Doctor Who: The Speculation of the Next Doctor

Peter Capaldi has not yet stated if he will be leaving Doctor Who, but quite a few actors have stepped forward to show their interest in taking over the role of the Doctor. Chris Geere of Waterloo Road is the latest to state their desire to be the next Doctor. But why is there so much discussion about this general topic at this point?

With Chris Chibnall coming on board as the showrunner after Series Ten, and with a new companion forthcoming, it is expected that Peter Capaldi will be on the way out. Even though he has not stated as such specifically, the expectations are that he will leave once Steven Moffat officially makes his exit from Doctor Who.

Now, we have another candidate for the role. Former Waterloo Road actor Chris Geere stated his interest in the role, while professing his love of three quarter length jackets and the show itself. He also made an interesting analogy between the Doctor and manager of a football (soccer) club, saying that every few years, there needs to be a change to keep the show from stagnating.

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Here’s the problem though – Peter Capaldi has not stated that he is leaving Doctor Who. While it is easy to speculate that he will depart once Moffat’s time is officially over, nothing has been said to confirm that. In fact, by the sounds of everything, Chibnall would like Capaldi to remain on for Series Eleven. So, why the hurry to find Capaldi’s replacement?

Now, one cannot fault the different actors that are lining up indicating their interest in the role. There is something truly special about being the Doctor, and it is an incredibly iconic role. For anyone that grew up as a fan of Doctor Who, being offered the part would certainly be a dream come true.

However, the speculation seems a bit strange. There did not seem to be such a desire to replace either David Tennant or Matt Smith when their times came to an end, and any speculation waited until they had announced their departures from the show. Perhaps this is due to Capaldi being an older Doctor, and not that cute and fuzzy being that Ten and Eleven were.

And yes, we do play into that speculation here. But there is a difference between considering a woman, for instance, hypothetically taking on the role of the Doctor one day, and pointlessly throwing around names of specific actors to take over for the one currently in the role. In looking at these different people, it does a disservice both to them and to Capaldi, minimizing his contributions as the Doctor while making it seem as though these actors are waiting to shovel dirt on to the body of the Twelfth Doctor.

Next: Rachel Talalay to direct episode of Sherlock

Yes, someday, Peter Capaldi will leave Doctor Who. But let us wait until his announcement before we start lining up his replacement.

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