Ms X

I completely disagree with this entirely. I don't think anyone can really accuse Chris of being arrogant to be honest. I don't understand why people feel he had to return to the show for fan pleasing purposes when it was clear in 2005 he had a very difficult time on the show. Yes you can argue that it is a different production team but if you'd had a bad experience on a particular job and were asked back, would you take it? I know I wouldn't. But this is actually not why he didn't return.
Chris actually met with Moffat twice to consider a return in th 50th and from certain spoiler folk on another forum I frequent, I've been told that actually Chris was willing to do it but timing and logistical reasons forced him from not appearing, hence why John Hurt was called up as a replacement at the last minute.

Also the fan stuff is completely not true. I''ve met Christopher myself and can confirm that he is absolutely happy to chat about Doctor Who and signed my theatre programme "The Doctor" for me. He mentioned that he thought DT was doing a wonderful job as his successor (DT was the Doctor at the time I met Chris). I was absolutely delighted seeing how amicable he was towards the show and he is very proud of the role and is always pleased when young children greet him as the Doctor.

As for conventions, I know that Chris doesn't like them because yes he is a private person and they really aren't this thing. It is also because he doesn't like charging people money for an autograph. I recall he said this in an interview or something at one stage. He doesn't think it's a fair situation. It's possible he'll do something if in relation to one of his charities but aside from that, no.

The typecasting theory is also false. Chris had a go at BBC in 2005 for releasing a statement saying this was the reason why he left. The BBC had to issue an apology to him in relation to this so I absolutely don't believe that typecasting
was an issue.

Sorry if this seems really quite blunt but I'm a huge fan of Eccleston I'll defend him to my last breath haha.

CommanderM

I disagree that Hurt was in any way better in that special than Eccleston was in his entire all-too brief tenure.Hurt should never have existed as the War Doctor, and in a perfect world Eccleston would have been the third modern Doctor in the episode along with David and Matt.But this is not a perfect world, and unless you are somehow psychic you can't speak for why Eccleston turned the special down. Unless the words came sraight out of his mouth and were preserved somewhere, all else is wild speculation. I have nothing personal against John Hurt, but either McGann or Eccleston should've been in the anniversary episode proper as the so-called War Doctor. I always thought, as did many others, that McGann fought in the Time War and regenerated into Eccleston at it's conclusion, after pressing the doomsday switch. Thats just what I think anyway...

Almeida's Army

Oh I totally agree there. Like I said, his inclusion was completely pointless, but his portrayal was excellent, and I preferred his take on the role in that special than I did in Chris's entire tenure. I was very impressed. But for continuity purposes, it would have made much more sense to have Chris or Paul involved and it was just a waste of a regeneration.

Again, I don't know the guy, never met him and probably never will, but from all that is public knowledge (the typecasting theory, the fact he agreed to do the 50th and then pulled out days before filming) all imply that he, for want of a better word, bottled it. He said he was going to do it, then either his demands weren't met or he feared he'd be re-associated with the role or whatever, and then got cold feet and pulled out. If he wasn't prepared to take on the role and all that accompanies it (Doing at least 2 seasons, fan convention, returning for specials) then he shouldn't have taken it on. I'd have preferred McGann to return with the show in 2005, or at least an actor who would be prepared to stay with the show more than a year. Heck, I'd have loved it if they'd got John Hurt to do a couple of series instead. Would have also nipped the romance thing in the bud too.

Tbh, I think it was a real spit in the face to McGann to pointlessly create a Doctor that he could have easily done. McGann would have been immense in the 50th, especially if his appearance in Night of the Doctor was anything to go by. But really, they should have brought back all living Doctors, and the fact they didn't was a travesty quite frankly.

