From Doctor Moon to Doctor Who…
NOW Magazine is reporting that Colin Salmon has been tapped to take over the role of the last of the Timelords when David Tennant leaves after next year. Salmon will be seen as M’s assistant in the newest James Bond film, Quantum of Solace to be released in the US next week. However, most Whovians will recognize Salmon as Doctor Moon from Steven Moffat’s Series Four two-parter, Silence in the Library. Many people have speculated over the past few decades if the Doctor could regenerate to a different race or even if he could become a woman. Personally I enjoyed Salmon as Doctor Moon, so I’m interested to see what he’ll bring to the part.
Add to your favorite social site:
18 responses so far ↓
1 Ewingo401 // Nov 7, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Hmm, seems to me that if they’re going to say its ok to use actors that have previously appeared in the show that they should pick John Simm. I think he would make a fantastic Doctor, but having already played another character in the series would seem to disqualify him…I guess thats not the case after all.
2 Richard Smith // Nov 7, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I’ve said about who I want the Doctor to be elsewhere before and I’ll say it again here. Two simple words:
Eddie Izzard
3 Sisen // Nov 7, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I want Tennant again before anyone else.
4 Chimina // Nov 7, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Taking actors that have already appeared as other characters isn’t really my first choice.
But, if anyone, pleeeeeaaaaase give us Richard Hammond as the next doctor
5 Richard Kirsch // Nov 7, 2008 at 10:15 pm
About using actors who have previously been on the show and then playing major characters, I’ve got one name for ya: Romana. And Lethbridge-Stewart. Ok, two names. Doctor Who has always recycled actors. It’s a tiny little country, can’t expect to have a vast amount of talented actors.
6 yolt13 // Nov 8, 2008 at 1:46 am
Yeah, the notion of casting an actor who has appeared in the series before to play the Doctor doesn’t bother me a bit. Jacqueline Hill, Lalla Ward, Nicholas Courtney, Colin Baker, and John Leeson (granted, in voiceover only for J.L.) have all played minor and major roles in WHO in the past, and far too many actors have played more than one prominent guest part to name here. Considering the Romana and Sixth Doctor regenerations, the case could even be made that regenerations are somehow subconsciously influenced by a Time Lord’s memories of individuals they’ve encountered in the past. Either way, my concern with this rumor is not Salmon’s prior appearance on the show, but rather if the rumor is true or not. He’s a fine actor and would bring plenty to the role, but I’m wary of getting excited about this report because it’s likely to be false. Hopefully another rumor - that we will find out who the new Doctor is during the Children In Need Special - will prove true, and the question will be answered once and for all.
7 yolt13 // Nov 8, 2008 at 1:51 am
BTW, the BBC has already denied this rumor, saying that the next Doctor will not be chosen until sometime next year. They could be putting up a smokescreen, of course, but my gut tells me this Colin Salmon rumor is not true.
8 Whovian // Nov 8, 2008 at 8:50 am
That’s how I feel as well. But with America having just elected a black (well, half black) president, people may feel more open to the notion of a black Doctor Who.
9 Olly // Nov 8, 2008 at 8:59 am
“It’s a tiny little country, can’t expect to have a vast amount of talented actors.”
Evidently, you have been afflicted with the vast levels of ignorance so often associated with Americans. Do you want a medal?
10 daniel // Nov 8, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Tiny in size when compared with the relative square footage of the United States.
I’d like to see a woman in the role myself.
11 yolt13 // Nov 8, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I’m 100% in favor of a Doctor who is outwardly of a different ethnicity, provided he continues to play the role as an alien and not as an Earth ethnic stereotype. Any attempt at social commentary would be completely undermined if the actor overplayed it, or reinforced racial cliches in his performance.
