Well, the news is in - PETER CAPALDI is leaving DOCTOR WHO at the end of 2017. That's a shame, because I was hoping that, under new hands when current show-runner STEVEN MOFFAT departs, Capaldi's Doctor would be treated with the respect the character deserved, and not be portrayed as the prattling buffoon that poor writing and direction turned him into. It didn't bode well for the show when Capaldi was shown in his first episode dressed like WEE WILLIE WINKIE.
Although there were occasional hints of a serious, perhaps even sinister side to Capaldi's Doctor, writer Moffat's insistence on presenting him as a comical character exterminated any sense of danger in the show. To begin the 2016 Christmas episode with the Doctor dangling from a rooftop by his ankle, like something out of an old BUSTER KEATON short, demonstrates the Scottish show-runner's inability to grasp the essence of the character. The Doctor is not a clown.
I feel sorry for Peter Capaldi. Poor writing overshadowed his stint on the show, and he deserved much better. He did the best with what he was given, but, with an occasional exception aside, he was given banal tripe, and not even the finest of actors can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I'd been hoping Capaldi would stay on for at least one more series so that he'd have the chance to do the Doctor justice. As it was, below-par writing too often meant that he depended on the viewers' mercy.
So good riddance to Moffat. It's just a shame that we're also losing an actor who was more than capable of giving us the Doctor as he should be - but, alas, was never allowed to.
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How do you think Peter's stint on the show will be remembered? Invade the comments section now and share your thoughts with your fellow Criv-ites.
In my opinion the best Doctor ever was Tom Baker and he was a bit clownish - that long scarf, the mop of curly hair, and grinning while offering a Jelly Baby at an inopportune moment etc. I'd say Capaldi was the best Doctor since Tom Baker and I'm sorry to see him go even though I'm not a big Who fan. We are in a new era where it's cool to be anti-establishment so let's shake things up and have a woman Doctor or, failing that, let's have Donald Trump as the new Doctor with Theresa May as his assistant, yay !
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched Doctor Who regularly in years (I think I saw a one-off programme 2 Christmases ago that had John Hurt in it -which was pretty interesting). Just because it would hack of Dr Who fans so much and it would be fun reading the comments, I hope a woman gets the roll :)
ReplyDeleteHaving a woman as Doctor Who would be akin to having a woman as Pope, CJ - it's just not on. The moment it happens, I stop watching. You only regard Tom Baker as the best Doctor because he was YOUR Doctor, but although I liked him, he WAS too much of a clown for me. However, because the show was regarded as a bit of a joke at the time anyway, he sort of fitted in.
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Oh, PM - you sh*t-stirring rascal. Doctor Who a woman? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Personally, I think he should regenerate into a Dalek.
Actually, Kid, I started watching Doctor Who at the time of the Troughton/Pertwee changeover so MY doctor was Jon Pertwee. But I think Tom Baker was the best (with Pertwee a close second then Capaldi).
ReplyDeleteAh, but did you regard him as the best Doctor at the time, CJ, or was that on later reflection?
ReplyDeleteActually according to popular legend (and there may be some truth in it) there was a female Pope waaaay back in the middle ages so you never know with Dr Who lol.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I was never a big Dr Who fan even as a kid, I do think that the revamped versions have been pretty good. I liked Christopher Ecclestons version of Dr Who from a few years ago and David Tennent was good (although I only ever saw a handful of episodes of both)
The Eccleston and Tennant episodes were good (although the later Tennant's went off the boil a bit), but RTD was aiming the show at a wider audience, whereas SM is aiming it at geeky anaroks like himself.
ReplyDeleteWell, when I was watching Tom Baker in the '70s I only knew two Doctors - Baker and Pertwee and I suppose I liked both equally. I too was reminded of the legendary Pope Joan - I think she was pope (allegedly) in the 10th century but she was killed by the mob when they discovered her true gender - might the same fate befall a female Doctor at the hands of crazed Dr. Who fans ??
ReplyDeleteWell, that proves that a female Pope isn't a good idea, eh, CJ? As regards Tom Baker, I actually didn't mind him at the time, as he was a genuine eccentric, and that came through in his performance. However, subsequent actors were only acting 'eccentric', and that shouldn't be the primary character trait of the Doctor in my opinion. I prefer the original concept. You should read the first Dr. Who novel by David Whitaker - the Doctor actually comes across as a sinister, devious b*st*rd. Great stuff.
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ReplyDelete....SORTED!!
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John, I thought your comment was spam and deleted it, but then realised it was from you, so cut and pasted it from my email inbox.
ReplyDeleteOkie dokie, just caught up with all your posts since Christmas day!
Delete( getting there....)
Hopefully they're worth the effort, JP.
ReplyDeleteCapaldi was perhaps unfortunate in that he took over when Moffat's work had declined into 100% masturbatory drivel. (I watched the Smith-Capaldi regeneration scene on Youtube the other day, and Moffat really bungled that one. Considering how often regeneration was used as a tease in his tenure, it's notable that he couldn't write a proper regeneration scene to save his life.)
ReplyDeleteAs for a female Doctor, if it happens no doubt the SJWs will do that we-won thing they do when some "victory" happens that they had no hand in bringing about. Then when it actually reaches the screen some time in 2018 the whole gender-swapped version thing will have become passe.
I can't even remember the Smith/Capaldi regeneration scene, JSW, so it must've been underwhelming. I still can't work out how Moffat could write some of the most gripping episodes under RTD's tenure, and then write and oversee such tedious, pretentious piffle when he took over. The only way I'd ever even consider watching a female Doctor would be if it was Salma Hayek - simply because she's a goddess.
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