The date 4 August 2013 will be emblazoned into our collective minds. "Where were you when Peter Capaldi was chosen to be the Doctor?" people will ask. Truly, has there been a moment in history looked forward to more by the populace? Other than, maybe, the last time a new actor was chosen for Doctor Who, that is. A TV special was even aired just to agonisingly prolong the momentous occasion. After tuning out Zoe Ball and the instant fan reactions (from incredulous, to celebratory, to downright creepy), this recent announcement does make you wonder in what direction the show will take in the future.
It's widely known that Peter Capaldi's previous roles are polar opposites to the wholesome sci-fi-ness that Doctor Who exudes. His most recent famous role is that of Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It. Peter plays a political spin doctor who desperately tries to keep the incompetent people he's working with from messing up. Will this role influence the Doctor Who writing staff? Will the new Doctor be brasher, angrier and always two seconds from going on an expletive-laden tirade? Maybe the next time the Doctor meets the Daleks, he will berate them into submission. It's definitely simpler for the Doctor to use mental anguish against his enemies rather than think up a convoluted scheme. The BBC won't be happy with strong language pre-watershed but it’d be taking the show in a new, bold direction.
Better yet, it might give the writers a chance to change-up the show’s format. They could have the Doctor exile himself to Earth again. This time, he’ll enter politics and perhaps become some kind of political spin doctor. He’ll probably need a pseudonym. Now, John Smith’s a bit tired, so how about something different: how about Malcolm Tucker? That sounds like a good, solid name for a Time Lord to use. With the new setting, it could seem like the show would easily evolve into something a little less science fiction and a lot more political comedy. It’s a drastic change, but one that the show’s been sorely lacking.
If this does happen, then the new choice of actor was just the BBC's thinly-veiled plot to turn Doctor Who into the fifth season of The Thick of It. They must be gambling that because Peter Capaldi’s such an engaging actor audiences probably wouldn’t realise for at least a season ... one and a half seasons, tops.
Featured Image: The Thick of It, BBC
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