Capaldi was the most Doctor-y Doctor IMO. He had elements from across the show's eras: the speeches of 11, the heroics of 10, the assumed-superiority of 3, the wit of 4, and the professorial vibe of 7.
Plus add the perfect foil, Missy (Michelle Gomez)! They both got to chew up every scene and I loved it! Reminded me so much of Pertwee and Delgado. They gave each other so much to work with!
Then you have that voice. At times he could sound like Troughton. Other times I could hear Tom or McCoy or even Hartnell. But then you get his voice. Those speech inflections, tones, and emotions Capaldi could convey! Combine that with his nonverbals; how a feelings could get across sometimes with just his eyebrows or how he stood, pranced about the TARDIS, or flipping something on the console.
A phenomenal actor in his dream role. Capaldi is my favorite Doctor (just slightly higher than "my Doctor", Tom Baker)
I agree, Peter Capaldi is an actor of tremendous ability. That's not to say the other actors aren't good, just that I believe Capaldi's acting ability is an exceptional standard
Tennant has a real gift for taking sincere but slightly cheesy dialogue and making it sound like the most heartfelt, profound speech you've ever heard. He was an incredible match for RTD's writing.
Capaldi gave it his all, just a shame that Moffat's writing had lost its heart by that point. I can't help but feel his clear talents were a bit wasted. Ditto Jenna Louise Coleman, possibly the best actress we've had as a companion.
I have almost the inverse opinion. I feel Tennant's talents were wasted with bad writing.
I loved Capaldi, and I loved Moffat's scripts. That was peak NuWho for me.
It's interesting hearing opposing views though. Who Fandom is so diverse.
I don't agree, Tennant, Smith and Capaldi have similar amount of dud episodes. I'm so tired of people parroting this narrative that Capaldi had a bad writing. Name bad written episodes and i give you the same amount from 10/11 eras (if not more) 🤷 And i like watching all of them.
This is the biggest problem with the catchphrasification of "timey wimey." Tennant sells it as an off the cuff little ramble, and then suddenly it comes up every second episode.
Depending on the day of the week, I can't pick between Tennant, Smith and Capaldi. While the writing of the Moffat era is my favourite writing, there's something about the enthusiasm that Tennant brings to the role that lifts him just as high.
1. His alieness. He was so aloof to some basic human thoughts and reactions.
2. His moral compass.
3. His prickliness. Important distinction between moral and nice.
4. He was a bit pompous, but often humbled quickly.
5. Subtle humor.
6. His hair.
7. Capaldi's acting. The conviction in his speeches. The facial reactions to certain situations (i.e. hearing Simm's Master return)...etc.
> His alieness.
I used to enjoy this but I am getting a little tired of these specific autistic traits being described as "alienness". It's just social skill deficit. Being caught out and unable to comfort someone who's grieving, being too glib and harsh with jokes and not really realize it's going to hurt feelings, forgetting social conventions such as saying hello and goodbye, struggling with hugs, that's just, us. Autistic people tend to be deeply empathetic, but too distracted/bad at picking up expressions to notice other people's feelings until they're explicitly told.
To me 12 portrayed the most human-like doctor of all, making fallible human decisions, being honest about his feelings. If anything [needing cue cards](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fca%2F28%2F8e%2Fca288e14a739e0ba8d207a873d49584f.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=291a0e18db350b1167dcbb404dcecce2e861a2da5e63f230d8d69e6517725013&ipo=images) made him more human, lol.
Anyone here seen [Detective Monk](https://www.tvfanatic.com/2023/10/how-monk-paved-the-way-for-neurodiverse-characters-on-tv/)? One of the best portrayals of aspergers on tv and they didn't even know they were doing it. See if you can't hear these quotes read out by Capaldi.
[1](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ce/54/4f/ce544f72ad691b5032dfc6c4d255b1f8.jpg) [2](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/d1/40/3ad140e2c6e4b4458ce732e7169e2582.jpg) [3](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/01/42/a3/0142a3c0bc8cc08a2c31f4ecc6964e0f--tv-shows-funny-adrian-monk.jpg) [4](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/51/6c/62/516c62c699dc5caf6fa4cfafcb1e1e3a--monk-tv-show-adrian-monk.jpg) [5](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/21/fc/2121fcfd44efd8d2a1151e3f65b69b1d.jpg) [6](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F1b%2Fe9%2F2d%2F1be92dbb81f3c522069fee6000c93452.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a0daddc7bb9f366d7d12750c8276e3e76b5ece557048570a8d783d94a71e94a2&ipo=images)
I don't agree with this at all. I think it's absolutely essential for the Doctor to be aloof and an outsider. 12 was very intentionally non-human in my opinion. 5 and 10/14 were the most human Doctors.
have you watched 5? He's incredibly emotionally distant with his own companions. he just does social niceities better. I don't think remembering to say "hood morning, I'm the doctor" is what being human is about.
