How long will Capaldi Last?

So we're pretty much half way through the latest season of New Doctor Who - how do you feel about Peter Capaldi's Doctor and how long do you think he'll last?

Personally I feel his Doctor is the worst of the new series (potentially of the lot tbh), being incredibly dull and boring to watch, with none of the magic of his predecessors. Every episode is tiresome to watch, and is generally only saved by Jenna's much more interesting performance. Admittedly Peter is not helped by being handed a load of rather boring stories - but the thing that is really frustrating for me personally is that there has been a lot of potential in most episodes so far that you could see Matt Smith or David T really pushing forward, that is just plain ignored.

Honestly it's almost as bad as when some nutcase cast Catherine Tate as a companion (still can't get over that, sorry :) ).

As you can tell I don't expect him to last very long in the role and am confident enough that we'll see a new Doctor next year - but any other thoughts? He might even get 2 seasons as it may be contractural..and who knows the writers and casting team could do him a favour and get rid of the recently introduced kid, and give him some interesting stories..but I suspect they will resort to just bringing back the Daleks and Cybermen to boost ratings later in the season instead.

This was a bit of a rant but I am curious if it's just me thinking this season has been a bit rubbish ?

I disagree with everything you've said! Capaldi is, in my eyes, one of if not the best Doctors ever. And this series is a real return to form with the stories being on par with those of the first two reboot series. By and large they're interesting and well written with Capaldi bringing real gravitas to the role. I'm really hoping he's going to be in the next series at least.

Matt Smith for President and Karen Gillan for the dungeons!


Rather conveniently I have a dungeon in mind...


not seen last 2 weeks episodes, will catch on iPlayer this week, Capaldi hasnt been quite my thing tho, prefer the zany Smith.

I don't think he'll last more than a season, he's hamstrung by a companion who provides zero positive interaction and a personality whicb doesn't suit Peter's strengths as an actor. If he were either an angrier or funnier Doctor, it'd be more enjoyable to watch, but we're getting instead a Doctor who'se really a bit of an anti hero sulkathon, with a companion who seems to be acting all the time.

I wasn't too sure on him in the first couple of episodes but then I said the same about Matt Smith, he has grown on me over the course of the series. I do feel something is lacking though but cannot put my finger on it.

I hope he stays on for a few series though, nothing worse than just getting used to someone and then they change.

Though it does seem as though Jenna Coleman just can't be bothered anymore.

Good rant :)

I think he is fine, I prefer his style to Smith who I always felt played the roll a bit soft and scatterbrained. Tenant is still my favourite, he was very much the Oncoming Storm.

Have enjoyed watching them all though. Even the episodes with Catherine Tate in them (there is something about her that just winds me up).

Have voted two seasons as I thought that was average, but thinking about it I should probably have voted three. It was only Ecclesone that bailed quickly dragging the average down (and giving us the joke that his career seemed bigger on the inside of his head than the outside :D ).

I do wonder if they are slowly setting us up for a female doctor next time. Could make for some interesting story lines. In the mean time, I think Capaldi is doing fine.

I think he was doing alright, but saying that, I've got the last 3 episodes on Tivo that I haven't watched yet, whereas with previous seasons, I'd be right on it if I couldn't get to see it on the night.

Jenna Coleman has come on leaps and bounds since her Emmerdale days. Her acting's OK too... arf arf arf

Well, we do know that Jenna Coleman ends up as a Dalek, so there is something to look forward to.

Personally I think that they should give the whole idea a rest for a while and do something different... perhaps even totally new:surprised: This is nothing to do with Capaldi who from what I've seen is doing a decent enough job with the dross he's been given. It just feels as though the show is slipping back towards the bad days of the Sylvester McCoy era. Admittedly I'm probably no longer the target audience as I grew up with Tom Baker as the Doctor, plus I'd rather watch an interesting documentary than so called light entertainment.

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Originally Posted by SeriousSam

Personally I think that they should give the whole idea a rest for a while and do something different... perhaps even totally new:surprised: This is nothing to do with Capaldi who from what I've seen is doing a decent enough job with the dross he's been given. It just feels as though the show is slipping back towards the bad days of the Sylvester McCoy era.

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actually I think you've nailed it bud!

The stories are dire at the moment.. I mean... who decided the green lizard bird needs to be a lesbian ? it's a tongue joke.. isn't it?

sillyness.

Didn't think I would like him but his performances, mannerisms and even the look of him from certain angles reminds me of Tom Baker (the Doctor from my very wee childhood)

Like others though, I feel that stories have gone downhill. I keep comparing every episode to the Christopher Eccleston series (oh why did he only do 1 season? :( ).....and of course, they don't hold up very well in that light.

Think he might last a while but I hope the stories pick up a bit.

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Originally Posted by Zak33

who decided the green lizard bird needs to be a lesbian ?

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Why shouldn't they be? Some reptiles reproduce through parthenogenesis so it seems perfectly apt for that storyline.

I've watched very few episodes of Dr Who over recent years, I've watched all of Capaldi's though - I agree that the episodes have to improve though.

