An Operative Doctor? UPDATE: No Dice
The Guardian is reporting that Chiwetel Ejiofor of Alliance Operative geekfame is on the short list to replace David Tennant [insert sobbing and rending of garments] as the Doctor. We’ll all find out tomorrow as the BBC broadcasts it all over England. I was so bummed about Tennant’s coming defection that I was considering just dropping the show from my rotation–one less thing. But if Ejiofor is the replacement they might just have sucked me back in. He definitely has the charisma to pull it off and it’ll be worth it just to see how he plays it–cool, to follow Tennant’s exuberance? Eccentric and Brett-as-Holmesian?
Potentially well played, Stephen Moffat. Hundreds of thousands of American Firefly geeks yours for the crossover asking … don’t screw it up.
PS: I saw that Tennant clip a while ago, but without the beginning bit–I didn’t know the context. Is it just me or was it rather gratuitously rude to announce his resignation from the show after just having received an award for doing the show?
Update: One Matt Smith, who played a creepy role in a creepy prior episode of the show, whom I’ve never heard of before, has been named to replace Tennant. I think I’m back to the “one less thing” philosophy. So long, Doctor.
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Never much got into Dr. Who. I will now. And yes, I’m a giant Firefly fan boy/ junkie, but has anybody seen Red Belt? Chiwetel rocks the friggin’ Casba in that flick.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy — January 2, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
2010, eh? Do we get Tennant for one more season, or two?
And which previous creepy episode was it? I couldn’t find him in any Dr. Who cast lists on imdb.
Comment by Bumble — January 3, 2009 @ 10:49 am
There are no more seasons with Tennant. He’s doing four more specials this year, that’s it.
The episode Matt Smith was in was Family of Blood.
Comment by Anwyn — January 3, 2009 @ 10:53 am
No, Matt Smith wasn’t in “Family of Blood” (that was Harry Lloyd, who was also rumored for the role a while back). Smith has done only a couple of TV projects (including two TV movies with Billie Piper, “Rose” on DW), but nothing notable.
Comment by Synner_man — January 3, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
Whoops, I was looking at Harry Lloyd’s information a few minutes before the Smith reveal and got them confused–two young guys I knew nothing about. Thanks for the correction.
Comment by Anwyn — January 3, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
So there hasn’t been a season airing in Britain this fall that was going to show up in the states sometime this year? Frick. I figured there was, and it just hadn’t started over here yet. IMDB says a new ep aired Christmas day, and another one will air in April. Blast. Four sparse Tennant eps to explain his regeneration, and then we’ll be deprived forever. This sucks.
But Chuck comes back in February. There is yet balm in Gilead. And on Tivo. :-)
Comment by Bumble — January 4, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
I don’t know how many you’ve seen, but if you’re only watching what’s broadcast in the States you haven’t see remotely all. Regeneration? I have no idea which episodes you’re at. Tennant has done a total of three seasons (short, British seasons).
Comment by Anwyn — January 4, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
We’ll see. I’ve watched all the various Doctors and enjoyed them in varying measure, so I suppose the new guy deserves a chance. I really hope he avoids the psycho-spaz acting style we saw with the last young-and-hip recasting of the Master, though. Having him change that ridiculous hairstyle would be a step in the right direction.
Comment by Bryan Costin — January 5, 2009 @ 8:59 am
When I said regeneration, I meant the four specials they’re filming. They’ll have to have some sort of plot line to explain the necessity of regeneration if there’s going to be a new doctor, yes?
Last thing I watched was that mega-episode with all the former companions banding together to save the doctor. Except for the Christmas special (which I haven’t seen yet), that was the last episode, right? It aired on the sci-fi channel a while back. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it all, unless IMDB is missing a bunch of info.
Comment by Bumble — January 5, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
Daddyman loaned me discs of the Eccleston season and the first two Tennant seasons, and I watched the third on the sci-fi network when it aired in the US.
Comment by Bumble — January 5, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
Ah, I guess you’re good to go, then.
Comment by Anwyn — January 5, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
They won’t need any huge thread to explain the next regeneration; I guess one special ought to do it. Doctor’s dead; long live the Doctor.
Comment by Anwyn — January 5, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
*sigh*
Comment by Bumble — January 5, 2009 @ 2:57 pm