By: Ben U.
Doctor Who, a global hit TV series originating from Britain has recently had a newest addition to the crew, Peter Capaldi, with the role as the main character.The central character of the series, simply known as ‘The Doctor,’ is an ancient ‘Timelord’ who loves to bring human companions on the adventure of their lives. Travelling across both time and space in the Doctor’s favorite mode of transportation, the T.A.R.D.U.S; yet, every now and then, the Doctor puts on a different character along the ride.
As a Timelord, the Doctor can go through a ‘regeneration’ of sorts when he dies, which causes him to come back to life with a new face, personality, and most importantly, a new fashion sense. Though Timelord’s can still be killed permanently if they are attacked during this regeneration, the Doctor is still in, coming back time and time again with a new actor playing the role and adding his own flare to it.
The series has run for years now, even breaching the gap between multiple generations, yet it wasn’t until Matt Smith, a young actor took over the role of ‘The Doctor’. Becoming the youngest actor ever to be given the role of The Doctor, Matt Smith was the Doctor that became viral across the world, bridging the gap overseas to America.
Doctor Who continued to become even more popular, becoming one of the best known television series in the world. However, not all things last, and eventually, Matt Smith stepped down from the role of the doctor, leaving many to wonder who would be the newest Doctor.
Weeks later, 50 year-old Peter Capaldi was announced as the newest Doctor.
Immediately people questioned Steven Moffat, the head writer of Doctor Who, and his choice of having an ‘old’ man be the newest Doctor when the previous couple have been relatively handsome men.
In response to these questions, Steven Moffat has recently said in reply, “When you choose a doctor, you want somebody who is utterly compelling, attractive in a very odd way. None of the doctors are conventionally attractive, but they’re all arresting.”
Saying, “Handsome men don’t quite suit.”
And though he even admitted that, “Matt Smith’s a young, good-looking bloke from one angle,” yet added on that, “but is actually the strangest looking man from another.” That it wasn’t Matt’s good looks that gave him the role, but the oddity that was Matt Smith.
“You need that oddity; you need somebody who is carved out of solid star.”
Though, there have been a variety of reactions to Steven’s answer to questions on his choosing of Peter Capaldi.
Some say that he’s insulting the previous Doctors, Matt Smith and David Tennant, calling them ‘ugly,’ while others have gained this new understanding of the choosing of the Doctors, and appreciate this inside look in what makes the Doctors, and especially on what to expect from Peter Capaldi, if Moffat has said that, “Peter’s a big child at heart.”
However, there seems to be more to Moffat’s words than on first glance.
While Moffat admits that some of the previous Doctors are considered handsome, he shows how that doesn’t matter in their casting; it’s the oddity, the special qualities of the actors that make the choice. Something that is shared not only with acting, but with every business, career, with anything, it’s the distinctive qualities of the person that gives them the accomplishments.
Steven Moffat has touched on a way of living, saying that it isn’t what’s on the outside that gives the person the accomplishments and dreams they wanted, but it’s who they are on the inside that helps them to achieve their goals.
Wise words to live by, and wiser words to cast by.
