Doctor Who

[gordonblu]

Having not seen the eps yet, I don't have a lot offer in terms of opinion, but...

Is it possible that John Hurt is the Valeyard from the Colin Baker megastory Trial of a Time Lord? In that story he is the  incarnation of the evil side of the doctor that manifested between his 12th and final regeneration and is a character that should be popping up soon, unless the current regime plans to ignore that little part of established history like Davies and company did when they ignored Inferno so they could feature a tunnel to the center of the earth in "The Runaway Bride".

[BatmAngelus]

While it's possible, I do think it's unlikely since The Valeyard gets mentioned by The Great Intelligence in the finale.  If Hurt's Doctor was The Valeyard, then they had the perfect way to introduce him as such.

There are other theories that John Hurt's incarnation is actually his very first incarnation- dubbed "Doctor Zero"- before regenerating into William Hartnell, implying that he was originally someone who committed terrible things before atoning, as Hartnell.

[The Dark Knight]

There are other theories that John Hurt's incarnation is actually his very first incarnation- dubbed "Doctor Zero"- before regenerating into William Hartnell, implying that he was originally someone who committed terrible things before atoning, as Hartnell.

I'm leaning on Hurt being the Time War Doctor, but I wouldn't mind this. The very reason why he began calling himself The Doctor.

I think 8 died in the Time War, and regenerated into Hurt - who ended the Time War. Something happened and time backtracked to 8's regen, where he instead transformed into Chris' ninth doctor. But Hurt's actions still occurred.

[ElCuervoMuerto]

I actually really love the idea of Hurt Being "Doctor Zero", but I don't think that's the case. Eleven told Clara how "he's the one that broke the promise" of "The Doctor", not that he's the reason he made the promise. Timemy wimemy stuff aside, The Doctor couldn't have broken the promise if he hadn't made it yet. I agree that Hurt is the Time War Doctor, and he did something much worse than the genocide of the Daleks and Time Lords. So it must've been really really bad if genocide didn't break the Doctor's promise...

[BatmAngelus]

I actually really love the idea of Hurt Being "Doctor Zero", but I don't think that's the case. Eleven told Clara how "he's the one that broke the promise" of "The Doctor", not that he's the reason he made the promise. Timemy wimemy stuff aside, The Doctor couldn't have broken the promise if he hadn't made it yet.

Agreed.  If he were "Doctor Zero," Eleven would've said something along the lines of "He's the reason I made that promise" instead.

The only way it could work, without contradicting the dialogue in the finale, is if Hurt's Doctor immediately broke the promise after making it, committed terrible things, then regenerated into Hartnell, who decided to fulfill his original promise and live up to his name for once, making him the "first"/"original" Doctor to do good things.

While I favor the Time War Doctor theory as well, I have to admit that Hurt being "Doctor Zero" would fit a lot more with it being the character's big, terrible secret.  We'll just have to see what Moffat has in store.

[BatmAngelus]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/doctor-who/10093520/Matt-Smith-to-quit-Doctor-Who-after-Christmas-special.html

[The Dark Knight]

I really did feel as if this was coming. Especially when Smith shaved his head.

It seems 3 and a bit seasons is going to be the limit for actors in the role. Smith is going roughly at the same time as Tennant.

It's a great role, but it is also a long hard slog down at Cardiff. In that regard David and Matt have been loyal to the show. There's a lot that going on beyond the 45 minute weekly episode. In that regard I don't really blame them.

It'll be sad to see him go. But it is what it is.

[johnnygobbs]

I really did feel as if this was coming. Especially when Smith shaved his head.

It seems 3 and a bit seasons is going to be the limit for actors in the role. Smith is going roughly at the same time as Tennant.

It's a great role, but it is also a long hard slog down at Cardiff. In that regard David and Matt have been loyal to the show. There's a lot that going on beyond the 45 minute weekly episode. In that regard I don't really blame them.

It'll be sad to see him go. But it is what it is.

Isn't it now time to 'mix things up' a little bit and have a black Doctor or a female one?  This is an intergalactic being after all so race and gender surely have no bearing on the character but a non-white, possibly non-male face might be a welcome 'modernisation'.  As long as the character remains suitably 'quirky' I don't see why the Doctor should always be portrayed as a white, Anglo-Saxon(ish) male.

[The Dark Knight]

They have opened up the chance for a woman to be The Doctor, given a throwaway comment in 'The Doctor's Wife'. A Time Lord had a tattoo on their wrist and always re-inked it with each regeneration, and at one point they morphed into a female.

Though I don't like the idea. I think if you're born a male, it would and should follow a male DNA pattern. But everything else be random. Age, appearance, race, etc. Things should not be done just for the sake of it. Choose people on their merit, not to fulfil 'something that hasn't been done before'.

[johnnygobbs]

Choose people on their merit, not to fulfil 'something that hasn't been done before'.

Sure, obviously whoever is picked for the role should be a capable performer but why shouldn't that be a woman or a black actor?  Also, I don't see why Doctor Who's gender is anymore sacrosanct than the character's race or age.