Colin Salmon (Doctor Moon) possibly cast as new Doctor?

[Starkers]

I always thought it was the Steve character who was supposed to represent Moffat in Coupling, rather than Jeff. He's been fairly honest about it. The trouble with Coyle is that he really is tarred with the brush of being Jeff, or of being Strange. Good actor though. I don't think Colin Salmon is wooden, however I'd query if he could pull off the eccentric nature of the Doctor. In terms of past Doctors the only one he reminds me of is Pertwee--which wouldn't be a bad thing. I do think Patterson Joseph has the energy and, more importantly, the manic twinkle in his eye that mark him out as a better choice of doctor.

 

[Admiral Bear]

A number of years ago, I seem to remember there being a we must have a female actress playing the Doctor bandwagon, with I think Lumley or Jennifer Saunders being repeatedly touted by the media.

There's nothing the gutter press media love more than a good bandwagon to jump on as it gives them something to write about and start a campaign for. At the time of the Lumley/Saunders bandwagon (nothing wrong with either actress by the way), the big politically correct drive was for female equality and all that girl power bollocks. Luckily the wheels seemed to fall off that wagon PDQ.

Now we have the Oh look, the USA has just voted for a black President, so the new Doctor Who must be black! bandwagon. The wheels will fall off just as quickly.

The best actor for the role will (hopefully) get the job regardless of being white, black, yellow, orange or somewhere in between.The BBC could do far worse than Don Warrington if they want a black actor. I'd happily watch him in the show rather than Tennant's lousy comedic Del Boy interpretation which had the novelty wear off 5 mins after the regeneration scene.

 

[Bacl]

Race is irrelevant. It's not about them casting a 'black' skinned doctor, its about them casting Colin Salmon.

Colin Salmon was really good in his two episodes of Doctor Who. I felt he had a strong presence, and out of all the new characters introduced to us in that episode, besides River Moon, his was the most memorable. I believe this is not due to his race (several of the other new characters introduced were non-white as well) but because of his tremendous presence on screen as a result of his superb acting.

A character with 'tremendous presence' is one of many things you need for The Doctor, but it is not the only thing.

I would be curious what personality the 11th Doctor might have. Remember that he should be as different from the 10th Doctor as the 10th was from the 9th, and those two were quite different. You don't want someone imitating David Tennant. #11 must be his own.

I could see Colin Salmon successfully portraying a blend of 9 & 10, straight faced and firm, large and powerful, certainly intelligent and sophisticated (a tie instead of a leather jacket would suit Salmon well, no pun intended), but with moments of joy and humor and silly play.

I think he could pull that kind of doctor off, and pull it off well, but should the 11th be a composite of 9 and 10? A "best of both worlds" personality, if you will.

Either way, analyzing the actor's range and capabilities is what we should be doing. Not debating whether someone who was born with red hair or light skin should be playing the doctor. Can you imagine someone making a thread saying Colin Salmon can't be cast as the doctor because he has brown eyes? It would be absurd. Yet saying he has brown skin prevents him from the role is an acceptable debate? One of my favorite lines from all of Doctor Who is at the end of "The Doctor Dances" when Captain Jack first set foot in the Tardis.

Captain Jack: Much bigger on the inside.
The Doctor: You better be.

I think when it comes to questions like Salmon's race, we should be bigger on the inside too.

Just my thoughts.

 

[auntiehill]

Well said.

I love Colin Salmon. I think he has real presence, and a powerful personality. He would be very different in tone, and as someone mentioned, would be more along the lines of a Pertwee-type Doctor. I think it would be refreshing.

I never thought, "Gee, he'd be a great black Doctor." I like the actor, love his voice, and love watching him on screen. I think: "I like Colin. Colin would be an interesting Doctor."

I, too, would wish people just saw the actor's onscreen- personality or talent, and didn't focus so much on the ethnicity of the person.

 

[wamdue]

The best actor for the role will (hopefully) get the job regardless of being white, black, yellow, orange or somewhere in between.The BBC could do far worse than Don Warrington if they want a black actor. I'd happily watch him in the show rather than Tennant's lousy comedic Del Boy interpretation which had the novelty wear off 5 mins after the regeneration scene.

to be fair the children in need mini was just 7 minutes of post regeneration crazy, and the first half of Christmas Invasion was him alseep, the 2nd half is really our first look at 10 & his personality.

 

[Cyke101]

If Colin Salmon is cast, my first thought wouldn't be "He's black," my first thought would be: "Morpheus? What're you doing here?! SWEET."

Seriously, with glasses, he looks like Laurence Fishborne.

 

[Admiral Bear]

Aside from Colin Salmon, and I'm sure he's a nice bloke, not being able to act his way out of a paper bag, I'd have a problem with an actor who was so recently in the show suddenly appearing in the lead role, the presumption being that we're all too thick to notice.

Given the number of times nuWho is repeated on UK Gold every weekday, I can see the cries of confused 6 yr olds up and down the country. . .Mummy, why is Dr Moon the Doctor?

 

[WillsBabe]

I love Colin Salmon. He's one of my favoruite actors. I don't know why, though, but I can't seem to fit him into the Doctor role. Still, if he is cast, I'd be happy for him to show me that he can be the Doctor.

ETA: *head in hands*. I've just had a thought. This is the BBC, they'll probably cast the Doctor role a la Maria and Joseph. I can see it now... "Who is Who?" Will fill up Saturday tea time for months...

