Who would you like to see be the next Doctor Who?

[Pizzamorg]

I think the problem with a lot of the New Who companions is they are too important, in my opinion anyway.

The Doctor was meant to be a mystery, wrapped up in an enigma and just ever so slightly sinister, that was his charm and what made him special but that also meant the companion needed to be ordinary, they needed to be human. Not a blank slate, still a character, but someone we (the audience) could really connect with so we could be swept up in all the adventures without feeling alienated by the closed off Doctor and the alien worlds he visits. This is something the Classic series really understood.

It all started going wrong for me when all the romance stuff crept in, in New Who, crossing boundaries for me that just felt weird and wrong. Donna made for such a breath of fresh air in that regard, but with characters like Amy, Clara or River Song where the universe seems to literally orbit around them, how can I relate to those characters when my bus to work doesn't even come on time?

At least this new Clara has a sort of bantery friendship with The Doctor, far removed from all the romance drivel and also much of her nonsensical arc has been left behind for a much more human character the audience can connect with. I may not understand any of her convoluted mess of a story but Capaldi Clara is probably my favourite companion since Donna. Go figure.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

I think the problem with a lot of the New Who companions is they are too important, in my opinion anyway.

The Doctor was meant to be a mystery, wrapped up in an enigma and just ever so slightly sinister, that was his charm and what made him special but that also meant the companion needed to be ordinary, they needed to be human. Not a blank slate, still a character, but someone we (the audience) could really connect with so we could be swept up in all the adventures without feeling alienated by the closed off Doctor and the alien worlds he visits. This is something the Classic series really understood.

It all started going wrong for me when all the romance stuff crept in, in New Who, crossing boundaries for me that just felt weird and wrong. Donna made for such a breath of fresh air in that regard, but with characters like Amy, Clara or River Song where the universe seems to literally orbit around them, how can I relate to those characters when my bus to work doesn't even come on time?

At least this new Clara has a sort of bantery friendship with The Doctor, far removed from all the romance drivel and also much of her nonsensical arc has been left behind for a much more human character the audience can connect with. I may not understand any of her convoluted mess of a story but Capaldi Clara is probably my favourite companion since Donna. Go figure.

I've always felt to be a companion one has to be superior to most normal people in some fashion, after all they have to face -
Cyber Men
Daleks
The Master
Weeping Angels
And so forth, a bit too much for normal people to handle, especially during those times when the Doctor is otherwise occupied.

[stevo4264]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

I can't believe people don't like River Song or Amelia Pond, I've always adored them both. Heck, Rory's grown on me over the years and I despised him at first.

In all honesty, Rory, and his father are the only ones in the new series that I actually liked out of all of them, but to me they don't compare to Sarah Jane.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by stevo4264

In all honesty, Rory, and his father are the only ones in the new series that I actually liked out of all of them, but to me they don't compare to Sarah Jane.

Didn't really consider Rory's father a companion since he was only in a couple episodes. I did like him though, more than Rose or Donna's family.

[HDMe]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

I've always felt to be a companion one has to be superior to most normal people in some fashion...

But that's never been the point of the companion. The "origin" of the companion is to be the viewer's gateway into the show. We can't be the Doctor, but we could be the companion... The companion is new to the world the Doctor travels within, and sees what we see and asks what we ask.

There can be a wide range of what qualifies as a "normal" person... but the companion being a "superior" person to start with makes the companion someone the average viewer cannot identify with anymore... and that takes away from the whole point of there being another person in the TARDIS in the first place.

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by stevo4264

In all honesty, Rory, and his father are the only ones in the new series that I actually liked out of all of them, but to me they don't compare to Sarah Jane.

Didn't care for the character Rory. The actor playing the dad was quite good though.

[Verisimilitude1984]

I really liked Amy and Rory as companions because they resembled the Sarah Jane and Harry dynamic from the classic series. Also, the romantic stuff since Rose and through most of the David Tennant era became a little tedious.

I still think you have to go a long way to beat Sarah Jane Smith, who was my personal favourite.

I agree that companions in the new era have seemingly become too big to the overall mythos. It is a balance. Like Louise Jameson said in an interview, there's only so many times you can say "What's that Doctor?".

The whole Clara thing with the last episode of Season 9 (which I liked), where the doctor attempts to literally go to the ends of the universe and break any rule to save her. It seemingly made her more important than Amy, Rory, Adric, Peri etc. Why? It was also another Time Lord victorious moment, which I thought he had learnt from after 'The End of Time'.