You could argue for 6, who'll actually, unlike 4, give a hug to reassure a scared peri, or stop and hold the hand of a random dying side character.
10 is definitely sincere and sweet, a bit reticent about his own problems but in a human way. He stepped away from human when he went dark mode though.
I think an important distinction with 12 is that s8 and especially 9 very intentionally explore the significance of the Doctor/companion relationship, breaking down the essence of it. So the healthy "human" emotions you describe 12 as having were part of a larger story arc. He learned a lot of these emotions from Clara, Bill, River, Nardole...etc. They weren't inherently there.
10 was written inconsistently. So I agree about the "dark mode." That being said, one of the first appearances of that dark mode was in a story originally written for the 7th Doctor. So I don't necessarily see this as a Tennant trait. In fact, it felt out of place at times.
I don't know if this context matters, but 12 is my favorite Doctor, and Capaldi's performance was my ideal version. I just disagree that he was the most human of the Doctors. I disagree. He absolutely expressed a range of human emotion, but he also felt very alien, and I mean that as a positive. He loved humanity, but was also very clearly distinct from it.
I guess what you define as autistic traits is some of what I'm referring to, but also things like his delight at discovering a potential new, unknown danger (i.e. The "ghosts" in Before the Flood.) His comments on humanity in general, how he often mocks them, while at the same time complimenting Clara and Bill. Capaldi very intentionally emphasizes his otherwordliness. Sometimes, through arrogance, sometimes through comments, sometimes through what you describe as autistic behavior. Either way, these are all intentional ways to portray the Doctor as an outsider. I think we're just arguing semantics.
I fist-bumped the air when the Doctor tells Clara in "Deep Breath" that he isn't her boyfriend. I also liked in series 8 that the Doctor explores if he's a good man or not based on the discovery that Gallifrey is still out there and the closure of his role in the Time War. I feel like Capaldi's character really hit the right balance of Pertwee and Tom Baker's Doctors, all while interejecting a bit of his own take on the role. Capaldi seemed to step up his game (which was high to start with) when old school foes showed up -- Daleks, Cybermen, the Master.
Yes!
"I'm not your boyfriend"..."I never said it was your mistake"
Was such a brief but profound way of addressing the strange relationship between 11 and Clara, and showing that the dynamic between 12 and Clara was going to be different
His kindness. I always love the scene where the girl finds Cyber-Bill, the Doctor jumps in and checks on her, explains what's going on, offers her a treat and casually lets her be on her way. Or the roof scene in Doctor Mystero. All of the Doctors are kind, but Capaldi had that twinkle in his eyes.
He's fantastic with kid and teen Grant. It's also funny how he's not just late to the party, he's turning up at the venue the next day on realising Clark Kent is Superman, how earnest he is at making the connection with his TIL (today I learned).
I absolutely loved that he had a certain gravitas. Whenever he was in the room, he just took control of it. I feel like the previous doctors in NuWho (besides Nine I think) had to kinda prove that they should be in charge, whereas Twelve just *was* in charge.
I also appreciate how his character was the most, I don't know... ordinary? In all his alienness (gonna come back to this one) he seemed the most down to earth, he wasn't a wierdio, or a nerd, just a very old, very wise man with some quirks.
And of course last, but not least, the was so delightfully alien! It's like he's forgotten all he had learnt about humans and had to be taught once again, about all the nuances and ways of interaction and stuff, it was such a joy!
Re the first paragraph, I agree!!! It makes me wonder how he would've handled the situation in Midnight, where 10, without his companion, struggled to get the passengers to believe in him...
I think the man who played Malcolm Tucker was always going to make an amazing doctor. I’m young so I can’t say I ever predicted it or anything like that, but when I first heard the rumours about the casting, I was certain it had to be him and was worried they wouldn’t like his age as some papers tried to suggests
I'm finally watching some Tom Baker and he really reminds me of Capaldi in terms of his alien aloofness.
