If you know me, which, judging by the fact you've ended up at what is possibly the darkest and dankest (and most neglected) outlet for my creative output, you'll know that I like that family (children's) show that started nearly sixty years ago. Yes, of course, I am talking about Doctor Who. If you have ever made the mistake of even mentioning the show in passing around me, you would have experienced an infodump unlike any other and unleashed a seemingly never-ending flow of passionate praise and (probably a lot more) complaining.
Yes, I realise that I am completely obsessed, won over, as I like to put it, by the show, which is why times like this are so important to me (and my mood). For those with a little less time for realistically irrelevant news about a BBC property than I have, you may not know that the incumbent Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, is vacating the TARDIS. After four years in the role of the Doctor, with an extra incoming, and three series, including the upcoming series 13, as well as the special episode to celebrate the BBC's centenary, Whittaker has restarted the agonising process of sci-fi nerds all over the globe picking out their favourite actors and presenting them to helpless readers and listeners who try their best to stay away from the ranks of ranting maniacs.
Today, I join those ranks, as, for the last month, I have been compiling a list of the actors who I would most like to see don a long flowing coat and another quirky item of clothing soon to be reclaimed by the comic-con stampedes. Unlike other ranting maniacs, I haven't given myself a certain number, I will just be presenting the actors who I would really like to see take the role, not ten or five or fifteen; eight. These actors are, naturally, all people who I would like to see, not influenced by any other factor (though, of course, nobody who is dead (at the time of writing) features).
Before I present my list, I think it is worth mentioning that I have a very clear idea of who should be the next Doctor, not in terms of a singular person, but I believe the next person to be cast in the role needs to fit into a very specific category, which, spoiler alert, is not white males. Though Doctor Who is such a positive force and never means to hurt, the time has come for the white male image of the Doctor to be completely shattered. With only one female Doctor leading the show so far, who is about to hang up her boots, I believe the next Doctor very much needs to be another identifying female, a decision that would be made on behalf of the BBC to show that they are not afraid to cast another woman, which may have been a fear that developed after the performance of the past two series, something which was the fault of the quality of the scripts that just so happened to be given to the first female Doctor. Now that the show is back in the hands of the extremely capable Russell T Davies, it can be expected that a female Doctor would be given the material needed to form a great character and great performance that Whittaker was unfortunately robbed of.
My other requirement is that the next Doctor needs to be a person of colour. To put it bluntly, if the next Doctor is white, I'm going to be rather disappointed. The BBC like to think they are progressive. To a certain extent, I think they are, and I would like them to continue to prove that by casting the lead of their flagship show as a woman of colour. Those who have been keeping up with the show will know that Jo Martin, a woman of colour, did play the Doctor in series twelve, a highlight of the show in the past few years, perhaps even since the revival in 2005. Martin was fantastic in her episode (and a small cameo later in the series) and I'm sure she will return in series 13 to continue to prove that greatness, but, for now, she is just a side character who just so happens to be The Doctor. Had Chris Chibnall stayed on to write another series for another Doctor, I would have bet a lot on Martin being the 14th Doctor, however, (thankfully) Chibnall is retiring with Whittaker and Davies will be casting number 14. I don't think it would be absurd to think that Davies would cast Martin in the role of 14, however, I'd imagine he has a clear idea of where the show will go under his control again and, my feeling is, that he won't delve too much into the absolute mess that is the Timeless Child that will, hopefully, be wrapped up clearly in series 13, meaning Martin's Doctor may not have much of a future on the show.
Considering Davies's progressiveness, I believe he would understand the need to cast a woman of colour today, with the need for obvious inclusiveness in television and film becoming increasingly important to production companies and audiences alike, especially considering the extremely white history of this show. Unintentionally, the eight actors I have picked for my 'dream Doctor', mostly fit these categories, or, at least one of them. So, without further ado, I present to you the eight people who I would like to see wielding a sonic screwdriver, running down corridors and piloting the TARDIS in 2023.
8. Lydia West
I am completely torn on Lydia West. Not as an actor, not as the Doctor, in fact, I would be delighted if she was announced as Jodie Whittaker's replacement, however, the only reason she is at the bottom of the list is that I think she would make an equally great companion.
