
Wow. OK, so if you didn’t know already, Peter Capaldi is the 12th Doctor. And I did not see that coming. I was liking Daniel Rigby for the role personally. This is a very bold surprise.
You Whovian’s may note that Peter Capaldi has been in Doctor Who before, as well as Torchwood. He was Caecilius in the season four episode “The Fires of Pompeii,” and he also played a large role in the third season of Torchwood as John Frobisher. How they are going to explain this uncanny resemblance will be interesting. Though, now I am beginning to wonder if Moffat even sees Torchwood sharing the same universe as his Doctor Who.
Recently, Peter Capaldi played a doctor in World War Z, perhaps as a bit of meta foreshadowing, or maybe it was purely coincidental. But those with a close eye will note that Peter also played the angel Islington in the A&E version of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. Maybe with Peter as the next Doctor, we can also expect something more from Neil? A new episode perhaps? Showrunner? Hint hint, nudge nudge.
But in all seriousness, I was shocked. They went older! They didn’t go ginger! And I’m kind of glad for it. Doctor Who shouldn’t be about fan service, it should be about the fun of the story. I can’t wait to see how he plays The Doctor. That’s where the real surprise will come.
So until Christmas when he’ll make his debut as The Doctor, I wish him well and good luck.
Onwards!