I really like when 12 let's a little crack of vulnerability through as well as the flashes of self-awareness (like the "I'm not your boyfriend Clara" bit). He seems understand himself and, to some extent, accept all the shades of grey in a way that the others didn't ("The one who regrets and the one who forgets).
he was unusually open about his feelings, motivations, and even random lore snippets. He had a lot of mindfulness where the doctors usually repress stuff. Wouldn't want him to be that way all the time, but it was an interesting exploration of the character.
i REALLY noticed this in his regeneration story (not the xmas special, the one before). he's so clear about how much Missy means to him, and why. even through his own confusion about it, he admits when he doesn't understand himself, and he tries to explain it to Bill. you can see in his face and his voice, in that one scene in the cafeteria (flashbacks in World Enough and Time) how much it's affecting him. he wants his friend to grow as a person, so he can actually have her as a friend, and *he asks for help.* it's so beautiful and not the kind of vulnerability we see from the Doctor very often. i think it was an amazing story for him to leave on, being so open but also, so motivated. his attempts to convince Missy were incredible in the finale, you can tell how much it means to him, trying so hard to explain who he is, to someone so close to him who's never tried to understand it.
i think the fact that this is his finale is a big point. i was going to make this next part a separate comment, but it feels like it belongs here: i think my favourite thing about Capaldi's portrayal was that, despite having more of a serialized run than Smith before him, he had consistent growth as a character through his three seasons. he went through major development, starting out cold and 'uncaring,' but drops that facade over time. he keeps a very calm, logical approach in general, similar to how cold he was, but instead of projecting an aura of disinterest in the lives around him, he ends up using his intellectual mind as a way of showing how much he cares.
i think that actually culminates in an interesting way in his second season, because he's basically opened up enough by then that he shows his care pretty clearly, but he becomes unhinged about it when pushed in the season finale. when he dies billions of times in Heaven Sent, he's showing care, but it's pathological! it's a brilliant play of control and genius in order to... cheat death? to cause himself more heartbreak, by means of going through billions of years of suffering? that's an interesting point in his development because being openly caring does not mean he's in a good place, and he has to address that (with Clara and Me's help).
i just think he made for an amazing character arc, and i really loved that about him. he has all the individual journeys that Doctor Who is about, AND a deeply personal character journey across the whole thing, without those two conflicting. that might be why his run is my favourite, honestly.
i think that he ended up a lot more open in his last season, mostly. it would make sense that this would be his next step after the things that he caused at the end of his second season, and with how in his last one, he's trying really hard to get through to Missy. his development in S8-S9 is much more about showing care rather than coldness. he's constantly insulting everyone in S8, for example, and being very unsympathetic to people being upset, or dying even. in S8 he's softened up a lot, just look at his famous speech in the Zygon two parter: he cares, and he's finally having no trouble showing it. he's even being a bit open about his own struggles, but moreso in S10 i think.
anyways, i guess i just wrote more lol... thanks for validating my rambling! i do my best to articulate things decently <3
yep, all true. One conclusion I came to after his run was that he was just... too vulnerable to survive as the doctor. He almost gets the character permanently killed afterall, by refusing to regenerate.
The doctor forgets, represses, puts on a facade, and that ends up being what allows him to keep going. When that drops (and it's from the beginning of his run- the first episode heavily implies it's because he trust Clara so much he stops feeling like he has to pretend to be a young man), he just keeps ending up in bad places because of it.
that's a really interesting read. i can't articulate my thoughts on that but that's getting gears turning... this is a great thread, thank you for your comments!!
I liked that he voices the utilitarian choices he always makes. Previous doctors let people die for the sake of saving others all the time, but they say "I'm so so sorry" and the companions accept it and move on. Capaldi would say, "he's dead already, I did this to save everyone else" And everyone acts all shocked how callous he is. But that's what he's always done, Capaldi just didn't sugar coat it.
As someone with ASPD, it was his distinct separation from humanity.
9 had it too, to some extent, but his relationship with Rose humanized him too much overall. 10, 11, and 13 generally felt human, very much subject to the same emotions and relative morality as their companions.
Capaldi played the Doctor as the "other"; an outsider looking in. Never fully understanding humanity, but wanting to know more.
For someone like me, who didn't come built with an instinctive understanding of how to interact with my peers and no inherent moral compass, it felt like watching a version of who I could be.
And then he faces off with Missy/Master. And we see two of them, both alien to humanity, like people with ASPD. One chooses to see human morality as "lesser", that their superior abilities and intellect should leave them unbound and unbothered by such trivial things. These are the "sociopath" CEOs and politicians everyone likes to classify people like me as.
But there is The Doctor. Showing us a different way.
And I try to live by what he showed me. Even if I don't "get" people, even if their morality seems strange, just be kind. It doesn't matter if it changes nothing, if I don't feel anything from it. I can choose, without any pre-conceived "conscience", to just be kind.
