Hmmm ... Interesting. (Not the name that I was expecting until just a couple days ago, I must admit. But, a genuinely intriguing choice. Nice hair too, I think!)
I also have to confess I'm not hugely familiar with the lad's previous work - he was very good in The Ruby in Smoke and its sequel and also in an episode of The Street, but I wasn't a regular viewer of Party Animals which is the thing that most viewers will know him from. In a lot of ways, however, that's what is so tremendously exciting about this bit of casting. I've got no preconceived notions about how the part will be played and I suspect that will be true of a lot of other viewers too. That's about the first time this has happened - with me, anyway - since 1974 and some bloke called Baker.I liked the little thing he was doing with his fingers on Confidential whilst pausing to get the right word he was looking for in answer to one of the questions he'd been asked. That looked very "Doctorish" to me.
Of course, he is "an actor" - I realise that may be something of a surprise to some Doctor Who fan who were clearly expecting to see someone sitting there in full Tom Baker costume solemnly intoning - in best John Culshaw-style - "Yes, I shall continue the work of The Gallifrayan from days of yore." He's an actor (and, a former Notts Forest youth team player, interestingly!) and he's been hired to play a part - I imagine he and The Moffster are now sitting down working out exactly how he's going to play it. Until we see the fruits of that collaborative effort, all speculation is, well, speculative.
Anyway, in about twelve months time, we'll find out what he's like.
Welcome to the strange and baffling world of Doctor Who, Matt. If in doubt, ask Moffat, he knows his onions.
So, genuinely fascinating choice, Mr Moffat. Brave in the traditional rather than the sarcastic meaning of the word. Now, you would appear to have work to do!
