The 8th Doctor Returns! (Sort Of.)
- Thread starter StCoop
- Start date
This look for the 8th Doctor has been around for ages.
http://onceuponageek.com/2010/11/02/paul-mcgann-doctor-who-new-outfit/
http://onceuponageek.com/2010/11/02/paul-mcgann-doctor-who-new-outfit/
There could have been some legal matters to sort out before McGann could wear that outfit officially in two years.
Toby Jones is playing a new character named Kotris.
The unsubstantiated gossip I heard at the time was that it was a look he invented, which got him into a lot of trouble...
Does that mean that he sold the look to Doctor Who, or that they kindly gained the look in the settlement rather than take his house?
Does that mean that he sold the look to Doctor Who, or that they kindly gained the look in the settlement rather than take his house?
I can't even begin to understand how that could land him in legal trouble. It's not like the BBC or Big Finish own his face; the guy's allowed to wear a costume call it a Doctor Who costume. I can imagine difficulty persuading BBC or Big Finish to use the costume he designed in their products, but it makes no sense whatsoever to think they'd have the right to legally penalize him for dressing up.
Although he was involved with the design it was actually put together by a Convention down in New Zealand. And his new Sonic Screwdriver was actually made for him by Weta Workshop. (Who have given various Who folk tours of their facility when they're in NZ.)
Now the BBC have no say over what Paul McGann can or can't wear at a Convention. What they do have a say over is whether he can appear in-character in it, which they obviously have had no problem with.
The real question is whether it really "works" or not. Each Doctor has had variants on their wardrobe, but it has remained reasonably close to a "look", with some form of iconic element to it, be it a scarf, umbrella or whatever.
While I do like the costume, it seems to have abandon everything of this Doctor's original look. It would be great if he maintained some elements of the previous costume, like the waistcoat or cravat, but I hope it won't be a wholesale change.
On the other hand, it's not like his original outfit was genuinely anything - it was a borrowed costume for a masquerade party, and had circa 1999 shoes!
Mark
PS - Man, but McGann has aged well, no? He certainly doesn't look 15+ years older than he was for the TVM...
While I do like the costume, it seems to have abandon everything of this Doctor's original look. It would be great if he maintained some elements of the previous costume, like the waistcoat or cravat, but I hope it won't be a wholesale change.
On the other hand, it's not like his original outfit was genuinely anything - it was a borrowed costume for a masquerade party, and had circa 1999 shoes!
Mark
PS - Man, but McGann has aged well, no? He certainly doesn't look 15+ years older than he was for the TVM...
In Lance Parkin's excellent novel Father Time, set during a story arc that finds an amnesiac Eighth Doctor living through the 20th Century while his critically wounded TARDIS slowly heals (it's a long story, don't worry about it), the Doctor maintains the basic silhouette of his original outfit, but more or less adapted to whatever decade he's in; for instance, during the Eighties he still has the long coat, but it's Armani (and at some point I think he does get a leather one, but my memory may fail me on that point).
Bloody God that's shit. The 8th Doctor has an established look, and a very good one. You didn't see Pertwee wearing a long scarf for his last season or Tom Baker pratting around Traken with a stick of celery.
Clearly. But why bother? None of the previous Doctors have ever 'developed' their image from their predecessor. They regenerate and do their own thing. Part of the change of costume is to distinguish the current incumbent from the last Doctor. I don't like the idea of his costume metamorphosing into that of Nine.
I have to agree, in principle. Eight and Nine could hardly be more different in temperament. Everything about Nine seemed to be about distancing himself from the past, and his look and demeanour were probably about being as unDoctorish as possible. It makes no sense for the previously Byronic Eight to look like that.
No offense to Mr McGann of course, but his Doctor really does look like he's been through Hell.
None of the rest were forced to wear an uncomfortable wig.
Once you get rid of the wig, the rest doesn't make much sense.
(Anything can make sense.)
In for a penny, in for a pound.
besides?
What he was wearing was a New Years Eve fancy dress Costume.
You can't tell me that "costume" has a life time guarantee.
Maybe it was made well, but maybe it was made as cheaply as possible in a Chinese sweatshop by children.
Baker and Pertwee were constantly changing their clothes but because they kept to a theme and limited colour palate it was mostly imperceptible.
Once you get rid of the wig, the rest doesn't make much sense.
(Anything can make sense.)
In for a penny, in for a pound.
besides?
What he was wearing was a New Years Eve fancy dress Costume.
You can't tell me that "costume" has a life time guarantee.
Maybe it was made well, but maybe it was made as cheaply as possible in a Chinese sweatshop by children.
Baker and Pertwee were constantly changing their clothes but because they kept to a theme and limited colour palate it was mostly imperceptible.
Had it gone to series one of Philip Segal's ideas was he'd 'borrow' a new costume where ever he landed.
Not in favor of the new costume myself, still I wont have to hear it.
Surely once he picks his style he rumages through the TARDIS wardrobe to select simaler times. Or he can always nip back in time to get more. But his profile never really changes.
I might have warmed to it if they'd photoshoped his shorter hair on to the older photos, phased it in as it were, but I just see a photo of McGann cosplaying the 9th Doctor, rather than a photo of the 8th in action.