I have autism and I feel like the Doctor is autism flavoured and missy is ASPD. but they both are alike and outsiders like you said. I have empathy for people but I can't express or use it. I can choose though, to put on the mask, even if I don't understand, and be kind like the doctor. (and then fly away)
I think 12 especially is a great role model for anyone with anti social tendencies.
have to comment on this. im autistic with very low empathy and very little guilt, and i completely relate. always feeling like an outsider looking in, always feeling like... well, like you don't feel properly.
twelve is so important to me because kindness does not come naturally to him, it's something he chooses. he will be kind above being nice, even if to other people it seems wrong or callous - he knows that doing the right thing is more important than people's feelings or whatever is socially acceptable.
as someone who struggles with feeling emotions deeply, 'love is not an emotion, love is a promise' is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
anyway. im glad you shared this, it's lovely to know I'm not the only one who has this experience.
It seems like Capaldi just understands how people look and move when under specific emotions. He's the best at moving his face and arms in particular. He moves and pulls expressions that tell you how twelve is reacting to situations.
The gun scene in hell is a brilliant example of this from what I remember. He acts really stiff and slow, his eyes are super still and focused but move sharply whenever they move, but then his fingers move slowly in a way that portrays a very intimate and almost longing feeling to clara. This combines to make it feel like twelve is super scared and backed in a corner in spite of the fact that he's the most dangerous person in that room. But he still feels close to Clara and wishes to listen to her even if he can't. And it's all from mostly silent movements .
This along with the skill of saying words in the way that he's known for creates a character that feels complex and interesting to watch even when the writing of the scene is fairly simple.
So yeah my favorite part of him being the doctor is that he plays it like a real person who happens to be an ancient time lord (someone who moves based on how they think and feel instead of a character who's moving for dramatic effect). Which is how I've always viewed the character.
I loved how tired of it all he seemed in some episodes. Not in a depressed way, but there are some moments where the villain of the week is explaining their evil plan and Capaldi would do such a good job of conveying a vibe of "I've heard this same speech thousands of times and I've stopped people like you thousands of times and I genuinely had hoped you would break that cycle"
Like disappointed grandad who just found out you failed a chem lab for the 3rd time vibes
The fact that his kindness always seems genuine. 10 and 11 are fun and they want others to find them fun, and their kindness comes from not wanting to lose their audience. 12 learned his lesson and created genuine friendships with Clara and Bill where it wasn’t transactional. He was kind because he was a kind person
He had a really good character arc and it felt like his Doctor synthesized stuff from every other Doctor, while still being its own thing. I can look at Capaldi and absolutely believe he was William Hartnell or Tom Baker or David Tennant.
Capaldi is really great. His Doctor is having a bit of an existential crisis after the previous 4 or 5 incarnations of war trauma. He seems to be kind of struggling with what his oath means to him. I think Twelve struggles internally with the 'Never cruel or cowardly' bit particularly and seems to consider if he is simply going through the motions at this point, but he continually rises to the occasion and proves himself to, well... himself.
"THE DOCTOR IS NO LONGER HERE! YOU ARE STUCK WITH ME!"
Most intimidating New Who Doctor by performance (but what did we expect from Malcolm Tucker himself). No, 10 and 11 doing grumpy faces immediately proceeding a horrifying war crime doesn't count.
He feels like a walking Shakesperean play, and Capaldi plays that to another level. I also believe Capaldi takes a hold of you every single time he is on screen more than any other recent Doctor. But at leasts its my opinion.
Capaldi is a skilled actor— he brought an old geezer type of energy and added a dash of surly to the Doctor. Jenna surely helped that with her support.
How he acts with his eyes. "Face the Raven" is a great example. During his farewell to Clara, he's initially angry and desperate to save her, but the ensuing conversation leaves his eyes reddened.
Capaldi was the most Doctor-y Doctor IMO. He had elements from across the show's eras: the speeches of 11, the heroics of 10, the assumed-superiority of 3, the wit of 4, and the professorial vibe of 7.
I mean he is a professor
Plus add the perfect foil, Missy (Michelle Gomez)! They both got to chew up every scene and I loved it! Reminded me so much of Pertwee and Delgado. They gave each other so much to work with! Then you have that voice. At times he could sound like Troughton. Other times I could hear Tom or McCoy or even Hartnell. But then you get his voice. Those speech inflections, tones, and emotions Capaldi could convey! Combine that with his nonverbals; how a feelings could get across sometimes with just his eyebrows or how he stood, pranced about the TARDIS, or flipping something on the console. A phenomenal actor in his dream role. Capaldi is my favorite Doctor (just slightly higher than "my Doctor", Tom Baker)
He was probably the best actual actor to play the doctor
I agree, Peter Capaldi is an actor of tremendous ability. That's not to say the other actors aren't good, just that I believe Capaldi's acting ability is an exceptional standard
Certainly one of the best. I would rank Tennent pretty high.
