Peter Capaldi is leaving Doctor Who

[politicallefty]

While I'm sad Capaldi is leaving, I'm excited for a new Doctor and a new writer. I'm hoping it's someone like Hayley Atwell or Emma Thompson.

To be honest, I'm more excited about a new show runner. While I think Moffat has been an amazing writer, I don't think the show under him is anywhere near what it was under RTD. I think some of Moffat's best writing was when he wasn't show runner (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and one of my personal favourite two-parters Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead). He's been very hit-and-miss writing as show runner, just as RTD was. I think Moffat's best under his own production was the Series 8 finale (Dark Water/Death in Heaven). The new Master with Michelle Gomez was pure genius. She really draws upon some of the most evil and sinister aspects of the previous Masters.  It seems like with Capaldi, Moffat has look more to Classic Doctor Who, which I like after having seen a good portion it.

I doubt they'd be this creative, but I've always thought they could bring back any previous Doctor they wanted. After all, each incarnation lives for a considerable amount of time. They could bring back the Eighth Doctor if they wanted (I'm not familiar with him, but I've heard he's good in the audio stories).  The Tenth Doctor is who I would consider to be "my Doctor", so I'd love to see him return. That's very unlikely, so we'll see what happens. I'm not sure how I feel about a female Doctor, but I'd love them to keep Michelle Gomez as Missy (the female Master) as a regular villain.

[politicallefty]

I'm really liking the Doctor this series. I think Bill's a really good companion with Capaldi's Doctor, a much better fit than Clara (who was a better fit with Matt Smith's Doctor). Last night's episode was one of the best I've seen in a while, very reminiscent of the RTD Era. After what I've been seeing this series, I'm really going to miss the 12th Doctor when he's gone.

Btw, to those that have been watching, does anyone think anyone other than the Master (or Missy, if you prefer) is in the vault? It's probably not as simple as that, as I've read that Jon Simm's Master may be returning this series. After all, we have no explanation as to how Missy came to be (none that I'm aware of, anyway).

[politicallefty]

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The Master is a woman and she's doing just fine.[/quote]

That was one of my thoughts as well, that they're trying to prime us for a female Doctor. This Master though, is truly exceptional. The chemistry between Peter Capaldi and Michelle Gomez reminds me of the Pertwee/Delgado dynamic (the latter arguably being the best Master). I have a feeling Missy will be playing a major part in this Doctor's regeneration story.

Has anyone else been watching this current series here aside from me? I think this is probably the best since Series 4 when Donna was the companion with the irreplaceable Tenth Doctor.

[politicallefty]

This morning, in the shower, I suddenly had an idea about who the next Doctor will be.  Admittedly, though, it's a bit bonkers.

I'm not sure it has anything to do with your reasoning, but it seems obvious now that the original Cybermen (from The Tenth Planet) are probably going to play a part in this Doctor's regeneration (though it's worth noting that that was the First Doctor's regeneration story). They are due to appear this series and have yet to do so. I'm looking forward to seeing the original Cybermen in a modern context. I've always found them to be the creepiest on account of their voices, particularly their inflections.

[politicallefty]

Thought is the doctor was gone in most of The Tenth Planet and kinda wanders in at the end saying "I'm feeling a bit frail" or whatever the line is. So the thinking is while he was gone he runs into Capaldi's doctor and they have an adventure while the companions do their thing in the original story. So both regenerate from it. This is from the rumor the first doctor will be back at some point too. Could be so wrong, but I would like it as one last Moffatt timey wimey story.

Based on the finale (at least until Christmas), it looks like you're very likely right. They're going to use David Bradley to play the First Doctor. I watched the 2013 An Adventure in Space and Time and I thought he was really great in it as William Hartnell.

I did mostly enjoy the two-parter finale, but I'm afraid they're going with the hard turnover like with RTD to Moffat. I did not like the change from Series 4 (my personal favourite) to Series 5. It looks like they're going to change the Doctor, companion(s), and the Master. I wish they would make these show runner changes easier on the big fans. I would have at least liked to see Bill as companion for the next Doctor, not to mention have Missy return (although I suppose the latter is definitely possible again as we now know that Simm's Master regenerates into Missy). Even so though, there's no way the Master is dead for good. Missy's apparent death seemed too convenient for the plot. She'll either appear as she has or she'll be back after another regeneration.

[politicallefty]

Michelle Gomez is done as the master (she said she wanted to leave since Capaldi was done) so while I imagine she would be happy to return in the future with a guest appearance we'll be getting a new master. I personally don't mind the hard turnovers but I just wish we would see a doctor last longer than three series.

Also sad that Moffat is leaving but change is what makes the show and I'm looking forward to see what Chibby can do/ a new doctor and companions.

I wasn't aware that Michelle Gomez was done as the Master, but I'm very satisfied with her performance. From the shock of her reveal to her periodic appearances, I've been very impressed. Even if this may be the end of this Master, there's no way it is the end of the Master. The Master has defied the odds more than the Doctor has, or so it seems.

