Did the UK Mirror just post the most ridiculous Doctor Who rumor ever?
Let me tell you about how you generate clickbait. You start off by making the story about either a celebrity, TV show, or popular topic that will attract people’s attention. Then you string together enough facts and quotes vaguely connected to the idea that you can make the article more than three paragraphs long. THEN, (and this one is key) you make the headline a question. So you’re not saying “This is a fact”, or even the increasingly popular “Sources report this as a fact”, but merely “Could this possibly be a fact?” Because then in the story, you can say that it’s probably just flummery.
To summarize: if a news report, especially one on the electric type Internet, has a question as the headline, the answer to said question is almost certainly…
So when I tell you that the Mirror Online posted an article titled “ Can Matt Smith be the first Doctor Who to regenerate as himself?“, can you guess where I stand on the question?
In the article, they reference several quotes from Matt Smith where he says he’s sometimes sorry he left the show, and hopes to come back to it some day, and one from Moffat where he says he misses his collaborator.
Add in the rumor that Capaldi is touted to leave at the end of the next season (ANOTHER story with no basis in fact, mind) and somehow, that means Matt is coming back.
This is another example of nobody being willing to say “No” to a story, because that ends the buzz. As soon as someone denies something categorically, that’s the end of them being on everyone’s lips. So when Joe Thespian gets rumored for a role in a Marvel film, he doesn’t say “that’s not true, there’s been to talks at all”, he says “Well, I can’t say anything more definitive about it, but it’d certainly be nice.”
OK, yes, they dropped the idea in the 50th anniversary episode, with the appearance of “The Curator” that the Doctor might someday “re-visit” his past incarnations in the future.
Yes, we’ve seen past Doctors return to the show, but as “themselves”, not somehow returning to their past forms in the current timeline. And yes, the idea of a regeneration into a past form is a tantalizing idea for a story.
But there is one, VERY important thing to remember.
If there is one thing that is nearly universally named as the show’s perfect idea, it is the idea that Regeneration is the most innovative concept ever. It allows the show to renew itself every few years, more than simply a change in producers or show-runners ever could. By putting a new lead actor (yes, or actress, let’s not get distracted here) in the title role (look at me, I’m so incensed I’ve even passed up a chance to use the word “titular”) it give the show a chance to become something utterly new. Don’t care for the current guy? No worries, there’ll be another one along in a few years, come back and check him out.
Circling back to a past actor, in any permanent fashion, would be the ultimate admission that the show has run out of ideas. People get upset when the Daleks or Cybermen come back again, imagine the reaction if they rolled the clock back to an old Doctor.
It’s why the Big Finish audio plays are such a hit. Want more Peter Davison as the Doctor? Here’s dozens of them. We’ve seen Paul McGann, David Tennant, and even Tom Baker return. Matt will almost certain do some. There’s your “more Matt” stories.
But on the TV show? In any permanent way? No.
Right?
Please tell me I’m right.
Dammit, you you’ve got me thinking about it…
This is a fascinating concept for an exceptionally unique show as noted. Personally, I would consider bringing back an immensely popular (and known success) Matt Smith a very sly move. As currently anticipated, in the space of one year there will be a new/returning Doctor, new show runner, new writers, new companion, and unavoidably due to all of the above, an entirely new direction and production scheme. Each of those factors risk alienating a slice of even the most devoted Whovians so it would be wise if not near mandatory to build as much a safety net as possible. Doctor Who is likely the only show where a switch in lead actors portraying the same lead character could be molded into the paradigm consistent in any manner with the shop’s premise. However, there is an equally important point of contention I believe is often overlooked or considered inconsequential. I can’t speak for all Americans, but of the 20 or more Doctor Who fans I know, none like the newest Doctor and several have stopped watching altogether. I have read that Mr. Capaldi is popular in the UK, and I defer to you guys as the rightful decision makers concerning your show, but I would strongly suggest Matt Smith would improve Amercan viewership. Admittedly it took a few episodes to warm up to the 11th, but I agree with my friends and never developed any attachment for the 12th. I have absolutely no ill will whatsoever towards Mr. Capaldi and respect his personal character, acting skills, and recognize a compelling charisma. For my friends and I, through no fault of his own, he just isn’t the right fit. I worry that all the coming changes are dangerous enough, so why not go out and beg, grovel, or plead with Matt to return instead of questioning it. Do it for the greater good. I am quite curious if there might be a substantial overall difference of opinion between the two sides of the pond? Either way, good luck and thanks for the many hours of quality work.
