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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Doctor Who recasting in America Ongoing Blog) Updated 2-21-15

There was a lot of hoopla surrounding a buzzfeed post regarding the supposition over casting Doctor Who if he were American.  The original article can be found here http://www.buzzfeed.com/newu456/what-if-doctor-who-was-american-5pxx#.jheqqvx9EM

I, being a huge fanboy geekatron monster from the future, have my own opinions on the subject.

I will cast all the Doctors and in some cases the companions.(do to the nature of Doctor Who, with it's missing episoded, I am not familiar with all the companions)  I will try to be faithful to the time period that the originals were cast in, and I will try to avoid the Hyperbole of superstar casting.

This is a work in progress.  I hope to be done by Christmas

I am totally taking liberties with historical facts concerning the show.  remember we are in an alternate time line

I will now cast the first episode, An Unearthly Child.

The Doctor (1963-1966)



David Wayne has always been a sensitive caring hardass.  His temperament is perfect to play the stern scientist and the loving grandfather.












Susan, the Doctor's Granddaughter




Angela Cartwright
yes, you know her from Lost In Space, but before that she was on the Danny Thomas Show.  She is a talented kid actor with a precocious streak.













Barbara Wright
Yvonne Craig
Sexy and smart as bat-girl..Ms. Craig would be the perfect school teacher and quasi romantic lead in this series.


















Ian Chesterton

Bill Bixby
Who else could keep up with this crew.  Bixby would be the perfect smart and savvy teacher and aren't he an Yvonne Craig the perfect sci-fi couple.










The Doctor (1966-1969)

Danny Kaye
the second Doctor was a man of action, that action was mostly running away.  There was a certain comic brilliance to the genius that would rather talk than fight.  The musical master of talking his way into and out of anything was the amazing Danny Kaye.















Jamie McCrimmon
Walter Koenig
so...in a world where Doctor Who is American, Star Trek must be British.  Instead of donning Federation Red, the young exuberant actor dons a kilt to play the Doctor's faithful Highland companion.  Secretly a master of accents and brilliant character acting.  Walter Koenig would be totally in his element.






As we move on to the third Doctor, we hit territory that is more familiar to American Audiences.  This is, for most of us, the earliest Doctor we can recall seeing full episodes of on the PBS.  I have spent much time considering the American Casting.  There are lots of companions in this one.

The Doctor (1970-1974)
John Hillerman
Aristocratic and stodgy and a product of good breeding.  Hillerman is the perfect choice for a less Timey Wimey Doctor. He can also Masquerade as country Doctor John Smith.











Liz Shaw
Sally Kellerman
although quite attractive, the point of Liz Shaw was to give the Doctor a companion that could keep up Science wise.  Liz Shaw was smart and a little cold.
Sally Kellerman could play this role perfectly.










Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart

Pernell Roberts
Tough as nails and smart as a whip.  The perfect Brig to deal with Hillerman's proper Doctor.












Captain Mike Yates
Michael Cole
The Mod Squad's Pete has the scruffy look and proper attitude to play the mistakenly disgraced but always loyal Captain Mike Yates.
















Sergeant John Benton
Robert Brown
this is a weird one because nobody remembers Robert Brown.  Starring as the Eldest of the Bolt Brothers on "Here Come the Brides", Brown could play the sensitive soldier who is loyal and honest and brave.  He's the edgy boy scout with a wise streak and he's a bit of a wise-ass.















Jo Grant
Goldie Hawn
After the departure of Liz Shaw the producers wanted an assistant that was less smart and more accessible to viewers.  Goldie Hawn was the best woman for the job.  She was young and hip and got into lots of troubling situations when the Doctor was not listening.
The women's movement ended her tenure as companion.  the character, perceived as dumb, was replaced instead of changed to fit a new criteria.












Sarah Jane Smith
Diane Keaton
Liz Shaw was seen as too brainy and Jo Grant was seen as flighty..enter the perfect companion.  Sarah Jane was perfect.  Smart, intrepid and independent, Sarah Jane was the best of all worlds.  She was the fan favorite for decades.
Who better than Diane Keaton to play this role.












The Master
Bruce Dern
Crazy, frantic, and a little intense, Bruce Dern was wonderful in becoming the Doctor's greatest Nemesis.  Repeating the part many times during the 3rd Doctor's run.  He was evil incarnate with a blackened heart and a brain filled with warped genius.















The Doctor (1974-1981)
Jim HuttonIn 1974 Jim Hutton took over the role of The Doctor.  He was the actor who played the role for the longest period of time and the one that American Audiences are most familiar with.  It was a return to the old Time traveling Doctor, but in a fresh direction with a new energy.















Dr. Harry Sullivan
Kent McCord
Only a companion for a short while Dr. Harry Sullivan was UNIT's Medic.  Kent McCord more than fit as the Doubting Thomas thrown into a world of adventure that he totally can't comprehend
















Leela

Maren Jensen
Maren Jensen took over the companion position after Sarah and Harry had left.  A primitive from a savage planet, she had no problem fighting and even killing her enemies.  The Doctor often takes issues with her more drastic behaviors.















K-9

Tony Jay
Tony Jay is a talented voice over artist.  He has starred in the original Beauty and the Beast Television series and the Mighty Max cartoon.  He has the perfect superior tone to play the Doctor's faithful dog.











