All New Who

{{Gets me every time- the look on the Doctors face is classic! }}



{{And really like this scene from Doctor Mysterio- more classic 12- "I dont want it now, he's put me off my dinner!" }}

Capaldi's got

spoiler:

...for at least one of the episodes.

Michelle Gomez is probably going to be back in episode 6 or 7 as well as the finale.

love that steampunk look.

Mrs Figg wrote:love that steampunk look.

With the longer hair he seems to be hearkening back to Pertwee's Doctor, nice blend of aged rocker and steam-punky uncle.

I really like that Capaldi's Dr has several different outfits on the go at once, always found it a bit strange that most of the Doctors barely changed their clothes for years on end...

In light of John Hurt's sad passing I'm reminded of this wonderful War Doctor fan art 'The Lonely God':

http://alicexz.tumblr.com/post/67394824707/and-the-final-in-the-set-for-now-of-my-doctor

{{Beautiful painting that. Still cant believe Hurt is gone, or that we will get no more of his BF War Doctor tales }}}

Pettytyrant101 wrote:{{Beautiful painting that. Still cant believe Hurt is gone, or that we will get no more of his BF War Doctor tales  }}}

I know , Hurt was one of those actors who seemed to be in everything, and always gave it 100% no matter the genre or story, it was an absolute privilege to have him guest as a Doctor, and his performance was the stand out part of the 50th Anniversary i.m.o, I haven't listened to the 3rd BF set yet, but it and the 4th (possibly his final acting job) will be very bittersweet listening.

I really enjoyed the War Doctor novel 'Engines Of War', and the War Doctor has made several major appearances in the Titan Doctor Who comics (I've read mutterings on Gallifrey Base that Titan are considering a W.R series) so hopefully the character's legacy will live on in some form for many years yet.

{{regardless of questions of art style he is still my favourite Aragorn in a drama- his performance is excellent as Aragorn- and he gets more Tolkien based lines than Viggo to say, which does help. }}

Actually the voice of Butterbur sounds more like Strider to me.

{{Too prim and slightly too yokel for me- I think Hurts rougher craggy voice suits Tolkiens physical description of the man well, yet still holds in it that sense of gravitas and authority of a King in exile- something I never felt Viggo achieved}} }}

Didn't sound the proper sort of authoritative to me, more autocratic. You want the voice to sound firm rather than clipped. I agree Viggo didn't achieve this, too soft.

Rather surprised I beat everyone else to this, but I suppose the Brits are either in bed or in the pub.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/0d9f0a6d-4c7d-3097-9a4e-ead258e416a9/peter-capaldi-departing.html

halfwise wrote:Rather surprised I beat everyone else to this, but I suppose the Brits are either in bed or in the pub.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/0d9f0a6d-4c7d-3097-9a4e-ead258e416a9/peter-capaldi-departing.html

I might have to visit the pub to drown my sorrows

As I wrote on TORn last night:

First John Hurt's sad passing, now this...it hasn't been a good week to be a who fan...

Although I had always enjoyed the show with Eccleston and Tennant's Doctors, neither Doctor had really spoken to me as characters, Eccleston's character arc was so well done and written but so short it felt like he left before we really got to him, Tennant was a fantastic actor with lots of great stories and characters but I always found his Doctor too straight forwardly human and heroic, the writers practically beat you over the head with the sympathy button and the romantic leading man angle began to grate after a a while...it's weird to say that a leading character was made too accessible and human but that was ultimately what made me loose interest in Tennant's Doctor.

I was very impressed by Smith's performance as the Doctor but grew less and less interested in the story, the intriguing characters were lost under the weight of convoluted storylines and a desire to constantly out epic itself, I stopped watching the show part way through Series 6.

