# Doctor Who fans - Does Capaldi get better? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628 "2015-05-23T01:15:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/41 "2015-05-24T03:15:52Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > One, it does become apparent how much he cares about her as the season goes on. > > Personally I read it as a bit of psychological management for himself. He is older now and no longer an impossible boyfriend, but a surrogate father he aint. He is on guard against his feelings and keeping her at distance by way of rudeness is a simple but crude means of managing it until he can parse out his attachment issues. Or think he has. Oh, he’s kind of a surrogate father. A large part of the reason he was such a dick to Danny Pink was that he wasn’t sure Pink–or anybody–was good enough for Clara. (The rest is that he’s a dick.) And some of his rudeness is not only unintentional but possibly unavoidable. He’s got some genuine problems with facial recognition. I think he genuinely can’t tell how old people look or whether Clara is wearing makeup. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/42 "2015-05-24T03:43:25Z")
So, he came back from this regeneration missing part of his neurological functions? Or are you claiming that this is normal for him? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/43 "2015-05-24T08:02:54Z")
And what, he can’t see wrinkles? He’s the Doctor. He’s supposed to notice the little details. One of the Doctor’s strengths is that he sees things as they actually are. If someone is wearing makeup he should see that they are wearing makeup. After all, it’s just a matter of color and texture. ---
**Author:** ![BrianJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/44 "2015-05-24T11:37:01Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And what, he can’t see wrinkles? He’s the Doctor. He’s supposed to notice the little details. One of the Doctor’s strengths is that he sees things as they actually are. If someone is wearing makeup he should see that they are wearing makeup. After all, it’s just a matter of color and texture. I rememer River telling Amy don’t let the doctor see you’ve aged ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/45 "2015-05-24T15:24:17Z")
> [@BrianJ](#): > > I rememer River telling Amy don’t let the doctor see you’ve aged Typical Moffet sexism. I can’t wait until he leaves. I would suggest watching Mummy on the Orient Express, and if you can’t stand him in that, you probably won’t like him any after that. Capaldi’s Doctor is deliberately caustic (unlike Hartnell in that Hartnell’s Doctor seemed to not understand compassion at first, while Capaldi chooses to ignore it), and while I sometimes wish they’d tone him down, he’s much better in my eyes than whimsy mcwhimsical Matt Smith. But then, that’s the great thing about Doctor Who - don’t like the Doctor? Wait a while. ---
**Author:** ![emarkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@emarkp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emarkp)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/46 "2015-05-24T15:41:14Z")
Capaldi has been excellent IMO, it’s the writing that has sucked this last season. Almost a total writeoff other than Boneless and Mummy on the Orient Express. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/47 "2015-05-24T16:10:35Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > So I hear. I don’t actually get the channel in my country. It truly is the Holy Land! ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/48 "2015-05-24T16:55:02Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > Typical Moffet sexism. I can’t wait until he leaves. Seriously? I’m sure it’s meant to remind us he is practically an immortal being that finds it difficult when confronted with how his companions will age and die. That goes for The Doctor too, not just Moffet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/49 "2015-05-24T18:47:36Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > Seriously? > > I’m sure it’s meant to remind us he is practically an immortal being that finds it difficult when confronted with how his companions will age and die. > > That goes for The Doctor too, not just Moffet. 😃 _goes to look up quote with more context_ Yeah, you’re right. I don’t watch the Smith era much, so I think I’ve only seen that once. Knowing what I do about some of the charming things Moffet has said about women, I jumped to conclusions. Still, that’s kinda dumb. The Docts been friends with humans for over a millennium - he’s well aware that people age. ---
**Author:** ![BrianJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/50 "2015-05-24T21:27:59Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > _goes to look up quote with more context_ Yeah, you’re right. I don’t watch the Smith era much, so I think I’ve only seen that once. Knowing what I do about some of the charming things Moffet has said about women, I jumped to conclusions. Still, that’s kinda dumb. The Docts been friends with humans for over a millennium - he’s well aware that people age. Who is Moffet? A writer? In any case, yeah, continuity isn’t a strong point of this show ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/51 "2015-05-24T21:39:22Z")
> [@BrianJ](#): > > Who is Moffet? A writer? > > In any case, yeah, continuity isn’t a strong point of this show Showrunner. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/52 "2015-05-24T21:42:26Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Showrunner. That’s a guy called Moffat. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/53 "2015-05-24T21:43:15Z")
> [@BrianJ](#): > > Who is Moffet? A writer? Stephen Moffat, current show-runner and writer. Some good ideas, but utterly terrible at the mechanics of a storyline to the point where he genuinely seems not to care that this stuff is supposed to make sense at least at a basic narrative level. Wrote some classic episodes to the point where fans were salivating at the idea of him taking over the reins, but since responsible for the downturn in quality on the show over the past four or years. Writes grand sweeping season long story arcs in which the ending is inevitably muddled and botched because he hasn’t thought it out. Seems to forget that the show is called Doctor Who and not Current Companion. Possible Anti-Christ, according to some fans. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628/54 "2015-05-24T23:56:20Z")
**Steven Moffat.** _Steven_ with a **V** , _Moffat_ with two **F** s, an **A** , and one **T**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-fans-does-capaldi-get-better/720628.md?page=2)