Doctor Who Star quits! (1 Viewer)

Robert Floto · Mar 31, 2005

Sci-Fi Wire states that Christopher Eccleston has quit the title role of the BBC's new Doctor Who series after just one episode of the new series aired.

Talks are taking place to replace him with Casanova star David Tennant.

Here's the story...

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/i...ory=0&id=30754

Mikel_Cooperman · Mar 31, 2005

That was quick. How many regenerations does he have left?

John Mansor · Mar 31, 2005

Nothing like killing the buzz of a high rated first episode for a show on hiatus for 16 years.

Francois Caron · Mar 31, 2005

If they play their cards right, they could take advantage of this. Get a new Doctor every year or two to keep the show fresh! His regenerations are already an established fact of the series. So why not use it?

I can understand Eccleston's reasoning behind this. Too often, actors who have played in a science fiction show have a lot of difficulty finding work anywhere else. There's no easy way out of this trap aside from an early exit from the series. Still, it's too bad. Based on the first episode, he was definitely made for the part.

Maybe they can convince him to do a second season before moving on to other things. It'll add some stability to the series.

Kevin Hewell · Mar 31, 2005

I thought the Doctor only had a limited number of regenerations.

PhilipG · Mar 31, 2005

Twelve, but who cares. It's a writing device. And it's not as if Doctor Who hasn't broken its own rules from time to time.

Don Peskin · Apr 1, 2005

Anyone know if this show is going to be shown in the U.S.

Aaron Silverman · Apr 1, 2005

Maybe now he'll be typecast as an unreliable employee and have trouble finding any work.

Jason Seaver · Apr 1, 2005

Eh, cut him some slack. It's his first regular TV work in over a decade, and his first lead role in a TV series. I gather a lot of actors tend to be surprised by how exhausting that job is.

MishaLauenstein · Apr 1, 2005

Isn't that what typecast means?

He's not complaining that he'll spend the rest of his life getting jobs playing Doctor Who-type characters. He's complaining that he'll spend the rest of his life getting NO work because anyone who sees him can only think of him playing Doctor Who.

Mikel_Cooperman · Apr 1, 2005

I, an average guy knows that TV work involves 14 hour days. If I know that, you would think he would.
And about the typcasting...shouldn't he have thought of that Before he took the role????

Andrew Beacom · Apr 2, 2005

Well the publicity from him doing 1 season gave his profile a boost. Free publicity for him and then by leaving strait away he (in his mind) is avoiding any Shatner or Tom baker situation.

andrew markworthy · Apr 2, 2005

Wrong, I'm afraid. He's a well-known actor in the UK and has had lead roles in quite a few successful TV dramas, plus of course he has had a perfectly respectable film career.

Ray Gutnick · Apr 2, 2005

I suspect there's more to this story than what was released.

Mike Graham · Apr 2, 2005

Ray said:

I agree, he would've known way beforehand the effects of playing the lead in the flagship franchise of the BBC. Plus everyone involved don't seem so shocked.

Nick_Scott · Apr 3, 2005

Not that it matters, but there was one episode that had a bunch of OTHER time lords stealing the 'Doctors extra lives, so they could regenerate. So, in theory, the Doctor could always get more lives for himself using the same method.

I say, "not that it matters" since its science-fiction: They can make up the "rules" as they go.

Nick

Darrell Bratz · Apr 3, 2005

If they wanted him for more than a year, they should have signed him to a multi-year contract. Without that, he's under no obligation, literal or moral, to come back. Just as the producers would have been under no obligation to offer him a contract for a second year if they were unhappy with him.

Jasoda · Apr 6, 2005

Don, It was on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting) last night and will be on next Tuesday at 8:00. I'm not sure if it will be the regular slot, but it should end up somewhere. I found it to be pretty good and I'm looking forward to seeing more. Maybe I'm just used to Baker and the others, but they seemed to have more personality than the newbie. I'm sure he'll grow on me just like Sylvester did...

BTW, I live in the US, but I'm close enough to the border to get CBC on Comcast.

David Williams · Apr 6, 2005

The guys at the BBc need to take a page from American TV and sign up stars for multi-year contracts, as Darrell said. Then they wouldn't have put up with this crap from Eccleston or Richard Coyle. There is no harm, no foul on a multi-year contract if the show isn't renewed, so why aren't they doing this?

It's not like it prevents the actors from seeking other work since British series are so much shorter than American seasons. I imagine most British actors would freak out if they had to work like cast from Desperate Housewives or Lost (which added shows to their seasons).

Aaron Silverman · Apr 6, 2005

I said typecast as an unreliable employee, not as a Doctor-type character. Just a lame attempt to be funny.

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