NEW "DOCTOR WHO" TO BE ................................ ?

Once upon a time, the BBC created a prickly old man and called him 'Dr Who'. He was exactly what he should have been, an Einstein-like character who was the epitomy of the traditional 'mad scientist'.

Played by William Hartnell, this was THE Dr Who.

 

Over the years, the Doctor changed as his bodies became worn out, William Hartnell's literally so. Patrick Troughton, John Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy (who ?), all had spells as 'the Doctor' in the original television series which ran from 1963 until 1989.  Peter Cushing and Paul McGann appeared as 'the Doctor' in film versions, McGann's being the last in the original guise.

 

For some reason known only to themselves, the BBC decided to resurrect the programme in 2005 but in an updated style, Suddenly, 'the Doctor' was an action hero, a hunky, good-looking guy who had a pretty young thing in tow. Gone was the original image of a slightly daft old character, instead we had James Bond in a time machine.

 

Suffice it to say that there has only ever been one 'Doctor' in my eyes and he was the first, infinitely better at playing the role than any of his successors. Some of the rest of the original group had their good points, but none matched Hartnell's feeling for the part. Sadly, the modern incarnation of the series is so far removed from the original conception that it holds no attraction for me and the very idea of watching it makes me wince.

 

Today it's been reported that the current 'Doctor', some unknown called Matt Smith, is to leave the programme; the media, at least, the BBC, has been instantly full of speculation as to who will fill Who's shoes next. In this politically correct world of ours, will it be a woman, someone 'of colour' or, perhaps, even a one legged dwarf with a squint ?

 

What is it about those who feed us today's televisual rubbish that makes them want to change everything ? They seem to have an innate desire to 'update' anything and everything in order to make it more attractive, or is the modern word 'relevant', to today's viewers. In doing so, they lose everything which initially made programmes successful and instead produce clones of other equally banal modern offerings. Tragically, this actually seems to be what today's illiterate and thrill-seeking audiences want, which says a great deal about modern viewers.

 

For my money, Ben Miller could make a wonderfully absent minded 'Doctor' and bring much of the original charm back to the role, and there must be many others who could do likewise. Unfortunately, the likelihood is that the new 'Doctor' will be someone chosen to demonstrate the BBC's politically correct stance on all things, so a one-legged lesbian of mixed parentage must be favourite.

 

God help us.