In case you haven't been keeping up with the work of past showrunners (now future too...), West has had a very short acting career, her first on-screen performance being in Russell T Davies's phenomenal Years and Years, moving swiftly on to Steven Moffat's interpretation of Dracula and back to RTD's It's a Sin.
So far, those are her only on-screen roles; as I said, a very short career. However, it has been in that career that has so far only been exhibited with three roles that West has proven herself a real powerhouse.
West's roles have collectively allowed her to display her range as an actor, with disappointment and optimism being common in Years and Years, contempt and confusion in Dracula and sympathy, sadness and anger in It's a Sin. Her Doctor would be upbeat, bubbly and full of life, really another try at what Chibnall was going for with Whittaker, just under the supervision of a much more inspired writer.
However, as I mentioned before, West is only in eighth position because I could very easily see her getting the role of the next companion. This early in her already successful career, West has shown so much range but all of her characters have been so human and very down-to-Earth, matter-of-fact, at least. Though the majority of Doctors have been cast in the same sort of position as West, not massively well-known (though the role usually comes to them slightly later in their career), it may be a little too early in West's career for the lead role to be given to her. Though I think she would make a wonderful Doctor, I think it is more likely we see her elevated to a more recognised status through the role of the Doctor's best friend. the best thing about that is, we could be treated to her performing alongside any one of the next seven entries. In whatever form it comes, I'd be surprised if the show wasn't graced with her presence under Davies's control, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for any clues...
West in 'Years and Years', demonstrating the infectious enthusiasm that has become synonymous with the character of the Doctor in recent years.
West in 'It's a Sin' as Jill Baxter. This clip contains minor spoilers for the series, so enter at your own risk.
7. Michaela Coel
Whenever it is announced that a regeneration is incoming, the tabloids go wild. Absolutely wild. Clearly, they don't understand what makes the show special, not realising that names like Robert Downey Jr. and Idris Elba just shouldn't be associated with the role of the Doctor because the role would just be another job, there would be no magic because they have both had roles that have come to define them in Iron Man and Luther. Doctor Who is a show that makes household names, not one that harbours them, at least not in the lead role. Some fans of the show do similar, particularly the young ones who have just been shown the Harry Potter films for the first time, leading to names such as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson always being added to the pile. The result of this is always a load of seriously unsuitable actors being bandied about, actors who wouldn't be suitable for the role and or actors who are completely out of the BBC's budget. Saying that, there is always one or two names that someone throws in that completely hit the mark and really get my imagination going (no, I'm not talking about Richard Ayoade, who wouldn't be the Doctor, he'd be Richard Ayoade just being himself), this time, that name is Michaela Coel.
Though the chances of her actually being cast are slim considering she has just won an Emmy for her series (which she wrote, directed, starred in and was an executive producer for), which has also already won a BAFTA, an Independent Spirit Award and a Television Critics Association Award, among many others, if Coel is willing to take a step back from a career that is just about to skyrocket, suggested by her brief appearance in a recent Star Wars film and an undisclosed role in Black Panther II: Wakanda Forever, she would be a fantastic Doctor.
On and off screen, Coel has frequently expressed passionately her hopes, fears and concerns within society, often bringing out passionate and controlled contempt which could very easily be directed towards the face of one of the Doctor's greatest enemies to a stunning effect. Coel clearly has a clear understanding of drama and coming out of what has been a strangely light and airy era of Doctor Who, a more serious Doctor with a sarcastic streak might be just what the show needs to ground it again, something I'm sure Michaela could bring to the table with ease and enthusiasm. I also think that, in my mind anyway, the way Coel's Doctor would act would be unlike any Doctor before; she has such skill that it's hard to imagine her basing her character off of any previous interpretation of the role, meaning she would surely bring something new and refreshing to the show, something that I'd be very open to seeing.
Though I definitely wouldn't put any money on Coel taking the sonic baton from Whittaker, I think she would be a very good candidate for a Doctor to bring a whole new audience to the show, hopefully gaining it a little more respect and credit. And, whilst I'm not hopeful, Coel has said, when asked about Doctor Who, that she "never says 'never' to anything", so, perhaps there will come a day when this name can be crossed off my wishlist.