I still hope they make it easy for the fans. For me, Chibnall has a mixed record in terms of writing, but so did RTD when he was show runner. I did enjoy 42 (despite it seeming to be a quicker version of the fantastic The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit) and the Silurian two-parter in Series 5, but his work in Series 7 (possibly the weakest series since the 2005 reboot) was fairly lackluster. I'm not sad that Moffat's leaving as I think his best work was when RTD was in charge. I do hope they'll retain him as a writer for at least one or two episodes per series.

[politicallefty]

Series 4 is great - Partners In Crime, Fires of Pompeii, Silence in The Library / Forest of The Dead (River the big link to 11), Turn Left were great. Not a big fan of the two parter to end it - messy tying up loose ends and falls back on standby Daleks.

Then the specials sort of do it again but with SIMM and Dalton in the End of Time. The latter great in his turn as Rassillon. Waters of Mars was very good. The Next Doctor was solid for a Christmas Story. Planet of the Dead was sort of mixed.

That said Series 5 while it had a plain Beast Below and a weak Dalek tale in its first had the sterling Flesh & Stone / Time of The Angels an Aliens level spin on the Angels. Then Vincent & the Doctor was a good character piece. I am not a big fan of the Silurian story but adore The Lodger. Pandorica/Big Bang is "timey wimey" and large scale. I don't love it but it is better than Series 3's for sure

As for Capaldi's finale, in a sense they did not try to tie together as many loose ends as with Stolen Earth and End of Time. Which was good. I did not care for the evolved Cybermen. Cannon fodder. Simm's Master though deeper here than under RTD took away from the visible conflict of Gomez's Master.

Bill's transformation scenes were excellent TV. Mackie sold it well. Her acting in this exit episode was well played again but too hokey to have a very similar "cheating death" trope of flying away with the Pilot.

Clara & Me had a remarkably similar coda in Hell Bent the wishful, feelgood conclusion after the deep brilliance of Heaven Sent.

For World Enough and Time the network BBC America should stop spoiling the endings this was the worst so far - they had a reveal of key shot at about 45 minutes in of the cliffhanger - other than that it was the best episode of a so-so season story wise which had very good acting from Pearl and Capaldi. Lucas' Nardole was disappointing very nebulous. A sideshow act?

While it did not trample on all of the backstory of Bill like Hell Bent did, it had a similar feelgood ending that took away from perhaps an even more stunning conclusion. Lots of fanfic awaits.

Rachel Talalay directed stories:
Moff's 12th Doc "Closer"

Dark Water 8 /10
Death in Heaven 6 / 10
Heaven Sent 10 / 10
Hell Bent 7 / 10
World Enough and Time 10 / 10
The Doctor Falls 8 / 10

I suspect The Doctors will combine aspects of setup which Moff is very good at and heartfelt slightly maudlin feelings which is in my book not my favorite aspect of his storytelling. Especially come Christmas time.

I don't watch much scripted TV drama so I am not familiar with Chibnall. Should be interesting. But a long long time of speculation on how it goes.

Whoa, you gave me a lot here.

The thing I hate about Series 4 is how Donna left. As much as I love RTD Who, I hate him for that. I wasn't a big fan of the specials, particularly The End of Time because I really didn't want to see the Tenth Doctor go. I've seen all of the Doctors and he's still my favourite by far.

I didn't enjoy Series 5 the way a lot of others did. The premiere was great, the Beast Below was very good, and I loved the Weeping Angels two-parter with River Song. I didn't care at all for the finale for that series.

I loved seeing the original First Doctor 1966 Tenth Planet Cybermen. For me, it's the voices of the original Cybermen that makes them so great and creepy. I'm glad they stayed true to history with this recent finale.

I do agree with you that Dark Water is one of the best finale episodes from Moffat. First of all, the whole three words part is something that creeps you out as a human being. As far as the plot goes, I loved the revealing of Missy as the Master.

As for Chibnall, this is some of his work.

I'm o.k. with this.

That's my view as well. I'm not familiar with her and despite how strange it may be to get used to a female Doctor, I'm kind of excited to see her in action. I'm sort of apprehensive to any new Doctor on account of getting used to the old one, but this should be a lot more interesting.

While I'm not a big Dr. Who fan I'm a bit confused about the outrage. This is a character who inhabits a human form right? Why couldn't it be a female human form? :/

According to the Eleventh Doctor, we look Time Lord. They came first. In the Series 9 finale, we see a male Time Lord regenerate into a female (apparently her usual form). And of course, Classic Doctor Who had a prominent antagonist in the Rani. If people are complaining, I wonder how much they actually know about Doctor Who and what it's all about.

[politicallefty]

So what did everyone think of the Christmas special?

I actually watched it Christmas night. I thought it was fantastic, probably the best Doctor Who Christmas special. David Bradley was probably one of the best people they could've cast to play the First Doctor in place of William Hartnell. I saw the An Adventure in Space and Time special a couple year ago and I think his performance was just as good in this.