CommanderM

I agree, I was hoping against all hope that we could have had McGann and Eccleston in the special as a real modern-day "5 Doctors" event (counting Tom Baker's cameo at the end) Hurt did a well enough job in the special to be referred to earlier in this season and to get his own novel about the Time War. John Hurt did well as the War Doctor but it really should have been a role occupied by McGann/Eccleston.
Eccleston. I heard the same rumor scuttlebutt online that he met with the Moff and was considering being in the special. Even going as far as Matt Smith asking him to do itas a personal favor. That was the most recent news that I heard about it all. If Chris had said yes he'll do it, how would you like to have it play out?

Summer Falls

I do wish the 50th was like the 5 doctors i really enjoyed that and the more doctors the better .. but i did enjoy the day of the doctor . Would of been nice to see the others there even for just one scene

CommanderM

I feel The Name of the Doctor was a better classic Doctors episode as we saw archived flashbacks to several classic stories. Would the ending had been as interesting had Eccleston appeared at the very end instead of John Hurt?

Summer Falls

the name of the doctor was good i love the day of the doctor to but i do wish we did see that regeneration from john to chris

CommanderM

Agreed. Instead we got a half-way regeneration where Hurt's face sort of was turning into Eccleston's, but then they changed the scene abruptly. That really irritated me.

Summer Falls

yes i know i was looking at his face hoping to see him change to chris

CommanderM

Me too! Oh well...which Chris episode is ur favorite? I kind of like the one with the lone Dalek in the underground museum (Dalek) because it was the first time Chris was scary. And seeing two last of their species warriors meeting was a great way to fully bring in the idea of there having been a Time War in recent times.

Summer Falls

Good one I tend to love the historical episodes of the doctor .. Anytime they go to the past .. I like the one with roses dad , the London one that first introduced Jack and the other one I can never remember the name cause I don't watch series one much but the episode that had the girl from torchwood ? Lol I'm so bad I don't remember their names I need to do a re watch of season one again

CommanderM

The episode with Gwen before she did Torchwood is called The Unquiet Dead. The two-parter that introduced Jack was The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. Series One was great in my book. Glad to find someone who likes elements of it too.

Summer Falls

yer season one was great it was a kick off to the new series for a new generation my generation really

FrellingTralk

Late response, but blame the BBC for that because they're the ones that only signed Chris to a contract for one series. He got attacked for leaving early, but he never broke his contract or walked out on them, one series was all that was ever discussed. People forget today that bringing back DW was a big gamble at the time, many people said at the time that they don't know if it would have ever been such a huge success if not for the BBC signing such a serious and critically acclaimed actor in the part, which immediately made the general public look at what they were doing differently

And the typecasting rumour was never true, the BBC have said that themselves, so I don't understand why it keeps coming up still Chris has confirmed that he left because he didn't like the culture of the show at the time, he hasn't named names, but supposedly he had working difficulties with an early director who was bullying the crew. Again people forget that everything was running a LOT smoother by the time that David and then Matt joined the show, in the first series they were really overworked and tired. The Doctor-lite episode each series was brought in because of lessons learned from how tough the early stages of production were, and the later actors playing the actor benefited from production getting more organised and learning lessons from that tough early year when everyone involved was thrown in at the deep end. Billie Piper also talks about in her biography about she was not prepared for the long hours, and that the night shoots really wear you down.

Chris said at the time that he was taking on the role of the Doctor because he wanted to prove that he could play comedy and be funny, before then he was already a little bit typecast if anything as the surly Northerner, he was recognised for taking part in ~serious and worthwhile drama~ like Hillsborough and Let Him Have It. The role of the Doctor did what he wanted in proving his range, but he was already a very well-known actor in the UK before taking on the role, so there was no danger of being typecast in the way that an unknown actor might have feared could be the case


I do agree that Paul McGann should have played the War Doctor though, it makes absolutely no sense to me that they had to invent an entirely new Doctor for the 50th special when they had an actor that was willing and very capable, and already fit with that timeline

Summer Falls

Yep I agree they should of just had paul would of made way more sense now everything all jumbled up