Mmmhh, I don't know why I'm so hostile about the idea of a female Doctor. I have to admit, I was never very keen for TV series or movies with a female lead. Perhaps because it's so unfamiliar. I like to watch Sci-Fi and Fantasy stuff and there you usually have male leads, so it might be a matter of familiarisation. Therefore it might be time for a female Doctor but I can't bring myself to want that, not even for the sake of feminism  .

Oh, aside from the return of Captain Jack I would like to see the Paternoster Gang again in the next series.

Yes, I know what you both mean.  I instinctively feel the Doctor should be male.  But I don't think I have any good reason why he has to be male.  And I feel the show has changed a lot since I was a child - I don't even want them to try to recreate exactly the same thing (honestly, I thought the original episodes were not as much fun to watch as an adult, and my viewing dropped off when I grew up, whereas I think the reboot is more geared to adult viewers).   I wouldn't like to see a woman cast just for the sake of it, but the right woman would be different.   I can't think of anybody who is such an obvious choice for the part as Peter Capaldi was.   I was just watching Miriam Margolyes last night and thinking how much she reminds me of Tom Baker (!), and wondering what she'd be like as the Doctor (probably brilliant!).  Frances de la Tour is my dream female casting.  Maybe Emma Thompson?  I know these are all big names so we wouldn't be likely to get them, but I'd certainly watch if they were cast. 
 

You're probably right.  I would prefer an older Doctor, and I think that's because as a child the doctors seemed so much older (older than my parents - can you imagine?) - Peter Capaldi was just perfect!    I think Matt Smith did so well that I can see them going for another relatively unknown actor.  Did you have anybody in mind?  If they cast a black actor, how about Don Warrington (I know he's already been in it, but so had Peter Capaldi)?  Young, I don't know at the moment, I'm not sure I see him as the Doctor, but I wouldn't say no to watching Aidan Turner every Saturday night. 

In some article I read Lara Pulver was brought up as possible choice for a female Doctor, and I have to say that I have absolutely no idea how I'd like her as the Doctor. Not a clue. In the end the stories have to be good. If the stories suck, then it doesn't matter who plays the Doctor and whether or not the Doctor is male or female or black or white or whatever.
I aboslutely agree with Liberty though: I don't want a female Doctor just for the sake of it.
And Liberty, Aidan Turner looks interesting. I haven't seen "Poldark" yet, but an Irish Doctor might be fun. And I don't think he's too young. He's young, yes, but not too young.

Last edited by SolarSystem (February 6, 2016 10:43 am)

I only really know Lara from Sherlock, and Irene Adler looks a little bit too similar to Missy, perhaps?  But of course they could style Lara differently. 

I know it won't be Benedict Cumberbatch, but I do think he'd be really good, so I think it's fine to suggest him as dream casting!   How about Jim Broadbent?  He would be fantastic!   (I know, I have to think of some younger ones). 

I completely agree about the writing, Solar.

I just talked about this with my boyfriend and we both came to the conclusion that we'd love Andrew Scott or Olivia Colman as a new Doctor.

To be honest, I can't imagine Bedendict as the Doctor, don't know why, but he didn't fit to the role for me. Andrew might work though.

But my favourite choice for the new Doctor would be Rory Kinnear, but I don't know whether this is realistic. If they are going for a elder actor again maybe Liam Cunningham?

But after all, I think what Solar said is right, it depends very much on the stories. I was very sceptical about Peter Capaldi at first, thought he is too old for the role (I only know the New Who series), but I really love his Doctor now and I'm not even up to date with the series yet.

I wonder whether there will be a live TV show for the revelation again.

the thing with playing the doctor is that there is very little time for the actors to have any career next to it. I think when they do a full season they film 9 to 10 month out of a year and I doubt the BBC can afford top payment for the actors. So I guess anyone who has made a name for themselves oversees would be unlikely to take on the doctor full-time.

I think I would actually prefer for the doctor to stay male, and here is why: I think there are very few role models for young boys who completely oppose violence. I think apart from the 3rd doctor (and arguably the war doctor) no doctor ever was a fighter in the traditional sense. especially NDW has made it clear that in order to truly win, the doctor needs to "be a doctor". When he steps into physical violence, it practically always spells disaster for him, while in other shows the hero usually becomes the hero by unlocking some kind of inner bravery and becoming a warrior in his own right. While a companion can also take that role, I personally have not really felt that there has been a companion who truly saw eye to eye with the doctor since Donna.

I just watched the 2010 Christmas special, A Christmas Carol, and I loved it. Michael Gambon!
The scene when the Doctor deduces Kazran's childhood was brilliant, and very Sherlockian, it must have been good practice for Moffat

I probably shouldn't say this here, but well...
There was a time when I found all those allusions to "Sherlock" very charming and funny, but by now I'm quite unimpressed by it. Because it happens too often. There is so much Sherlock in 12, going right down to almost precise lines of dialogue, that I'm beginning to wonder: Is this Moffat having fun with his two shows, or is it Moffat not being able to come up with something new...?