Matt Smith is done being The Doctor.
Which means it is now time to introduce a female Doctor.
This apparently upsets some of you.
Don’t worry — it won’t happen. You’ve already won. You can be sure that right now they have suggested and summarily dismissed an actress for the role. (See also: Idris Elba.)
But I’m going to tell you why that’s fucked up.
So, I said on the Twitters like I just said here: it’s time for a female Doctor. I even mentioned what I felt was a good choice — Imogen Poots (Google her), who I think might carry on the same kind of gleeful anarchy and smoldering emotional intensity The Doctor so requires. Others mentioned Tilda Swinton — which I think also works! She’s maybe a little praying-mantisy, but she’s also really well in line with what Christopher Eccleston brought to the table, so hell yeah.
In response, I got a lot of folks saying that this was “PC tokenism.” That it would just be marketing. Falsely trying to balance — well, who gives a shit. You know the drill.
It’s nonsense.
Crap of the highest order.
You’re going to defend it as being against the story. Like it’s a money or culture decision made ahead of the interests of the narrative. Here’s why that’s wrong: the cultural status quo and the financial weight lies with keeping things the same. The Doctor of Doctor Who has always been a white dude. Cultural inertia and financial interest is stronger when that remains true.
(Plus, making the character female opens up new story avenues.)
You say, it’s “tokenism.” But tokenism isn’t what you think it is. Some people said — “Well, why not make the supporting characters be strong female characters?” That’s tokenism. Putting a black dude in your TV show — oh, ho, ho, not as the lead character, mind you — because you need a black dude for your “demographics,” that’s tokenism. Tokenism is a dismissive, hand-wavey gesture. Tokenism is, “Here, happy now? We’re eating bread, but you enjoy these crusts. HEY IT’S BETTER THAN NOTHING, SHADDAP.” Making your titular character — in this case, making the Doctor a woman — isn’t a token. It’s a nuclear bomb.
You might say, well, it has nothing to do with the story, so why do it at all? But that’s part of the magic, here. Doctor Who is a show about a character whose very flesh is transitive. This character has carried across multiple iterations so far — this role is tailor-made to see actors and actresses who are not White Dudes. It’d be one thing if the character’s “maleness” was key to the role, right? You could make a case that says, this or that story — Ulysses, Fight Club, whatever — has its roots in a kind of male experience, and changing that might alter the story so much it’s not worth the genderflip. But this is Doctor Who. It is, as its heart, a show for kids and family. It should not be protected by some kind of geeky jurisdiction. The Doctor is practically already without gender. The romances are barely that; the sonic screwdriver is not a metaphor for some dude’s wang. If we can’t give the role of a flesh-changing alien to a woman and instead relegate the actresses only to the “girl groupies,” that’s kinda fucked up, isn’t it? What kind of message is that for the families who are watching the show? Not the adult geeks of Whovian fandom, but kids who dig the character and all its assorted fictions?
And it’s that last point that matters most for me; this is a show where kids are watching. Little boys. Little girls. Do we really want to say to little girls, “You can never be The Doctor? You are forever relegated to The Companion?” And do you really want that same message for boys? “You will always be The Doctor. Girls are forever your Companions.” Fuck that noise. I want my son to grow up in a world where women can be real doctors and imaginary Time Lord Space Doctors.
So, now I ask you —
Who would be a great female Doctor?
Note that I’m not asking to have a conversation about whether the Doctor should or should not be played by a woman. You want to have that conversation, have it somewhere else.
(Sidenote: I’m told the Corsair proves it possible for Time Lords to flip the gender, thus showing how the Doctor could do the same. I’m honestly not a Super-Fan of the show, more just a casual watcher, but YEAH WHATEVER LET’S DO IT LADY WHO WOOOOOOOO)
Heather says:
Zoe Wanamaker would be an interesting choice.
June 3, 2013 — 12:28 AM
fredhicks says:
I wish I felt qualified to make suggestions here. The fact that I don’t, I feel, somewhat speaks to the nature of the problem.
June 3, 2013 — 12:48 AM
Cassandra Page says:
I think my only reluctance to see a female Doctor is that I quite enjoy the flirty dynamic you often get between the Doctor and his Companion (although that’s a more recent development – since the reboot). They could do that with the current female Companion and a female Doctor, which I’m sure would get a lot of the geekboys very enthused, but it wouldn’t do it for me. 😉
That being said, hurrah for progress! But I’m struggling to suggest an actor because the TV I watch runs to Joss Whedon, Doctor Who and The West Wing, and that’s pretty much it! From those shows, I reckon Gina Torres would nail it, in a no-nonsense Eccleston kind of way.
