Last week, Radio Times revealed the results of a reader poll to determine the 10 best Doctor Who guest stars of the modern era. The results were mostly predictable, with favorites like Nick Frost, Zoë Wanamaker, Simon Pegg, Carey Mulligan, and John Hurt making up the list, but the number one spot was a bit of a surprise: ‘School Reunion’ guest star Anthony Head.
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Head is most known for his role as Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (where he was credited as Anthony Stewart Head), but he actually has a long association with Doctor Who. He was one of the actors under consideration for the Eighth Doctor when the TV-movie was in pre-production (and would’ve been fantastic, for what it’s worth), and played the Time Lord Valentine in the 2001 animated webcast, Death Comes to Time, with Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred.
The following year, he was Grayvorn in Big Finish’s Excelis Saga, featuring the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors. He gave voice to Baltazar in the 2007 animated Tenth Doctor adventure, The Infinite Quest, and has narrated a number of Doctor Who specials, including Regeneration, Project WHO?, and Series 2 of Doctor Who Confidential.
But it’s his guest-starring role as headmaster Mr. Finch in the 2006 episode ‘School Reunion’ for which Head is mostly remembered in Doctor Who circles, and it’s the role that won him the top spot in the Radio Times poll. The episode is, of course, also memorable for featuring the return of classic Doctor Who companion Sarah Jane Smith (played by Elisabeth Sladen) and everyone’s favorite robotic dog, K9.
After announcing the results of their poll, Radio Times reached out to Head for his reaction, and it turns out he’s yet another in a long line of guest-stars who’d love to have another shot at Doctor Who. In regards to the demonic Mr. Finch’s fate, Head said:
"“I don’t think the chip fat got him. I know him personally and I think he’s keen to meet the Doctor again…”"
It seems a bit silly to bring back Mr. Finch, really, but Anthony Head is such a great actor, it’d almost be a shame not to bring him back for another go. Just thinking about him squaring off with Peter Capaldi brings a smile to my face. Here’s Head on the making of ‘School Reunion’:
"“School Reunion was such a special episode in it’s own right, re-introducing Sarah Jane and K9 – it was a joy to film, and Mr Finch such a blast to play, with the sublime Mr Tennant as my nemesis.“I remember James Hawes, our director, pitching the confrontation between Finch and the Doctor being played across the divide of the school swimming pool – such a great scene.“The episode also gave me an opportunity to do my version of the Donald Sutherland screech from Invasion of the Body Snatchers – something I discovered I could do in my youth. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all who voted for me.”"
I say, if anything, Head should still be up for the role of the Doctor once Capaldi is done. The Twelfth Doctor already has the face of a man encountered by the Tenth Doctor, may as well go two-for-two.
What do you think? Is Anthony Head the best guest star of the revived series? Would you welcome a return appearance from Mr. Finch? Sound off in the comments below!