So, the 11th Doctor...

Sid Seadevil wrote:Gotcha'.

IIRC Eccleston's announcement of steeping down was 31 March 2005, the Tennant was confimed as replacement by the BBC in a press release on 16 April 2005. With his first actual substantial appearance in the role on 18 November 2005.

So no, I don't really think Tennant can be used as any kind of useful benchmark. I suspect we'll only know for certain who the winning candidate is either just prior to his starting filming for series five or at best very slightly before then.

Wow, so the circumstances with the Eccleston/Tennant transition really were completely different. Right now, we still have five specials yet to be filmed in 2009. Presumably, the BBC could keep the guessing game going for the better part of a year.

In light of that, I'd have to concur with you, Sid: these are still very early days to be declaring anyone a front runner.

Lucy McGough wrote:And I think that it will be leaked, at least to OW!!!! or OG, waaaaaaaaaaaay before then.

*sights* Padawan, there's a distinct difference between a leak and an official announcement.

The former is useful, but the latter is the truly important one to have.

Oh, all right.

So long as it isn't Joanna Lumley.

Patrick wrote:

Wow, so the circumstances with the Eccleston/Tennant transition really were completely different. Right now, we still have five specials yet to be filmed in 2009. Presumably, the BBC could keep the guessing game going for the better part of a year.

In light of that, I'd have to concur with you, Sid: these are still very early days to be declaring anyone a front runner.

Hmmm, now that nearly everyone is expecting Paterson Joseph to get the part (especially after the fluff by the "Survivors" cast member in a BBC interview), I'd say an announcement is due by the end of the year. Just my instinct.

delgadofan wrote:Hmmm, now that nearly everyone is expecting Paterson Joseph to get the part (especially after the fluff by the "Survivors" cast member in a BBC interview), I'd say an announcement is due by the end of the year. Just my instinct.

It's possible. But I rather think they'll be a'wantin' to gage the public's reaction to David Morrissey in-depth first. I strongly suspect it's that reaction as much as anything else that will finally help clinch the decision either way.

Sid Seadevil wrote:It's possible. But I rather think they'll be a'wantin' to gage the public's reaction to David Morrissey in-depth first. I strongly suspect it's that reaction as much as anything else that will finally help clinch the decision either way.

Well, if Morrissey can't be Eleven he can always be Twelve.

Lucy McGough wrote:Well, if Morrissey can't be Eleven he can always be Twelve.

Blimey Minor - give whoever the poor chap who's going to up to 11th bat have a proper innings before wishing him away!

Have to say that having closely studied his performance last night, and bearing in mind what I've seen him in before, Paterson Joseph really doesn't strike me as Doctor material. Fine actor, no doubt, but I don't get "the vibe". Hmmm.......

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Have to say that having closely studied his performance last night, and bearing in mind what I've seen him in before, Paterson Joseph really doesn't strike me as Doctor material. Fine actor, no doubt, but I don't get "the vibe". Hmmm.......

Which is exactly what I said earlier upthread. He's a very fine actor - but he just doesn't have that certain something which earmarks him out as a potential Doctor to me. I'm very dubious about the chances of it being him.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Have to say that having closely studied his performance last night, and bearing in mind what I've seen him in before, Paterson Joseph really doesn't strike me as Doctor material. Fine actor, no doubt, but I don't get "the vibe". Hmmm.......

Well, he wasn't playing a Doctorish character. He was playing Bear Grylls, but black, wasn't he?

And they put his picture on front of the iPlayer recording, no doubt hoping to cash in on the DW speculation, but he was only in the last 20 minutes of a ninety minute episode. Pah!

Lucy McGough wrote:Well, he wasn't playing a Doctorish character. He was playing Bear Grylls, but black, wasn't he?

An actor doesn't need to be playing a very Doctorish character for their suitability to be appraised, Minor. There's a lot more to it than having a surface, certain, "flash" appeal. If you were judging former Doctor's on their prior "Doctorishness", then Hartnell would certainly never have won the role based on his past form. Same for Troughton, Pertwee, etc, etc..

Lucy McGough wrote:And they put his picture on front of the iPlayer recording, no doubt hoping to cash in on the DW speculation, but he was only in the last 20 minutes of a ninety minute episode. Pah!

Welcome to the wonderful world of advertising. Besides, I think it's safe to say he'll have a tad more to do in upcoming episodes.

Sid Seadevil wrote:

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Have to say that having closely studied his performance last night, and bearing in mind what I've seen him in before, Paterson Joseph really doesn't strike me as Doctor material. Fine actor, no doubt, but I don't get "the vibe". Hmmm.......

Which is exactly what I said earlier upthread. He's a very fine actor - but he just doesn't have that certain something which earmarks him out as a potential Doctor to me. I'm very dubious about the chances of it being him.

Honest questions (to anyone who wants to answer) here... what did you think of Mr Eccleston when he was announced as Nine? Did he have 'the vibe' or that 'certain something'?

Arisia wrote:Honest questions (to anyone who wants to answer) here... what did you think of Mr Eccleston when he was announced as Nine? Did he have 'the vibe' or that 'certain something'?