June 3, 2013 — 1:06 AM
Christine Nagel says:
Zoe Wanamaker would be interesting, as would Tamsin Grieg… how about a MALE Companion for her…woo, that’s be great! BTW, I agree with CHuck Wendig on this issue. No reason at all that the Doctor can’t be female!
June 3, 2013 — 1:13 AM
Thom Marrion says:
For a great Doctor, great Master (actually when I think of the Master, I think of this version), a brief Hugh Grant Doctor, and a female Doctor- check out this classic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do-wDPoC6GM
and my favorite Non-White Dude version of the Dcotor- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60shMyabeMo
June 3, 2013 — 1:17 AM
Sinead Malloy (@dikaiosis) says:
I would LOVE a female doctor. I don’t know who any of the current television actresses are right now, but ANYONE would be better than nothing at this point. My only quibble is if Moffat would actually be up to the task. He’s had too many “dumb female” jokes in as of late that make me not really like him much anymore.
June 3, 2013 — 1:18 AM
Susannah says:
Agreed 100%. I actually shudder to think what Moffat would do with a female Doctor. I think I’d rather wait until we’ve got a showrunner who sees women as three-dimensional humans with agency rather than virgin/mother/crone stereotypes.
June 3, 2013 — 1:32 PM
Em says:
Amen! I want someone else to write the genderflip. Otherwise the female doctor becomes a bad punchline. Or worse, just another of Moffat’s ‘flirty, sassy’ females. As if flirtiness and sassiness make a character. Tsk.
As for someone who could do play it right? Julie Andrews, Catherine Zeta-Jones, or Emma Thompson. These three are probably WAY above the pay grade, though. 🙂
June 3, 2013 — 2:49 PM
Ash says:
Female Doctor all the way!
June 3, 2013 — 1:37 AM
occassia says:
Alex Kingston?
June 3, 2013 — 2:04 AM
Dave Versace says:
I was on a convention panel a few weeks ago talking about this very subject (back in the good old days when we figured Matt Smith would be good for a couple more years as the Doctor).
The panellists all agreed on Helen Mirren (who has apparently in the past said she’d do it in a heartbeat), Judy Dench and Maggie Smith – with the caveat that the BBC couldn’t really afford any of them these days.
Other favourite choices were Tilda-she’s-weirder-than-Matt-Smith-come-on-she’d-be-perfect-Swinton, Melissa Leo and Tamsin Greig. My guess is that they’ll want to go with someone younger, so I’d personally like to see Sophie Okenedo (last seen as Queen Liz the Tenth in The Beast Below).
But really, I’d be happy with any move away from another white guy in the 25-40 age bracket. It’s been done now.
PS: Cassandra – Gina Torres would be fantastic!
June 3, 2013 — 2:05 AM
LillianC says:
Helen Mirren. Tilda Swinton is a good choice, oh yeah. How about Michelle Yeoh?
June 3, 2013 — 2:06 AM
Peter Newman says:
I totally agree, so long as the writers are up to the task. As for suggestions: Emma Newman!
June 3, 2013 — 2:32 AM
David A Hill Jr says:
Michelle Yeoh. No hesitation.
June 3, 2013 — 3:51 AM
Kim @ Frog Ponds Rock says:
Tilda Swanton for sure.
June 3, 2013 — 3:53 AM
willclark says:
How about we take the whole time-stream mixology from the last episode and just make Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) into the next Doctor?
June 3, 2013 — 3:55 AM
Jemima Pett says:
I’m totally with you on this. I was angling for a female Doctor when David Tennant arrived. I’d like a bit more age in it too… Miriam Margolyes would make an awesome Doctor!
June 3, 2013 — 4:00 AM
nembow says:
Olivia Colman. No contest.
June 3, 2013 — 4:19 AM
Nikki says:
A Lady Doctor would be one of the best things ever.
June 3, 2013 — 5:53 AM
valerieparv says:
I was at the same con discussion as Dave, not one good case could be made against a female doctor so it really is down to whom (Doctor Whom?) Jenna-Louise Coleman/Clara would rock. The writers could have some fun making that work. It would also get over the lame “I was born to save the Doctor” schtick because she’d be born to save herself and become the next incarnation.
