Don't let the title fool you; I am not a total NeWhovian*. I have seen the entire "new" Doctor Who series (more than once). However, I only gave into peer/geek/British pressure to give the show a chance (I thought I didn't like sci-fi! How naive I was!) in 2011, after Matt Smith had finished his first season (aka the Eleventh Doctor aka Season 5). Which means, I knew there were three Doctors to go through when I started. I had the same "I hate this new guy/I love the old guy" feelings at the beginning of each new Doctor, like everyone else does.
*Stole that from Mandy. ;)
But this time... This time is different. I've been watching-in-real-time the past two seasons of Doctor Who, like the rest of the world. My first new companion reveal happened last year, when the Internet showed me photos of Jenna Louise-Coleman, long before she was to appear in season 7. I found the "cold reveal" was the wrong way to see a new character of a show you love. I had plenty of time to find out about this girl and decide what kind of companion I think she would be just based on her look. But I don't care about Jenna Louise-Coleman. I care about Clara. I care about The Doctor. Imagine if I had known that John Hurt was going to show up at the end of the season 7 finale. Ruined. My Doctor Whoniverse, ruined. I want to see new characters in the show, where they belong. Let's just all take a moment to imagine how magical it would be to watch Eleven start to regenerate, having no idea who he's going to be next! Magical! But instead- They just spoilered the biggest spoiler of all spoilers right in the spoiler.
And now we all know that Matt Smith's Eleven will be turning into Peter Capaldi's Twelve. When I first saw his picture along with the headline, more than just the magic of an unknowing regeneration was ruined for me, because as soon as I saw his face, I saw John Frobisher, and yelled "WHAT?!"
If you know who I'm talking about, then you are a Torchwood fan as well. And you know that Peter Capaldi played a major role in season 3 of Torchwood. And you also know that Torchwood exists in the same world as Doctor Who. I mean, how is Captain Jack going to feel when he runs into The Doctor again and sees the face of a man who did horrible things in the face of an international crisis (ending with killing his family and himself)?! (Shh... I know Captain Jack hasn't been on Doctor Who since Moffat took over, but we can still dream...) And if that wasn't bad enough (for those of us who watch Torchwood), I was reminded that Peter Capaldi was also already on Doctor Who! Now, that is just nonsense. Has The Doctor run out of face ideas and is now taking ones from his memory?
Now this is where the hardcore Whovians point out that companions have had small roles on Doctor Who before becoming companions. And I respond; Those were small, negligible roles that were explained. And then they say that Colin Baker was also on Doctor Who (and shot The Doctor- how rude!) before becoming the next Doctor. To which I respond; I don't care, I wasn't even alive then. This is the new, better, infinitely more complex and beautiful and intelligent show that shouldn't mess with it's own canon. (Is that the right use of "canon"? I'm not that hardcore.)
Alas, there is nothing to be done about my concerns. He is, whether I like it or not, The Twelfth Doctor. And, frankly, if I wasn't hung up on his previous Whoniverse roles, I would be pretty excited about a new Doctor. And Peter Capaldi. I only know him in serious roles, though. I can picture him as The Doctor in the TARDIS, but I can't picture him being the upbeat, silly, hilarious Doctor that we've come to love through Chris, David, and Matt. But, the bottom line, as is ever with Doctor Who, is that I trust Steven Moffat with the show. He may not have created it, but he created our favorite episodes, villains, and characters before taking over with Matt Smith and Season 5. If Moffat says he's the man for the job, then I will just have to sit back and wait to be amazed...
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