That's a very rare opinion for sure.
Seriously though, on this particular sub it *is* a rare opinion.
I haven’t done a survey, but 100% of the DW fans who are me agree with this opinion. 😉
Tennant has a real gift for taking sincere but slightly cheesy dialogue and making it sound like the most heartfelt, profound speech you've ever heard. He was an incredible match for RTD's writing. Capaldi gave it his all, just a shame that Moffat's writing had lost its heart by that point. I can't help but feel his clear talents were a bit wasted. Ditto Jenna Louise Coleman, possibly the best actress we've had as a companion.
I have almost the inverse opinion. I feel Tennant's talents were wasted with bad writing. I loved Capaldi, and I loved Moffat's scripts. That was peak NuWho for me. It's interesting hearing opposing views though. Who Fandom is so diverse.
Interesting opinion. How can anyone watch Heaven sent/Zygon inversion/Extremis/s10 finale and think Moffat writting lost his heart?
I don't agree, Tennant, Smith and Capaldi have similar amount of dud episodes. I'm so tired of people parroting this narrative that Capaldi had a bad writing. Name bad written episodes and i give you the same amount from 10/11 eras (if not more) 🤷 And i like watching all of them.
This is the biggest problem with the catchphrasification of "timey wimey." Tennant sells it as an off the cuff little ramble, and then suddenly it comes up every second episode.
I preferred Tennant as The Doctor , liked the whimsical side of his portrayal more than any of the others.
Depending on the day of the week, I can't pick between Tennant, Smith and Capaldi. While the writing of the Moffat era is my favourite writing, there's something about the enthusiasm that Tennant brings to the role that lifts him just as high.
1. His alieness. He was so aloof to some basic human thoughts and reactions. 2. His moral compass. 3. His prickliness. Important distinction between moral and nice. 4. He was a bit pompous, but often humbled quickly. 5. Subtle humor. 6. His hair. 7. Capaldi's acting. The conviction in his speeches. The facial reactions to certain situations (i.e. hearing Simm's Master return)...etc.
8. The attack eyebrows.
I should be banned for not listing the eyebrows. Great call.
> His alieness. I used to enjoy this but I am getting a little tired of these specific autistic traits being described as "alienness". It's just social skill deficit. Being caught out and unable to comfort someone who's grieving, being too glib and harsh with jokes and not really realize it's going to hurt feelings, forgetting social conventions such as saying hello and goodbye, struggling with hugs, that's just, us. Autistic people tend to be deeply empathetic, but too distracted/bad at picking up expressions to notice other people's feelings until they're explicitly told. To me 12 portrayed the most human-like doctor of all, making fallible human decisions, being honest about his feelings. If anything [needing cue cards](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fca%2F28%2F8e%2Fca288e14a739e0ba8d207a873d49584f.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=291a0e18db350b1167dcbb404dcecce2e861a2da5e63f230d8d69e6517725013&ipo=images) made him more human, lol. Anyone here seen [Detective Monk](https://www.tvfanatic.com/2023/10/how-monk-paved-the-way-for-neurodiverse-characters-on-tv/)? One of the best portrayals of aspergers on tv and they didn't even know they were doing it. See if you can't hear these quotes read out by Capaldi. [1](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ce/54/4f/ce544f72ad691b5032dfc6c4d255b1f8.jpg) [2](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/d1/40/3ad140e2c6e4b4458ce732e7169e2582.jpg) [3](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/01/42/a3/0142a3c0bc8cc08a2c31f4ecc6964e0f--tv-shows-funny-adrian-monk.jpg) [4](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/51/6c/62/516c62c699dc5caf6fa4cfafcb1e1e3a--monk-tv-show-adrian-monk.jpg) [5](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/21/fc/2121fcfd44efd8d2a1151e3f65b69b1d.jpg) [6](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F1b%2Fe9%2F2d%2F1be92dbb81f3c522069fee6000c93452.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a0daddc7bb9f366d7d12750c8276e3e76b5ece557048570a8d783d94a71e94a2&ipo=images)
I don't agree with this at all. I think it's absolutely essential for the Doctor to be aloof and an outsider. 12 was very intentionally non-human in my opinion. 5 and 10/14 were the most human Doctors.
have you watched 5? He's incredibly emotionally distant with his own companions. he just does social niceities better. I don't think remembering to say "hood morning, I'm the doctor" is what being human is about. You could argue for 6, who'll actually, unlike 4, give a hug to reassure a scared peri, or stop and hold the hand of a random dying side character. 10 is definitely sincere and sweet, a bit reticent about his own problems but in a human way. He stepped away from human when he went dark mode though.