June 3, 2013 — 6:31 AM
Page says:
If they got a female Doctor, couldn’t they give her a male companion?
June 3, 2013 — 6:35 AM
Chris Farnell says:
Sigh. My favourite companion will always be Scottish, have a thing for short skirts and a name that rhymes with “Samey” – and their surname isn’t “Pond”.
June 3, 2013 — 6:41 AM
Lindy says:
Helen Mirren, yes – Miriam Magolyes, Lucy Lawless!!
June 3, 2013 — 6:35 AM
Guinea Pig says:
Samantha Morton would be my top choice. She’s weird, a terrific actress and looks both old and young at the same time. She also has this air of being plugged into a different part of the universe, of someone who has found themselves on planet Earth and is mildly amused by the whole thing.
She’d also be a perfect antidote to the mania of the last two Doctors and might push the series in a more edgy, less frenetic direction. But that is, I fear, a direction they’ll never go in.
June 3, 2013 — 6:36 AM
Christopher Mansell says:
Natalie Dormer. I like her in pretty much everything I’ve seen her in.
June 3, 2013 — 6:36 AM
Cheryl Martin says:
Natalia Tena (Nyphadora Tonks in Harry Potter and Osha in GoT) I love her face and attitude.
June 3, 2013 — 6:36 AM
smithster says:
oh yes, good one 🙂
June 3, 2013 — 9:35 AM
Chris Farnell says:
As far as I’m concerned there are only two non-negotiable qualities for the Doctor – the actor has to be British, and they have to have a kinda funny looking face (as great as David Tennant was, I’m still kinda conflicted about his boyish good looks)
June 3, 2013 — 6:39 AM
Dark Matter Zine (@DarkMatterzine) says:
Gina Torres. I’m hugely in favour of Helen Mirren, but why not get someone who is a brilliant actor AND not white?
June 3, 2013 — 6:54 AM
Michael Trimmer says:
Not British. Nothing personal to non-British actresses, but right now there isn’t much in the way of globally reaching British SF. Doctor Who is pretty much it, and I think American actresses have enough opportunities in that field currently.
June 3, 2013 — 7:15 AM
terribleminds says:
It is, I believe, more important for the Doctor to be British than it is for the Doctor to be a man.
June 3, 2013 — 7:24 AM
Robert Forrester says:
It certainly is for the BBC, which is funded by license fees (from Brits) so there would be an outcry if the job was not given to a non British actor (by primarily hard-done-by British actors). One thing that is worth noting is one of the reasons Dr Who was recommissioned after its hiatus in the first place was that it was thought there were too few positive role models for young boys in Britain at the time; the Dr being one of few action heroes that doesn’t resort to guns or violence to solve problems (there was an influx of American shows during this period), which is perhaps also a motive for the production of Sherlock too. This is one of the reasons why I doubt they will ever gender swap Dr Who, which is a better reason than many people suppose.
June 3, 2013 — 12:37 PM
Nicola says:
“The Doctor is practically already without gender. The romances are barely that; the sonic screwdriver is not a metaphor for some dude’s wang.”
Except for the fact that romance, and sexuality and sex DON’T equal gender. You can be a bloke, and like men. You can be a bloke and like women. Liking the same gender as you doesn’t depend on what gender you are. The fact you like girls is just that. That you like girls. Does it matter if you’re a dude (making you straight) or a gal (making you gay)? You’re still a dude or a gal. Gender Identity is not our sexual identity. Just because the Doctor doesn’t flirt, doesn’t mean he doesn’t consider himself a man. It makes him an asexual man, if anything.
There has never been any hints that the Doctor thinks he’s a woman, or effeminate or is in the wrong gendered body. Time Lords/Ladies have never shown to be anything other than Male or Female (even if they’re slightly different to how we’d class them). Romana didn’t even consider a male body when she flipped through choices, even as a joke. When the Doctor was offered new bodies when being forced to regenerate from Two to Three, he wasn’t offered a female body. Which says to me that Time Lords/Ladies have just as much as sense of in-born gender identity (male or female) as we do. We just know what we are. However, they at least get the option of forcing a regeneration and choosing a female/male body the next time.
June 3, 2013 — 6:59 AM
May says:
Great response.
The Corsair is, first of all, basically an anomaly. So I wouldn’t put too much stock into that.
But I am a woman. And I don’t want a female Doctor.
