Doctor 13
Let’s talk… Kris Marshall.
Now don’t get me wrong, I want a female Doctor, or at the very least a non-white doctor. But if Kris Marshall does turn out to be our new Doctor, yes I will be disappointed, but I wont hate it.
He is a fine actor, I’ve only really seen him in Death in Paradise but just from that I always felt he gave off a very Doctor-ly vibe. Obviously I don’t want the next Doctor to be Humphrey Goodman in space, but he definitely has that quality about him.
The day after World Enough and Time my dad (a Sri Lankan man in his 50′s) and I were watching a re-run of Death in Paradise, and when I told him about him possibly being the next Doctor, right away he agreed that he would suit the role.
But like I said, I do want the next Doctor to be either female or not white, my top two picks would be Hayley Atwell (I know she’s said she doesn’t want to do it but a guy can still dream), and Sacha Dhawan (who not only has already appeared in the Whoniverse in An Adventure in Space and Time, but has also expressed interest in the part).
So if Kris Marshall does end up being the next Doctor, give him a chance, yes it could have been so much better but don’t let that diminish the show for you.
Okay, let’s talk: it will diminish the show for me. I’m not here for the BBC and Chibnall’s lip service to diversity and touting bold and radical changes, only for them to cast Kris Marshall or someone similar. Their chances are up. Kris Marshall is at the top of my list of people that would make me quit the show if cast as Thirteen. I can’t and won’t support that.
No offence to Kris Marshall, who I’m sure is a lovely person, but his casting would honestly feel like a deliberate ‘ha! you really thought the Doctor could be anything other than a white man?’ slap in the face at this point.