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Originally Posted by adidan

Why shouldn't they be? Some reptiles reproduce through parthenogenesis so it seems perfectly apt for that storyline.

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because real life isnt always interesting.... humans take a dump every day, and sometimes pee on their own shoes and I don't need that on telly either... I want a STORY.. not a kids weird wet dream

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Originally Posted by shaithis

Like others though, I feel that stories have gone downhill. I keep comparing every episode up to the Christopher Eccleston series (oh why did he only do 1 season? :( ).....and of course, they don't hold up very will in that light.

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They were weak enough later in the Tennant era. Didn't watch much of the bow-tie wearing one before I gave up. And it is worse now again? How is that even possible?

For someone so brilliant in The Thick of It too. Ho hum. Hope the Beeb are paying him well for selling his credibility.

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Originally Posted by wasabi

They were weak enough later in the Tennant era. Didn't watch much of the bow-tie wearing one before I gave up. And it is worse now again? How is that even possible?

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this is close to my thoughts....Eccleston was amazing and reignited my Dr Who love.. Tenant carried it on and even improved by being a little tiny bit more approachable.. but.. it began to wain.... though it lasted v well.. then Matt Smith failed.... and Capaldi is just wrong... but as Serious Sam said.. that might be the script.

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Originally Posted by Zak33

because real life isnt always interesting.... humans take a dump every day, and sometimes pee on their own shoes and I don't need that on telly either... I want a STORY.. not a kids weird wet dream

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So it wouldn't have bothered you if it was a heterosexual reptilian couple? Or is it any reptilian action that is the issue?

Can't say I ever had a wet dream about lesbian reptiles when I was a kid.

As a point of note, this is one of the oddest discussions I've had on a forum. :)

TBH, considering the level of the storyline, I think we're both taking this too far. :)

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Originally Posted by Zak33

.. I mean... who decided the green lizard bird needs to be a lesbian ? it's a tongue joke.. isn't it?

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You clearly didn't read 'Strange Relations, the 1960 collection of short stories by Philip Jose Farmer, fabulous sci-fi writer who entranced me as a young teenager with that and others like Riverworld!

Personally, I think that Capaldi has the makings of a great Doctor, but the current scripts are uneven, and I'm starting to find my teeth set on edge by the seemingly incessant "I'm flouncing off...no I'm not" thing from Clara. I disliked "Kill the Moon" intensely, purely on the basis of the script, not the performances, couldn't have cared less about The Caretaker but then really liked Listen, Deep Breath, Mummy... and so forth. I hope he sticks around for three.

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Originally Posted by nichomach

Listen

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Best so far IMO.

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Originally Posted by Zak33

because real life isnt always interesting.... humans take a dump every day, and sometimes pee on their own shoes and I don't need that on telly either... I want a STORY.. not a kids weird wet dream

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A little bit homophobic isn't it Zak? They're two people in a relationship who shared an on-screen kiss. Just because you think a lesbian kiss is "a kids wet dream" doesn't mean the rest of us think of it like that. Am now wondering if you shopped recently in Sainsbury's in Brighton!

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Originally Posted by Lucio

A little bit homophobic isn't it Zak? They're two people in a relationship who shared an on-screen kiss. Just because you think a lesbian kiss is "a kids wet dream" doesn't mean the rest of us think of it like that. Am now wondering if you shopped recently in Sainsbury's in Brighton!

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Knowing Zak as I do he's not coming at it from a homophobic perspective, probably more that he felt it was unnecessary in terms of the episode. I've not seen the act in question but it sounds like the BBC being all "hey look aren't we great and inclusive... bla bla bla". Admittedly I'm an old school Dr Who fan, and would add in Eccleston to that, so to me overt sexual behaviour isn't what the show should be about.

Look at this this way. The only thing they got right in the Tenant arc was the subtlety of the relationship with rose. We didn't need to see them smooching. You could see the depth of bond they had by how they interacted. It made the final scene much more poignant and showed a degree of intelligent writing sadly lacking in recent series.

Hmm, interesting question. Personally I think a "scenery chewer" like Capaldi needs a good strong story line to get his teeth into, and the writers have pretty much failed to deliver on that front. Not sure why since, unlike the Sylvester McCoy years, they're not having to do with "loose change" budgets. (Best McCoy episode - imho - is Battlefield, maybe Curse of Fenric as a 2nd).

What I was hoping for from Mr C's Doctor was a return to a more edgier Who, then again I'm going to agree with the folks that say it's a shame that Chris Ecclestone didn't do more shows.

For the rest, I'm not bothered by the lezzie lizards (at all) and would have preferred to see Ms Coleman used a bit better than an on/off love interest. And is it me, or is her accent getting more pronounced the more episodes she does? At this rate, she'll be sounding like Gracie Fields in no time. ;)

I have only watched the first episode with Capaldi in, seemed okay in that, but some of the comments are making me think it may not be worth watching all the new episodes I have been saving up for when I have some free time =)

Really like the Tenant and Eccleston era's, but I did not really watch any of the Matt Smith episodes, found it became a little bit more childish and predictable, but maybe I just become more boring =)