[ElectricPeterTork]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

I can't believe people don't like River Song or Amelia Pond, I've always adored them both. Heck, Rory's grown on me over the years and I despised him at first.

Amy Pond ruined the entire Matt Smith run for me. It's become like this huge dead zone in Doctor Who history I have no desire to ever revisit, except for Vincent and the Doctor and the two episodes with James Corden. Everything else? Ugh. I hate The Amy Pond Show.

I was hoping Smith would stay on through season 8 so we could see what the show would be like with him actually starring in Doctor Who instead of being a recurring guest star in The Amy Pond Show. Didn't happen, though. And, we have gotten a great run with Capaldi.

And as for the talk of a female Doctor? Miranda Hart. She can pull off both comedy and drama, and she does look more physically imposing than the majority of the New Who Doctors have been.

Unfortunately, it does look like it's time for this debate to start up again...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...teps-down.html

[Verisimilitude1984]

Posted this in the other Doctor Who thread then saw this one!

I'll put it here as it seems more appropriate...

OK, it will never happen I'm sure. However, if Capaldi were to go I would like to see Andrew Gower in the role.



When I saw him in Frankenstein's Wedding from the BBC back in 2011, I saw...something. Perhaps I saw some of that in Matt Smith's Doctor.

No one automatically comes to mind for the role currently. Maybe Hugh Laurie? I would prefer the role remained a male but am not dead set against it changing. Seeing Suranne Jones play the living embodiment of the Tardis in Season 6's great Neil Gaiman episode 'The Doctor's Wife' showed that she could pull it off brilliantly. Maybe it would re-energise the show and give a fresh new dynamic to facing off against Missy.

Mind you, if I did have my way I would probably have Capaldi regenerate into Paul McGann! Yes, let's go back to a previous generation and make it controversial!

[partridge]

That's hilarious, the source of the Mail's article is the Mirror's made up nonsense!! The media really are joke. I can't believe people still pay for that b#ll#cks!!

[sandman slim]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

A female doctor would have to be Helena Bonham Carter or Kate Winslet.

Gwendolyn Christie. If they ever went for a female Doctor, I think she would just crush it.

[Doomlord]

If the production team ever decide to go 'youthful' again, I think Iwan Rheon, 31 (Misfits, GoT, Vicious) or Aneurin Barnard, 29 (War & Peace, We'll Take Manhattan (where he played photographer David Bailey opposite Karen Gillan) and next year's Dunkirk film) would be a good choices. They wouldn't have far to travel either as they're both native to South Wales.

I do hope Peter Capaldi stays on for another year though with Chibnall as executive producer in 2018.

[Dalekbuster523Bluray]

John Hannah would make a great Doctor:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001314/?ref_=nv_sr_1

I could imagine him being cold and manipulative like the 7th Doctor.

[Doomlord]

He would have, but then we had Capaldi. I think Hannah is too close in appearance and voice to Peter to be considered any time soon.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

I can't believe people don't like River Song or Amelia Pond, I've always adored them both. Heck, Rory's grown on me over the years and I despised him at first.

I like them both, but I think Amy was on just a bit too long. I would of enjoyed a span of just the Doctor and River, her not being impressed by everything the Doctor did made for a good dynamic.

Rose was my favorite of the current run. Have not seen much of Jenna's run yet, but now that Doctor Who is back on in the US on Amazon Prime we're going to catch up.

[mrr1]

Originally Posted by SixSpeedSamurai

Have not seen much of Jenna's run yet,

Jenna was awful with Matt Smith (in my opinion), but great with Peter Capaldi. It was like she was playing two different characters.


The next Doctor should be another smart-sounding, weird-looking British guy.

[Dunemoon]

Ian Ogilvry

[Miraculous Ladybug]

Neil Dudgeon, James Nesbitt, Ben Whishaw, Danny John-Jules, Bill Nighy, Sean Pertwee, or David Morrissey.

Just my personal wishlist...

[Dalekbuster523Bluray]

Originally Posted by Doomlord

He would have, but then we had Capaldi. I think Hannah is too close in appearance and voice to Peter to be considered any time soon.

I don't see the resemblance personally.

[jason00]

Capaldi is probably my favorite Doctor (passing the great Jon Pertwee) but I would not be too mad if he regenerated into Chiwetel Ejiofor.