New New New New New New New New New New New Doctor!

[andraste]

Peter Capaldi! Who seems like an excellent choice. (Although I guess this means a recast for Cardinal Richelieu in The Musketeers? Hard to imagine him doing both.)

I mean, twelve white blokes in a row is disappointing, but it's nice to see that we're going from the youngest Doctor ever to someone who's as old as William Hartnell. Any shift away from 'skinny brunette bloke with experimental hairdo' is a relief at this stage. (I adore both Ten and Eleven, but the show needs someone easily distinguishable from both at first glance or it risks getting in a rut.)

Also, I am slightly weirded out that we will now have two Doctors with the same first name. That had started to feel like a rule. (I know we had two Bakers, but still.)

Comments

[selenak]

Maybe he already shot his Richelieu scenes? Otherwise, yes, I'm sure they'll have to recast.

I liked his Frobisher in Children of Earth so much I must admit I'm thrilled.

[jesuswasbatman]

In the TV interview this evening he talked about hearing the news during a break while he was performing Richelieu, so I assume it's finished.

[andraste]

Oh, that's good to hear. I guess the only difficulty, then, is what happens if Musketeers gets renewed. I guess they could depart from canon and history kill of Richelieu early ...

[andraste]

I think this is the first time I've loved a Doctor before he even films anything. I mean, I was pretty happy about Tennant's casting and have a general presumption that I'll like any new Doctor - I've loved eleven so far, so it would seem unnecessarily pessimistic to think I won't like more. But I have so much good will for Capaldi stored up from Children of Earth and The Fires of Pompeii and Local Hero and Neverwhere that I think I can safely assume he'll be magnificent.

[selenak]

You know, I totally understand people who are disappointed on the "another white male" front, but they who complain on account of Peter Capaldi's teeth (I kid you not) or because he's not young or deny his acting power awesomeness are just plain wrong on the internet. Also sadly the casting announcement seems to have led to a resurrection of Children of Earth hate, which, bah.

But seriously. Even deniers of Children of Earth greatness should be able to see that Peter Capaldi did scene after scene of essentially one man speaking to a big glass tank and made those tense and suspenseful and riveting? That he took a character who is that most disliked thing, a bureaucrat sanctioning horrors, and made one care?

[andraste]

There are three groups of people who are grating on my nerves at the moment.

1) The ones who are actively smug about Capaldi being another white man. The 'casting a woman or a POC would be POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD!' brigade live to fight another day, unfortunately. I guess we'll have to sit through all that again when it eventually comes time to look fort Thirteen. (So not for a while, I hope.)

2) The 'OMG he's old and ugly!' fangirls. Unsurprisingly they're mostly young and mostly on Tumblr. On one level they're sort of hilarious, because this displays such staggering disregard for the history of the part. Have they never even seen pictures of, for example, Jon Pertwee? (Three is lovely, but young and hot he isn't.)

3) The 'all Peter Capaldi can play is Scots who say 'fuck' all the time' contingent. Because ... really? Even if you've never seen Torchwood or Local Hero or Neverwhere or, well, a large proportion of Capaldi's filmography, surely The Fires of Pompeii alone proves that this isn't so? There seems to be a lot of overlap with people who hated the first few episodes of Torchwood so much they refuse to watch Children of Earth. Grrrr.

Hating on Children of Earth is one of my hot buttons in this fandom - every time someone starts in on a rant about it, I have to take my hands off the keyboard to stop myself ranting back. And I think Capaldi gave the best performance among a series of great performances - it's an incredibly difficult part, and he makes Frobisher so human and three-dimensional.

[evilfuzzydoom]

But... he's like a wrinkly Ten. I see no problem here?

Also, putting a pin here on sneaking suspicion that he might be the best Doctor of New Who.

I'm optimistic today for some reason.

[andraste]

But... he's like a wrinkly Ten. I see no problem here?

It is a mystery. Or more proof that many people on tumblr are thirteen and have no taste.

Also, putting a pin here on sneaking suspicion that he might be the best Doctor of New Who.

I adore both Ten and Eleven and still think this is entirely possible. As great as they are, Capaldi has had decades more practice at acting.

[lynndyre]

He looks like a potentially awesome 12, I was also happy to see someone older. XD

[andraste]

If he stays a few years, he could easily become the oldest Doctor ever! (Hartnell was fifty-eight well he left the part, and if Capaldi stays the four years that seems to be the modern standard he'd be firty-nine. Or he could do a Tom Baker and stay until he's sixty-two ...)

[bride_of_lister]

Tumblr has exploded, imploded, come up with the term "Doctor shaming" and made many excited .gifs. ^^

I'm super stoked for an older Doctor, I loved 10 and 11 but a change is as good as a holiday! I'll make the effort to pick DW back up now too.

[andraste]

*goes to look at the tag*

Wow, so I see. Also, Doctor shaming is clearly wrong. Everyone should love the Doctors they love!

It is so nice to see something different, and it's been forever since a Doctor was fifty-five. (Pertwee was around that age when he left.)