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New Doctor Who Actor To Be Revealed This Sunday

Posted by Soulskill on from the can-it-be-david-tennant-again dept.

New submitter b06r011 writes "The 12th actor to play Doctor Who will be revealed on BBC1 this Sunday at 1900. Rupert Grint and Peter Capaldi have been tipped as favourites to replace Matt Smith but that is no reason to stop idle speculation on a Friday afternooon. This all raises an interesting point though — particularly for Dr Who, where the replacement of an actor whilst maintaining the character is a key part of the plot. Would you rather find out in advance or wait until the end of the regeneration sequence?"

22 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. Rupert Grint? by nine-times · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really? Rupert Grint? I suppose there have been some references to the Doctor wanting to be a ginger, but I don't really see Ron Weasley pulling it off.

    1. Re:Rupert Grint? by Shatrat · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's the modern era progression of making the Doctor younger and more of a wimp, until eventually he is a zygote time lord.

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    2. Re:Rupert Grint? by interkin3tic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I didn't see underwear model and rapper Marky Mark pulling off a serious acting career. Maybe assume that the people in charge of casting know a little bit more about whether he can act than you do.

    3. Re:Rupert Grint? by firex726 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I wish they'd do something radical, make him an older woman for example. There are many established british actresses who could play the part.

      Plus it'd add an interesting dynamic with River.

    4. Re:Rupert Grint? by Comrade+Ogilvy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Catherine Tate. I wish they would go with Catherine Tate. As Donna Noble is timelordish already, one can easily imagine another regeneration accident might accomplish the transition.

    5. Re:Rupert Grint? by Tyler+Durden · · Score: 3

      What, does no one else remember Boogie Nights? I can't be that old.

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      Happy people make bad consumers.
    6. Re:Rupert Grint? by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Funny

      "A man has created a work that did not entertain me. Guards, throw him in the dungeon; he clearly is used up. And bring me a baby who has never made a mistake."

  2. I still would like Benidict Cumberbatch by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    He would make an awesome Doctor.

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    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re:I still would like Benidict Cumberbatch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think he'd make a better Master.

    2. Re:I still would like Benidict Cumberbatch by invid · · Score: 4, Interesting

      My vote would go to Hugh Laurie. With House done with, what the heck else does he have to do?

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      The Moore-Murphy Law: The number of things that will go wrong will double every 2 years.
    3. Re:I still would like Benidict Cumberbatch by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 3, Funny

      My vote would go to Hugh Laurie. With House done with, what the heck else does he have to do?

      But you know if they cast Hugh, his sidekick would have to be played by Stephen Fry....

    4. Re:I still would like Benidict Cumberbatch by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Funny

      YES, do that!!!
      TAKE MY MONEY PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      I am throwing money at the screen but nothing is happening.

    5. Re:I still would like Benidict Cumberbatch by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 4, Funny

      I am throwing money at the screen but nothing is happening.

      Allright, which one of you assholes let Steve Ballmer in here?

  3. I would love to wait by omnichad · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sure, I'd love to wait and find out. It will be literally impossible. Headlines will spoil it, photos attached to stories will spoil it. Won't even be able to log into Facebook. Just trying to look up details on air date. It will be impossible to remain uninformed.

  4. Needs New Writer Instead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm waiting until they reveal the next writer. Matt Smith has done a fine job, but Moffat just hasn't been giving him as good of scripts as Davies wrote for Eccleston and Tennant.

    1. Re:Needs New Writer Instead by pauljlucas · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I'm waiting until they reveal the next writer. Matt Smith has done a fine job, but Moffat just hasn't been giving him as good of scripts as Davies wrote for Eccleston and Tennant.

      During the Eccleston and Tennant years, Davies' scripts were mediocre/bad. It was only Moffat that wrote the good stories (e.g., The Empty Child, The Girl in the Fireplace, and, probably the best story in the new series, Blink).

      Given stories like that, I was really excited when Moffat took over from Davies, but, sadly, now that's he's lead writer, the stores are back to being mediocre/bad. It might be because being lead writer, nobody has the guts to tell him his scripts are rubbish and go back and rewrite them.

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  5. Re:John Hurt by geminidomino · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Contextually, he was actually introduced as a previous doctor. Some sort of disavowed apostate thing because of his, as yet unrevealed, crimes.

    If they kept us on a nine-month cliffhanger and reveal said crimes to be how he ended the time war (which we've known for years now), so help me, I'm starting the Revolutionary War all over again...

  6. Next Doctor by captain_dope_pants · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd go for Christopher Lloyd - in full-on Emmett Brown / Jim Ignatowski mode, preferably with a British accent but it's not that important. That'd be awesome :)

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  7. Grint would be a peculiar choice... by FellowConspirator · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Personally, what I'd like to see is a more deliberative and cunning Doctor, more so than a rogue -- something harkening back to previous doctors. Also more 2-3 episode story arcs. Far too many of the stories seem rushed. The pace needs to be notched down and story given more depth with some more richness to the character. They should pick someone that could carry that sort of role. The only thing I've seen Grint perform in is the Harry Potter movies, and while he did an admirable job as Ron Weasley, I don't know that he'd have the presence to carry the role of the Doctor (perhaps I'm mistaken).

    Also, I'd like the Doctor's mortality (and maybe a view into his psyche regarding the subject) to be explored. Presumably, Time Lords have finite regenerations (at one time indicated to be 12) - well, this new Doctor will be at (or nearly at) his final regeneration: will he accept it or struggle to for a way to prolong his life? Will it make him less brash/more timid? Will he consider retirement? Will he seek out his daughter and hand her the torch to become the defender of mankind and meddler in time and space?

  8. Americanized rubbish by Thud457 · · Score: 3, Funny

    As long as he can yell " RUN! " and wave his SONIC SCREWDRIVER around like a bloody magic wand, I'm sure whoever'll be perfectly adequate.

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    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  9. Re:How many more? by Zordak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It would still be nice for them to actually acknowledge this major point of the Doctor Who universe and do something clever with it. Yes, we know that it's possible for Time Lords to achieve more than 12 regenerations. They gave the Master a whole new set (somehow) at one point. But don't just ignore it and pretend like it's not there. Also, they tacitly acknowledged a regeneration limit when River Song used up all her "remaining" regenerations to save the Doctor's life, and then got angry when he "wasted" regeneration energy (which he can apparently just tap at will now) healing her hand. I understand that they're not just going to dump this cash cow once they reach 13 because of an artificial limit they set like 35 years ago. But at least acknowledge it and do something with it.

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  10. Way Out There Suggestion by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Rowan Atkinson. I actually thought he did a good enough job in the "Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death" parody that I've wanted to see what he'd be like as the real Dr. Who.