Matt Smith would have stayed...

[Allyn Gibson]

...had Moffat agreed to his plan for a "two Doctors" series with him and David Tennant.

Moffat: "Matt told me that he'd worked out this plan that they'd both continue in Doctor Who: do five individual episodes each and three together -- would that be ok? It was a nice plan. I think if I'd said yes they'd have gone for it."

Damn it, Moffat, why did you say no? That would have been the greatest thing ever! (And yes, I'm saying this as someone who's been critical of Moffat's work.) It might not have made sense narratively, and it would have really stretched the format, but it would have been fun!

Moffat, the implacable enemy of fun.

 

[Mr Awe]

Yeah, I took that whole story as more of a joke. I don't expect that either Smith or Tennant would've actually stayed, they kind of have other plans!

Not to mention, what to do with Capaldi?!

Mr Awe

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Yeah, I took that whole story as more of a joke. I don't expect that either Smith or Tennant would've actually stayed, they kind of have other plans!

Not to mention, what to do with Capaldi?!

At the time, which would have been April, Capaldi wasn't cast. Moffat was probably already looking at Capaldi, as it was around that time that the Ben Daniels rumors, which we now know had some validity, ramped up. But if Capaldi weren't cast, and from what Daniels has said we know that didn't happen until summer, Moffat could have changed his tentative series 8 plans to accommodate Matt Smith's plan.

Matt's structure for the season makes a lot of sense -- five solo episodes for each Doctor, plus three team-up episodes. So I'd imagine a team-up episode to kick off the season -- maybe a "Key to Time" like threat that the eleventh Doctor knows he can't do on his own -- so he calls in his tenth self and they split up, each doing what they can. And there could be cameos throughout the series as the Doctors check in on each other (because the audience would want to see the two Doctors together). Finally, there's the two-part finale where the two Doctors get together and lay down the smack.

A plan like this would have limited the filming so each could have pursued other projects; we're talking five filming blocks each for Tennant and Smith instead of the usual seven.

 

[Christopher]

I'd prefer it if they did something like that to bring back Paul McGann. I want more Eighth Doctor in live action, darn it!

 

[Captaindemotion]

I can't see Tennant having agreed to come back.

I'd love to see more McGann too. But I imagine that Smith's comments (which were probably tongue in cheek) arose because he enjoyed working with Tennant on the DOTD special.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

The most positive thing about this, of course, is that there might be a possibility of a multi-Doctor story with both Tennant and Smith again in the future... possibly with Capaldi for fun's sake?

 

[Captaindemotion]

The most positive thing about this, of course, is that there might be a possibility of a multi-Doctor story with both Tennant and Smith again in the future... possibly with Capaldi for fun's sake?

That could be interesting. Moffatt has acknowledged in interviews that 10 and 11 are quite similar and get along quite well (as oppose to eg 2 and 3, who squabbled when they met). If, as is rumoured, Capaldi will be darker and grumpier than his immediate predecessors, it would be fun to see how he reacts to their cheerier dynamic.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

It might not have made sense narratively, and it would have really stretched the format, but it would have been fun!

I'm willing to bet that the format is about to be stretched as much as it was in 1970 when the third Doctor was introduced, so that wouldn't necessarily be a problem.

That being said, if this was said at all, it was said with tongue panted firmly in cheek. No one ever really considered it seriously.

 

[Relayer1]

I'd prefer it if they did something like that to bring back Paul McGann. I want more Eighth Doctor in live action, darn it!

Seconded !

McGann's one of my favourite Doctors. With my favourite control room...

 

[NightJim]

Thirded. Maybe because he's my first Doctor, maybe because I feel like he got the short straw only getting that TV movie. I really want to see him brought back for something.

 

[Tom]

It would be better if 10 did not like 11 that much, it would give more reason to him for not wanting to regenerate in TEOT.

 

[Samurai8472]

If, as is rumoured, Capaldi will be darker and grumpier than his immediate predecessors, it would be fun to see how he reacts to their cheerier dynamic.

*10 and 11 joke around telepathically*

10- HA!

11- I know!

12- Look at you two. The skin(skinny) and the chin

10 and 11- Oi

 

[Starkers]

I might be alone, but I think this would have been a terrible idea. If Tennant wanted to remain as the Doctor he had the chance, he chose to leave, same with Matt. I love Smith to bits in the role, but I'd rather have a man firmly committed to the role than two men wanting to have their cake and eat it.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

If, as is rumoured, Capaldi will be darker and grumpier than his immediate predecessors, it would be fun to see how he reacts to their cheerier dynamic.

*10 and 11 joke around telepathically*

10- HA!

11- I know!

12- Look at you two. The skin(skinny) and the chin

10 and 11- Oi

12: I'm SO glad I'm not them anymore!

 

[Mr Awe]

I might be alone, but I think this would have been a terrible idea. If Tennant wanted to remain as the Doctor he had the chance, he chose to leave, same with Matt. I love Smith to bits in the role, but I'd rather have a man firmly committed to the role than two men wanting to have their cake and eat it.

I think it would be fun for a season. However, I don't suspect this is anything they'd actually do unless the ratings were in sharp decline. Then they might try something like this to bring back a "golden age."

JNT was thinking along these lines and having a degeneration back to Troughton!

Mr Awe

 

[Starkers]

I think it's the worst idea since Ten and the Master switching bodies so Simm could play the Doctor for a year whilst Tennant went off and did other things, though I never knew how much truth there was in that particular notion.

I wouldn't have had a problem with Simm as the Doctor, it just would have been a shame as he wouldn't have been playing himself as the doctor, he'd have been doing an impression of DT for a year!

 

[Mr Awe]

^ Well, you're lucky that it was just a tongue in cheek suggestion then (re: Smith/Tennant)!

 

[sttngfan1701d]

Considering that Moffat is full of shit 68% of the time, I'm having trouble believing this actually happened, and if it did, how committed David and Matt were to actually DOING it.

It's one thing to talk about it between takes and have them go
"This will be fun!"
"I know!"
"We should totally do it!"
"I know!"

...and another thing to actually do it. Now, as much as I love Tennant -- I started with Eccleston but consider Tennant "my" Doctor -- he had his time on the show and left. If he had come back to do this, it would've felt like it was infringing on Matt's time. And how would two leads affect the budget over a series? And would they have brought back any of 10's companions who would agree to this?

I don't think it got very far. I think Moffat is exaggerating.

 

[Saul]

I'd prefer it if they did something like that to bring back Paul McGann. I want more Eighth Doctor in live action, darn it!

Hear hear! Give us a season of McGann.

 

[CommodoreKong]

The most positive thing about this, of course, is that there might be a possibility of a multi-Doctor story with both Tennant and Smith again in the future... possibly with Capaldi for fun's sake?

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if Smith came back at some point in the future. I don't really see him being another Eccleston.