Well, I like Capaldi enormously. He is a first-class actor, and besides we need more former punk rockers as crabby smarty-pants old timers. I identify with that.
But if Matt Smith were to return to the role as the 13th Doctor – not a bad idea as there’s a lot of plot baggage the 13th doctor will have to resolve – I think it would hopelessly stereotype him. Many doctors were able to overcome that (Pertwee, Davison, McCoy, and probably Tennant). It just wouldn’t be a good career move, although he is young enough to run with the part until the Beeb’s worldwide syndication operation dries up.
Of course, if Matt were to go transgender…
I posited elsewhere that Matt may be suffering from Doctor’s Remorse. His post-Who career has been…less than stellar. He got a number of roles, but none won much praise, nor were they big hits. He may simply be trying to keep his name in the news, or he may truly want to go back to the well.
I think it’d be a staggering mistake, both for him and the show. At least, if they did it as any sort of long-term thing. A one-episode return would be happily welcome.
Not true about Matt’s post Who career. Two very highly acclaimed lead theatre roles on the London stage (American Pyscho and currently being seen in Unreachable) both of which have given him far better critical reviews as an actor than either of the two theatre productions David Tennant did after leaving Who. Very well received cameos in two big Hollywood films for which he was sought out specifically as well as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (all of which gained better reviews and earned higher global box office than any movies Tennant or even Eccleston have done since they left Who, though none of the films by any of these actors have been ‘hits’) with two more films out this year. In addition, he is starring as Prince Phillip in Netflix’s, The Crown, their most expensive and high profile production to date. There is massive buzz about this production and already talk of Emmys. So this year alone, Matt will be seen in three films, a huge Netflix production on television and on stage in what is London’s hottest theatre ticket. Hmmm, if anything, his post Who career is more successful already than Tennant’s, who only has Broadchurch 1 (he got mediocre reviews in the UK for his acting although the first series of the show was a hit) and Jessica Jones which got mostly 2 star reviews here in the UK from the mainstream press and Tennant was criticised for his overly hammy acting. His Shakespeare theatre stuff wasn’t well received critically and he has a non existent film career. (I think David is better liked by US critics than British ones who generally see him as a lightweight compared to Matt, Chris or Peter.)
Personally bringing back Matt for other than a cheeky cameo is nuts. Peter Capaldi is doing a brilliant job and series 9 of Who got by far the best reviews of any series since the reboot and Peter is popular and well liked by the public and adored, even more than Matt, by the critics. It would be true to say that although Peter is more respected than Matt, David or Chris in the role, he is a little less popular than those three in the UK but the show remains very popular itself.
So, I don’t want to see Matt back except for a cameo but in any case, his career is going spectacularly well and he simply won’t be available as he is going straight into a new film immediately after finishing his theatre run in August.
I’m a fan of Capaldi, too! Amazing talent!
Based on my now 16 year old niece, I expected a drop-off of the fan base in America, since part of Matt Smith’s popularity “like, TOTally” came from the tween and teens set during his run. (The first thing my niece said when the Dr. regenerated into Capaldi was “He’s so OLLLD!”)
The BBC isn’t helping matters at all, as Capaldi himself said the show wasn’t getting “support” from the current administration of the network…these people apparently still look at DR. WHO as a children’s show, and feel it”s gotten “too sophisticated.” The decision to not air it until 2017 is inherently dumb…and also a reason that the Dr.’s next companion is a young girl…if you think of a college student as a young girl.
If Matt Smith does want to come back, it might be interesting to do an arc with the two Doctors, but it’s incredibly insulting to a talent of Mr. Capaldi’s stature to do this, imho.
Vinnie, Tennant isn’t suffering…BROADCHURCH (both the original and the American rip-off), JESSICA JONES (in which he’s been nominated for an Emmy), and theatre roles.
Who says the rules of “Doctor Who” are written in stone? I would prefer Tennant come back over Smith. I would also prefer 3 more years of Capaldi. These are not horrible rumors.