Dr Who will be who?

So, the internet is all-a-buzz with the news that Matt Smith will relinquish his role of Doctor Who at the end of the year and the search is on for a new Doctor. In fact, some places on the internet went pretty ape this last weekend with rumours that an announcement was about to be made. Of course, that was just the desperate and hopeful blowing things out of proportion. But I get it.

Apparently the BBC haven’t even begun auditioning, and Matt Smith was “discovered” after an audition for Sherlock, so it really could end up being anyone.

At the moment there are a lot of rumours of (calls for?) a Doctor that will be black, female, gay or some combination of the three. While I am not adverse to any of these, to me the Doctor is an eccentric white guy. That is who I grew up with, and in my mind changing that would be like casting Ben Stiller as Othello – totally possible, but fundamentally altering what it is all about. To be honest, though, they could cast Big Bird as the Doctor and I would still watch the show, so bring it on.

Back in January I wrote about actors I thought would be great in the role of the Doctor. Let’s play another hypothetical game and see who we might cast if the BBC decided the character would be black, female or (gasp) American…

Whoopi Goldberg. If you want the tri-fector, here she is! She is funny, can do serious, and has played an an-going role in genre television as Guinan in Star Trek.

Chiwetel Ejiofer. Here is a real contender for the Doctor, in my opinion. Established, talented actor (you may have seen him Serenity, Love Actually or 2012) the right side of 30 (that is, my side!). I wonder if the role could entice someone who is currently getting decent, meaty roles in Hollywood?

Thandie Newton. Another talented, established British actress (also in 2012), Thandie Newton could bring some style and class to the doctor, though I am not sure how “quirky” she would be.

Laura Carmichael. You know her as Lady Edith Crawley from Downton Abbey, who is one of my favourite characters. Carmichael is already playing the eccentric, strong willed and increasingly sympathetic Lady Edith, and I think she could make for an interesting Doctor.

Craig Charles. C’mon, he was Lister in Red Dwarf. How could he not be the Doctor?

Jaime Murray. I loved her as H. G. Wells in Warehouse 13, and she is totally sinister in the Syfy channel show Defiance. She has developed her geek cred in these genre TV shows, is gorgeous, and probably my top pick for a woman to play The Doctor.

Richard Ayode. You know him as Maurice Moss in The IT Crowd. How good would he be as the Doctor? Not Moss, Ayode. I think Moss would also like to be the Doctor, though! As well as TV, Ayode has done films, including the Ben Stiller film The Watch. Hmmm…

Kate Beckinsale, Saffron Burrows, Kelly Brook. We’ve had hot guys as The Doctor, why not a hot chick? In the name of equality, and all that… (I’m not convincing you, am I?)