couldn't they have used the real Alistair Campbell, just so we know where he isn't?
Peter Capaldi named as 12th Doctor Who
The next Doctor Who has been named. He's Peter Capaldi, a 55-year-old Brit who has good form for the role, having already been on Dr Who and its spinoff Torchwood. The new Who – played John Frobiser in Torchwood's 2009 arc "Children of the Earth" – and popped up as Roman Lucius Caecilius in the 2008 episode "The Fires of …
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Monday 5th August 2013 00:03 GMT Anonymous Coward
Been a fan since he was a kid
And when I say "fan", I mean hardcore fan. One of the higher profile figures in the very earliest days of organised fandom in the 1970's. Apparently tried to get control of the fledgling Official Doctor Who club and was considered a bit of a pest by the Who production team. From http://www.odwfc.com/#/reviews/4563033009 :
"Because of the nature of their correspondence, we never see Keith’s letters, but it’s fun reading Sarah’s replies and filling in the gaps in the unfolding story. As time passes, the two build up quite a touching relationship; Sarah gently offers counsel when Keith’s father passes away and shares her frustrations at the rise of the Super Fan as Peter Capaldi – that Peter Capaldi – and pals proceed to make themselves pests to the Doctor Who production team, and commence on a grubby quest for Whovian power. There’s even a terrific bit where Keith frets that Sarah’s serious when she suggests he pops over to Glasgow to duff up the proto Malcolm Tucker."
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Monday 5th August 2013 07:15 GMT Magister
Re: I haven't watched Doctor Who since I was a kid ...
My favourite line from yesterday: "From spin-doctor to The Doctor!" (Perhaps he could swear in Gallifreean?)
He's actually a damn good actor; I suspect that he will do a really good job. Possibly, he might make it a touch darker; somewhere along the road to Torchwood without being quite so adult. Could be well worth watching.
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Monday 5th August 2013 02:37 GMT K. Adams
About time (no pun intended)...
I've been thinking that Doctor Who's been going a bit too "Benjamin Button" over the past few series.
Don't get me wrong, I very much liked Chris Eccleston's, David Tenant's, and Matt Smith's Doctors, but the backward trend in apparent age as of late has been leaving me a bit wanting.
As a long devotee -- 25+ years -- of the "classic", pre-2005 series (from Hartnell to McCoy, plus McGann), I liked it when you were never quite sure of what (or rather, Who) you were going to get from one incarnation to another.
It'll be refreshing to see a new Doctor that brings forth the aire of careworn dignity and aged experience which comes from having lived almost too long and seen way too much...
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Monday 5th August 2013 11:24 GMT Anonymous Coward
Don't blame Sylvester
He was actually a very good Doctor, just let down by appalling scripts from the BBC because they wanted to kill Doctor Who off. Read the New Adventures books and his Doctor is very good. Very dark at times and quite happy to manipulate his friends and companions to do what needs to be done. Ace's character is developed very well, she hates that the Doctor uses her so leaves him and becomes a mercenary. Comes back later in the series as a battle-hardened cynical companion, well worth reading :)
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Monday 5th August 2013 16:10 GMT sawatts
Re: About time (no pun intended)...
After you account for the opening and closing credits, and the repeat of the last episodes cliff-hanger, those 25min were down to about 20min of actual new story.
I much prefer the 45min block (hour slot on commercial TV) to develop stories without having to fit into the cliffhanger-every-20mins structure.
Though in them olden days the Beeb did show reruns of serials as single shows (editing all episodes of a serial together). I remember watching the "Brain of Morbius" in this form from the next room (the sofa was too close!).
I would defend Sylvester McCoy's Doctor though - that period was beset with awful scripts. As I understand it, he was trying to be a darker and more mysterious figure, something that would work better in the current format. Though I admit that after missing one episode during the 70s, those late 80s episodes were less appealing than the pub...
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Monday 5th August 2013 08:34 GMT Sir Gaz of Laz
Re: Yea! But you know...
I agree, I prefer the anticipation of the whole regeneration episode and reveal. I'm guessing the BBC has done this as its the 50th anniversary year and more importantly to counter any tabloid spoilers ahead of time. Capaldi is too high profile an actor for that secret to have been kept.
Great choice though, looking forward to seeing how he does!
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Monday 5th August 2013 13:41 GMT Ugotta B. Kiddingme
you mean...
... Survivor: Gallifrey
Gallifrey's Got Talent
The W Factor
I could go on but, as has been mentioned, I really REALLY shouldn't. It's really a shame that this couldn't have been kept under wraps until Christmas but the new reality is that there is no possible way this secret could have been kept.
