Is This The Next Doctor?

[StCoop]

So, while there's been lots of rumors that Matt Smith will be leaving at Christmas, helped by the fact the when asked in interviews he won't commit himself to anything beyond that point, up until now there haven't been any actualy names being floated for his replacement.

But now there's one. Ben Daniels; a name that I expect has just elicited a "Who the hell's that?" from most of you. (It certainly did from me.)

You have probably seen him before though, just not in any flashy leading roles. And that's what makes an interesting choice to throw out there.

We could all put together a realistic sounding list of candidates for the part but I don't think any such list would have had his name on it. And if someone is needed to shoot a Regeneration Secene in September they'd be cast round about now.

Obviously the name could have been picked by a hoaxer precisely because he's not an obvious choice or he could just turn out to be this year's Patterson Joseph but if it does turn out to be correct than it would be a move away from the last two inhabitants of the role back towards a more traditionaly Doctorish actor.

Time will tell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Daniels

 

[Starkers]

Oh I know him, last seen as Tristan in a couple of episodes of Merlin. You're right though, until I looked up some pics I had no idea.

Like you say could just be a random name. There'd be pluses and minues to casting of him or someone like him of course.

On the plus side an older Doctor would be nice (much as I love Smith) again, and though he's 48 he doesn't really look it. The upside to casting a character actor of that kind of age is of course that they probably aren't going to want to nip off and try and crack Hollywood after a couple of years. Someone of that background may see the Doctor more as the pinnacle of their career than a launching point (which let's face it even fanboy Tennant did) and we may get some really continuity of 4/5 years in the role.

On the downside the filming schedule of nuWho has been claimed to be quite punishing, and obviously he won't be getting any younger. You also have to add in that, given his age and how long he's been around in the business, why he's never got a lead role before now? (Of course you could have said the same about Paterson Joseph and I wanted him to get the role).

If there is going to be a 12th (or 13th ) Doctor cast I doubt they can keep it a secret much longer.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I, on the other hand, know Ben Daniels and love his acting. I first saw him on Law & Order: UK and more recently on Netflix's House of Cards. While, he wouldn't be my first choice for The Doctor (Eddie Izzard! Eddie Izzard!), I would be very intrigued to see what he would bring to role. I would also love to see an older actor take on the role.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Whistleblower now reports that Matt Smith isn't leaving, and that one of the incentives for Smith to stay is that he'll direct an episode.

As for Ben Daniels, you don't know how someone will do in the role of the Doctor until you see them. I'm sure he'd be fine.

 

[Starkers]

Has he(she) actually deleted their original post then? All seems very contradictory...

 

[StCoop]

Whistleblower now reports that Matt Smith isn't leaving, and that one of the incentives for Smith to stay is that he'll direct an episode.

I was pretty sure before but reading that has utterly convinced me that they're a fake, since it's mostly backtracking on what they said originally after seeing people point out stuff like Chibnall confirming he is writing a script for Series 8.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

We could all put together a realistic sounding list of candidates for the part but I don't think any such list would have had his name on it.

You think wrong.

Well, Patrick Stewart and Anthony Head would be my first picks, but I don't think they're even an option (although Stewart should at least make a guest appearance already).

Rolling different ideas through my head, here are some actors I'd like to see take up the Sonic Screwdriver:

- Philip Glenister
- Ben Daniels
- Samuel West
- Tobias Menzies (the Doctor with an edge? Menzies' very good playing sinister)

So, looking at the actors I came up with, I guess I'd like to see a more mature Doctor again.

 

[StCoop]

We could all put together a realistic sounding list of candidates for the part but I don't think any such list would have had his name on it.

You think wrong.

Well done! If this does turn out to be correct you'll get to brag about it for years.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Alright then can we have Russel Brand as the Monk? Just once? Oh it's just me then? Alright.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Alright then can we have Russell Brand as the Monk? Just once? Oh it's just me then? Alright.

No. A thousand times no. Keep Russell Brand far, far away from Doctor Who. I'll take another Peter Kay episode before Russel Brand.

 

[Starkers]

Alright then can we have Russel Brand as the Monk? Just once? Oh it's just me then? Alright.

No. A thousand times no. Keep Russel Brand far, far away from Doctor Who. I'll take another Peter Kay episode before Russel Brand.

Now let's not be too hasty here...

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

No. A thousand times no. Keep Russel Brand far, far away from Doctor Who. I'll take another Peter Kay episode before Russel Brand.

I know he's seen as this irrationally polarizing figure in the UK, and I used to trust that opinion because I didn't know better and he seemed to be a showoff and have an irritating voice but now that I've seen a couple of interviews of the guy and read what he wrote about the death of Thatcher, I've realized that he's a very bright, articulate and entertaining fellow. Still no big fan of his standup comedy, but that's not what this is about.

Now Peter Kay, I don't get at all.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Alright then can we have Russell Brand as the Monk? Just once? Oh it's just me then? Alright.

No. A thousand times no. Keep Russell Brand far, far away from Doctor Who. I'll take another Peter Kay episode before Russel Brand.

Now let's not be too hasty here...

Yeah, you're right. I take it back. I'll take another...*shudder* James Corden episode before Russell Brand.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

By all means let's skip the unpopular opinion as if it didn't exist and perpetuate the stereotype in the form of a tired joke...

... which is your prerogative, of course.

Anyway. Yeah, Ben Daniels. What about him? Has he done anything since C3PO?

 

[VDCNI]

Ben Daniels is a very strong actor though the last thing I saw him in - The Haunted Child with Sophie Okonedo at the Royal Court - was horrifically bad but that was more the play than the actors.

Also saw him alongside Alex Kingston in Luise Miller where he was excellent and he has yet another Who connection as his boyfriend Ian Gelder played Mr Dekker in Torchwood.

He would be an interesting choice for definite, though personally I'm still hoping for Jamie Parker next.

 

[Christopher]

Anyway. Yeah, Ben Daniels. What about him? Has he done anything since C3PO?

Anthony Daniels plays C3PO. Ben Daniels was the senior crown prosecutor (the Sam Waterston equivalent) in the first four seasons of Law & Order: UK -- with Freema Agyeman as his junior prosecutor, so it would be kind of a turnabout thing if he went from L&O:UK to Doctor Who. (Not to mention that after he left, Peter Davison took over as the DA-equivalent character!)

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Anyway. Yeah, Ben Daniels. What about him? Has he done anything since C3PO?

Anthony Daniels plays C3PO.

You don't say!

 

[Starkers]

No. A thousand times no. Keep Russell Brand far, far away from Doctor Who. I'll take another Peter Kay episode before Russel Brand.

Now let's not be too hasty here...

Yeah, you're right. I take it back. I'll take another...*shudder* James Corden episode before Russell Brand.

The odd thing about Corden is that I don't particularly like him, yet I really like Craig...

 

[Kai "the spy"]

We could all put together a realistic sounding list of candidates for the part but I don't think any such list would have had his name on it.

You think wrong.

Well done! If this does turn out to be correct you'll get to brag about it for years.

I intend to.

 

[Starkers]

No one remembers that I was the only person to correctly predict the 11th Doctor's look