6. Nathaniel Curtis
It would be fair to say It's A Sin has certainly influenced this list to an extent, but not in the ways I've seen other lists influenced. After Russell T Davies stated at the beginning of the year that he would cast Olly Alexander as the 14th Doctor if he was casting the role, which, in hindsight, may not have been the best choice of words considering his recent reappointment, though it would be quite funny if Alexander got the role after the massive amount of speculation currently going on about hundreds of other names. Though Alexander was phenomenal in It's a Sin, it was Nathaniel Curtis, who played Ash, who I thought would make the better Doctor.
Similarly to Lydia West, Curtis would be taking on the role of the Doctor very early in his career, though even earlier, as It's a Sin was his first appearance in television and film. Curtis is currently filming for The Witcher: Blood Origin, which is sure to gain him some more recognition, but I'd love to see him become a recognised actor with Doctor Who, especially if he is piloting the TARDIS.
In It's a Sin, Ash was, in my eyes, the carer for the group. Whilst his character was never the linchpin of any situation, he cared for his friends and supported them constantly, which, thanks to Curtis's performance, came across particularly well. I'd love to see The Doctor take on a softer persona after a streak of Doctors who have either been too alien to fully understand their companions (I'm looking at you 11, 12 and 13) or Doctors who have had a relationship with their companions that has been more banterous than avuncular (9 and 10). None of the classic Doctors ever showed their companions much more than their eccentric mad-scientist side, with the occasional glimpse of a more social creature beneath. Because of this, I'd love to see a Doctor with a deep understanding of their friends and I think Curtis would be a very good option for a Doctor like this, especially as it would be going against the predictable older Doctor that you'd expect to see develop this kind of relationship.
Not only would Curtis's Doctor be kind and caring, with a deep affinity for his human friends, he'd also be pretty damn cool. In It's a Sin, Ash was relaxed but sharp and direct when necessary, he remained calm and collected, holding back a fury that was very Doctorish. Unlike pretty much every Doctor from the past decade, I'd imagine this coolness would make for a very suave character, pacing up and down quietly as everyone else panicked, surrounded by fire, before silently speeding off to do what he needs to do to save the world from that week's invasion.
Should the next Doctor be Curtis? No. As I've said, the role should be reserved for a woman of colour, however, I could definitely forgive Davies if Curtis was cast, not only because he is not white, but because he would be the first openly queer actor to take the role, which would be another great change to the show and its representation.
Ash's 'no gay books in the library' speech from 'It's a Sin'.
5. Seyan Sarvan
Doctor Who has always thrown curveballs with the casting of the titular role. It's what makes me laugh about Richard Ayoade, Kris Marshall and Rupert Grint being brought up like new names every single time it happens, without fail. Nobody expected Jodie Whittaker (until the last minute), nobody even expected a woman to be given the role, so, I am half expecting the 14th Doctor to be another complete curveball, someone who many have never even heard of and, if that is the way casting goes, Seyan Sarvan would be my top choice for that curveball, a sensational curveball, at that.
You may have been looking at the picture above, trying to place where you've seen her. Once again, the pool of talent that is It's a Sin has added to my wishlist. Sarvan had a very small part in It's a Sin, playing Lizbeth Farooqi, a lawyer in the show. Because I don't want to spoil the show, which those who would be having it spoiled need to hurry up and watch, I won't say whose lawyer Sarvan plays, but that is irrelevant, all that needs to be known is that in her cumulative screentime of fewer than ten minutes in the whole series sold me straight away. Farooqi defends her client with the same edge and confidence that many Doctors have delivered speeches about the value of Earth or the horror of war and I'd even be tempted to say she outdoes a number of them. Sarvan portrays the character in such a way that could easily be likened to the Doctor and, if edited correctly, the character could probably fool some into thinking that her scenes were an exclusive clip from an upcoming series of Doctor Who.