I look forward to a more mature Doctor. I've really enjoyed the "new breed" but still love "the classics."
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Monday 5th August 2013 06:36 GMT volsano
Re: the Doctor can take on any form imaginable...
Yes, they've cast their Baker's dozenth plus 1 or 2 (depending on who you count) white man to the part.
But there is hope yet. We have not seen his costume or make up. He may play the Doctor dressed as a Masai warrior with a ginger wig and in tasteful blackface.
That may not please the feminists I know, but it'd be a nod toward multi- culturalism. They have, after all, previously cast a Scot playing the part with a Lundunish accent.
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Monday 5th August 2013 08:12 GMT JDX
Re: the Doctor can take on any form imaginable...
Um, how do you know Galifreyans can be black? Having black skin is part of the human genetic diversity. The idea that would evolve on every world with humanoids is simply ludicrous. We haven't had an oriental doctor either, so what?
The doctor is Galifreyan not human. He doesn't change race.
Time to dismount the PC hobby horse. With James Bond you have at least a small argument, here it's just daft.
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Monday 5th August 2013 06:41 GMT Anonymous Coward
Good-Bye DW?
I have been watching since it was aired in the US in the early 70's. It was only a matter of time before DW was history. The new producers have seen to that. It has lost all the wonder and brilliance (RTD) that was DW and has been turned into a third rate "americanized" tragedy. The new Dr is creepy at best. I have always thought that Capaldi played weak characters anyway. I couldn't stand Matt Smith. Guess I got stuck on David Tennant as a younger Tom Baker (the best Drs).
And that pathetic reveal show. Obviously they know they're in trouble. Pity Moffat and Minchi aren't smart enough to know that over hyping never ends well. Grabbing at straws is not pretty.
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Monday 5th August 2013 10:11 GMT VinceH
Re: Good-Bye DW?
"And that pathetic reveal show. Obviously they know they're in trouble."
I think it's more a case of obviously they know the news is going to get out, so why not make the most of it themselves?
I watched it live via iPlayer because I felt that although I'd rather be surprised when the regeneration actually happened, at least if I hear the news directly from the BBC in some kind of vaguely relevant context it's far better than stumbling across it somewhere on the intertubes, for example in the headlines of an RSS feed, such as one I saw this morning, which read "Peter Capaldi named as 12th Doctor Who".
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Monday 5th August 2013 07:02 GMT Chris D Rogers
Matt Smith was too young
As an old git with fond memories of Jon Pertwee playing the third Doctor, I'm pleased they have an old timer in the part, rather than a more youthful actor.
Jon Pertwee remains my favourite Doctor, let's see if Capaldi measures up and brings some fun and excitement back to the show - I'm not into all this sexual nonsense, which is best left to pron stars.
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Monday 5th August 2013 07:40 GMT Robert E A Harvey
Re: Matt Smith was too young
I recall watching An Unearthly Child and suspect that an older, creepy, irrascible Doctor is long overdue. Remember William Hartnell!
I also don't like this cyberpunk Tardis. Since it can rebuild itself when the Doctor is in trouble, I'd welcome a return to the old style console.
Welcome Mr Capaldi, anyroad.
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Monday 5th August 2013 08:52 GMT Julian Bond
Cyberpunk?
I think you meant "Steampunk". And yes, I don't like the brass and big wooden handles. But then I'm not sure plugging the TARDIS into the the back of Dr Who's neck would be such a good thing either. If it's going to be perpetually 2014 in the next incarnation's TARDIS, then surely the UI should be an app on an android cleverphone?
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Monday 5th August 2013 07:43 GMT Steven Raith
Just to say...
"Look, half an hour ago you were in with a shot! This is half an hour hence! We've f-cking time-travelled, yes? We're in a weird and wonderful world where everything is different! Maybe outside the polar ice caps have melted! Maybe there's f-cking robots knocking about and Davina Maccoll is the new Pope! Maybe you can download rice!
That last part caused coffee to shoot out of my nose and ruin my shirt.
Off to change it then go to work - that's made my morning.
Steven R
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Monday 5th August 2013 09:34 GMT Stilted Banter
BBC PR = news
Actor has new role. Gosh whatever next. Coming to you straight from that section of the BBC News website front page devoted to shameless self-promotion. Just because the BBC think anything to do with Dr Who counts as internationally-important news doesn't mean the rest of us have to go along.
This topic is closed for new posts.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
