# Dr Who: Ben Kingsley as Davros **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 8, 2007, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836 "2007-08-08T09:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/1 "2007-08-08T09:08:39Z")
Ben Kingsley is the next big name being touted to guest in the new Dr Who. [The rumour being that he’ll play Dalek creator Davros](http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/tv/2007/08/another_week_another_incredibl.html). Normally i dismiss these rumours until they’re actually confirmed, but given the recent crop of big-names (Derek Jacobi, John Simms, Kylie Minogue) that have actually made an appearance its not totally unlikely. Also one of the dodgy London evening papers ran the story and quoted his agent as saying they were in advanced negotations for the role, so I’m willing to give this rumour more credence than most. Personally i think that as long as they go for _Genesis of the Daleks_ Davros rather than the pantomime bad-guy Davros he became (which would seem likely with Kingsley in the role) then it would be frikkin awesome. That said, i’d rather have the Brigadier back. He was the stereotypical resourceful, unflappable British Army Officer shown to perfection: > [@](#): > > **Giant 50ft tall Devil bursts through roof of a church** > > **Brigadier** _(Tapping heavy machine gunner on the shoulder):_ Jenkins… Chap with wings there, five rounds rapid. Not sure who i’d cast as him though. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/2 "2007-08-08T10:32:03Z")
Oh, oh! My favorite Brigadier quote came from the same episode! “Just\* once\* I’d like to meet an alien menace that wasn’t immune to bullets!” ---
**Author:** ![Lilacs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Lilacs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilacs)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/3 "2007-08-08T11:13:03Z")
While having Ben Kingsley in Doctor Who would be awesome, I really wish they’d cut back on the Dalek episodes. Maybe skip a season or two before bringing them in again. Less is more, right? Ialso love the Brigadier. He would be at the top of the list of old-school reappearances for me. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/4 "2007-08-08T11:24:43Z")
[QUOTE=Lilacs] Ialso love the Brigadier. He would be at the top of the list of old-school reappearances for me. [/QUOTE] As long as they don’t get Rowan Atkinson to play the role. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/5 "2007-08-08T11:28:35Z")
Or Martin Clunes. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/6 "2007-08-08T11:45:18Z")
Having thought about it for a bit i reckon that they should shake it up a bit and put [Chiwetel Ejiofor](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0252230/) in as as the Brig. They could even start him at the rank of Colonel as they did with the original. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/7 "2007-08-08T13:23:32Z")
[QUOTE=Lilacs] While having Ben Kingsley in Doctor Who would be awesome, I really wish they’d cut back on the Dalek episodes. Maybe skip a season or two before bringing them in again. Less is more, right? [/QUOTE] Hells, yes. At this point, shouldn’t the universe be down to one Dalek, total? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/8 "2007-08-08T13:31:09Z")
It’s a universal constant. No matter how many daleks you kill, there’s always (at least) one more… ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/9 "2007-08-08T18:40:48Z")
My reaction on reading the news was a loud, excited “hell, YES” (in the middle of the bus). I’d put Ray Stevenson down as the Brigadier, except he’s got the new series [del]_Quantum Leap_[/del] _Traveller_ on NBC coming up. Chiwetel Ejiofor would be equally awesome, though. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/10 "2007-08-08T21:01:09Z")
Are they planning to keep making the show as long as they can or is there a definite lifespan planned? I think they are likely to never run out of actors to play the doctor or to guest since the Old Guard of British Cinema was born recently enough than some watched the show as kids. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/11 "2007-08-08T23:33:45Z")
[QUOTE=garius] Having thought about it for a bit i reckon that they should shake it up a bit and put [Chiwetel Ejiofor](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0252230/) in as as the Brig. [/QUOTE] He looks too young. He’s only 33. You need someone who looks at least 10 - and more likely 20 - years older. I’d go for Sean Connery. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/12 "2007-08-09T01:26:49Z")
Steve Coogan for Brigadier! Not Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, of course. He’d be a different Brigadier. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/13 "2007-08-09T02:46:18Z")
And just what the hell would be wrong with Nicholas Courtney playing the Brigadier? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/14 "2007-08-09T05:39:12Z")
I don’t remember the Brigadier (been a long time since I saw the old eps) and he’s dead now, but… [John Barron](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0057683/) _I didn’t get where I am today without knowing that bullets don’t kill alien menaces!_ ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/15 "2007-08-09T06:20:39Z")
[QUOTE=Alan Smithee] And just what the hell would be wrong with Nicholas Courtney playing the Brigadier? [/QUOTE] This is what I’m wondering. It’s like asking who who you get to play Sarah Jane Smith. Well… pretty much Elizabeth Sladen, I’m thinking. Why bring back an old companion (or close enough) and recast? Time Lords you can get away with, monsters and other things under rubber masks (Davros etc) are fine… but old human friends? Why would you bother unless you’re bringing back the old actor too? It wouldn’t even matter if Nicholas Courtney was really old, which I imagine he must be by now… in fact, there could be a lot of power in a story with an ageless, youthful Doctor and one of his greatest friends a decrepid, dying man, on one last adventure together before the Doctor loses him forever. On the other hand, what about … Daniel Radcliffe for Adric!! ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/16 "2007-08-09T14:28:45Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] Are they planning to keep making the show as long as they can or is there a definite lifespan planned? I think they are likely to never run out of actors to play the doctor or to guest since the Old Guard of British Cinema was born recently enough than some watched the show as kids. [/QUOTE] I thought that Timelords were only supposed to get 12 regenerations? I know The Master cheated, but… -Joe ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/17 "2007-08-09T14:31:26Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] I thought that Timelords were only supposed to get 12 regenerations? I know The Master cheated, but… -Joe [/QUOTE] This is television, as long as the franchise is profitable, they will _deus ex machina_ as many additional regenerations as are necessary. Tardis energy or something. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/18 "2007-08-13T12:35:07Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] He looks too young. He’s only 33. You need someone who looks at least 10 - and more likely 20 - years older. [/QUOTE] Only if you kick him in as the Brigadier. Don’t forget Lethbridge-Stewart first turns up as a Colonel. I doubt Courtney was older than 35 when he first played the role. Thinking about it, I vaguely remember the “extended universe” having the Brigadier briefly married to an African lass when he was serving in Sierra Leone. Chiwetel could be Lethbridge-Stewart Jnr 😃 > [@](#): > > This is television, as long as the franchise is profitable, they will deus ex machina as many additional regenerations as are necessary. Tardis energy or something. The way i figure it, they’ve already got one - i vaguely remember Timelords only being _allowed_ 12 regenerations. Presumably with Gallifrey gone there’s no one round to enforce that anymore. ---
**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:** [August 13, 2007, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/19 "2007-08-13T13:06:11Z")
More Who next season stuff, from the BBC in-house magazine > [@](#): > > Fire on sets planned for Doctor Who > > A fire has destroyed sets used in the BBC and HBO co-production Rome, at the famous Cinecitta film studios in Italy. The sets used for Rome were also planned to be used for an episode of Doctor Who in the fourth series, which is currently being filmed. > > A spokesman for the BBC told Ariel that Doctor Who still plan to use the sets from Rome. ‘Crucial parts of the set are still intact,’ he added. I hope this doesn’t delay the filming schedule too much, it’s tricky enough fitting it in anyway, and they’ve already lost a week. But I must admit a Roman story using the _Rome_ sets, or indeed the _Ben-Hur_ ones, sounds lush. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-who-ben-kingsley-as-davros/414836/20 "2007-08-13T19:50:25Z")
If we’re going with _a_ brigadier instead of Lethbridge-Stewart, John Cleese in “Sheriff Langston” mode.