He wasn’t being serious. And it’s not RTD’s decision anyway, it’s Steven Moffat’s.
I think they should go the complete opposite direction now and have Richard Griffiths play the next Doctor.
For those who don’t recognize the name, that’s the guy who plays Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter movies.
I’ll…I’ll just be off now. 
May a complete newbie join in the general wailing & gnashing of teeth?
I’m a long time lurker, first time poster, big Doctor Who fan, so I suppose it’s fitting that my first post to the Straight Dope is in a Doctor Who thread. Just wish it wasn’t in this one!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed David Tennant as the Doctor, but given that the producers have chosen so well in the past with Christopher Eccleston & David Tennant, I’m quietly hoping that they’ll manage to do it again.
Welcome Splat! Love the username.
And sorry to have made your first post a sad one.
I wonder if it’s possible Alex Kingston could be the next Doctor? There seemed to be a suggestion in some of the recent episodes (Silence in the Library and the following one?) that she either knew the Doctor from the future or had even been the Doctor herself.
No.
Oh, great. Now whoever they cast will disappoint me by comparison.
Also, this means he’ll only have one more to go, doesn’t it?
That’s a pretty radical interpretation of the text! I’m curious, what made you think that?
I think this would be the worst choice possible. Nesbitt can only play Nesbitt, even when he is playing Jekyll/Hyde. Horrible actor that would make me stop watching Who.
I wouldnt mind a total newcomer. Right now I can’t think of anyone that could fill Tennant’s shoes.
What about Billie Piper coming back as the Doctor? I remember her saying (when she had just anounced she was leaving after the second season) that she wasn’t entirely oposed to coming back to the show, but that she wanted to be the big kahuna and not the side kick. Is there any reason the Doctor couldn’t be female?
Do you watch the show? It’s not like the regenerations are random, or he chooses a body to inhabit (so he can’t just walk into Rose’s body).
The Doctor is male, and therefore all regenerations will be male. Other Time Lords have been female (known as Time Ladies, I think, though that may be an outdated term) such as Romana and The Rani, but the Doctor himself is always going to be a man.
Didn’t Romana show some control over the appearance of her second (shown) regeneration? Also when the Doctor was forcibly regenerated into his third incarnation he was able to choose the appearance from a shortlist. Of course, the Doctor can’t to this on his own - he wanted to be ginger, after all - probably for the same reason why he gets regeneration sickness and other Time Lords don’t. It’d be like travel sickness or something, some get it worse than others.
BTW, according to BBC, here are where the odds stand:
Bets on next Doctor
Paterson Joseph - 3-1
David Morrisey - 5-1
James Nesbitt - 6-1
John Simm - 8-1
Source: Paddy Power
Hang on a second - Paterson Joseph is black, isn’t that just as much a departure for the Doctor as making him turn into a woman? Not that I have an issue with having black leading men/ladies but replacing a white guy is something you’d notice.
She specifically made herself look like Princess Astra from the previous episode (both played by Lalla Ward).
I don’t think being black is an issue, but I bet they will go for somebody considerably younger. Joseph is 44, Tennant was still only 33 when he got the part.
Huh. I was only just getting into the DT years on DVD - which means that I still have a lot ahead of me to enjoy I suppose, but I do feel a bit like I’m just showing up to the party when the guest of honor is leaving.
(Whoo-hoo for ‘The girl in the fireplace!’)
[flailscream]
Well fuck.
He was originally tipped to replace Sylvester McCoy, but the series was cancelled and it never happened. I don’t think he’d work in the role now as most people seem to expect a younger Doctor. I can’t find a cite, but IIRC soemone from the production team (Moffat?) recently said that the actor palying the Doctor should be around 40 or less as anyone older may not be able to stand the wear and tear of such a dynamic role.
I have really enjoyed DTs run, but regeneration is part of what makes the show interesting and I shall look forward to seeing how the role changes with whoever replaces him. Everytime a Doctor leaves there is a big uproar about how things will never be the same etc, but that’s the point, it keeps things fresh and IMHO there has never been a really bad Doctor.
The BBC have invested too much time and money to mess this up with bad casting, lots of people said Eccleston could never be topped then Tennant was given the role and the same things are said about him. I’m sad to see him go but it was expected. RTD has been making noises about replacement Doctors for a while now.
I fully expected DT to go at the end of the last season, particularly in the last but one episode when he was shot by the Dalek, but they diid the whole semi regeneration thing. If he had gone the it would have been one of the best kept secrets in BBC history and would have been a real shock. Unfortunately it didn’t happen.
I’m not in favour of Nesbit myself, but am prepared to give him a chance if he gets the role. Past experience has shown that it’s usually someone who no one expects who gets the role.
I look forward to seeing what happens.
bawls and sobs forever
That having been said, Stephen Fry for number 11. Please, Santa, I have been so good this year…
Did you read my suggestion? He’d be perfect!