When it comes to Doctor Who, I am most definitely a Matt Smith kinda guy. His eleventh incarnation of the long-running British sci-fi icon was definitely my favourite by far (don’t worry, I still have way much love for David Tennant as well), and the same is true for many modern Doctor Who fans. Which meant that Peter Capaldi has had some major shoes to fill when took over the role at the end of 2013. And he’s filled them… sort of.
With Capaldi’s much more cranky Time Lord at the helm, series showrunner/writer Steven Moffat has given us a slightly inconsistent two seasons thus far. That’s not to say that they were poor at all – both seasons can boast episodes that easily rank among the all-time best in the show’s 53 year lifetime (“Heaven Sent” is easily in the top 5 for me) – but they weren’t always as consistently great either. Some have put that down to the massive change in temperament that Capaldi brings to the table as his much older Doctor has been a lot more edgy and curmudgeonly (harking back to the legendary William Hartnell’s original effort) than his recent predecessors.
And if you’re one of those people who for some reason completely hate his Doctor and just want it to go away (and yes, these strangely aggressive people are out there), then you may be getting your wish after all. Chatting to Telegraph.co.uk about the recent Christmas Special “The Husbands of River Song”, Capaldi revealed that the upcoming season 10 – his third as the Doctor – could be his last.
“This could be my final year – it’s terrifying. I love Doctor Who but it can be quite an insular world and I do want to do other things. There will come a time when this is over. But I knew that when I started. I was thinking about my regeneration scene from the outset. That’s my terrible melancholic nature. When you accept the job you know there’ll come a day, inevitably, when you’ll be saying goodbye.”
This should really not come as the biggest surprise though, or be a reflection on Capaldi’s popularity (or lack thereof, for some) as traditionally most of the actors who have played the role have only ever stayed on for three years. There have been some notable exceptions though: the 3rd and 4th Doctors, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, stayed on for five and seven years, respectively, while Tennant and Smith both stuck around on our screens much longer thanks to a number of Specials.
But on average, three years has generally been the shelf life for a new Time Lord, and if Capaldi really is going to follow that plan then I can only hope that this next season is as fantastic as the last one so that he can go out on a massively high note.
I guess that would also mean that it’s time to start talking about a replacement again. So hey, Hayley Atwell! Still interested in making history as the first female Doctor?! You sure as hell got my vote! Also, if you’re one of the fans who wished the 57-year old Capaldi on his birthday last year, he would like to say thank you.
Last Updated: January 7, 2016