The Doctor I know isn’t a title. Like President or General. He’s a character just like Amelia Pond or Rory Williams or The Brigadier. He’s not just the guy who pilots the TARDIS. He’s also Susan’s grandfather and River’s husband.
As a woman, I know that gender is part of my identity and that those who identify as male or female go through life feeling one way, even though their body isn’t there yet. The character of the Doctor has always identified as male. A good man goes to war. John Smith. James McCrimmon. Sir Doctor of TARDIS.
Since the news of Matt’s departure, I’ve been told that I “can’t call myself a feminist” because I feel the Doctor should remain the character he is. Despite my work for the pro-choice movement, equal pay and my own experience as a woman, I apparently must fall in line with these view points in order to be considered a feminist.
And to me, that’s crap.
June 3, 2013 — 11:03 AM
terribleminds says:
I don’t question your feminist cred — feminist isn’t a thing with an easy definition and a codified law book. But I also don’t think pop culture or narrative has such an easy definition or law book, either. And I don’t think a character like The Doctor is inviolable that way. I think that the fact his character changes and shifts both in terms of actual character and in terms of actual flesh (meaning, new actors inhabit the role) presents a singular opportunity here for a female doctor which is both a fine idea in terms of presenting a great female role for a couple seasons but also because it presents NEW story ideas.
(And I think it’s a show that could use some new ideas like that.)
— c.
June 3, 2013 — 11:07 AM
May says:
Thanks for being the first decent reply that’s a differentiating opinion but isn’t an attack on my feminism. While I definitely still feel that the Doctor identifies as male and that’s important to me, it’s nice to not be accused of various atrocities in the name of pop culture opinion. 🙂
June 3, 2013 — 11:51 AM
Heather Lindsley says:
Miranda Richardson – funny, scary, otherworldly. Also an older actress. But any of the actress above would rock. And just throwing it out there while we’re imaging a better world: Richard Ayoade.
June 3, 2013 — 7:03 AM
digressica says:
“Note that I’m not asking to have a conversation about whether the Doctor should or should not be played by a woman. You want to have that conversation, have it somewhere else.”
Well gosh, Chuck. That kind of limits my potential responses to this post about whether the Doctor should or should not be played by a woman. That’s a bit like making your case on a really controversial topic and then putting your hand in someone’s face and saying YOU NO SPEAKY HERE FOOL. It’s not even that I’m necessarily opposed to the idea — I don’t really care if the Doctor is man, woman or sea otter, I just want my favourite show to be in good hands, and to survive, and for its lead role to go to the best possible candidate, and THAT’S what I want the casting conversation to be about — who is the best person to play this role, not ain’t-it-time-we-let-a-lady-drive-the-TARDIS.
Oops, I went and commented on the nature of the debate in a non-sanctioned fashion. Soz.
Ruth Jones?
June 3, 2013 — 7:10 AM
Charlotte Grubbs (@stopdropreload) says:
Yeah, it’s almost like Chuck thinks this is his blog and thus he gets to set the terms of discussion in the comments, or something crazy like that.
Did your comment have a point other than pissing on someone’s virtual lawn and then complaining about the nerve of that person not wanting piss on their lawn?
June 4, 2013 — 6:45 PM
Michael Trimmer says:
Could anyone here see Nicola Walker as the Doctor? I think it’d be interesting. Or perhaps Emma Thompson? Emily Blunt?
If they’re going to have a man again, get Ian Hislop.
June 3, 2013 — 7:12 AM
ljcohen says:
Oh, Emma Thompson! Epic choice! I could definitely see both the playful side of the Doctor and the serious side in her.
June 3, 2013 — 8:51 AM
Amber West says:
Emma Thompson – totally what I was thinking the moment I saw this post. 🙂
June 3, 2013 — 10:10 AM
jeffandwendy says:
When I first starting reading your post I was like, “Chuck has seriously lost it.” But the more I thought about it the more I can see it. I’m totally down for a female Doc.
June 3, 2013 — 7:20 AM
James Alan Gardner says:
I would love to see a non-white-dude Doctor, but I don’t think the role would be well-served by a “name” actor/actress, no matter how talented. I love Helen Mirren, for example, but when I see her play anything, I see Helen Mirren, not the character. (Quick, what was her character’s name in RED?) I repeat, this has nothing to do with acting skill, simply with being so well-known…and I’d hate to see the Doctor playing second fiddle to the Actor. So by all means, a non-white-dude; just cast a relative unknown, like Matt Smith was when he started. (Exceptions granted for Alex Kingston and Jenna-Louise Coleman — it would be trivial to create an excuse for why Doctor regenerated to look like one of them, through merging of tissues or some such mumbo-jumbo. Heaven knows, the show has done loopier science than that. And Alex/Jenna are such fan favorites, they might silence many complaints about a female Doctor.)
