Peter Capaldi, our new Doctor.

Peter Capaldi? Who is he?

I’m more than sure a few of you have been asking that question since the announcement of the actor to play the 12^th incarnation (ok, perhaps not twelve if you count Peter Cushing, and Richard E Grant, to name but a few) of our beloved Doctor. Peter has stared in many good dramas, plays and films. Just look him up on IMDB, and see what a busy life he’s led as an actor (and Oscar winning producer) plus he has stared in an earlier episode of Doctor Who and is a life long fan of the show!

Peter in 'Fires of Pompeii' as Caecilius

So, what is the deal with the uproar over the choice of this actor?

AGE!

Ok. Lets get some things straight. I’m hoping most of you have looked into the earlier years of Doctor Who (and no, I don’t mean 2005 and onwards) but from 1963 onwards. Who was the first actor to portray the Doctor? William Hartnell. A man of a similar age to Peter Capaldi right now, and it worked. Now, look at all the other actors post Hartnell. Quite a few of them are not spring chickens like Tennant and Smith and yet the show remained successful, and won loyal fans all over the world.

So, is modern society to blame for all this backlash?

More than likely. Unfortunately, we live in a world where superficial qualities often out do raw talent. Just take some time to look at some of the magazines in a newsagent’s. Most portray young, youthful and skinny celebrities and that is unfortunately seen as the ‘norm’ nowadays. Since when did we become so shallow? Most of these people have no talent, but their desire to attention seek steals the front pages. It seems raw talent in any form is now dismissed unless you have a pretty face.

And, here we come to our current dilemma; the fact that younger fans now seem to have the unfortunate impression that Peter Capaldi is too OLD for the role of the Doctor.

Lets just get some things straight….

If you know your Doctor Who knowledge, you’ll know the Doctor is over a thousand years old. It seems when he regenerates he has no control over what he looks like. So, what is the big deal after two youthful actors the Doctor is now portrayed by an older actor? Its happened before in the past, so why is it an issue now?

A big problem is from the media demanding people in dominant and popular roles being youthful nowadays. As much as the Beatles had their rabid fanbase, now fans of people, groups and shows have grown substantially. Demand for perfection has increased, and people are not happy unless they look youthful.

Skill and talent seem redundant.

However, are we prepared to put up with this?

No!  Its a shame some so called fans of the show cannot see beyond vanity. Yes, David Tennant was good, so is Matt, but take a look at the other 9 actors before them in the BBC role. They were all talented, skilled and outstanding actors and yet, they didn’t need to be a handsome actor to get the part and make it successful. If the role depended on age and looks, the show would have finished decades ago.

My advice to newer fans finding it hard to cope with the new transition is to look at the older Doctors. Watch some of their episodes and appreciate them. You cannot call yourself a true fan if you cannot appreciate other actors in the role based on looks alone. The franchise itself has survived because of the talent of the actors, the scriptwriters and the devoted fans who stuck by the show through thick and thin.

If you feel you cannot cope with this new development, then I am afraid to say you’re not a true fan of the show. A lot of us have stuck with the show through difficult times, and over a decade without the programme. So, I urge you to delve into the past, appreciate the past Doctors and embrace the exciting future with Peter Capaldi at the helm! :-)