Around the 50th Anniversary I decided to give the show another go and tuned it for Smith's last two episodes (which I really enjoyed) began to watch the Classic Series and got into the Big Finish audio dramas (due to which McGann became my favourite Doctor),but I had little interest in revisting 'New Who', but when Capaldi was cast I was immediately interested again, such a fantastic actor with a huge body of work behind him, I was already a huge fan of his work and really excited by the move back towards an older, more mysterious Doctor.

I've been hooked once more since the first moments of 'Deep Breath' the episodes have been a bit hit and miss, but Capaldi's performance has always carried them through, his Doctor has gradually developed from a refreshingly alien and brusque cranky professor into an aged rockstar and eccentric uncle, he's brought fantastic comic timing, world weary gravitas and a emotionally brittleness all of his own to the role, and for me at least Who will be all the poorer without him, he's everything I wanted from a New Who Doctor and I had really been hoping he would stick around for another series with a new showrunner.


...Apologies if that comes across as a biased entitled rant, not my intention at all, I'm..just really really gutted by this news, Eccleston was my first Doctor, Tennant was the one when I was growing up...but Capaldi was the first one I watched (McGann is my favourite, but he's largely an radio Doctor) live that really spoke to me as a character, this will be the first regeneration I watch as a real fan not a casual viewer

I'm not entirely surprised, given Capaldi's age, family commitments
and the punishing schedules but it felt like has so much more to give to the role...I feel sure he'll do Big Finish audios though.


I've read various rumours in recent months that the BBC regarded the Capaldi era and the move to an older Doctor as something of mistake, wishing to return to the 30 year romantic leading man/earth invasion template of the Tennant years, whether that is true or not I don't know and my own personal biases excluded I'd view it as a massive mistake, Who is built on change and looking to the past trying to ape past eras dosen't do any favours.

I'm not sure if I'll continue watching or not, but I hope Chibnall uses this as a chance to really shake up the show...maybe they'll cast a actress in the part...I really really don't want another 30 year old with quirky hair...

{{{Likewise gutted by this news and like you Malick I fear the BBC is going for some stupid demographic based boardroom piss that will land us with a quirky twenty-something, again and a love interest companion.
I really liked Matt Smith, I loved Capaldi- so two for two for me with Moffat and his choice of actors for the role- but Capaldi has shown just why you shouldn't have a 20/30's Doctor every time. My nieces are going to be heartbroken- and they began by saying goodbye to their favourite Doctor in the bowtie for a 'grumpy old man I dont like much' but boy have they come to love 12 since and he is now 'the best'.

A very sad time for Who in my view, for different reasons one sadder than the other, the show has lost two of the finest actors to ever inhabit the role in one week.

Also seems to me the pressure is now really on Chibnall- as it was on Moffat- with not just continuing the show and its success but also having to cement a new lead at the same time}}}

I read Halfie's post this morning, but I just don't know what to say. Cap's been great. We've got him for one more year though. Spose that's something.

{{Still gutted by this news }}

Random musings, Capaldi said barely a month ago on the Andrew Marr show he didn't know when he'd leave but had "hoped" he'd still be the doctor for "a long time.''and had previously stated in interviews he would like to stay for a long time, though this could of course refer to being the Doctor in the sense of remaining in the public consciousnesses after he leaves.

The Daily Mirror had an article in late December titled (paraphrased from memory) "Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi in pay wrangle that could decide if he QUITS Tardis", it noted his three year contract had expired and said he was paid less than the other doctors and sought a modest pay rise to stay on, Capaldi apparently was on a 3 year contract (with the option of a 4th year) and had been asked to stay by the producers, within a within a month of the interview, he's now confirmed he's leaving.

So whilst we won't know for sure, is it reasonable to assume either he'd not been ready to announce his departrure a month ago, and couldn't give a true answer to Marr?, or that the Mirror was correct and the BBC had declined his desirea pay rise?

Perhaps Capaldi felt like he was no longer valued by the executives at the BBC and used as a scapegoat for the declining ratings? He has been very vocal about his annoyance with the weak advertising and inconsistent scheduling.

