# Who should play the next Doctor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914 "2013-06-02T02:47:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [June 5, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/81 "2013-06-05T13:07:03Z")
Jonathan Pryce Mark Strong Kevin McNally Ewen Bremner Tom Hollander Ben Miller Jamie Bamber Daniel Ryan Denis Lawson Nicholas Rowe Mark Heap Robert Glenister Chris O’Dowd Martin Clunes ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/82 "2013-06-05T23:37:13Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > He was in an episode called “The Next Doctor”. He played a character called Jackson Lake who thought he was The Doctor. I felt he did a good job and wouldn’t mind seeing him back. Per Romana, Time Lords are allowed to control the new form of their regeneration. I thought that Time Lords need training to control their new form, and The Doctor lacked the ability because he, uh… went joyriding around time and space in a stolen TARDIS rather than going through all the Time Lord training. ETA: Though in that short where 10 and 5’s TARDIS crashed into each other, 10 implies that he has at least a tiny bit of control over his form – saying that he was trying to be “old and wise” before and turning into 5 showed him that he didn’t need all that, implying that he intentionally regenerated into forms that weren’t old or serious afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/83 "2013-06-05T23:40:48Z")
I think that if you’d asked me who should be the 11th Doctor 5 years ago I wouldn’t have listed Matt Smith, because I didn’t know who he was or what he was capable of, and if you’d asked me who should play Sherlock Holmes in a modern day revival around the same time I wouldn’t have said Benedict Cumberbatch, because I didn’t know who he was either. I actually like it when The Doctor is a relatively unknown actor, or one without one huge role that made them famous. A star, like Sir Ian, brings all the other roles they’ve ever played to the table when they act. Seeing John Hurt as the (Spoiler) at the end of the Name of the Doctor, meant that this was a certain type of part with a certain amount of gravitas, and you understood that John Hurt was bringing everything with it (including being John Hurt), just as Derek Jacobi did as the Master. More: [Neil Gaiman](http://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/52244065702/what-would-you-say-to-sir-ian-mckellen-taking-the) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/84 "2013-06-06T15:21:58Z")
I have to agree with that. A relative unknown is so much more fun. They get to be “The Doctor”, not “Ewan McGregor _as_ The Doctor”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/85 "2013-06-06T16:54:12Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I have to agree with that. A relative unknown is so much more fun. They get to be “The Doctor”, not “Ewan McGregor _as_ The Doctor”. What you say is true, but Michael Fassbender. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/86 "2013-06-06T17:32:13Z")
In order to see the UK burn in indignation, it should be an American. How about Neil Patrick Harris? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/87 "2013-06-06T17:45:33Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > In order to see the UK burn in indignation, “So I said to myself, _‘Since no Brit can measure up to my performance as Sherlock Holmes, why not show them what Robert Downey Jr can do as Doctor Who?’_” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/88 "2013-06-06T18:07:07Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > In order to see the UK burn in indignation, it should be an American. > > How about Neil Patrick Harris? That would be legen…wait for it…darily bad. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/89 "2013-06-06T18:10:41Z")
There was some talk a few years back about Jason Statham taking over. But I guess you would only do that if you want to make the Doctor awesome! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/90 "2013-06-06T19:15:59Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Chiwetel Ejiofor. Exactly who I was going to say. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/91 "2013-06-06T19:32:54Z")
Absolutely NO women as the doctor. NO. Just… no. If that happens, I stop watching and I’d bet good money I wouldn’t be the only one. Fortunately for me, I suspect the BBC is too smart as well as too concerned about the bottom line to upset the worldwide applecart for something so utterly stupid. ::steps down from soapbox:: That said, how about Sean Pertwee? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/92 "2013-06-06T19:49:39Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > She’s too short and bossy. And her nose is all funny. 😛 I read a drinking game for the series 7 finale. The last item on the list was “take a drink every time you see Jenna-Louise Coleman and want to boop her on the nose”. We decided that was a bad drinking game because we’d all have alcohol poisoning. I seriously don’t get how the doctor can not like that nose. She is bossy, though. And I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/93 "2013-06-07T03:47:21Z")
Funny? Her nose is tiny and perfect and adorable :mad:. [/has a similar nose] ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/94 "2013-06-09T15:00:47Z")
[Rory Kinnear](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/10108234/BBC-asks-James-Bond-star-to-be-its-new-Doctor-Who.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/95 "2013-06-09T15:38:11Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Funny? Her nose is tiny and perfect and adorable :mad:. [/has a similar nose] The Doctor described it that way in the episode with the Cybermen. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/96 "2013-06-09T19:29:44Z")
Clive Owen. Good looking, has more gravitas then the last three doctors combined. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/97 "2013-06-09T20:27:43Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > [Rory Kinnear](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/10108234/BBC-asks-James-Bond-star-to-be-its-new-Doctor-Who.html)? I guess I should have been more clear: It’s being reported that Rory Kinnear has been asked by the BBC to be the next Doctor. ---
**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:** [June 9, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/98 "2013-06-09T20:28:27Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > It’s Doctor Who, of course it’s a gimmick. The whole show is a gimmick. 😉 Yep. Also, it’s fundamentally a show intended to be Suitable for Children; also, it’s a show on a budget. So, no Tom Cruise. (Thank heavens. Can you imagine?) The new Doctor will probably be, as the quote from Neil Gaiman hinted, a little-known performer. It’s possible that the producers might spring for someone with at least a bit of a following, though. It’s also possible that they might have ‘diversity’ in mind, even if they aren’t willing to go as far as being diverse with reference to gender. So I’d love to see Richard Ayoade as the Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/99 "2013-06-09T20:53:57Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > [A friend of mine suggests:](http://thatdavidhopkins.com/2013/06/04/five-crazy-suggestions-for-the-12th-doctor) > > Alex Kingston… Doesn’t she already play his future wife River Song? Or is it your intent to have the Doctor litterally go fuck himself?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914/100 "2013-07-31T18:37:06Z")
Decided to bump this because Peter Capaldi is getting a sudden surge with the bookmakers. [http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a502425/doctor-who-peter-capaldi-gets-surge-of-bets-to-be-12th-doctor.html](http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a502425/doctor-who-peter-capaldi-gets-surge-of-bets-to-be-12th-doctor.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-should-play-the-next-doctor/659914.md?page=6)