Saturday, August 04, 2007

Who Do YOU Want?

If - and as yet there is no confirmation of ANYTHING - we were to get a new Doctor at the end of Series 4 (and I'm more than happy with David Tennant), there's quite a lot of choice out there.

I'm not a personal fan of James Nesbitt, and while I'm happy about that particular theory being debunked, it would have been quite a piece of casting.

But, if RTD is to leave, and Steven Moffat is to take over, there are certain things that need to be addressed to maintain the series' long term survival and elevate it from the spot-the-celeb-fest that RTD likes to turn it into when really, I feel, it's those moments that need to make real statements about our lives in a way only the very best fiction can.

Foremost, no more Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson camping their way through Doctor Who Confidential. It grates big time, and detracts from an otherwise interesting show.
We should also have a long think about how Doctor Who refreshed itself in the past, and hope for a new title sequence. It's about to see its fourth series, more than any sequence in the shows history save the Tom Baker era.

We should also - if David Tennant is to leave, and he's never said how long we will stay in the role (and why should he?) then we need a Doctor who is radically different. He must be different in order to further the character and underline the risk of regeneration. I'm not suggesting that the 11th Doctor should be manipulative or slightly psychotic, traits that severely hampered the Sixth and Seventh Doctors, but he should definitely play to the strengths of the actor concerned - whoever he may be.

Thankfully we don't have to worry about the next Doctor being The Hoff or Paul Daniels - but let's have some fun speculating, eh?

My personal favourites:
Richard E Grant - there was something quite wonderful about the original Ninth Doctor as seen in Paul Cornell's Scream of the Shalka, and he deserves another chance
Kris Marshall - best known as My Family's bonkers Nick, Marshall has quite a reputation on stage, and wouldn't look out of place with his Tom Bakerish eyes. Oh and he's ginger (ish).
John Nettles - completely a long shot as I'm not convinced about the younger actors claim, Nettles carries episodes of the wonderful Midsomer Murders with an air of tranquil calm, and could provide the same influence on Doctor Who if teamed with a dynamic younger pairing.

Howabout we carry this on elsewhere, such as in the Kasterborous Doctor Who Forum?

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