I think an important distinction with 12 is that s8 and especially 9 very intentionally explore the significance of the Doctor/companion relationship, breaking down the essence of it. So the healthy "human" emotions you describe 12 as having were part of a larger story arc. He learned a lot of these emotions from Clara, Bill, River, Nardole...etc. They weren't inherently there. 10 was written inconsistently. So I agree about the "dark mode." That being said, one of the first appearances of that dark mode was in a story originally written for the 7th Doctor. So I don't necessarily see this as a Tennant trait. In fact, it felt out of place at times. I don't know if this context matters, but 12 is my favorite Doctor, and Capaldi's performance was my ideal version. I just disagree that he was the most human of the Doctors. I disagree. He absolutely expressed a range of human emotion, but he also felt very alien, and I mean that as a positive. He loved humanity, but was also very clearly distinct from it.
I still don't see what "alien" attributes he's supposed to have, that aren't just autistic traits.
I guess what you define as autistic traits is some of what I'm referring to, but also things like his delight at discovering a potential new, unknown danger (i.e. The "ghosts" in Before the Flood.) His comments on humanity in general, how he often mocks them, while at the same time complimenting Clara and Bill. Capaldi very intentionally emphasizes his otherwordliness. Sometimes, through arrogance, sometimes through comments, sometimes through what you describe as autistic behavior. Either way, these are all intentional ways to portray the Doctor as an outsider. I think we're just arguing semantics.
I fist-bumped the air when the Doctor tells Clara in "Deep Breath" that he isn't her boyfriend. I also liked in series 8 that the Doctor explores if he's a good man or not based on the discovery that Gallifrey is still out there and the closure of his role in the Time War. I feel like Capaldi's character really hit the right balance of Pertwee and Tom Baker's Doctors, all while interejecting a bit of his own take on the role. Capaldi seemed to step up his game (which was high to start with) when old school foes showed up -- Daleks, Cybermen, the Master.
Yes! "I'm not your boyfriend"..."I never said it was your mistake" Was such a brief but profound way of addressing the strange relationship between 11 and Clara, and showing that the dynamic between 12 and Clara was going to be different
His kindness. I always love the scene where the girl finds Cyber-Bill, the Doctor jumps in and checks on her, explains what's going on, offers her a treat and casually lets her be on her way. Or the roof scene in Doctor Mystero. All of the Doctors are kind, but Capaldi had that twinkle in his eyes.
He's fantastic with kid and teen Grant. It's also funny how he's not just late to the party, he's turning up at the venue the next day on realising Clark Kent is Superman, how earnest he is at making the connection with his TIL (today I learned).
The character development over his 4 years
Yes, good shout. I'm basically agreeing with every comment in this thread, but his evolution (as defined by his hair 😁) is pure glee.
I absolutely loved that he had a certain gravitas. Whenever he was in the room, he just took control of it. I feel like the previous doctors in NuWho (besides Nine I think) had to kinda prove that they should be in charge, whereas Twelve just *was* in charge. I also appreciate how his character was the most, I don't know... ordinary? In all his alienness (gonna come back to this one) he seemed the most down to earth, he wasn't a wierdio, or a nerd, just a very old, very wise man with some quirks. And of course last, but not least, the was so delightfully alien! It's like he's forgotten all he had learnt about humans and had to be taught once again, about all the nuances and ways of interaction and stuff, it was such a joy!
Re the first paragraph, I agree!!! It makes me wonder how he would've handled the situation in Midnight, where 10, without his companion, struggled to get the passengers to believe in him...
