Doctor Who Actors Get Nostalgic

John Barrowman and Toby Jones, two actors who have expressed a desire to return to Doctor Who, reflect on their time on the show.

From viewing online content, it seems as though folks in the Doctor Who family have been particularly nostalgic as of late. Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) unearthed a behind the scenes video from back in the day. Both Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat have discussed at length their respective reigns as showrunner for the popular science fiction program, which we covered in the articles ‘Doctor Who Showrunners Look Back,’ parts one and two.

Now, both John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) and Toby Jones (the Dream Lord) have shared some of their reflections of their time on the show. And just as Barrowman has expressed his desire for Jack to return, so too did Jones regarding his own character. In an interview with Ben Dowell of Radio Times, Jones said the following:

"“I think he can return, but then again I think every character I’ve ever played can return. I’d be very happy to return to most of them. The Dream Lord is especially equipped to return because he doesn’t really exist. It would just need him to upload himself as a bit of software, thereby securing immortality.”"

To date, the Dream Lord’s only appearance was in the Series Five episode ‘Amy’s Choice.’ As a psychic manifestation of the dark aspects of the Doctor’s inner self, it would be particularly appropriate for the Twelfth Doctor to face him — the question of “Am I a good man?” weighing heavy on the Doctor’s psyche.

As for Barrowman’s recent trip down memory lane, he told Jane Graham of The Big Issue in the ‘Letter to My Younger Self‘ column about his fond memories of Doctor Who, from his fandom in childhood through his time as a cast member. He explains the way that it all began for him:

"“I used to watch Doctor Who with John Pertwee, then Tom Baker, every Sunday night on the local Chicago TV station. I failed every Monday morning spelling test because of that show.”"

He also muses,

"“It would blow my 16-year-old’s brain . . . if I told him: you’re going to be one of the most iconic characters in Doctor Who for the next two or three generations.”"

The one moment in his life that he would like to relive is “the moment [he] got the job as Captain Jack.” He elaborates:

"“I’d gone to audition for this role of a rogue, matinee idol type, in front of the execs Russell T Davies and Phil Collinson. I walked into the meeting with my motorbike leathers on, and I took my helmet off and shook out my hair. Later on Russell told me: ‘When you walked into that room and took your helmet off, we both fucking wet ourselves. You were so handsome, and your physique with those leathers on… We thought we were watching some kind of porn movie. Neither of us could remember much about what you said after that.’ Later on I was walking through the West End and I got a phone call; they said, hands down, without a doubt, everyone agrees John Barrowman is definitively Captain Jack. I started screaming in the middle of Covent Garden and then I ran and did a Jimmy Cagney backflip off a wall. That was the day my life changed forever.”"

(Article continues below the next post link.)

Next: Doctor Who: Ralf Little Starts Filming for Series Ten

Do you want to see these characters return to Doctor Who? Let us know in the comments.

Home/Doctor Who