Why these actors aren’t considered to be the Doctor, but should be
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 12: To celebrate the new series of ‘Doctor Who’ which returns to BBC One on Saturday April 15, Peter Capaldi, (The Doctor) and Pearl Mackie (Bill) pose in front of the TARDIS and a huge 3D pavement painting artwork by 3D Joe
When people compile a list of the Doctor, they often pick the same types of actors. Seasoned veterans of the stage or screen, often British for obvious reasons, and within an age range of 30-50+ years old.
However, there are always people missed, and normally, for a reason. Maybe they’re only popular to a particular subset and the producers are afraid of upsetting the status quo, therefore the lists tend to be the same. Often the people make the list tend to cling to well-known stars or that have been in a large franchise. Today, I’m gonna show you some people who are overlooked but very well should be the Doctor.
This list will look past the 13th Doctor. Today is a just-for-fun list of people on four different categories of actors that always just miss the mark, despite the talent of these lads. (There will be a woman’s post if this catches on!)
Too known: for some reason, they’re too well-known in a certain subset to make them able to play the Doctor, and therefore the people can’t look past and they’re probably a tad young. (It’s like people asking One Direction to be the Doctor. Someone from One Direction may actually be fantastic for the role, but they need time to die down first.)
The Stage Actor: There are many stage actors that have been Doctors and many Doctors that have gone on to be stage actors. But there is also a multitude of actors who are über talented but just fall under the wire for some reason. These make me the angriest cause they’re so talented.
The “Close but no Cigar”: This is the actor that on paper is perfect for the role. You look at their credits, and who they are, and their acting style and you go, why haven’t you been the doctor yet?! Because the person is exactly who they are. They’re so talented that they’re the Doctor, but they often have scheduling conflicts.
The “Daniel Radcliffe Rule” – This is something I’ve just made up on the spot, but it seems to fit. These are the actors that already have a huge phenomenon to their names. Move over anyone from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and James Bond
So, here we are with my examples of a Too Known actor, a Stage actor, and a Close but no Cigar. Go ahead and tell us if you feel the same or have a difference of opinion. Disclaimer: All these actors are talented enough to be the Doctor, all the actors are on my list of people I’d love to see. I’m never saying these people aren’t talented enough.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 06: Darren Criss
The Too-Known: Darren Criss
At first, when you think about it, Darren Criss is the last person you would ever think would be able to be a Time Lord. Except, if you don’t know, his qualifications are that of David Tennant’s.
He was on a hit television show, hit on the theatric stage, and he’s a musician that just dropped an album. He also is producer and writer and composer. You might have to look past the screaming group of girls to see it, but this man isn’t Justin Bieber. He doesn’t hide behind his fans. He comes out on stage and talent shines whether it be in a musical, in concert, or on television.
We know that Criss was on Glee and rose quickly to fame as Blaine Anderson, a gay high school boy in an a capella group. Erase that from your mind. If you think that all Criss can do is sing Top 40 hits with a background vocal that will make you cringe, then come with me. To see his versatility on the stage, all you need to do is go to his stage credits.
Besides Glee, Criss has graced the stage in musicals such as How to Succeed in Business without Trying, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. But if you ask any Darren Criss fan their favorite show, they’ll say A Very Potter Musical. These three shows will all show you the versatility that Criss can bring. How to Succeed is a show about a man trying to make it up in the world. It’s considered a comedy but is more about using people. Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock show about a transgender female — it’s risqué, it’s dirty, it’s rock, and it’s everything that you would never think to see a man whose been on prime time television.
A Very Potter Musical is why he should be on this list. This musical is the same as David Tennant and Peter Capaldi writing Doctor Who magazines about how they want to be the Doctor. Instead of writing a letter, Darren wrote a show with the help of his friends and the show became viral on YouTube to the Harry Potter world. It’s their letter to the world of sci-fi and imagination saying “I’m here”, that many fans responded.
But Why?
Darren Criss is often overlooked woefully because of his audience. He’s not an underrated actor, but he’s an underrated choice for the Doctor because he’s judged by his audience. The Doctor has become one of Britain’s coveted and most honourable roles. In Criss’s case, it’s not Criss’s time yet, but he’ll be on a list one day.
However, fans who want musicians with no acting experience just to grace the television once a week…I’m sorry to tell you, those people won’t ever be the Doctor. (As much as I do love Louis Tomlinson)
The Stage Star: Hadley Fraser
Okay, maybe Darren Criss is a little too extreme, and we want more of a natural pick. I understand and I can adapt. Let’s bring it down a couple of levels from knee-high lace-up boots to…Cybermen? This stage actor has actually popped his Doctor Who cherry before.
