The Next Doctor is...

PETER CAPALDI!!!!!

[Image Source: IMDB]

Wow! What a great live show! Can you believe how wrong I was? I can! If you read my last post I out right declared Capaldi as a red herring:

The first thing that must be pointed out is that showrunner Stephen Moffat is an evil genius at leaking false clues and misinformation. So when he says that he's lied about something so could pretty much bet that one of those lies is that very statement. So, if there is a sudden surge in betting for Peter Capaldi or if the BBC lists him as top favorite, I have no doubts that Capaldi is a red herring. I could be wrong.

Sure enough the choice that was made to seem too obvious was indeed our man! I guess I'm glad I didn't actually bet any money.

Honestly, I'm pretty excited. A long time Whovian himself, Capaldi revealed on the BBC Doctor Who Live Special that he use to play Doctor Who as a child and is now realizing a childhood dream. I look forward to how he will portray our favorite Time Lord. Only time will tell if Capaldi will live up to the hype. Although I wonder if I will be able to suspend my disbelief enough to overcome his other roles in Torchwood and Doctor Who, I have faith that Capaldi will be a great Doctor.

Ultimately, I think this will be up to the writers more than it would be to Capaldi who has already proved himself as a talented actor. Take Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor for example. Baker had a darker Doctor in mind for his performance. As he said during his clips on the Live Special, he had intended his Doctor to be more like that of Eccleston's Ninth but the show-runners had a different plan in mind at the time. He was an underrate Doctor during his television run and his performances in the Audio Series prove this point.

I'll probably be crucified for pointing this out, but the last season of the show was definitely the weaker of the Matt Smith run so hopeful Capaldi won't suffer the same fate as Colin Baker, who was blamed for ruining the classic series even though he came in when the show had been slipping in ratings and the producers were already making questionable decisions. With that said, unlike the classic series, the currently Doctor Who series is still running strong and has great writing, so I wouldn't dwell on that too much further.

As others have commented, Capaldi's post 50th Anniversary tenure will be the shows (and show-runner Stephan Moffat's) chance to make bold decisions and forge new paths for Doctor Who. Like I said, time will tell if this is the beginning of an end or just the a new great beginning...and I am overcome by the excitement.

Who Will Be The Next Doctor?, Part 2

[Image Source: DoctorWhoTV.co.uk]

In a few minutes, the BBC Doctor Who Live Special will reveal who will take on the role of the 12th Doctor. My excitement is pulling Zero-G maneuvers in my stomach, occasionally sending tingles to my taint. (Too much information, I know, but find me a Whovian who doesn't feel the same way right now.) Soon all the speculations and betting and theories will end. Some will be disappointed (and possibly destitute) but most, regardless of who might will play the Doctor, will be have their excitement amplified and redirected towards the #awesomeness that will be Doctor Who Series 8!

But, until the reveal finally ends said speculations and betting and theories, why not contribute to the fun? Back in June, I wrote about which actors I thought would make excellent choices to play our favorite Time Lord. In that post, I tried to present fun but unfounded theories and I still stand by my views when I wrote:

Honestly, looking back to when Matt Smith was announced as the next Doctor, everyone wondered who he was. He came almost out of nowhere as the youngest Doctor yet and with a relatively short résumé. The same could be said of David Tennant to a certain degree. I would not be surprised if, just like last time, the speculations run rampant and then we are blindside by the selection of a relative nobody.

But as promised, I want to take this time to challenge some of the fan favorites currently in the running.

Who Will Be The Next Doctor?, Part 1

EVERYONE JUST LOST THEIR MINDS

[source: Facebook]

On Friday, June 1st, 2013, Matt Smith, announced that he would be stepping down from the titular role in BBC's popular sci-fi  show Doctor Who. This was a great disappointment to the fandom as Smith's portrayal of the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor had endeared him in the hearts of many since he took over the role after Tenth Doctor David Tennant left the series in 2010. Despite rumors that Smith had intentions of leaving the show, his announcement came as a surprise to many—probably because an August 2012 interview with the Sun, in which Smith stated that he would remain in the role until "at least 2014" was taken by some to mean the "through" the 2014 season. Smith has only two episodes left: the November 23rd 50th Anniversary Special and the 2013 Christmas Special, in which the BBC confirm that the Eleventh Doctor will regeneration into the twelfth incarnation.

That being said, almost immediately after the announcement of Smith departure, the Interweb exploded  with speculations and suggestions as to who is worthy to take up the role of Twelfth Doctor. Online bookies like SkyBet and William Hill are already offering odds on who will be the next Doctor with Law & Order: UK's Ben Daniels as top favorite. Fans the world over have their fantasy list of potential Doctors that include Harry Potter stars; potential first female Doctor, first black Doctor, and first previous Doctor to return; and Benedict Cumberbatch. Even news outlets are picking favorites. Most of these lists border on absurd, however, and I must agree with Dustin Rowles, who in his uproxx.com article on realistic candidates to replace Matt Smith, points out that, for various reasons like casting precedence and ability to dedicate themselves to the show, the next Doctor will need to be a relative unknown. So, no Daniel Radcliffe, no Cumberbatch, no Johnny Depp.

But where is the fun in speculations if they weren't unsupportable and bat-shit off the wall? So, in honor of the folk who really, really, REALLY would crap themselves if Harry Potter or Sherlock Holmes got the role, I present to you my theories on who will be the next Doctor. In today's post, I will present you with my Limited American Knowledge of British Actors list of who I think should and/or will be Twelfth Doctor. Later this week, I'll post Part Two in which, I find reasons why everyone else is wrong.