Of course, I am basing my entire wish on less than ten minutes from a show that lasts for roughly five collective hours but within that ten minutes, she shows extreme care, courage, disgust and compassion; the four key traits the best Doctors have managed to convey so well. Sarvan, if offered the role, would almost certainly take it (I'd like to think so anyway) due to her modest portfolio, which is comprised only of It's a Sin, two small-scale independent films and various roles on stage in London. The part of the Doctor would be a perfect fit for Seyan and I think the only real reason why she wouldn't be considered is that the BBC is looking for a bigger name to attract a larger audience. However, considering her status as almost unknown as well as her superb talent and obvious RTD connection, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sarvan is in with a chance.
Sarvan as Lizbeth Farooqi appears at 28:24. Be aware, for those who haven't yet seen It's a Sin, this clip contains major spoilers.
4. Katherine Parkinson
As every half-wit (no, I'm not apologising...) around the globe rants about how incredible Richard Ayoade would be as the Doctor, referencing The Crystal Maze and The IT Crowd, shouting about how funny Maurice Moss is and how brilliant it would be if he got the chance to flex those comedy skills in the TARDIS, I'm always sat in my room in seething silence, wondering why nobody is noticing how good Ayoade's IT Crowd co-star, Katherine Parkinson, would be in the role. Admittedly, this one is a little left field, especially considering the traits of my ideal Doctor, because, in reality, Parkinson would be the complete opposite and still probably ace it.
The idea of Parkinson piloting the TARDIS first came to me watching her try her very best in Taskmaster's tenth series, which, to me, appeared to be a screen test yielding some of the most interesting and surprisingly great results. If she was to get the role, Parkinson would, I'd expect, be performing rather than acting, or I'd like her to at least. I say this because, for most of her tasks on Taskmaster, she either failed miserably, resulting in something extremely laughable (which was always followed by a fantastic self-deprecating one-liner) or triumphed in an inconceivably unconventional manner. The energy she brought to the show was so kooky when placed next to the other contestants, who all approached the task with panic, anger or sweaty determination, there was just something that clicked, whether that was the time she took to deeply ponder about the simplest of tasks, quietly calculating every move, or diving into the bigger tasks with a certain naivety that the Doctor often possesses.
After loving her contribution to Taskmaster, I went searching for more of her roles and saw her in many other productions, lots that I had already seen before, including Inside No. 9, in which she played a significant part in the first episode of the first series, the 2020 film Radioactive and the sci-fi show Humans. All of her roles, from Jen in the IT Crowd to Laura in Humans, give her another reason to be considered for the Doctor, each, like with many others on the list, giving her the opportunity to exhibit different skillsets and emotions, comedic or not.
Katherine is one of those faces from British television who has always been sitting just under the surface of being a household name, probably a face that so many people recognise from somewhere, even if that somewhere is the basement of Reynholm Industries. Not only would Katherine be a safe choice for the Doctor, but she would be lovable, funny and endearingly modest, with a side of firm fairness that is never afraid to assert her moral compass. Additionally, she would inevitably do a fantastic job.
Katherine Parkinson's Taskmaster 'Successes'.
Parkinson in a very surreal Taskmaster interview in which she plays Alex Horne, opposite Alex Horne, who plays Katherine Parkinson...
Parkinson in 'Humans' giving a very Doctor-ish performance.
3. Sian Clifford
When I originally started compiling this list mentally, or rather properly thinking about my list outside of the top couple of names on this list (plus Katherine Parkinson), Sian Clifford was nowhere to be seen. Admittedly, she was the last name added to this prestigious and yet meaningless list. Originally, when I was preparing to write the article, she was number seven, which was also the last spot, as I had, at that point, decided to leave Lydia West out because I thought it more likely that she gets cast as a companion. However, things change. Ideas stick and bloom and some of them blossom quickly into something that you really like the look of, very occasionally, you are completely overcome with the brilliance of everything about that mental blossom, to the point where you feel as though it would be wrong for anyone to deny you the right to see your mental blossom make its way into reality. These are my feelings about Sian Clifford as the Doctor.
