Confession time: I was dead against seeing a woman get the lead role in my all time favourite TV series ever, Doctor Who. I figured that, no matter how good an actor they got to play the part, a female Doctor would be missing that essential paternal/fraternal aspect to the character. They just wouldn't be the Doctor. Recently however I've realised how completely wrong I was, mainly because of Michelle Gomez. Her performance as Missy, a female incarnation of the Master, has been absolutely superb. She's managed to completely reinvent the role whilst simultaneously remaining, unmistakably, the Master. If it can be done with the Master then it can be done with the Doctor, so I'm on board. I want current Doctor Peter Capaldi to stay for years and years and years, but when he finally leaves I'm ready for a woman to play the Thirteenth Doctor!
Here's who I'd like to see play a female Doctor Who:
Suranne Jones
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The most obvious choice on the list, mainly because she's already played the TARDIS in human form, in the Neil Gaiman penned The Doctor's Wife. Even if we put aside the fact that she's a talented actor with a wealth of experience in television, this episode alone should be enough to convince you of her suitability to play the Doctor. Despite only being on screen for one episode she's become one the most memorable Who characters ever. As good as the episode was it wouldn't have worked without a convincing and likeable performance from the human TARDIS around which the plot was centred. Jones delivered, she was charismatic, funny, alien and tragic. In short, the perfect Doctor.
Siwan Morris
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For a start she's Welsh. Come on, Doctor Who has been filmed in Wales for ten years and we've never had a Welsh Doctor? We've had two Scousers, three Scots, and a whole bunch of Londeners. Let's get a Welsh person in the role! Welshness aside, she's a great actor. I first saw her being brilliant in former Who showrunner Russell T. Davies 's underrated comedy drama Mine All Mine. As well as being extremely talented she has magnificent eyes, that give her an otherworldly quality that would be perfect for the Doctor. She appeared recently in what might possibly be the worst episode of Doctor Who ever, In the Forest of the Night. She deserves to be the Doctor just because of how criminally underused she was in that episode.
Lesley Sharp
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Sharp has played a huge variety of roles over the years and she would bring the kind of experience and acting chops that Eccleston and Capaldi brought to the role. One of her finest roles was actually alongside Eccleston, in Russell T. Davies' brilliant The Second Coming. She's also starred in Who before, in possibly one of the greatest ever episodes, Midnight. Based on her powerful performances in Midnight and The Second Coming I imagine Sharp could do well playing a Doctor who's a little bit scary but also quite grounded and human.
Kathy Burke
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Burke is probably my top choice to play a female Doctor. While she is mainly known for her comedy roles she is extremely versatile and has won and been nominated for awards for her roles in dramas such as Nil By Mouth and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Like the best Doctors you could see her bringing a bit of her own personality and charisma to the role. I imagine her as a Troughtonesque Doctor, underestimated by her foes due to her unimposing appearance and genial nature, but with a sharp mind always working away beneath the surface. While she seems to have distanced herself from acting a bit over the past ten years or so and taken on more directing work, she still acts and is still brilliant at it. If the Doctor is going to be a woman I couldn't imagine anyone better. Can you imagine her opposite Michelle Gomez?
I'm not saying that these four are the only women who could play The Doctor, but if I was in charge, they're who I would be contacting first. What do you think? Who would make a great female Doctor?
Here's who I'd like to see play a female Doctor Who:
Suranne Jones
The most obvious choice on the list, mainly because she's already played the TARDIS in human form, in the Neil Gaiman penned The Doctor's Wife. Even if we put aside the fact that she's a talented actor with a wealth of experience in television, this episode alone should be enough to convince you of her suitability to play the Doctor. Despite only being on screen for one episode she's become one the most memorable Who characters ever. As good as the episode was it wouldn't have worked without a convincing and likeable performance from the human TARDIS around which the plot was centred. Jones delivered, she was charismatic, funny, alien and tragic. In short, the perfect Doctor.
Siwan Morris
For a start she's Welsh. Come on, Doctor Who has been filmed in Wales for ten years and we've never had a Welsh Doctor? We've had two Scousers, three Scots, and a whole bunch of Londeners. Let's get a Welsh person in the role! Welshness aside, she's a great actor. I first saw her being brilliant in former Who showrunner Russell T. Davies 's underrated comedy drama Mine All Mine. As well as being extremely talented she has magnificent eyes, that give her an otherworldly quality that would be perfect for the Doctor. She appeared recently in what might possibly be the worst episode of Doctor Who ever, In the Forest of the Night. She deserves to be the Doctor just because of how criminally underused she was in that episode.
Lesley Sharp
Sharp has played a huge variety of roles over the years and she would bring the kind of experience and acting chops that Eccleston and Capaldi brought to the role. One of her finest roles was actually alongside Eccleston, in Russell T. Davies' brilliant The Second Coming. She's also starred in Who before, in possibly one of the greatest ever episodes, Midnight. Based on her powerful performances in Midnight and The Second Coming I imagine Sharp could do well playing a Doctor who's a little bit scary but also quite grounded and human.
Kathy Burke
Burke is probably my top choice to play a female Doctor. While she is mainly known for her comedy roles she is extremely versatile and has won and been nominated for awards for her roles in dramas such as Nil By Mouth and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Like the best Doctors you could see her bringing a bit of her own personality and charisma to the role. I imagine her as a Troughtonesque Doctor, underestimated by her foes due to her unimposing appearance and genial nature, but with a sharp mind always working away beneath the surface. While she seems to have distanced herself from acting a bit over the past ten years or so and taken on more directing work, she still acts and is still brilliant at it. If the Doctor is going to be a woman I couldn't imagine anyone better. Can you imagine her opposite Michelle Gomez?
I'm not saying that these four are the only women who could play The Doctor, but if I was in charge, they're who I would be contacting first. What do you think? Who would make a great female Doctor?