June 3, 2013 — 7:24 AM
Kate Curtis says:
Loved reading all of these suggestions – and checking out the ones I hadn’t heard of. I like the idea of Katherine Parkinson or Natalia Tena or Tamsin Greig or Thandie Newton or Sharon Small for even more quirk Miranda Hart.
June 3, 2013 — 7:26 AM
Seamus says:
Fiona O’Shaughnessy would make a great Doctor. If you didn’t see her in “Utopia,” check it out.
June 3, 2013 — 7:26 AM
Christine Bell says:
I love Joanne Kelley. She plays HG Wells on Warehouse 13 and also was in Dexter as his psycho/pyro ex gf. She is fab! Pretty, but a face with character and interest. I could also make a case for Laura Pulver (who played Irene Adler in Sherlock with sexy, flirty, ballsy fun). While I LOVE (like, drooly, lusty LOVE) Idris Elba, I feel like he is missing the quirk factor needed for my fave Doctors. The Doctors have never been overtly sexual and, while typically charismatic, have been purposefully not traditionally attractive. Idris Elba is a stone cold fox, so for me, I think there would be a disconnect.
June 3, 2013 — 8:05 AM
Anne Lyle says:
I think you mean Jaime Murray (who is also in Defiance) – Joanne Kelley is Myka.
Yes, I am a real geek girl 🙂
June 3, 2013 — 9:08 AM
David Earle says:
I would prefer a female Master. The frenemy/bromance Tennant and Simm had was creepy enough, but if the Doctor had been female… well, you probably couldn’t call it a kid’s show anymore.
Anyway, I’m going to suggest Lara Pulver, who I think could pull off the role and already has an in with Moffat (see: Irene Adler in Sherlock), and then throw in Emma Watson, who I’d love to see rise to the occasion. Although Watson would continue everyone’s ranting about how the Doctor is too young these days.
June 3, 2013 — 8:12 AM
jholyhead says:
I think a female Doctor would be great, but the most important thing is that #12 isn’t another white guy. They bottled it last time around and they were forgiven because Matt Smith was awesome.
The problem with having a female Doctor is that a significant portion of the audience are really against it and the BBC might be a bit reluctant to risk losing a chunk of their audience by casting a woman.
I’m still rooting for Paterson Joseph, He has played characters with the Doctor’s eccentricity before and nailed them.
June 3, 2013 — 8:17 AM
Dean Jameson (@JustDeanJameson) says:
This has always been my thought–and why I think all the hand-wringing about it is overblown. Personally, I just want a writing team that continues to tell good stories, whether the new Doctor is male or female. But the BBC can’t just ignore the fact that seemingly well over half their core audience is adamantly opposed to having the Doctor switch genders. It makes no marketing sense at all, which is why it won’t happen.
June 3, 2013 — 10:15 AM
jholyhead says:
According to this poll – http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a340617/doctor-who-poll-should-the-twelfth-doctor-be-female.html – from 2011, almost 60% of respondents say that Doctor should never be a woman. Things might have changed since 2011, but probably not by much.
For the BBC to fly in the face of those kind of numbers they would have to have a story arc in mind that requires the Doctor to be a woman. I’m not saying they wouldn’t do it, just that doing something that is so unpopular would be a very bold move for a franchise that doesn’t often make bold moves.
June 3, 2013 — 3:35 PM
Craig Payne says:
I’d actually like to see Katherine Tate take on the role; she gave a good indication of how she could impress in the role with the Doctor-Donna and, as with Jenna Louise Coleman, you could make an in-universe argument for the change. Then get Sally Sparrow back as a companion (or additional one if Coleman remains on).
June 3, 2013 — 8:35 AM
Amber J Gardner says:
Yes! Sanity at last!
I don’t know any actresses, so I can’t join in, but this post is so freaking awesome, I love it.
(They also need to freaking genderflip Sherlock, but that’s another discussion)
June 3, 2013 — 8:38 AM
whirlingnerdish says:
If we continue with the trend of younger Doctors that I’ve seen, then Emma Watson or Emily Blunt would be great.
