I was wondering elsewhere if perhaps they went with a younger bloke because they've only got, what, two more incarnations after this? Eccleston left after one season, DT only lasted three. Maybe they're hoping if they cast him younger he'll stay around longer. It makes a bit of sense if they're planning to keep the show around as long as possible. And because he's nine hundred years old anyway, it doesn't matter how old his outer shell is.
Actually, I think young actors are in more danger to jump-start their careers with DW and then move on to bigger and better things (if they exist). A middle-aged, well-established actor can afford to play the Doctor for ten years without that being the whole of their career, 's what I think.
Anyway, I'm a bit miffed it's a young white male, honestly - they're obviously not going to break any new ground with this, which I guess is alright, but it kind of keeps my excitement somewhat low.
Yeah. It's the only reason I can come up with because, really, young white guy? Again? When they obviously had a diverse casting pool and an opportunity to do something different? *hands in air*
On the other hand, I'm willing to give the guy a chance. It's not his fault the crew's going with the same old, same old, and he'd have to be an idiot to not pour his all into it. And it seems from his Wikipedia entry that he's got decent (if undiscovered) acting chops, so ... *shrugs* We'll see.
Oh, he'll be fine, I really am just disappointed in the team for going with the same old template. I guess they didn't want to mess with the iconic figure.
On the other hand, casting someone different just because they're different isn't necessarily in the best interests of the show. What we all really want is the best person for the role, whatever he or she looks like on the outside.
Steven Moffat's a guy who knows his Doctors and if he says this Matt Smith has something that makes him his choice for the role, then that's a pretty good recommendation.
Three seasons is a standard stay for a Doctor, if you go by the old series. Tom Baker was the outlier. The show actually thrives on the turnover. (I know this is hardly a universal opinion, but I was downright eager for Tennant to leave.)
This is a show with a canonical method of retconning anything, and where we have evidence (The Master) of a second set of regenerations being possible. The Doctor will never die until he becomes unprofitable.
I figure either they could be trying a massive break in actors in an attempt to make a strong contrast between 10 and 11. Doubtful that they're thinking that far ahead, but it's possible or they're putting in a placeholder. Like 9, this could be the lemon sorbet to clear the palate, to prevent comparisons to the two previous Doctor's of recent memory, expect whoever they put in to be overshadowed, and thus give us someone we expect to fail, thus either allowing them to take more risks, or to give a buffer for the next choice. Whoever followed, regardless of how good he was, might suffer in comparison, so maybe they are setting the stage for a later change.
Honestly, the whole twelve regenerations thing isn't in any way binding. No one is going to cancel a successful series because they've reached the end of 13 Doctors when all it takes is throwing in a bit of technobabble to remove the whole limitation. After all, the Time Lords offered the Master a whole new cycle of regenerations in The Five Doctors back in 1983, so more than 12 regenerations is already canonical.
There is something to be said for an ancient alien being who looks like a young human. It creates the potential for moments of disconnection when the age and the alienness show through the facade and if properly written, it could be really good. Thank the gods it's in Steven Moffat's hands.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
malionette
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 06:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 06:13 pm (UTC)Anyway, I'm a bit miffed it's a young white male, honestly - they're obviously not going to break any new ground with this, which I guess is alright, but it kind of keeps my excitement somewhat low.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 06:19 pm (UTC)On the other hand, I'm willing to give the guy a chance. It's not his fault the crew's going with the same old, same old, and he'd have to be an idiot to not pour his all into it. And it seems from his Wikipedia entry that he's got decent (if undiscovered) acting chops, so ... *shrugs* We'll see.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 07:31 pm (UTC)Steven Moffat's a guy who knows his Doctors and if he says this Matt Smith has something that makes him his choice for the role, then that's a pretty good recommendation.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 07:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 07:14 pm (UTC)Ha. You made a funny.
Date: 2009-01-03 07:37 pm (UTC)I figure either they could be trying a massive break in actors in an attempt to make a strong contrast between 10 and 11. Doubtful that they're thinking that far ahead, but it's possible or they're putting in a placeholder. Like 9, this could be the lemon sorbet to clear the palate, to prevent comparisons to the two previous Doctor's of recent memory, expect whoever they put in to be overshadowed, and thus give us someone we expect to fail, thus either allowing them to take more risks, or to give a buffer for the next choice. Whoever followed, regardless of how good he was, might suffer in comparison, so maybe they are setting the stage for a later change.
Or they could just be batshit. It's possible.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 07:39 pm (UTC)There is something to be said for an ancient alien being who looks like a young human. It creates the potential for moments of disconnection when the age and the alienness show through the facade and if properly written, it could be really good. Thank the gods it's in Steven Moffat's hands.