I first pitched the idea of Clifford driving the TARDIS to myself whilst discussing who number 14 may be whilst walking between locations previously used for shooting Doctor Who in Cardiff, a trip we took for my birthday that is somehow an even larger mark of an antisocial nerd that writing a blog about who you want the next lead of a failing BBC family show to be... After having listed the names who follow Clifford, as well as Parkinson and Coel (I hadn't watched It's a Sin at this point either!), who were joined by a few other names that I would like to see, but not enough to list here, I thought of another show that yielded just about everyone's speculation in 2017, when the replacement of the best Doctor had not yet been announced; Fleabag. Everyone everywhere had just about confirmed that Phoebe Waller-Bridge would be the thirteenth Doctor. Having watched Fleabag, the second season of which is easily one of my favourite seasons of television, I'll admit, I would definitely be up for seeing Waller-Bridge take on the role, she was even on a version of this list that I started making in the first quarter of the year, when heavy speculation about Whittaker's exit was really taking off. Given more time to think about it, I couldn't stop making the connection between her and Miranda Hart, who was also subject to some Doctor Who speculation, which, as much as I love her, I was completely against. I look for a reservedness in the Doctor, I want to see calm calculation and a side of coldness. I want to see the divide between human and Timelord and I think Waller-Bridge would be too much of a David Tennant clone and, for those who don't know, Tennant's Doctor really doesn't do much for me at all.
Fleabag was on my mind, though, and it wouldn't leave. I didn't really know why, because I had convinced myself that there were many people out there who would do better than Waller-Bridge. Then, Inside No. 9's sixth series aired, featuring the episode 'Lip Service', in which Clifford starred, and then everything clicked. Sian went from just another 'could be' to a 'very much should be', climbing all the way to number three as I wrote. I had remembered how great Clifford was in Fleabag and how, most of the time, she wasn't doing anything that was inherently 'Doctorish', she was just an incredibly good actor who conveyed some traits that, looking back on it, I would really like to see brought to Doctor Who. Claire, Clifford's character in Fleabag, was blunt, irritable, touchy and, very occasionally, deeply empathetic. Following on from Jodie Whittaker's lovable but often two-dimensional Doctor (which, I'll reiterate, I believe is all the fault of the scripts), adding some of these traits to the character definitely wouldn't go amiss; it would add some much-needed character that isn't some grandiose mythology which does its best to serve as an imperfection. The Doctor is very much imperfect and Clifford could easily convey that.
Imagining her within a scene is brilliant, like within Fleabag and her episode of Inside No. 9, she would almost blend into the background and then, with minimal dialogue, perhaps even one or two firm words, there she is, at the centre of everyone's attention. Her command on screen is brilliantly magnetic, there is just something about her that keeps drawing you back in and that is one of the key elements for playing a good Doctor. For those who haven't seen Inside No. 9, but are familiar with Claire, Clifford played someone who had been hired to lipread for Steve Pemberton's character, who was set up in a hotel that was opposite the hotel where his wife was staying with a colleague. I won't divulge too much plot detail, mainly because you should definitely watch the episode (and the whole series), but I will say that Clifford gives a completely different performance but with the same brilliant gravitas that she possesses in Fleabag, probably the side effect of a naturally talented actor.
Seeing those two performances has sold me on Sian Clifford taking 14, or 15, or 16, or whatever. The vast contrast in the two characters has indicated to me that she could do anything with the character of the Doctor and I'm sure she could do anything well. The BBC surely have her on their list too!
2. Stephen Mangan
Well, here he is, the one white man on the list, the one person on this list who most people have responded with some expression of disapproval or disagreement when I have told them that I'd love for Stephen Mangan to play the Doctor. Mangan was the first person I ever picked out of anything as a 'dream Doctor', he is the original, you might say. I think, partly, having been exposed to his on screen presence so much for quite a number of years, both in fictional and non-fictional situations, including
Green Wing,
Would I Lie to You?,
Artist of the Year,
Travel Man and
Bliss, Mangan has become a personality who I have grown to love in many different forms, from the irritating and often misogynistic Guy Secretan in Green Wing, whose ability to make you laugh makes you hate him even more, to the man on the brink of a nervous breakdown in the variable Bliss, which, to me, was just an exhibition of how great Stephen Mangan really is. His affinity for offbeat characters is absolutely amazing.