If we’re looking at slightly older Doctors, then Emma Thompson or Tilda Swinton. – Either of these two would be absolutely amazing.
I imagine Tilda Swinton would be more of a dramatically heavy, dapper dressing Doctor – like Tennant – while Emma Thompson would be more of a quirky dressed Doctor like Tom Baker.
Or holy crap, Gillian Anderson would be great, too!
I really wish this would happen. The fact that it just decidedly won’t because some people are idiots makes me sad. This could have so much narrative potential.
You know what else casting Gillian Anderson would mean? WE’D FINALLY HAVE A GINGER DOCTOR, PEOPLE!
*drops mic, leaves stage*
June 3, 2013 — 8:50 AM
Sarah Z. says:
Felicity Jones or Emma Thompson. I think either would be great as a female doctor.
June 3, 2013 — 8:56 AM
Christine d'Abo says:
Yes! I’m a hardcore Whovian and I would LOVE for this to happen. Both of my daughters would freak out (in a good way) at the idea that they too could be the Doctor. Plus, cool spin with River. 🙂
That said, the companion is not a lesser role in the Whoverse. If anything, the companion is even stronger than the Doctor in character, function and in personality, in the new series. The show has quite firmly established that the Doctor is lesser without the companion. He needs them, and most often, not the other way around. He might save the universe, but they save him. It’s an interesting spin on the role of the hero.
June 3, 2013 — 8:58 AM
terribleminds says:
Ooh, you know who else might be good? Rebecca Hall — http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0356017/?ref_=tt_cl_t1 or Olivia Williams — http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931404/?ref_=tt_cl_t4
— c.
June 3, 2013 — 8:58 AM
Paul Knights (@surlywombat) says:
Hmm, I dunno. I have a feeling the new doctor may already been chosen and its Jenna-Louise Coleman. The way they left the current series provides a very good opportunity.
June 3, 2013 — 9:06 AM
Susannah says:
I ruled out everyone who’s already appeared on the show in another role and still came up with a lot of terrific choices (sticking with British actors because it’s only right even though Spider-Man and Superman are both bloody Brits now): Emma Thompson, Imelda Staunton, Anna Chancellor, Ruth Wilson, Romola Garai, and Maggie Smith. (Some of these people may have better things to do than move to Wales for a TV show, but a girl can dream.)
But actually I think the best Twelfth Doctor would be Miranda Hart. If you’re not familiar with her (because her brilliant comedy “Miranda” has never been made available in the U.S.) check out some clips on YouTube. You’ll see what I’m talking about.
June 3, 2013 — 9:08 AM
Josh Kidd says:
Miranda Hart is awesome and would be a great Doctor. US audiences might know her as Chummy from Call The Midwife.
June 3, 2013 — 12:23 PM
Anne Lyle says:
I’d be happy with a female Doctor if I thought the current writing/production crew would make a good job of it. Judging by recent seasons (and Sherlock), I’m not convinced. They should have done it back in RTD’s day, when Moffat was just an occasional writer.
June 3, 2013 — 9:11 AM
Tee says:
Oh God, Olivia Williams would be perfect. Still, I’m crossing my fingers for a ginger doctor. He’s always wanted to be ginger.
June 3, 2013 — 9:16 AM
Christopher Wilde says:
Back in the 80s, they seriously considered Joanna Lumley (Sapphire and Steel, AbFab, James and the Giant Peach), who actually played the 13th Doctor in a 1999 comic relief short (with Rowan Atkinson, Richard E. Grant—The Great Intelligence himself—and Hugh Grant as other regenerations).
June 3, 2013 — 9:21 AM
Abby says:
I’m going to go with obscurity here, since I think most actors who’ve gotten the role have been relatively unknown before becoming the Doctor.
So I’m going with Vinette Robinson, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0733172/
She’s Agent Donovan from Sherlock, and she also played a woman Matt Smith’s character in Party Animals had a blind date with. She even played a character on one Doctor Who ep., but so did Karen Gillan before becoming Amy Pond, and so did Freema Agyeman before being Martha.
June 3, 2013 — 9:23 AM
H. E. Griffin says:
YES. Olivia Williams. Or Gina Torres. Or Felicity Jones, Bonnie Wright…there’s plenty to choose from.
June 3, 2013 — 9:28 AM
Ashley R Pollard says:
Another vote for Miranda Hart who can act and do funny, has a quirky face and the show could probably afford to pay.
June 3, 2013 — 9:28 AM