Speaking for myself, yes he did. I'd thought that since I'd seen his performance in The Second Coming.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Have to say that having closely studied his performance last night, and bearing in mind what I've seen him in before, Paterson Joseph really doesn't strike me as Doctor material. Fine actor, no doubt, but I don't get "the vibe". Hmmm.......

Because he's a good actor, so you'll not get a Doctorish vibe from him when he's playing a non-Doctorish role.

Arisia wrote:Honest questions (to anyone who wants to answer) here... what did you think of Mr Eccleston when he was announced as Nine? Did he have 'the vibe' or that 'certain something'?

He had a 'one of Britain's best actors' vibe to him, which is all he needs. And he was great!

Arisia wrote:Honest questions (to anyone who wants to answer) here... what did you think of Mr Eccleston when he was announced as Nine? Did he have 'the vibe' or that 'certain something'?

I thought he was a great choice. The look, the body language, everything.

Rich Flair wrote:He had a 'one of Britain's best actors' vibe to him, which is all he needs...

Absolutely. I'm not sure there's too many people that would say the same about Mr Joseph, though...

Still, at least if it is him it isn't that eejit Nesbitt. I am more than quite prepared to give Joseph as fair a chance as any man of my fighting weight in the kingdom. I'm not sure I could say the same about Nesbitt (since every time his, for want of a better word, face appears on the tellybox I find myself coming over all Levine (which, as you can well imagine, is more than a deal unpleasant)). Speaking as a numpty, of course.

After watching Survivors, I could see him playing the Doctor - I noticed some interesting similarities between Greg and the Ninth Doctor: a gruff, 'I don't need anyone' exterior that's hiding some inner trauma. Plus, I think he has that screen presence that a Doctor needs - even when he's not the main character in the scene, you don't forget he's there.

Nick Barlow wrote:After watching Survivors, I could see him playing the Doctor - I noticed some interesting similarities between Greg and the Ninth Doctor: a gruff, 'I don't need anyone' exterior that's hiding some inner trauma. Plus, I think he has that screen presence that a Doctor needs - even when he's not the main character in the scene, you don't forget he's there.

YouTube has a fascinating interview with him during which it suddenly and instinctively occurred to me how perfect he would be for the role.

Graymalkin wrote:

Rich Flair wrote:He had a 'one of Britain's best actors' vibe to him, which is all he needs...

Absolutely. I'm not sure there's too many people that would say the same about Mr Joseph, though...

He wouldn't be my first choice but (naively? ) I trust Moff to get the right man. The casting people on this show haven't let us down before, I don't think they're going to start dropping the ball now.

The fact that he's got this far, at least to the final shortlist, suggests he's got something about him. My own view is that I see an edginess, a little craziness in his performances that will serve him well if he becomes Doc 11.

And I think he's produced his best work in theatre. Look at the reviews for Emperor Jones. Extremely good reviews, no actor could get better reviews than that. The impression you get is of a very charismatic lead actor, and thats half the battle. I think we'll be OK, if he does get the job (notice all the ifs!).

Still, at least if it is him it isn't that eejit Nesbitt.

Nesbitt's a good actor when he wants to be (see Bloody Sunday). It's the prospect of Robson Greene as Doc 11 that makes me want to jump off a roof.

Arisia wrote:
Honest questions (to anyone who wants to answer) here... what did you think of Mr Eccleston when he was announced as Nine? Did he have 'the vibe' or that 'certain something'?

I was cautiously surprised upon hearing the announcement, slightly concerned that he was going to be just that lil bit tooooo different from the standard Doctor we're used to (which is a symptom of fandomitus, of course). I'd just bought RTD's The Second Coming on DVD and couldn't really imagine him as a Time Lord despite Steve Baxter being a completely different character in almost every respect.

All worries were cast aside as soon as he said "Run!", though.

Balbinder Mann wrote:He wouldn't be my first choice but (naively? ) I trust Moff to get the right man. The casting people on this show haven't let us down before, I don't think they're going to start dropping the ball now...

I would tend to agree and, if he does get the role, I will assume that my doubts were because I either haven't seen something in him, or just haven't seen enough of him, as...

The fact that he's got this far, at least to the final shortlist, suggests he's got something about him...

...precisely.

Nesbitt's a good actor when he wants to be...

He very probably is, but it isn't his acting that makes my fists itch whenever I watch him. He just annoys me on some instinctive, inexplicable, unconscious level.

He was bloody awful in Jekyll, though, which has hopefully put the kybosh on him getting the part.

He would be better than Alan Shearer Robson Greene, though...

Graymalkin wrote:
He would be better than Alan Shearer Robson Greene, though...

Where did all that Robson Greene stuff come from? Is it genuine, that the producers would like to take a look at him?!

Cos if its true, that Moff and the other producers think him a genuine contender, you can scratch my last post...

delgadofan wrote:
YouTube has a fascinating interview with him during which it suddenly and instinctively occurred to me how perfect he would be for the role.

Link, please?

Graymalkin wrote:Still, at least if it is him it isn't that eejit Nesbitt.

Unfortunately, Patterson Joseph is just like James Nesbitt, in that he plays himself no matter what role he is cast in. In I could see very little difference between Greg in Survivors last night to Rodderick from Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways. And the biggest problem I have with the character that Paterson Joseph plays is that it is a basically unlikeable one.