On the other hand, I’m opposed to a woman Doctor. It isn’t that I’m a chauvinist and dislike strong female characters; nothing could be further from the truth. But I’m not a proponent of changing an established character (even in the Doctor’s special case) into someone or something they are not simply to be edgy or different. When we met the Doctor, he was a grandfather. We’ve since seen him become a father. He’s had borderline romantic relationships with human females, and has always been treated by writers, directors, and other characters alike as a male. This new WHO in particular has gone to great lengths to point out the Doctor’s gender, through the effect he has on his female companions. To have him regenerate into a woman might be shocking and exciting, but it would make him another character entirely from what we’ve known in the past. You can start the James Bond franchise all over again with a female lead whose sexy, sophisticated, tough, and licensed to kill. You can even give her the 007 designation and surround her with all of the trappings of the franchise (the theme, the gunbarrel opening, a male Moneypenny, Q, etc., etc.). No matter how cool she is, she still won’t be James Bond, as created by Ian Fleming and perpetuated by other authors and filmmakers over the last half century plus. Besides, for all intents and purposes, the WHOniverse already has several “female Doctors”. Sarah Jane Smith is fighting aliens every week on CBBC, Romana is presumably still out there somewhere, Gwen Cooper serves with our Torchwood while Rose Tyler heads the one on parallel Earth, the Doctor has a genetically-engineered daughter roaming the galaxy, and Martha Jones works for UNIT. There’s simply no need to undo the Doctor’s established gender just to prove to a 21st century audience that doesn’t need convincing that women can be just as tough and resourceful as men.
12 Sisen // Nov 8, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Why can’t we just keep Tennant and he joins up with his daughter for a complete new series?
13 yolt13 // Nov 9, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Well, Tennant wants to leave, for starters. Plus, having him and “his daughter” together too much would be a bit odd, considering the fact that they’re dating off-screen.
14 Phuul // Nov 10, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I’m not a big fan of re-using an actor that has already appeared as one character. Whether it be for the new Doctor or for a walk on part. Colin Salmon is a very good actor and as Doctor Moon he was wonderful. I know this has happened with Romana and the sixth Doctor but I didn’t like it then either.
Where Romana is concerned there was a lot of hand waving when Lalla Ward came on board. Female Time Lords can choose their appearance when they regenerate. Oh really? Why? Right Tom Baker and Lalla Ward were dating. Gotcha. Colin Baker was a bit less egregious but still it bugged me.
Nicholas Courtney is in a slightly different category. I first knew him as the Brigadier so it was a bit of a shock when I found out he first played a different character. By that time he was burned in my memory as Lethbridge-Stewart so I got over it. And maybe that is my point, Colin Salmon is Doctor Moon to me. Unless the transition is done very well it would be awkward.
15 yolt13 // Nov 10, 2008 at 2:29 pm
As much as I liked SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY, I’m surprised to find so many WHO fans who hold the rather minor character of Doctor Moon in such high regard. Salmon was great, mind you, but it isn’t as though his character is ever destined to reappear on the show, or have any impact whatsoever on future WHO stories. Just a good character actor in a good “character actor” part, frankly. The only real issue is the timing, since SILENCE/FOREST aired last season. But by the time the new Doctor takes over, we’ll be a full two years removed from it. Most average viewers aren’t even likely to notice.
16 Sisen // Nov 12, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Oh… I didn’t know they were dating. I suppose that could complicate things…
I still think he could do one more series for himself and for the fans.
We really need to get together and say something about it.
We might be Yanks to them but there are a lot of us to be heard.
17 yolt13 // Nov 13, 2008 at 3:56 pm
As an old-timer, I would be torn about any fan-driven efforts to force the issue with Tennant. Setting aside the fact that he personally made the decision to leave and is unlikely to change his mind, there’s also the reality that such efforts rarely work. Moreover, I rather like fairly regular regeneration, because it brings some exciting uncertainty to the show. 3-4 years is a great run for a Doctor., and hardcore Tennant fans wouldn’t find it any easier to say good-bye after year 5, 6, or even 7 (unless, of course, the show declined in quality, which wouldn’t make anyone happy). Plus, the more effort fans put into trying to keep Tennant, the more resistance they develop to the next actor to assume the role. Having gone through the whole DanielCraigIsNotBond stupidity in 2006, and having lived through some grossly unfair negativity toward past new Doctors, I feel like it’s better to just enjoy our final year with the 10th Doctor and look forward with optimism to meeting his replacement. Just my opinion.
18 yolt13 // Nov 16, 2008 at 3:47 am
An off-topic question…
I’m looking for decent quality, medium to large-sized images of the Cybermen from each of their TV appearances. I need at least one full body shot and one headshot for each Cyber design, from THE TENTH PLANET all the way to THE NEXT DOCTOR (I know I may have to wait a month or so for that one!). Anyone know ofa website that has good, fairly standard-sized stills of every Cybermen design to date? Thanks, in advance!
Leave a Comment