 

[GabeHimself]

I always thought it was the Steve character who was supposed to represent Moffat in Coupling, rather than Jeff. He's been fairly honest about it. The trouble with Coyle is that he really is tarred with the brush of being Jeff, or of being Strange. Good actor though. I don't think Colin Salmon is wooden, however I'd query if he could pull off the eccentric nature of the Doctor. In terms of past Doctors the only one he reminds me of is Pertwee--which wouldn't be a bad thing. I do think Patterson Joseph has the energy and, more importantly, the manic twinkle in his eye that mark him out as a better choice of doctor.

Richard Coyle would have been a great Doctor. But alas, he has been ruined by the Jeff persona. Steve Taylor was everything Moffat saw himself as, but if you look at Jeff and Oliver -- both pretty much the same character -- they're really Steven Moffat down to the Doctor Who obsessing. I guess Steve Taylor was what he wants to see himself as while Jeff/Oliver are what he fears he is.

The roles I've seen Colin Salmon in are Doctor Moon, Agent Robinson from James Bond and the Squad Leader who gets diced in Resident Evil. In all three roles he has been commanding and very self serious. He is not remotely eccentric. Even Pertwee was eccentric.

Patterson Joseph is THE JOHNSON. Sorry, but I keep seeing him trying to bed someone.

Kris Marshall or Michael Sheen still have it imo.

The best black actor for the role is Mos Def, who can do a British accent very well and is VERY Doctorish.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Aside from Colin Salmon, and I'm sure he's a nice bloke, not being able to act his way out of a paper bag, I'd have a problem with an actor who was so recently in the show suddenly appearing in the lead role, the presumption being that we're all too thick to notice.

Except that it's not "recently."

Salmon appeared as Dr. Moon in spring 2008. If he became the eleventh Doctor, we would see him at the earliest in early 2010. Nearly two years, which is longer than between Colin Baker's appearance as Maxil in "Arc of Infinity" and his appearance as the Doctor at the end of "Caves of Androzani."

 

[Brendan Moody]

And longer than the nine months separating Freema Agyeman's guest shot as Adeola in "Army of Ghosts" from her debut as Martha in "Smith and Jones." The presumption being, not that the audience is "too thick" to notice, but that if it does happen to recall a months-gone minor character it's smart enough to figure out that actors can play different roles.

 

[wamdue]

And longer than the nine months separating Freema Agyeman's guest shot as Adeola in "Army of Ghosts" from her debut as Martha in "Smith and Jones." The presumption being, not that the audience is "too thick" to notice, but that if it does happen to recall a months-gone minor character it's smart enough to figure out that actors can play different roles.

alot of people question Freema's acting, but when I think of Martha, I dont think of the other character she played at all.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

At this point, I'm personally willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt until I see them in action. There was plenty of "Oh Noes! Billie as the companion! It'll suck" and "Catherine Tate?!? Am I bovvered, yes! She'll ruin the series!"
So I'll be reserving judgement until I see an episode or two of whoever they put in the part.

 

[Starkers]

Patterson Joseph is THE JOHNSON. Sorry, but I keep seeing him trying to bed someone.

Kris Marshall or Michael Sheen still have it imo.

The best black actor for the role is Mos Def, who can do a British accent very well and is VERY Doctorish.

Whereas Kris Marshall is the crazy son from My Family ot the annoying bloke off the BT ads? C'est la vie.

Michael Sheen is the guy who did Blair and Keneth Williams right? Seems a very good mimic but haven't seen him brining anything of himself to a role as yet.

 

[bigdaddy]

Oh no a black guy!!!

If Mrs. Clinton won then The Doctor would be a female!!!

The first humans were black, and there are more women (well should be, damn China), so people grow up.

He's awesome so I hope he's this is true.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Why is everyone acting like these rumours are new? There was rumours of Colin Salmon and Paterson Joseph last time, and there's also rumours of Jennifer Saunders wanting the role, is everyone going to assume that there's some bandwagon there too?

 

[Baldus885]

I love Colin Salmon. He's one of my favoruite actors. I don't know why, though, but I can't seem to fit him into the Doctor role. Still, if he is cast, I'd be happy for him to show me that he can be the Doctor.

ETA: *head in hands*. I've just had a thought. This is the BBC, they'll probably cast the Doctor role a la Maria and Joseph. I can see it now... "Who is Who?" Will fill up Saturday tea time for months...

OH GOD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....................

Wogan said something the other morning about the new Who being announced on Children in Need night. There's a Who special on then, so who knows?

 

[wamdue]

that isnt true, that is just poor writing on the part of the BBC & Wogan

 

[Neroon]

You know exactly what band wagon I mean. I read a Daniel Craig interview yesterday and he said he thinks the next Bond should be black. Black Bond, Black Doctor Who....go for it sometime I say if someone suitable is found. At the moment though it just seems too gimmicky and 'fashionable'.

Oh piss off you racist bastard.

Necessary? Not even in the least.

Infraction for flaming

 

[Tomalak]

I love Colin Salmon. He's one of my favoruite actors. I don't know why, though, but I can't seem to fit him into the Doctor role. Still, if he is cast, I'd be happy for him to show me that he can be the Doctor.

ETA: *head in hands*. I've just had a thought. This is the BBC, they'll probably cast the Doctor role a la Maria and Joseph. I can see it now... "Who is Who?" Will fill up Saturday tea time for months...

OH GOD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....................

Wogan said something the other morning about the new Who being announced on Children in Need night. There's a Who special on then, so who knows?

El Tel doesn't even know what day of the week it is anymore, so I wouldn't get too excited.