In this week's Radio Times
Matt Smith confirmed for series 8
- Thread starter Lonemagpie
- Start date
Is Series 8 confirmed?
Great. Now we can immediately start rumors there will be a new Doctor for Series 9.
Matt Smith confirmed for season 8, which means we shouldn't expect another Doctor anytime before 2017. 
Nope.
That was somebody with a lack of reading comprehension who just came across a story on IO9 from March. In addition the reporting of that story on Combom was, as was noted at the time, wrong as what he actually said over a month ago was that he'd be around for another year, ie this year, not for another series next year.
Bugger. This is what I get for posting at 2am when I can barely keep my stinging eyes open...
Does that mean Smith is now in the run for longest lasting Doctor?
In what categories does he have a shot?
longest real life time span?
longest in universe lifetime?
Most individual stories?
longest total screen time?
Highest numbers of series...es?
In what categories does he have a shot?
longest real life time span?
longest in universe lifetime?
Most individual stories?
longest total screen time?
Highest numbers of series...es?
Given that there's still no REAL indication that he'll be there past Christmas, I'd give that one a No.
Both Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann have nine years.
SM - 1987 --> 1996
PM - 1996 --> 2005
IMO, these are the only two that matter.
Longest real life span would put Sylvester McCoy as the winner.
I find that such a curious way of looking at tenure. Like Adam West was Batman from 1966-1989 or William Shatner played Kirk from 1966-2009. Of course, Who fans treat the show as if it's been airing continuously since its inception.
Assuming no pre-Hartnell Doctors, Hartnell would be the longest living Doctor. Assuming "Rose" is a post-regeneration story, Eccleston would be the shortest living Doctor.
Smith would be in the top three, thanks to the two hundred years for his Doctor between seasons five and six. Davison and Tennant are in the bottom three.
There's a couple of ways of looking at which actor has had the longest tenure as the Doctor.
As far as actual screen time, there's really no contest--Tom Baker.
Longest time "holding" the role--pretty much a tie between Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann.
As far as actual screen time, there's really no contest--Tom Baker.
Longest time "holding" the role--pretty much a tie between Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann.
Matt (as he's said himself several times) wants to make it in America. And as he'll know the only way to do that is to stay over there. (It's already working for Karen and I believe Arthur's just headed over too.) Making one film and then taking yourself out of consideration for another nine months won't cut it. He'll also know that while he's cetainly not any sort of household name over there, at the moment his star would certainly be rising with the people who can actually cast him.
That's why I think he'll be back in the UK in September for a month and then gone for good.
That's why I think he'll be back in the UK in September for a month and then gone for good.
It pains me to say this, but I agree with your thinking. It pains me, because I enjoy Smith's performance, even if I'm not always happy with the material he has to work with.
The thing that would keep Smith, but will never happen, would be to move Doctor Who production to the United States. Specifically, New York City. At the "Asylum" screening in New York, Smith said he wished they could film every episode of Doctor Who in New York. While I'm sure there are warehouses in Brooklyn or Queens that could be easily converted into permanent soundstages for Doctor Who, doing that just to keep Smith doesn't make any sense.
Davison makes sense (never without his companions, although there's nothing to say he didn't drop them off then come back for them 200 years later) but didn't Ten go bumming around for decades before finally deigning to pop to the Ood Homeworld?
And of course, given how long his farewell tour seemed to be, there's probably a few years betweent the moment he took Wilf's place in the radiation chamber and when he actually regenerated!
No. The tenth Doctor said he was 903 in "Voyage of the Damned," and in "Flesh and Stone" the eleventh Doctor said he was 907. It may have been RTD's intention (I know it was certainly talked about), but a lengthy gap before "The End of Time" never materialized.
That's too bad, if that's the way it'll work out. I can certainly understand Smith wanting to expand his career. However, I think it's a bit shortsighted (in general, not just of Matt Smith).
The Doctor is such an iconic role that will be remembered for generations. On the other hand, the odds are that any of them who come to the States will get bit parts and 2nd rate roles that will quickly be forgotten.
Sure, there's the possibility that they'll hit it huge, but that's unlikely. And, given that he has already landed the role of a lifetime, well, I wouldn't be so quick to give it up!
It's probably a tough position to be in too. They don't want to be typecast. But, Tom Baker is beloved for his 7 years on Doctor Who, not his one-shot guest role in Remington Steele!
Mr Awe
One of the ways suggested to determine longest length as the Doctor was longest real life time. Under that logic, Sylvester McCoy certainly qualifies (I don't think Paul McGann necessarily does, though).
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