# Peter Capaldi as Doctor Who: Questions and Opinionations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620 "2013-08-07T19:25:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/1 "2013-08-07T19:25:37Z")
So I really don’t have a clue who Peter Capaldi is; about the only thing I’m positive I’ve seen him in is the Pompeii episode of _Doctor Who_ (which I’m wondering if they’ll make some sort of winking reference about). Can anybody recommend the most “must see” Capaldi? And does anybody know if any other actor in the Who-niverse has ever appeared on the series prior to becoming the Doctor? Do you think this Doctor will have a relationship with River Song? Due to the similarity in the ages of the actors I can see them really heating the screen, and while she only met the Tenth Doctor once I don’t think her relationship with Twelfth (or beyond) was ever established. After three consecutive ‘damn sexy’ Doctors, each a decade younger than the one before, I’m not surprised they went with an older fellow to avoid more of the same, but I am curious if it will affect the ratings. I’m guessing the next male companion is going to be young and good looking (though personally I’d like to see Bernard Cribbins return). And there’s a poll above. ---
**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 7, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/2 "2013-08-07T19:31:24Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Can anybody recommend the most “must see” Capaldi? Google “Malcolm Tucker” > [@](#): > > And does anybody know if any other actor in the Who-niverse has ever appeared on the series prior to becoming the Doctor? Colin Baker. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/3 "2013-08-07T19:36:22Z")
Your poll is missing the “Who the fuck is Peter Capaldi?” choice, so I wasn’t able to answer. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/4 "2013-08-07T19:45:48Z")
I’m game for an older surlier doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/5 "2013-08-07T19:51:31Z")
Malcolm Tucker is one of my all-time favorite characters ever, but is pretty much the polar opposite of the Doctor. I’ve liked Capaldi in everything I’ve seen/heard him in. There’s been a lot of talk about his work on The Thick of It and The Hour, but on the comedy side, one of his lesser-known roles was as a newsreader alongside Jack Dee in a radio show in which they played newscasters in a fairy-tale land. I can’t remember what the show was called right now, but they were both quite funny. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/6 "2013-08-07T19:57:14Z")
I’ll watch it but I’m not excited about it. “Another thin white English guy? Really?” is a good encapsulation of my feelings. I do like that he’s older, though. 9 kind of rejected the distinguished aspect of the doctor with his slouchy sort of style but 10 and 11 were extremely boyish in my opinion. ---
**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 7, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/7 "2013-08-07T19:58:29Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I’ll watch it but I’m not excited about it. “Another thin white English guy? Really?” is a good encapsulation of my feelings. He’s not English. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/8 "2013-08-07T20:02:35Z")
I didn’t write the poll options. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/9 "2013-08-07T20:05:57Z")
I was pulling for Richard Ayoade. He would have been awesome (and choosing him would have voided the “another white guy” issue). But Capaldi is a smart and skillful performer with great range. Check out his female impersonator Vera in the third _Prime Suspect_ series, for evidence. I think he’ll inspire Moffat to come up with some fresh and interesting stories. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/10 "2013-08-07T20:20:20Z")
Count me in as another one who thought Richard Ayoade would have been perfect. I agree with the rest of Sherrerd’s post as well. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/11 "2013-08-07T20:20:22Z")
I haven’t seen much of his work except Torchwood but he seems well qualified from what I’ve read. I’m satisfied they finally got a more mature guy. I was beginning to worry the next Doctor would be a high school kid. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/12 "2013-08-07T20:43:58Z")
He was outstanding in _Torchwood–Children of Earth_. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/13 "2013-08-07T20:50:38Z")
…I didn’t think I would like Eccleston: ended up loving him. I didn’t think I would like Tennant…ended up loving him more. I didn’t think I’d like Matt Smith: and he has easily become my favourite Doctor. So yep, am probably going to end up loving Capaldi. I’m going to miss Matt: but isn’t it great to have a programme on TV that gets to completely reinvent itself every few years but still stay completely true to its original premise? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/14 "2013-08-07T20:53:17Z")
He was in “local hero” and much,much more but his Malcolm Tucker is a thing of sweary beauty. “come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off!” Oh yes. Those people youtubing Peter Capaldi should aware that most of the stuff they will find is most definitely NSFW unless volume is way down…and where is the fun in that? Good choice I think, a touch of aged gravitas with a hint of Scottish menace. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/15 "2013-08-07T20:55:13Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I haven’t seen much of his work except Torchwood but he seems well qualified from what I’ve read. > > I’m satisfied they finally got a more mature guy. I was beginning to worry the next Doctor would be a high school kid. 😉 Until this casting, I thought that’s what they were **going for** with the New Doctor: that the Doctor regenerates as a younger-bodied person each time. It would still be one or two more regens before you’d get to a teenager, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/16 "2013-08-07T21:03:34Z")
Picked the “This could be good” option since I really like Peter Capaldi. But I don’t really have any intention of watching Doctor Who. I really should like it (it crosses all the lines of what would normally appeal) but I’ve tried again with each new doctor, and it never sticks. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/17 "2013-08-07T21:09:31Z")
People should watch Local Hero. I mean Capaldi is in it but people should just generally watch it anyway, on the grounds that it is fucking brilliant. Capaldi is a great monster in Thick Of It/In The Loop but, for me, his best recent role (Thick Of It is very few episodes spread over quite some time) is his very contained turn as a BBC executive in season 2 of The Hour (also starring Dominic West, Ben Wishaw, Romola Garai and Anne Chancellor, some good pedigree there - indeed, I am very disappointed that the Beeb cancelled it after its second season). He’s good. He has range. I suspect he will have his own ideas as to what he wants to do with The Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/18 "2013-08-07T21:11:48Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > He’s not English. My bad: he’s the Glasgow born son of an Italian father and Irish mother. (Think of all the jokes that must offend him.) But, as with his fellow Scot Tennant, he sounds English in most of the film clips I’ve seen in the past few days. > [@Cumbrian](#): > > People should watch Local Hero. I mean Capaldi is in it but people should just generally watch it anyway, on the grounds that it is fucking brilliant. I watched it and remembered really liking it, but that was 20 years ago. The only really clear memory I have is of Burt Lancaster’s office ceiling. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/19 "2013-08-07T21:18:20Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > My bad: he’s the Glasgow born son of an Italian father and Irish mother. (Think of all the jokes that must offend him.) But, as with his fellow Scot Tennant, he sounds English in most of the film clips I’ve seen in the past few days. I quite hope he decides to take the accent off in another direction. Tennant followed Eccleston’s accent to give the character some continuity; Smith has, so far as I know, kept it in the same general area. (Pardon if I’m forgetting the seismic accent shift between 10 and 11, or if there’s some subtlety my Yank ears are missing.) I’m not even sure how I’d react to a Doctor who sounded like a Scot! ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620/20 "2013-08-07T21:22:30Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I watched it and remembered really liking it, but that was 20 years ago. The only really clear memory I have is of Burt Lancaster’s office ceiling. It is an odd but loveable film I think. I watched it not so long ago and the story hasn’t dated much at all (about the only thing that grounds it in the past is the Russian fisherman escaping the Cold War by bootlegging) as there are still bits of remote Scotland that are wild and you can well imagine that life is continuing without much recourse to modern technology at all - the significance of the phone box you can imagine is still relevant! It’s well worth seeking out I reckon. Also, if you are in any way minded towards Mark Knopfler, the soundtrack is awesome and worth listening to as an album on its own. Edit - I will now stop this semi hijack [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-capaldi-as-doctor-who-questions-and-opinionations/665620.md?page=2)