I remember the first time I really thought 'oh, I'd like for you to be the Doctor' about Mangan was after seeing him in Houdini & Doyle, which, thinking about it now, was definitely Channel 4's attempt to start their own Doctor Who equivalent, which is probably why my young mind thought Mangan, who played Arthur Conan Doyle, was so good and so Doctorish as he solved seemingly supernatural crime opposite Michael Weston, who played Harry Houdini. The show was a critical failure, something that I am still upset by. I loved the show during its one-season run and I loved its kookiness and I loved its characters, who were, in effect, their own versions of a human Doctor, Jackson Lake style. I particularly loved Mangan's performance on the show because of how laid back he was compared to Weston. Many watching probably would have thought that Weston would have been a good Doctor, especially fans of Tennant, but, me being me, I adored how Conan Doyle would often have to work hard, visibly hard, to get to a conclusion but, when he eventually got there, he got there in style, complete with the classic 'proud but don't want to show it' demeanour that has become a very common trait in the Doctor. Houdini & Doyle also gave Mangan a great opportunity to showcase (if only to me) his tenderness as an actor, which, of course, is a side of the Doctor that is perhaps more important than anything else, after all, fighting the Daleks is one thing, but caring for companions and giving someone to the audience almost to confide in is what the show is all about. In Houdini and Doyle, one of the threads that ran through the series was the state of Arthur's wife, who was in a coma, suffering from tuberculosis. This offered so much opportunity for Mangan to bring out his more human side, leaving supernatural cases behind in favour of establishing himself as a heartfelt creature whose biggest interests were the people around him.
Since Houdini & Doyle, which was the stint that showed me how good Mangan would be, I've seen so many other little things in all of his other performances that could be melted together to make an extremely fun incarnation of the Doctor. The first encounter I properly had with Mangan was in Green Wing, in which he was hilarious, though often repulsive, treating everyone around him as if he was way above them, the joke being that he really isn't, to any extent whatsoever, but it's his confidence in himself that makes it so funny. Though I'd like for the Doctor not to be a pompous git, I've always adored the moments in which they drop all modesty and state outright how they fully believe everyone around them is inferior to them and that they are in charge. Capaldi was the king of it. Judging from Mangan's performances in other shows, such as Bliss and Hangups, I'd imagine him having a very extroverted persona, like the relative at the family gathering who can never stand still, always having to move around and make adjustments, but never admitting to thinking that someone is doing something wrong until they are fidgeting like you've never seen. Most of the time, this relative is great fun, they stand out and they have a great rapport with everyone else, but they are, inwardly, a control freak and I think Mangan would portray that brilliantly. Of course, you wouldn't mind his pickiness or his perfectionist remarks here and there because he's charming and has great comedic timing, something he has definitely proven with his presentation of the Artist of the Year shows. I can imagine him travelling with a companion slightly younger than him, someone who would almost be his carer, or his apologist, as he runs around correcting everything and casually calling people an idiot without much thought. He would be a more obviously kind Capaldi, which is probably why I love the idea of him taking the role so much.
Of course, I think the likelihood of seeing him take the role of the 14th Doctor is minimal, not only since he is a straight white male but because he is already a fairly recognisable face to the British public, a face that appears often elsewhere. So, though now might not be the time for Stephen, in my mind, the part will well and truly be his in a few years, when Doctor Who has established itself fully as a truly diverse show.
1. T'Nia Miller
Well, here we are, or, here you are, because I've been here for ages. I truly mean that too; I've imagined T'Nia Miller as the Doctor in so many situations that I may as well have seen her in a series or two. The 'coveted' number one spot goes to an actor whose career doesn't span decades and it doesn't offer any roles that have made her a name that the nation remembers, however, as far as I'm concerned, the role of the 14th Doctor is hers, a role that will surely cement her name into the minds of a nation, a nation who would inevitably be stunned by Miller's acting power.
