Paul McGann special year possible?

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Let's say Matt Smith leaves after the current series or is still undecided, if he returns...

What do you think of McGann returning in a special prequel year similar to the Tennant specials after series 4?

They could end with his regeneration into 8 or leave his fate open for later appearances, but give him a few key stories, foreshadow events we know are coming for later doctors or set up stories for 11 and 12 to give them bigger scope and meaning.

 

[DalekJim]

I'd be game. I once spent a whole day plotting out a 13 episode McGann New Who series with the first 6 episodes being standalone adventures and the final 7 being a DS9 Final Chapter-esque Time War epic, culminating in the Eighth Doctor's regeneration in to the Ninth Doctor.

 

[Christopher]

Heck, this is what I thought they should've done during that season when Tennant was off doing Hamlet on stage. Instead they just gave us a few Tenth-Doctor specials. So if they didn't do it then, I don't see it happening in the future.

 

[davejames]

I'd love to see it, but I know it'll never happen. Moffat and BBC probably feel like they need to focus on one Doctor at a time, and it would be too "confusing" for audiences to suddenly have another one out there.

Which is a shame, because McGann's Doctor would probably fit really well into the more modern style of DW. He's got the same kind of energy and charm as a Tennant or Smith.

 

[Tosk]

^Not to mention that McGann's turn at bat is a heck of a lot more like modern Who than classic Who.

I would love for McGann to have another go. That's why I know it'll never happen.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

All they need is a short narrated bit at the beginning of each episode, that shows "before 11...10...9... there was the Time War and the Doctor had a different face. This is the story of 8!"

Or something a bit more elegant.

 

[Saga]

i'd love a 8th Doctor solo special, but i doubt very much it will happen.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I would love to see more of The Eighth Doctor but I know it'll never happen. I'm content with the Big Finish audios.

 

[Zeppster]

Maybe do a few 90 minute time war specials. That would be pretty cool.

 

[davejames]

I think the only reason to do the Time War is if you're gonna have McGann regenerate into Eccleston at the end.... and that's obviously not gonna happen.

Plus I'd rather see him in a fun adventure story than some dark and epic war thing.

 

[Atticus]

I would love to see more of The Eighth Doctor but I know it'll never happen. I'm content with the Big Finish audios.

One rumour doing the rounds is that he will fulfill whatever role CE's Doctor would have had had CE have done the special. Here's hoping...

 

[Saul]

Oh my gods, great idea! A prequel year with McGann would be all kinds of awesome!

 

[Worf2DS9]

I'd love more on-screen Eight. We could see him visit the wardrobe and finally get rid of that New Year's Eve costume and pick out those new duds he's wearing for Big Finish.

 

[Konata Izumi]

The Silence and Time War plots could connect somehow so he'd regenerate in the anniversary special in the midst of Time War. It would only be a small tangent of that war of course.

 

[Worf2DS9]

At this point, the Time War plot thread has essentially been set aside along with Ten, so I'm not that interested in seeing anything about that. I'd rather just see Eight in some cool adventures.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Yeah, it would really be better, if the story told we're relevant to the latest Doctor.

 

[Relayer1]

I think the only reason to do the Time War is if you're gonna have McGann regenerate into Eccleston at the end.... and that's obviously not gonna happen.

I really don't see why not - how hard is it to start the regen and either use a stand in and CGI to put Eccleston in, or just cut to an old shot of him opening the door of the Tardis...

 

[Christopher]

^Even with modern special effects, I doubt a fake regeneration from McGann to Eccleston would be received any better than the fake regeneration from Colin Baker to McCoy.

 

[sidious618]

^Even with modern special effects, I doubt a fake regeneration from McGann to Eccleston would be received any better than the fake regeneration from Colin Baker to McCoy.

On the contrary, I think it'd be received well. The problem with Baker to McCoy is that Baker had a lame ending and it wasn't even Colin Baker playing him. In this case there'd be a McGann adventure and then he'd regenerate at the end. You wouldn't even need to put Eccleston in there if there was an issue. Just end with the regeneration.

 

[Zeppster]

I always kinda thought the Time War had some event that ended with the death of the 8th doctor and the regeneration into the 9th doctor but there's no real evidence to say this with anything on screen. But you don't have to show Ecclestion necessarily. Just show McGann regenerating. I don't see BBC ever doing a full series with McGann though. It'll be whoever the 12th doctor is. If there was one it would have been done in the late 90s. I love the audio dramas I've heard from McGann's doctor. I haven't listened to the last couple years though.