Doctor Who: Who Should be the 14th Doctor? No, it’s Not Hugh Grant.
Any old British guy won’t do. With Russel Davies coming back to run the show, who’s in the running to become the 14th Doctor Who?
Jodie Whittaker wrapped her time as the Doctor after the New Year’s Eve special. Chris Chibnall’s run on the series has been a divisive moment for the Who fandom – even though his choice of a lady-Doctor has been a long-overdue moment. For the next season, Russel T. Davies will be resuming his position as Doctor Who show-runner, we’re looking forward to his influence on the franchise, but that begs the question – who will be the 14th Doctor? There are plenty of rumors swirling around, but I’ve got suggestions of my own.
First, Can David Tennant be the 14th Doctor?
Courtesy of the BBC
I will go on the record by saying that so far, the 10th Doctor is my Doctor. Even on rewatches, when he cries out “I don’t want to go”, I can’t not cry. Tennant is the first on the list of “I wouldn’t be mad about it” casting possibilities. Sure, I guess, bring Tennant back. He’s brilliant, amazing, and could play the Doctor well until he dies.
Fans Want Michael Sheen
#2 on the list of “I wouldn’t be mad about it” is Tennant’s Good Omens co-star, Michael Sheen. The actor’s ability to nail whimsy is top-tier. Playing the Doctor would also mean his return to Doctor Who – he voiced the planet House in “The Doctor’s Wife”.
Sure, Sheen would make an excellent Doctor. However, I’d rather see him as a 4-5 episode arc character who plays alongside the Doctor. Whether a companion, a foil, or both, Sheen unarguably deserves a larger place in the Who mythos. I just don’t know if playing the actual Doctor gives me maximum joy.
Jo Martin
Courtesy of the BBC
I’m eager to have Davies’ signature storytelling style back on screen, but I would like to see him think outside the box when it comes to Doctor casting. Looking at the lore built around the 13th Doctor, it’s not unreasonable to wonder if this Jo Martin’s Doctor will return in some fashion. Taking an opportunity to fill out the legend of the Doctor’s memory gap would be great for the show’s continuity.
The only downside is that Jo’s Doctor wasn’t presented as particularly fun. Personally, I think that Jo’s Doctor would have to experience some circumstantial adjustments to deliver the lighthearted balance to the show’s heavier storylines. But can Jo deliver as an HBIC Doctor? 100%.
Other Contenders for the 14th Doctor
Several actors from Davies’ show It’s a Sin sit at the center of 14th Doctor rumors – Olly Alexander and Omari Douglas have both coyly addressed rumors that Davies favored them for the position. Meanwhile their costar Lydia West recently received the endorsement of the 13th Doctor herself, Jodie Whittaker.
From left to right, Omari Douglas, Lydia West, and Olly Alexander, courtesy of HBO Max
These rumors are incredibly promising – firstly, It’s a Sin was an incredible display of queer joy and emotion. Any of these three stars would turn in a grade-A performance. All three actors would also make for a particularly young casting for the Doctor, which feels very exciting. And any one of them would bring a fresh non-white, non-male, and/or LGBTQ chapter to the Doctor’s lineage. Which brings me to…
Can I get a Non-Binary 14th Doctor?!
When Jodie took up the helm, there was a bit of a kerfuffle about the Doctor’s gender. Why not head that nonsense off at the pass? Is it time to deliberately cast a nonbinary actor as the Doctor? Yes. Yes, it is. I’m with companion actress Pearl Mackie (Bill), I want the next installment of Doctor Who to exist beyond the binary.
This is actually just a Bill stan account, #sorrynotsorry
And before you rush to the comments and yell “who cares?” I’m non-binary. So me, I care. While recent productions like Sandman and Our Flag Means Death are including non-binary characters in their universes, we make up such a small percentage of established fiction characters. We’ve got some catchin’ up to do, y’all.
And honestly, what a cheeky way to settle all the concern about the next Doctor’s gender! When you move around through time and space, meeting a virtually unlimited number of alien races, who cares about some silly social rules about what it means to be perceived as man or woman? If Ursula K. Le Guin has taught us anything in retrospect, it’s that Earth’s perceptions of gender are probably not actually universal.
I’d love to see someone like Emma D’Arcy, Eliot Sumner, or a non-white enby step into the role of the Doctor. Of course, a non-binary companion would be satisfying, too.