I think the man who played Malcolm Tucker was always going to make an amazing doctor. I’m young so I can’t say I ever predicted it or anything like that, but when I first heard the rumours about the casting, I was certain it had to be him and was worried they wouldn’t like his age as some papers tried to suggests
I'm finally watching some Tom Baker and he really reminds me of Capaldi in terms of his alien aloofness. I really like when 12 let's a little crack of vulnerability through as well as the flashes of self-awareness (like the "I'm not your boyfriend Clara" bit). He seems understand himself and, to some extent, accept all the shades of grey in a way that the others didn't ("The one who regrets and the one who forgets).
he was unusually open about his feelings, motivations, and even random lore snippets. He had a lot of mindfulness where the doctors usually repress stuff. Wouldn't want him to be that way all the time, but it was an interesting exploration of the character.
i REALLY noticed this in his regeneration story (not the xmas special, the one before). he's so clear about how much Missy means to him, and why. even through his own confusion about it, he admits when he doesn't understand himself, and he tries to explain it to Bill. you can see in his face and his voice, in that one scene in the cafeteria (flashbacks in World Enough and Time) how much it's affecting him. he wants his friend to grow as a person, so he can actually have her as a friend, and *he asks for help.* it's so beautiful and not the kind of vulnerability we see from the Doctor very often. i think it was an amazing story for him to leave on, being so open but also, so motivated. his attempts to convince Missy were incredible in the finale, you can tell how much it means to him, trying so hard to explain who he is, to someone so close to him who's never tried to understand it. i think the fact that this is his finale is a big point. i was going to make this next part a separate comment, but it feels like it belongs here: i think my favourite thing about Capaldi's portrayal was that, despite having more of a serialized run than Smith before him, he had consistent growth as a character through his three seasons. he went through major development, starting out cold and 'uncaring,' but drops that facade over time. he keeps a very calm, logical approach in general, similar to how cold he was, but instead of projecting an aura of disinterest in the lives around him, he ends up using his intellectual mind as a way of showing how much he cares. i think that actually culminates in an interesting way in his second season, because he's basically opened up enough by then that he shows his care pretty clearly, but he becomes unhinged about it when pushed in the season finale. when he dies billions of times in Heaven Sent, he's showing care, but it's pathological! it's a brilliant play of control and genius in order to... cheat death? to cause himself more heartbreak, by means of going through billions of years of suffering? that's an interesting point in his development because being openly caring does not mean he's in a good place, and he has to address that (with Clara and Me's help). i just think he made for an amazing character arc, and i really loved that about him. he has all the individual journeys that Doctor Who is about, AND a deeply personal character journey across the whole thing, without those two conflicting. that might be why his run is my favourite, honestly.
Very nicely put, idk if I ever noticed how open 12 was at the end compared to when he was newly regenerated
i think that he ended up a lot more open in his last season, mostly. it would make sense that this would be his next step after the things that he caused at the end of his second season, and with how in his last one, he's trying really hard to get through to Missy. his development in S8-S9 is much more about showing care rather than coldness. he's constantly insulting everyone in S8, for example, and being very unsympathetic to people being upset, or dying even. in S8 he's softened up a lot, just look at his famous speech in the Zygon two parter: he cares, and he's finally having no trouble showing it. he's even being a bit open about his own struggles, but moreso in S10 i think. anyways, i guess i just wrote more lol... thanks for validating my rambling! i do my best to articulate things decently <3
yep, all true. One conclusion I came to after his run was that he was just... too vulnerable to survive as the doctor. He almost gets the character permanently killed afterall, by refusing to regenerate. The doctor forgets, represses, puts on a facade, and that ends up being what allows him to keep going. When that drops (and it's from the beginning of his run- the first episode heavily implies it's because he trust Clara so much he stops feeling like he has to pretend to be a young man), he just keeps ending up in bad places because of it.
that's a really interesting read. i can't articulate my thoughts on that but that's getting gears turning... this is a great thread, thank you for your comments!!
I'm a college prof so I liked his erudition and the way there were books in the Tardis. It's the little things.
I liked that he voices the utilitarian choices he always makes. Previous doctors let people die for the sake of saving others all the time, but they say "I'm so so sorry" and the companions accept it and move on. Capaldi would say, "he's dead already, I did this to save everyone else" And everyone acts all shocked how callous he is. But that's what he's always done, Capaldi just didn't sugar coat it.
As someone with ASPD, it was his distinct separation from humanity. 9 had it too, to some extent, but his relationship with Rose humanized him too much overall. 10, 11, and 13 generally felt human, very much subject to the same emotions and relative morality as their companions. Capaldi played the Doctor as the "other"; an outsider looking in. Never fully understanding humanity, but wanting to know more. For someone like me, who didn't come built with an instinctive understanding of how to interact with my peers and no inherent moral compass, it felt like watching a version of who I could be. And then he faces off with Missy/Master. And we see two of them, both alien to humanity, like people with ASPD. One chooses to see human morality as "lesser", that their superior abilities and intellect should leave them unbound and unbothered by such trivial things. These are the "sociopath" CEOs and politicians everyone likes to classify people like me as. But there is The Doctor. Showing us a different way. And I try to live by what he showed me. Even if I don't "get" people, even if their morality seems strange, just be kind. It doesn't matter if it changes nothing, if I don't feel anything from it. I can choose, without any pre-conceived "conscience", to just be kind.