There were rumours on Gallifrey Base a few months ago that BBC executives were leaning on him to leave, concerned about falling merchandising sales, wishing for a return to the Tennant/Rose format of a dashing leading man, romance and earth invasion storylines, rumours which were corroborated by similar reports in The Daily Mirror.

Three years in such a strenuous job is definitely something to be proud of, but I'm wondering if Capaldi was pushed, or nudged out by the BBC before he really got a chance to come to a decision.

Chibnall's previous Who scripts don't feel me with a great deal of confidence and I'm less than thrilled with the implication of the rumours I've read...I have a feeling this is where me and Who will part ways once more...

Absolutely gutted.

{{I will give Chibnall a fair go, but like you I am concerned with his Who track record which at best could be described as  middle of the road - there is nothing really outstanding there or that makes his episode stick out from the other reoccurring Who writers.

If its over pay that would be particularly gutting as a reason to lose him.
And if its over the merchandising thats even more worrying as it shows the influence being exerted by BBC Worldwide on the show. And its hardly surprising there was a fall it was off the air for a year- and when it returned it got good ratings, good critical and fan reception overall too.
If you just do a comparative on positions in the charts rather than audience numbers you see in the current climate Who is where it always was- usually the top rated drama for the BBC outside the soaps, usually below live reality tv broadcast like strictly or xfactor and whatever the current thing is that has caught the public mood- downton, bake of ect.
In terms of comparative to the competition its where its always been.
So whilst there is a drop off in recorded audience in the UK overall, its a drop off thats general across the board on watching TV not confined to Who, and in that climate Who is doing as well as it always has.
When you delve into the ratings matter there is noting like a big enough issue to be a major factor in the decision I do not think- and the BBC will be aware of the ratings and the changing landscape of TV watching.

The tabloids love the ratings thing but they always slant it by muddling up overnight figures with consolidated and comparing overnights from 10 years ago to todays, which is like comparing apples and pears. But I dont think its a big factor here.

There is always the possibility its just that old chestnut the the BBC, for some reason, hate sci-fi and always seem to resent it doing well. They haven't supported Who properly in terms of advertising and scheduling for a while now and even whilst its overseas audience and amount of territories sold to has increased, they slashed its budget.

Moving it about in the schedules, cutting its budget, failing to support it, undermining the production team and actors,  mmmmm---- 80's flashback!!!  }}}}

{{I am glad Missy will return at least for his final series- the Master is the perfect reoccuring enemy I feel for this more classic style incarnation of the Doctor }}}

I am probably the only person who is glad, but I am.

Joe Gilgun for Doctor.

as long as its not a token Black or woman I don't care. If its Richard Ayoade I will never watch Who again. ever.

Very interesting rumours on the Gallireybase forums regarding the next Doctor, one member (who appears to have reputable sources in production) has posted the following:

Spoiler:

There's also a rumour doing the rounds that Nardole could actually be 'watcher' figure of sorts with more to him than we first thought, possibly tying in with the regeneration.

...Based on the rumour above, and Chibnall's work on Broadchurch I'm thinking it will be:

Spoiler:

The articles are interesting:

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-31/new-doctor-who-boss-chris-chibnall-will-lead-the-hunt-for-peter-capaldis-replacement

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/jan/31/doctor-who-new-time-lord-woman-peter-capaldi

if its Suranne Jones that's quite interesting, I really rate her highly.

HeHe the Guardian puts Ansiz Answari on its wish list.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/jan/31/doctor-who-peter-capaldi-casting-wishlist-bbc

Gotta admit, that may actually get me watching Who. Currently I don't.

Mrs Figg wrote:if its Suranne Jones that's quite interesting, I really rate her highly.

Yeah I'm completely open to an actress getting cast, I just have my concerns about how they'd write the role, a female Doctor is a huge huge risk and if they try too hard, it could end up alienating more people than it brings in...

Gallifreybase can be very hit and miss when it comes to rumours, but recently quite a few have later turned out to be true...