Do you like the idea of Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor?

[TJ Sinclair]

I'm extremely happy that we have an older Doctor again. On that score, just about any 50+ actor would have satisfied me.

I know Capaldi is a brilliant actor, but I can't say I've ever been an actual "fan." Have never seen him play a lead, and usually he's been the villain. Outside of the Whoniverse, I've seen him on things like Midsomer Murders, Foyle's War and Prime Suspect. It's his Prime Suspect and Torchwood roles that I'm going to have to try very, very hard to get out of my head for me to see him has the Doctor. I know he can do it. I just don't know how long it will take for me to think of him that way.

The fact that he's a lifelong fan of the show, a real fan and not a "celeb fan" who likes it because it's popular, makes me very, very happy. And I trust Moffat and the BBC on casting, at the very least. They've never miscast a Doctor yet.

What really surprises me is how many people are clamoring to watch his other performances now. I don't want to do that at all. I want to avoid him until I see him as the Doctor. I want to go in to his series as fresh as I possibly can; I would do for anyone in the role, whether I already knew who they were or not. I don't want to see the actor, I want the actor to *be* the Doctor for me.

On the other hand, I'm one of the few who actually knew who Matt Smith was when he was announced. I'd seen him as Jim in those historical mysteries that Billie Piper did between Who and Call Girl, and from just that, I absolutely knew he would make a brilliant Doctor.

I'm sure Capaldi is going to be great. I just hope I can get over Vera and Frobisher soon after he starts.

So my only serious complaint: still...Not...GINGER.

 

[DWF]

^ there's no scientific way of measuring it but I'm looking at the fact that Capaldi has 30+ years in the business, an Oscar and acclaim for TTOI and In the Loop. Davison was still a young man and I would hazard not as well known outside the UK.

Except for those of us who saw him on All Creatures Great And Small on PBS and since Doctor Who only ran on PBS at the time I'm sure there were plenty of crossover viewers.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

So my only serious complaint: still...Not...GINGER.

Nah, they're saving that for the next regeneration. Ginger will be the death of him.

 

[Venardhi]

I did a little doodle based on a fairly doctory picture of him online:

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ there's no scientific way of measuring it but I'm looking at the fact that Capaldi has 30+ years in the business, an Oscar and acclaim for TTOI and In the Loop. Davison was still a young man and I would hazard not as well known outside the UK.

Except for those of us who saw him on All Creatures Great And Small on PBS and since Doctor Who only ran on PBS at the time I'm sure there were plenty of crossover viewers.

Well, like I say, it's not scientific but I do still tend to think that Capaldi's 30+ years in the business, having done films, TV series and one-offs, stage plays, having won an Oscar etc outweighs one TV show. I'm not saying Davison was an unknown by any means - even as 9 year old I recognised him from ACGAS. I just think Capaldi is more famous. But there's no way to say for sure.

 

[Starkers]

I suspect Capaldi is more famous than Davison was, or at least more widely known, even if it's just a case of people recognising his face, without neccesarily knowing who he is. That said Davison was very current, and in All Creatures he was in a show the whole family could watch, unlike The Thick of It

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Im wondering if they will dumb down the accent a little like Tennnant, interesting.

I don't think he'd have to change his accent. Sounds pretty clear to my American ears.

Then again, I did recently spend nearly a month in Edinburgh.

So, wardrobe..?

Gut instinct, shooting from the hip tells me...

Mod suit, skinny ties, loafers. Aging punk rocker.

Really depends on the way the Doctor is characterized, though. Eccleston looked a bit dangerous, and felt that way too, Tennant looked slick and stylish and acted that way, and Smith looked like a childish 80-year-old professor and acted that way.

So, how he is is how he'll dress, I think.

 

[Sean_McCormick]

I did a little doodle based on a fairly doctory picture of him online:

Good work! Is that coat based on the one John Harrison wore in STID?

 

[Green Lantern]

I did a little doodle based on a fairly doctory picture of him online:

Could work. I think it's a little too Tom Bakery though.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Im wondering if they will dumb down the accent a little like Tennnant, interesting.

I don't think he'd have to change his accent. Sounds pretty clear to my American ears.

Then again, I did recently spend nearly a month in Edinburgh.

And I've watched a decent amount of Craig Ferguson...

Though I was surprised to hear a stronger than usual accent from Karen Gillan recently on NTSF:SD:SUV.

So, wardrobe..?

Gut instinct, shooting from the hip tells me...

Mod suit, skinny ties, loafers. Aging punk rocker.

Not bad, I'm picturing a bit of Bill Nighy Pirate Radio.

 

[Leonardo T. Dragon]

Very happy here!

Capaldi is a versatile actor with the capability to take the regeneration in almost any direction possible. I've seen some complain that he's "too old" but personally I like the Doctor to appear a bit more seasoned and not just fresh out of university.

Plus hopefully we can now finally move past this "romance in the TARDIS" garbage that has been dragging down NuWho and taking away air time from sci-fi stories!

 

[Venardhi]

I did a little doodle based on a fairly doctory picture of him online:

Good work! Is that coat based on the one John Harrison wore in STID?

Nope, based on a thrift store buy from a few years back that is currently hanging in my closet. I just shifted it from bluish to reddish to give him more of a visual signature.

 

[maneth]

For those of you who don't like the idea of Capaldi as the Doctor because he's appeared in the Whoniverse before, well, he's not the only one by a long shot.

Here's a great summary: Doctor Who and the Case of the Reused Actor

 

[Green Lantern]

For those of you who don't like the idea of Capaldi as the Doctor because he's appeared in the Whoniverse before, well, he's not the only one by a long shot.

Here's a great summary: Doctor Who and the Case of the Reused Actor

Great point.

Also one theory floating around which I've adopted is that the doctor can sometimes pick up traits from people he's met before. So for example, when Davison regenerates into C.Baker, maybe he was thinking about Maxel from Arc of Infinity, and maybe when Smith regenerates, he's thinking about that roman guy from the Fires of Pompeii, and Bob's your uncle. And maybe when Eccleston regenerated, he picked up a Londonish accent for Tennant because he's spent a lot of time there and with Rose.

 

[Aldo]

I read a crazy theory that I wouldn't put it past them to use. But someone suggested that Capaldi's character from 'Fires of Pompeii' could really be the 12th Doctor keeping an eye on 10 for whatever reason.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Seems a bit fanwanky, IMHO. Didn't his character have a family? And was Karen Gillan's character actually Amy too?

 

[Aldo]

^ Seems a bit fanwanky, IMHO. Didn't his character have a family? And was Karen Gillan's character actually Amy too?

The Moff is guilty of doing some fanwanky things himself.

Granted I don't expect them to do anything like that, though when I read it it brought a smile to my face and I thought it'd be a neat reveal. And yes, his character in that episode did have a family.

 

[DalekJim]

I think he remembered the look of the Pompeii guy and modeled his new body after him. Like he did with Colin Baker .

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ True re The Moff, and I have to admit, I'd cream myself with excitement, particularly if they did a sort of Trials and Tribble-ations thing and weaved a new story around it. (Fickle, me?)

 

[Sindatur]

^ Seems a bit fanwanky, IMHO. Didn't his character have a family? And was Karen Gillan's character actually Amy too?

Yea, 12 found a way to go back and grab Amy for a trip. And, actually, it wasn't 10 they were keeping an eye, it was Donna, they were trying to find a way to prevent the DoctorDonna breakdown.