That’s right, Hadley Fraser has been in Doctor Who before. Remember the scene in Doomsday with Freema Agyeman kept sneaking away? That was Hadley Fraser. So, it’s safe to say that he’s no stranger to Doctor Who, and definitely a fan.
For you Phantom of the Opera fans, he played Raoul in the twenty-fifth anniversary at the Royal O2, and for Les Miserables fans, he was in the 25th as well. He played Grantaire, and in the movie version, he played the soldier that, you know, killed Grantaire. He’s versed in wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey as well.
Fraser’s acted in many other productions on West End as well at the Donmar Warehouse, including City of Angels and the live-streamed The Vote, about a voting facility that took place last voting day. As an actor, a musician, and he’s genuinely a good pick for a Doctor.
Why him?
The difference between the stage actors and other actors people select is that we don’t know what he’d be like as the Doctor. We truly would have a new Doctor we’d never heard of, but that could be the fun of it. The issue with guessing the fairly known person like Alan Cumming (who has asked to be the Doctor…twice) is you can guess what kind of doctor he’d be based on his past characters.
A stage actor, someone who can play multiple roles of different kinds — tragedy or comedy, romance or drama — will leave you wondering how they plan to come at this. It would be a true regeneration for the Doctor. (And it doesn’t help to mention that David Tennant, Matt Smith, Christopher Eccleston, and Peter Capaldi have all been stage actors)
That’s most likely exactly what the show would need, but having someone so unknown is tricky too. Peter Capaldi was known to the world as Malcom from In the Loop, and David Tennant was known for Casanova. Some credits don’t hurt your chances either.
SAN DIEGO, CA – JULY 26: Actor Robert Carlyle attends ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time’ panel during Comic-Con International 2014 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 26, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Close but no cigar: Robert Carlyle
I honestly have no idea why Robert Carlyle man hasn’t made it. He’s currently on Once Upon a Time, playing the antagonist of the show, which may make him have Master-appeal, but we have to base it on everything he’s done. Carlyle has been in multiple movies across the years, and in many of them, he plays someone with the dry wit that you’ve come to expect from Peter Capaldi.
The difference with Carlyle is, he’s also extremely funny. You can’t pull everything off in a movie (literally) and not have the comedic acting skills to back it up. Yes, I’m talking about The Full Monty. Even on Once Upon a Time, he has the comedic ability for one-liners, are similar to Capaldi’s now, except Carlyle’s aren’t lost like Capaldi’s with his wonderful, albeit thick, accent.
Why Carlyle?
Especially why in this list? He’s certainly not an actor that hasn’t garnered attention, and I have seen one or two pictures with him and a TARDIS. The question is, why isn’t the attention for him stronger? He’s a seasoned actor from Scotland, he’s everything the BBC wants, he’s not a far stretch from other actors that have taken the role.
The past six years, he’s been in Canada shooting Once Upon a Time and has signed on to do another season. However, the show is most likely not destined to have an eighth season, which could put Carlyle on the market should he be interested the next time round. Let’s hope.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – OCTOBER 01: Daniel Radcliffe presents the award for international documentary on stage during the Award Night Ceremony during the 12th Zurich Film Festival on October 1, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. The Zurich Film Festival 2016 will take place from September 22 until October 2. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Daniel Radcliffe
For this, we’ll use the man himself. People always want a Harry Potter actor to be the Doctor, and for some smaller characters, that might work.
Unfortunately, you won’t see Daniel Radcliffe on Doctor Who anytime soon, especially as the Doctor. The man has done his good for Britain, he’s the only other person I can think of that played a character of someone most generations have grown up with. While this may make him perfect, he’s also hardly going to be looked at the same.
Because, in all of our hearts, he’ll be Harry Potter. Not many people, for no fault of their own, will ever be able to separate the two from their minds. They’ll be itching for a Harry Potter joke, or itching for Harry Potter guest stars, and while that would be good and bring the show money, Doctor Who has to remain on its own, with its own actors that they’ve molded.
Next: Gatiss to possibly step down with Moffat
But, why?
It would be like Matt Smith playing Lupin in a reboot of Harry Potter. He might be great for the part, he might look it and act the same and be able to pull it off. But you’ll still always see the Doctor.