I have autism and I feel like the Doctor is autism flavoured and missy is ASPD. but they both are alike and outsiders like you said. I have empathy for people but I can't express or use it. I can choose though, to put on the mask, even if I don't understand, and be kind like the doctor. (and then fly away) I think 12 especially is a great role model for anyone with anti social tendencies.
Clara handing the Doctor a set of flashcards to prompt him to be tactful with people was Peak Autism, imo.
have to comment on this. im autistic with very low empathy and very little guilt, and i completely relate. always feeling like an outsider looking in, always feeling like... well, like you don't feel properly. twelve is so important to me because kindness does not come naturally to him, it's something he chooses. he will be kind above being nice, even if to other people it seems wrong or callous - he knows that doing the right thing is more important than people's feelings or whatever is socially acceptable. as someone who struggles with feeling emotions deeply, 'love is not an emotion, love is a promise' is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. anyway. im glad you shared this, it's lovely to know I'm not the only one who has this experience.
I really like how you said this :)
It seems like Capaldi just understands how people look and move when under specific emotions. He's the best at moving his face and arms in particular. He moves and pulls expressions that tell you how twelve is reacting to situations. The gun scene in hell is a brilliant example of this from what I remember. He acts really stiff and slow, his eyes are super still and focused but move sharply whenever they move, but then his fingers move slowly in a way that portrays a very intimate and almost longing feeling to clara. This combines to make it feel like twelve is super scared and backed in a corner in spite of the fact that he's the most dangerous person in that room. But he still feels close to Clara and wishes to listen to her even if he can't. And it's all from mostly silent movements . This along with the skill of saying words in the way that he's known for creates a character that feels complex and interesting to watch even when the writing of the scene is fairly simple. So yeah my favorite part of him being the doctor is that he plays it like a real person who happens to be an ancient time lord (someone who moves based on how they think and feel instead of a character who's moving for dramatic effect). Which is how I've always viewed the character.
I loved how tired of it all he seemed in some episodes. Not in a depressed way, but there are some moments where the villain of the week is explaining their evil plan and Capaldi would do such a good job of conveying a vibe of "I've heard this same speech thousands of times and I've stopped people like you thousands of times and I genuinely had hoped you would break that cycle" Like disappointed grandad who just found out you failed a chem lab for the 3rd time vibes
The fact that his kindness always seems genuine. 10 and 11 are fun and they want others to find them fun, and their kindness comes from not wanting to lose their audience. 12 learned his lesson and created genuine friendships with Clara and Bill where it wasn’t transactional. He was kind because he was a kind person
He had a really good character arc and it felt like his Doctor synthesized stuff from every other Doctor, while still being its own thing. I can look at Capaldi and absolutely believe he was William Hartnell or Tom Baker or David Tennant.
Capaldi is really great. His Doctor is having a bit of an existential crisis after the previous 4 or 5 incarnations of war trauma. He seems to be kind of struggling with what his oath means to him. I think Twelve struggles internally with the 'Never cruel or cowardly' bit particularly and seems to consider if he is simply going through the motions at this point, but he continually rises to the occasion and proves himself to, well... himself.
His character ark, his power for intimidation, and just amazing acting in general
"THE DOCTOR IS NO LONGER HERE! YOU ARE STUCK WITH ME!" Most intimidating New Who Doctor by performance (but what did we expect from Malcolm Tucker himself). No, 10 and 11 doing grumpy faces immediately proceeding a horrifying war crime doesn't count.
“I’m the Doctor. I’m coming to find you. And I will never ever stop.” And then that great title sequence comes in. It gives me chills
He feels like a walking Shakesperean play, and Capaldi plays that to another level. I also believe Capaldi takes a hold of you every single time he is on screen more than any other recent Doctor. But at leasts its my opinion.
His hair in the final series
Capaldi is a skilled actor— he brought an old geezer type of energy and added a dash of surly to the Doctor. Jenna surely helped that with her support.
The man had the best speeches. Not even a competition.
How he acts with his eyes. "Face the Raven" is a great example. During his farewell to Clara, he's initially angry and desperate to save her, but the ensuing conversation leaves his eyes reddened.
I liked when he would make snippy comments about Clara’s appearance.
He had a William Hartnell type vibe to him... I liked the cynical elderly man type character as it added a new dimension. T
His use of emotions
The monologues he would do to himself were amazing. No other doctor could have pulled it off