Doctor Could-Have-Beens

[Joe Washington]

If the original Doctor Who hadn't been cancelled in 1989, who do you think would have been played the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Doctors back then?

 

[diankra]

The only half-way definite is that if the series had continued into 1990 and McCoy had quit after another year, Richard Griffiths would have been first choice for 8.

 

[Lonemagpie]

The only half-way definite is that if the series had continued into 1990 and McCoy had quit after another year, Richard Griffiths would have been first choice for 8.

Except that DWM made that up.

 

[diankra]

Really? Could have sworn I heard it from Andrew.
He was definitely a first choice for the fifth Doctor, as Barry Letts mentioned that over a pint 20-odd years ago. But now not sure I've heard any mouth-to-ear about Griffiths to replace McCoy, so...

 

[Starkers]

I'd like to hope that Paterson Joseph might have got a chance to be 9 or 10, but having said that an ethnic minority Doctor in the 90s might have been an even harder sell than nowadays.

 

[Captaindemotion]

It's impossible to say really. It all depends on whether the BBC had continued to see its budget shrink, thus attracting only lesser-known actors, or whether they'd invested in it and been able to land big name actors. Also impossible to say without any idea of who'd been running the show.

 

[mythme]

Wasn't the idea of Michael Palin kicked around for a while?

 

[Lonemagpie]

Really? Could have sworn I heard it from Andrew.
He was definitely a first choice for the fifth Doctor, as Barry Letts mentioned that over a pint 20-odd years ago. But now not sure I've heard any mouth-to-ear about Griffiths to replace McCoy, so...

DWM went with Griffiths as a good example of the sort of actor who was on the kind of level that they'd be looking for, and I think Andrew agreed that that was fairly appropriate. ISTR that DWM piece also has it that my script would have killed off Sylv and I fucking *know* that wouldn't be the case!

 

[Samurai8472]

Here are some auditions for the 7th doctor role before McCoy was cast.


[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE1Wq8w5qmE[/YT]

The actors were

David Fielder
Dermont Crowley

 

[Sindatur]

Hugh Grant, as an actor, just rubs me wrong for some reason, don't know why, just always had an intense dislike for his characters/acting. So, since I recall hearing he was considered at one time, that's one I'm grateful was never realized.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Hugh Grant wasn't just considered. RTD says he offered him the role in 2004. Grant turned it down, and then Eccleston expressed interest. Grant has said that he regrets turning down the role.

I can almost imagine the 2005 series with Hugh Grant. Almost.

 

[Venardhi]

Here are some auditions for the 7th doctor role before McCoy was cast.


[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE1Wq8w5qmE[/YT]

The actors were

David Fielder
Dermont Crowley

I actually quite like both of those auditions.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Crowley played General Madine in Return of the Jedi

 

[Starkers]

The notion that RTD wanted Hugh Grant is quite strange, especially given this

I think he'd have made a good Doctor, but whether he'd have made a good battle scarred survior guilt Doctor is another matter?

 

[Captaindemotion]

Yeah, given that RTD didn't want Paul McGann, I don't really understand why he'd want someone who'd appeared as the Doctor in a DW sketch for Comic Relief. Plus I really don't think it would've been realistic to expect Grant to take on a TV role 10 years ago.

 

[Joe Washington]

Here are some auditions for the 7th doctor role before McCoy was cast.




The actors were

David Fielder
Dermont Crowley

I love the David Fielder audition. He would have made a cocky, smug Doctor.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I wonder if he'd have kept the moustache.

 

[marillion]

It's funny... Watching those auditions... Sylvester McCoy just OWNED it... I realize I'm a bit biased in viewing because he WAS the Doctor... But he just brought so much more energy to the audition... That was very cool.

 

[Joe Washington]

It's funny... Watching those auditions... Sylvester McCoy just OWNED it... I realize I'm a bit biased in viewing because he WAS the Doctor... But he just brought so much more energy to the audition... That was very cool.

Yeah, I can see why he was chosen.

 

[Starkers]

A bit of a microcosm of his tenure as the Doctor, showcasing him at his best and worse. He really does own the screen, he's great...and then he just turns it up to 11 and starts gurning. He does come across better than the others, although I liked the first guy, and the second one did grow on me but we saw more of him anyway.

And it was nice to see Janet Fielding