When it was announced a few weeks ago that Russell T Davies would be returning to Doctor Who, I was thrilled for a couple of reasons. One reason was that, more obviously, Doctor Who was seemingly on the path to a better place, it was about to return to someone who had experience with the controls, someone who drove the show to the peak of its popularity and acclaim. The other reason was that the woman who I had been wishing would be cast as the Doctor was now very much in the running. As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, all those years ago, I do believe Davies will make the right decision with the casting and I do believe he sees the need to cast not only another woman but a woman of colour. I also think Miller has a good shot at the role because Davies will almost certainly recognise the fact that there has never been an openly gay actor cast as the Doctor. Since Davies has, for obvious reasons, always been, quite rightly, keen to promote equality and inclusion in his work and has often written about LGBTQ+ characters, including during his first era on Doctor Who from 2005 to 2009, as well as in Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, Miller, being a gay woman, would be a fantastic choice not only for her talent but to promote inclusivity in terms of gender, race and sexual identity. Doctor Who is such a widespread show, with fans all over the globe, it is known everywhere by almost everyone. TARDIS, sonic screwdriver, Dalek and Cyberman mean something to a number of people that I'd confidently equate to at least ten times the number of viewers the show has recently been getting, perhaps even twenty or thirty times. To place someone like Miller in a role with that much exposure would be phenomenal, especially considering how great of an activist she is.
If this wasn't enough, Miller's chances of becoming the next Doctor are greater than so many others' for a couple of other reasons (yes, there's a lot, which is very positive from my perspective!) including the fact that Miller has already been in Doctor Who, and is therefore in the BBC's knowledge. Miller played the regenerated Timelord general in the finale of series 9, Hell Bent, being the result of the first on-screen regeneration from a male to a female and from one skin colour to another. Miller also played a lead role in the BBC series Years and Years, which, as you are probably aware, was written by none other than RTD. Miller also has contact with Davies through his twin series Cucumber and Banana which she also had a role in. With all of this very obvious connection, it seems ludicrous to think that Miller isn't being thought about or hasn't already been approached by the BBC or Davies, with the very intense speculation going on being finished off by a very exciting comment made by Miller on a Cameo video in which she heavily implies that, if offered the role, she would take it. So, for what could be the first time on this list, I think you could safely bet that the TARDIS might soon be under the control of T'Nia Miller.
If, I don't know, two years ago, you told me that Stephen Mangan wouldn't be my number one choice for the Doctor, I would have accused you of some serious mind games, I may have even gone as far as to call you a liar, but, within the last couple of years, Miller has been exposed to me, or re-exposed, after her first role in Doctor Who. The defining performance, the performance given in the show that the most people would recognise her from, Years and Years, was that impactful hit not only of political and economical nightmares but of the archetype of perhaps, in my eyes, a perfect Doctor. Miller played Celeste Bisme-Lyons, a hard-headed, independent matriarch. Because we've had the conversation about who should be the next Doctor at home a lot, my parents have heard me talk about Miller a lot and they, who also watched Years and Years, always tell me disdainfully that they really don't want to see Miller take the role. They always make the point that in Years and Years, she was horrible, which, whilst I think is an exaggeration (to a certain extent), is why she would be so good.
Currently, our Doctor is the lovable Jodie Whittaker, the Doctor who has not ever completely lost her temper or had an ego trip that lead to a room full of people not being able to make eye contact with her or even dare talk. In Chris Chibnall's eyes, the Doctor is inherently good, a character who is, in effect, the personification of perfection with an adaptable dark past that only shows up when convenient. What RTD and Steven Moffat got right was that the Doctor was by no means perfect, he was just privileged enough to be able to see a bigger picture. In their eras, Davies and Moffat made the Doctor just another one of his kind who just so happened to be galavanting around on Earth, whereas Chibnall has almost deified the Doctor, both through writing and through story, demonstrating a real misunderstanding of the character and why the show previously worked. The character is only really interesting when, like our friends and family, they make mistakes and they have obvious imperfections; watching a character who believes they are doing good all of the time and actually are doing good all of the time very quickly becomes repetitive and uninteresting, but seeing a character trying to do good because they feel it is their obligation, whilst not actually always doing the right thing or going about the situation in the right way, makes for a very interesting character and also one who sparks conversation, on and off screen, about morals, about ethics and even about philosophy.
