygrl]

1 hour ago, truther said:

 So I can picture them making the next Doctor a sass-talking woman, perhaps, and alienating a lot of the long-term viewers in the process.  Which means the producers will learn another incorrect lesson -- that Doctor Who fans are misogynists or something -- and decide the show isn't worth it anymore, and it'll disappear for even longer.  

Or worse, make her a big breasted hot to trot female Jack Harkness who is so busy trying  to get laid and being sassy and funny...oh God, I can't.

I can't. I'm depressing myself...geeze...Please God, no. Don't let that happen.

[Eozostrodon]

On 05/02/2017 at 3:46 PM, Llywela said:

That'll be why the new series has been pushed back to autumn - won't be ready in time for the spring schedule! A pity, though, the way it keeps getting mucked about like this.

I don't know, spring is still 14 months away. RTD and Moffat's seasons took 9-10 months from filming to airing. Even allowing for pre-production, seems possible to get it on air for spring if they did start over the summer.

Broadchurch has finished filming and will be finishing post-production within a few weeks, and Chibnall has known about this for two years so hopefully has not accepted any other new work. I do wonder how much of the rumour is legit and how much of it is speculation - I read something elsewhere stating that Chibnall will be working on Broadchurch until summer, when it will have finished airing months earlier.

Edited February 11, 2017 by Eozostrodon

[HauntedBathroom]

Chibnall's gone on record that he's taking a months holidy between Broadchurch and Who.

[Eozostrodon]

A month's holiday would still mean 13-14 months before the spring schedule, which is more than enough time going on previous series. If it's true that S11 isn't debuting till autumn 2018, there's probably a bigger reason.

[darkestboy]

Couple of things.

1) The Radio Times talking about Series 11 not filming til January 2018 for an Autumn 2018 broadcast has yet to be confirmed but a part of me thinks it's very likely to be true, much as I'd prefer it not to be honest.

2) I still think it's going to be a 30 something, maybe 40s bloke for Thirteen. Someone younger than Capaldi for definitely but probably also someone with a similar fame level to Tennant and Smith prior to their casting. 

3) Do I still care about the show? Yes, yes I do but the Christmas special was something of a damp squib but saying that, I am hoping that Moffat and Capaldi's last series will end their time on a strong note though.

[ApathyMonger]

2 hours ago, darkestboy said:

Someone younger than Capaldi for definitely but probably also someone with a similar fame level to Tennant and Smith prior to their casting. 

Hardly anyone knew who Smith was before he was cast. He'd done a few things on the BBC, but nothing in any way popular. Tennant wasn't a big star, but he'd been in things people had heard of at least.

[Llywela]

On 13/02/2017 at 5:00 PM, Eozostrodon said:

A month's holiday would still mean 13-14 months before the spring schedule, which is more than enough time going on previous series. If it's true that S11 isn't debuting till autumn 2018, there's probably a bigger reason.

A big enough reason to risk the autumn schedule again, when that proved unsuccessful for the show previously. Weird. But then, who can fathom the BBC?

[chitowngirl]

7 hours ago, ApathyMonger said:

Hardly anyone knew who Smith was before he was cast. He'd done a few things on the BBC, but nothing in any way popular. Tennant wasn't a big star, but he'd been in things people had heard of at least.

When 9 regenerated into 10 and we saw Tennant briefly at the end, my daughter, who was 10 at the time, said "He was in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". So I would say he was fairly well known.

[sugarbaker design]

Recognizable and well known are two different things.  "He was in HP and GOF" means he's recognizable.  "That's David Tennant of HP and GOG' means he is well known.

[hnygrl]

True , sugarbaker design. We can handle "he was in blah blah blah" more than we can handle "look, there's Sherlock!" He wouldn't be the Doctor, he'd be whatever character he's so well known for.

You want a pretty-much-nobody who can act his face off to BE the Doctor. Not constantly remind us he's a character actor. Tennant and Smith WERE the Doctor. Period. Even after they moved on, you'd see them in something else and get a warm fuzzy, "look, it's the Doctor!"

Capaldi is just that good an actor. No contest. I want an unknown for the next Doctor.

[darkestboy]

New trailer for Series 10 ....

[FormerMod-a1]

Dr Who gets first openly gay companion

[darkestboy]

Spoiler

 

The first 10 episode titles for Series 10 are as follows ....

The Pilot

Smile

Thin Ice

Knock, Knock

Oxygen

Extremis

The Pyramid At The End Of The World

The Lie Of The Land

The Empress of Mars

The Eaters of Light

 

Not only is Bill gay, but she's also a foster kid. Her foster mother is named Moira, played by the same actress who was the cat guy's wife in Gridlock. Daleks and Movellans are in the first episode, along with a love interest for Bill named Heather (Stephanie Hyam).

Also a certain return according to this twitter poster (and they have form for posting correct spoilers) ....

 

 

[Llywela]

Thanks for the info, darkestboy. For almost the first time ever, I've made no effort to look out for information about an upcoming season. I really wish I could be excited about it, but the trailer to me looked like more of the same old. I so long for the show to dial it back a bit, become less exaggerated, less of a parody of its own self, but I already know that isn't going to happen this season!