Doctor Who - The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi

The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi

So, now we know. Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor will regenerate at the end of the 2013 Christmas special, and Peter Capaldi will emerge as the Twelfth Doctor (unless the 50th Anniversary special really does result in a re-numbering). I could hardly not write something down following this, could I? Here's a few thoughts from the thousands that are buzzing around my head.

Peter Capaldi Himself
In terms of finding a quality actor, there can't be many better in British television. Whilst he's best known for the role of Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It (and he's mesmerising in it, if you haven't seen it before), his performance as John Frobisher, Permanent Secretary to the Home Office, in Torchwood: Children of Earth is nothing short of phenomenal. His angst at being the human race's spokesperson against the threat of the 456, and one of the most shocking implied suicides in television history, live long in the memory, and are one of the highlights of the incredibly powerful Children of Earth. There's no doubting that we're once again getting an actor of the highest calibre.

I can picture this new Doctor's angry side, but I can't imagine Capaldi playing his eccentric side, which leaves me excited for the surprise when we get to see it. There was a lot of debate before the announcement about whether or not a relatively unknown actor should get the role so that there were less expectations from the audience - personally, I favoured the idea of an unknown, simply because Eccleston, Tennant and Smith were all unknowns to me when they were cast, but I'm delighted with Capaldi nonetheless. Out of all the suggested castings of 'bigger' names, he was right at the top.

Age
It's going to be interesting having an older Doctor again. Eccleston was 41 when he played the role, Tennant 34 and Smith 27. Peter Capaldi is 55, the same age as William Hartnell when he first placed The Doctor, the oldest actor to do so, so the image of an old head on young shoulders, so obvious with Smith's portrayal, won't be there. This really does give a whole new opportunity for a different type of Doctor, one who relies on experience and thought rather than manic energy, although it would hardly be Doctor Who if there wasn't a load of running involved.

Pompeii
I suspect that it'll just be ignored, but there's a chance that something will be made of the fact that Peter Capaldi played the role of a Roman in the The Fires of Pompeii from Series 4. Maybe somehow The Doctor will get to choose his next face and picks Caecilius as someone he admired. Very, very doubtful, but I'm just fishing for ideas. As I say, I suspect they'll just ignore it.

Torchwood
The Doctor Who and Torchwood universes are one and the same of course, and so there's also the question of whether or not Capaldi's role as John Frobisher will be reference or ignored. There's a slightly better chance of this being part of the storyline, if they go along the lines of 'The Doctor used a pocket watch to hide his essence again, posed as Frobisher which would explain why he was absent for the Children of Earth story, and then was changed back when he shot himself and his family...' - yeah, bit of a bleak ending there. Maybe not. Still, it would explain why The Doctor wasn't there to help out with the problem.

Who else could it have been?
There were a few other actors who I thought would have made interesting choices, although I'm not saying 'better' choices. Benedict Cumberbatch, mentioned for years now as a possible Doctor, was probably still my first choice overall, and I can picture perfectly how I think he'd do the role. I'd still love to see him play The Doctor one day, but with his rising stock in Hollywood, and role in Sherlock, it becomes increasingly less likely.

Richard Ayoade would have been excellent as a very nerdy, socially awkward, but ultimately brilliant Doctor. I would love to see how he'd play the role, but I can't see him being taken seriously enough to get given the role, especially as he's so well known as a comedy actor.

Den of Geek were championing Jason Statham, and let's face it, that would have been incredible. Not the right choice at all, but incredible.

Idris Elba is an actor for whom the word 'cool' merely shows his picture in the dictionary, and he really is one of Britain's best, but I do think he might be a bit too sturdily built to play The Doctor. I always feel that one of the key things about the last of the Time Lords is that he has a fairly regular build and doesn't stand out too much (although Matt Smith did seem pretty alien), and having seen Elba play Striker Bell in The Wire and Luther in Luther, he paints a pretty imposing figure. He'd be fantastic playing a villain though, so I hope he turns up on the show at some point.

And now, we wait...
I really can't wait to see Peter Capaldi in the role. We've got the excitement of the 50th anniversary special to go, and then the fun of a regeneration in the Christmas special just over a month later. I'm intrigued to see how Capaldi plays The Doctor's eccentric side (for surely he must do), and if this is going to be a slightly darker Doctor, influenced by the universe at large discovering the revelations we're expecting in the 50th anniversary special, Capaldi is a perfect choice.

Distraught though I am to be losing Matt Smith, I feel re-assured now that we're in safe hands. Thank you, Steven Moffat, you've given me a hell of a treat to look forward to come Christmas!