Miller could assume this persona very easily, offering a strong, admirable character who often does what she feels is necessary, even if it may not seem like the right thing to do. Unlike Whittaker, I can imagine Miller's Doctor approaching every challenge not with a smile or a bubbly optimism but with a furrowed brow and a caution that would undoubtedly create the tension that the past era has been missing. Miller would own the room, her style and grace without a doubt adding to her already magnetic presence, the command she would hold over anyone she would speak to would be dazzling, at least for the audience, because she could break through steel with her piercing stare. It's this edge that I've been missing since Capaldi stepped down from the role, I've been missing the inherent alienness, that small divide that is always there between the Doctor and the rest of the people in one space, especially when, like Capaldi's interpretation, the Doctor knows they are on the right side of that divide. I could see Miller playing a relentless incarnation of the Doctor, unafraid of the consequences of blowing up a fleet of Daleks, she would be impulsive, intimidating and strong but, also, extremely gentle to the ones she loves.
The thing about having a more abrasive Doctor is that there needs to be a balance; Capaldi and Eccleston are my two favourite Doctors because they were set in their ways and harsh about it, but, to their companions and their friends, they were both incredibly sweet, fun and fatherly, expressing the deepest concern about the safety of their companions, which often went a long way. The cherry on top of T'Nia Miller is that not only could she give the firey speeches akin to the 'scale model of war' monologue in series nine's The Zygon Inversion, but she would be, from what I envision, the most caring Doctor to date. Of course, like everything I've written in this piece, that is speculation, but, from what I've seen, I'd imagine Miller would choose to play the Doctor like a strong, loving and powerful mother, hell-bent on protecting anything that means something to her by any means possible. Not only was Celeste in Years and Years a fantastic mother figure, but her character in Mike Flanagan's The Haunting of Bly Manor, Hannah Grose, was fiercely protective of the children who lived at Bly Manor. Grose, a housekeeper, seemed like the prototype for the soft side of the Doctor that I imagine, having some moments in that show that were genuinely heartfelt, making me wish I knew her, which is just the effect that anyone who plays the Doctor should have.
In an ideal world, Miller will be the 14th Doctor. I can see it, her fighting the Daleks with one companion, shouting them down and holding her companion behind her like a mother would with their child, never letting on how terrified she is as she warns them of her wrath and later, back in the confines of the TARDIS, sitting her friend down, holding their hand and making sure they are alright. She would provide the brilliance and exhilaration that the show used to give but also the cosiness that makes the character so special. Here's to hoping Miller follows in the footsteps of Colin Baker, Karen Gillan and Peter Capaldi and is cast in a lead role after having previously had a guest role. Saying that, it is safe to say that I will be looking out for whatever she does next, whether that involves time travel, sonic screwdrivers and a TARDIS or not.
T'Nia Miller as Celeste Bisme-Lyons in 'Years and Years'. This clip, whilst one of the best examples of how I imagine Miller's Doctor, does contain spoilers for the series.
More T'Nia Miller in 'Years and Years'.
Miller's previous Doctor Who role.
When the time comes for a name to be associated with the number fourteen, whether that name is T'Nia Miller or any other name on this list, I'm sure they will do a good job. The show is returning to the safe hands of Russell T Davies and is moving to Bad Wolf productions, which will be able to provide even more care than it gets at the moment. I have complete faith in the fact that Davies will cast someone who he thinks will appeal to his audience and I trust in him, he is, after all, a huge fan of Doctor Who and has been since he was young. I'm sure, at some point, he had a similar list to this, so, remember these names, keep them in mind, because they might just win you a lot of money at the bookies when Doctor Who falls into my hands...
Thank you for reading this lengthy piece of what I'd imagine is an unbearably sad article that has probably left you with nothing but questions such as 'how has he got friends?', 'who are his friends?' and 'how much do they get paid?', unless you are one of my friends, in which case you can expect your cheque by the end of the week, sorry payment has been slow, I've been working on a piece of writing about who should be cast in the main part in a children's show that most people hate now.
That's enough self-deprecation, really. Thanks again.
- Jay.
