News Big Finish recast 12th Doctor.

[Turtletrekker]

Peter Capaldi apparently finds radio plays to be "quite dreary", so Big Finish has recast Jacob Dudman in the role.


https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-f...8iWI5DUx-6ks2jZCPD2pDW4SGsndC0LSgmsc_vPOJLP6Y

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Huh, that's surprising. I mean, Dudman is a pretty good voice actor, but I'm surprised that Big Finish went in that direction so quickly.

During the many years while Tom Baker kept saying no, they didn't do anything with The Fourth Doctor with a few minor vocal exceptions (like in The Kingmaker). Likewise, when they finally got the rights to the modern show and Christopher Eccleston also saying no for a long time, they didn't recast him except for minor stuff like Destiny of the Doctors.

 

[Brendan Moody]

I can’t say I’m surprised; BF has really been ratcheting up the recasting lately. Dudman’ s version of the Eleventh Doctor did an extended cameo in one of the last Main Range audios, and the forthcoming second volume of the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles is moving from audiobook-with-a-second-voice to full cast. Then there’s the young War Doctor, the new Brigadier (who they’ve rushed to use with as many Doctors as possible, not to mention in the next River Song set) and other UNIT-era cast… Gary Russell didn’t like the idea of recasting, but Nick Briggs seems more open to it.

If they’re going to take this tack I would much rather they cast actors rather than impressionists. Better a memorable variation on, say, the Eleventh Doctor’s mannerisms than some guy who sounds a bit like him 75% of the time but has no presence or charisma.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Yeah, but most of those recastings are for characters who can't be played by their original actor (Barbara, The Third Doctor, Ben, The War Doctor, etc.).

 

[PhotoBoy]

Is Capaldi out of all BF productions or is it just the audiobook-style productions? I know the Chronicles releases are moving to having a full cast, but I assume that they will still have the narration to differentiate them from the regular BF audio drama releases. I'm just curious if it's all audio formats Capaldi doesn't like or just audiobooks (I've not seen his original quote in full, just the "dreary" bit).

Maybe Nick Briggs is doing this to let all the other Doctors know that they can be replaced!

 

[Captaindemotion]

I saw a quote from him while publicising The Suicide Squad that he isn’t really interested in a multi-Doctor story, so barring a change of heart, it looks like we’ve seen and heard the last of Peter as Twelve.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Is Capaldi out of all BF productions or is it just the audiobook-style productions?

I saw something recently that Capaldi is opposed to people having to pay for Doctor Who, which might leave open the door for a BBC Radio drama.

 

[matthunter]

I saw a quote from him while publicising The Suicide Squad that he isn’t really interested in a multi-Doctor story, so barring a change of heart, it looks like we’ve seen and heard the last of Peter as Twelve.

I don't know if his perception was coloured by having his final story be a multi-Doctor ep or not, but his argument seems to be that having too many Doctors spoils the broth. If sharing with David Bradley's 1st Doctor WASN'T arduous for him, then he might be open to 2-3 Doc stories, especially if he gets to play opposite Tom?

 

[The Wormhole]

I don't know if his perception was coloured by having his final story be a multi-Doctor ep or not, but his argument seems to be that having too many Doctors spoils the broth. If sharing with David Bradley's 1st Doctor WASN'T arduous for him, then he might be open to 2-3 Doc stories, especially if he gets to play opposite Tom?

The funny thing is, doing an episode with David Bradley as the First Doctor was sort of Capaldi's idea anyway. At a convention when Moffat was asked which former Doctor he would like to bring back for an adventure with the Twelfth, Moffat said the first and lamented it not being possible since Hartnell is dead. Capaldi, sitting next to Moffat said "well, you could do it with David Bradley now." Moffat has said in interviews this was the genesis of the idea that eventually became Twice Upon a Time.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I realize this CinemaBlend article crops Capaldi's comments on reprising the Doctor, both in a multi-Doctor episode and in audio dramas, from their context and their tone, but it really makes Capaldi sound about as enthusiastic about reprising the Doctor as Christopher Eccleston did for close to fifteen years. I'd always taken it as a given that he'd return to the role -- his fandom and passion are well-attested -- but maybe he feels he has nothing left to say as the Doctor, or maybe the experience left a bad taste in his mouth.

Let me add that CinemaBlend speculating that Big Finish's decision to recast Capaldi could be connected to The Suicide Squad press is rubbish. Big Finish would have made the decision a few months ago, at the very least.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Regardless of any public (and private) comments Capaldi has made about audio dramas and even the idea of returning, I still find it surprising Big Finish recast the role.

 

[Relayer1]

I saw a quote from him while publicising The Suicide Squad that he isn’t really interested in a multi-Doctor story, so barring a change of heart, it looks like we’ve seen and heard the last of Peter as Twelve.

I saw something recently that Capaldi is opposed to people having to pay for Doctor Who, which might leave open the door for a BBC Radio drama.

Huh, that's surprising. I mean, Dudman is a pretty good voice actor, but I'm surprised that Big Finish went in that direction so quickly.

Looks like they've jumped quickly as Capaldi is so adamant.

Also, since the licence extended to the new show, they've still been playing with an incomplete deck. The first few recasts got over the awkwardness and set a precedent. Now they've got a full set.

Well, they may be a little light on Two, but...

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Looks like they've jumped quickly as Capaldi is so adamant.

But so were Tom Baker, Janet Fielding, Matthew Waterhouse, John Levene, and Christopher Eccleston for years.

 

[Relayer1]

But so were Tom Baker, Janet Fielding, Matthew Waterhouse, John Levene, and Christopher Eccleston for years.

True, but at the time BF was patchy on Doctor coverage any way. It's been filling in the holes and is pretty much fully stocked now. Gaps stand out.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Fully stocked? They doesn't have Matt Smith.

And so what? I don't think that's has ever been a major worry for them.

 

[Relayer1]

Fully stocked? They doesn't have Matt Smith.

And so what? I don't think that's has ever been a major worry for them.

They've done Smith in the Chronicles, I prefer assume they may do more.

It doesn't seem to have been a worry up til now, but in the publicity for the new format following the end of the monthlies they did make something of a point of coming releases for the full run of 12 doctors (which presumably includes 11).

 

[The Nth Doctor]

They've done Smith in the Chronicles, I prefer assume they may do more.

It doesn't seem to have been a worry up til now, but in the publicity for the new format following the end of the monthlies they did make something of a point of coming releases for the full run of 12 doctors (which presumably includes 11).

Ah, I hadn't been familiar with the Doctor Chronicles until now (I'm way behind).

But, again, they don't have Matt Smith. They have narration of The Eleventh Doctor. Not the same thing, unless the Doctor Chronicles are constructed the same way as the Companion Chronicles. Either way, it's more like the Short Trips performed by one actor for all of the roles.

 

[Relayer1]

Well they're apparently expanding the scope with Dudman's Twelve in the Chronicles, and his Eleven's not bad :

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[matthunter]

Yeah, that's pretty good. Of course, with audio sampling algorithms getting better each day, folk like Dudman might be out of a job. And with deepfakes advancing, BF might not be limited to audios one day...

 

[Markonian]

From an in-universe perspective, does a recast Doctor count as the "same" Doctor, or as some sort of parallel/alternative version?