Adric

Scott Baio
the most hated companion ever.  Scott Baio signs on as the other dimensional mathematical genius who gets killed trying to take down a cyberman with a merit badge

















Tegan

Deborah Van Valkenburghfres from her role in Warriors, the actress brings her tough interpretation to the part of misplace flight attendant Tegan Jovanka








Nyssa

Jami Gertz
Her family killed by the reborn Master.\
Jami Gerts add passion and spark to the role of the Astrophysics prodigy
















The Master
Christopher Lloyd
largely ignored after the John Hillerman days. The Master is again revived in the form of the Great Christopher Lloyd













The Doctor (1981-1984)


Peter Weller
The eclectic performance sent the Doctor back to a world of 1930's cool and class, a definitive Jazz Age Doctor







Turlough


Lewis Smith
turns is a stellar performance as a 1950's public school thug charged with the task of  betraying the Doctor

















Black Guardian
Marlon Brando-Nuff Said



















White Guardian
Fred Astaire_also Nuff Said














The Doctor (1984-1986)




John Larroquette
truth be told, John Larroquette could have been the greatest Doctor ever, but the producers dressed him in a bright multi-colored costume and made him slightly homicidal. Larroquette wanted to play the role more mysteriously, but the producers gave him no control








Peri Brown
Michelle Meyrink is one of the greatest actresses you have never heard of.  She is a wonderful character actress and in this reverso world where the Doctor is American.  She was the perfect faux British companion







Melanie Bush

Marisa Tomei
Mel's job is to push and prod the Doctor to take care of himself.  She is perky, and bright, and shiny.  Marisa Tomei took on a similar character in the first season of "A Different World"

















The Valyard
Jimmy Smits
The secret future amalgamated Doctor Identity is a small but commanding role.  Jimmy Smitd would fill those shoes nicely.  He is a brilliant television litigator who can totally put the Doctoe on trial
















The Doctor (1987-1989)

Perter Scolari
Scolari was given the task of making the Doctor likable again.  He was dark and mysterious and yet he juggles, rides a unicycle, and mismatches his cliche's.  His fun and sometimes runs away.  It is a return to the days when Danny Kaye played the Doctor.










Ace
Mary Stuart Masterson joins the cast as the misplaced earth delinquent who likes to make things go boom.  She has issues with authority and knows the secret to making Nitro 9.  It is what it sounds like














Doctor Who 
1996 BBC Film


Jude Law

in an attempt to revive the series the BBC chose a non-American to take the role and Jude Law was cast in the story of an all too romantic Doctor Who

To our surprise Peter Scolari makes a cameo for the regeneration scene






Grace Holloway

Minnie Driver was cast as the first ever companion with a romantic slant.  It was inevitable, but the world was not ready for a British Doctor with British sensibilities












The Master


Alan Rickman
the best thing about the Doctor Who Revival of the Nineties.













Doctor Who 2005
David Boreananz

To spark interest in the new series, the producers cast 
sci fi/fantasy fan favorite David Boreanaz as the Doctor. Boreananz was made for the brooding danger junkie living in self exile















Rose Tyler


Mandy Moore

Fresh off her role as the Born Again Bitch in the cult classic "Saved" and her singing career far behind her, Mandy Moore added an odd freshness to the role of companion. She added depth and a sense of self-sufficiency to a role that had previously been an excuse for the Doctor to rescue someone.












Jack Harkness

Benedict Cumberbatch

Another nod to the huge number of fans in the United Kingdom.  British Actor Benedict Cumberbatch was chosen to play the futuristic time agent who has a polymorphic sexuality and a criminal streak.  He would later be spun of into the more adult series Torchwood.














Doctor Who 2005-2010


Noah Wylie-
much more likable than his predecessor,  Noah Wylie was more concerned about redemption than guilt for his Doctor.
Billed as a much more romantic Doctor, female fans flocked to the series causing a ratings upsurge and international acclaim.














Mickey Smith

Dule Hill

Casting former child actor Dule Hill was unexpected, but the jealous ravings and over all insecurities of Rose's ex-boyfriend were handle wonderfully by this man who has taken his whole life to perfect his craft.














Donna Noble

Tina Fey

Contract issues made this difficult.  Tina Fey was able to do a Christmas special but then had issues with her bosses at SNL.  She finally returned to be a regular companion after her contract had expired.
















Martha Jones

Meagan Good
After an extensive search, producers decided upon supporting actress Meagan Good to assume the tough persona of Martha Jones, medical student and Doctor Who rebound girl.
















Doctor Who (2010-2013)
Zachary Levi

When it comes to the king of quirk, the spinning of serious to childish on the turn of a dime. Zachary Levi is totally the man.












Amy Pond
Dianna Argon

Quippy. strong willed and super model legs, The part of Amy Pond was made for Dianna Argon.  The girl who waited needs to wait impatiently and with attitude.

















Rory Williams
Nicholas Hoult

Acting since he was a boy opposite the likes of Hugh Grant.  Nicholas Hoult can play the impossibly loyal and steadfast Centurion of Amy's heart.  They are the romantic couple of the sci-fi ages, more tragic than the Doctor and Rose.














River Song
Lisa Kudrow

The part of River Song the, The Doctor's out of sync time traveling criminal wife, should be wacky and a bit psychotic.  This will be one wild a wacky ride.
















Clara Oswald (the impossible girl)

Mae Whitman-
Just wrapping on Parenthood and starring in the new film "The Duff".  Mae Whitman has been spunky, Bossy, Plucky, and Independent.  She is the perfect choice to play the Impossible girl.















THE WAR DOCTOR
Jeff Bridges













Rassilon



Tom Selleck




Doctor Who 2014-


Victor Garber-
He's been Jesus, He's been a heartless self-serving Lawyer and he's been a super spy.  Victor Garber is totally the failed minimalist and ersatz magician that is the Doctor,















Danny Pink


J. August Richard

He's been a soldier sidekick to a vampire, he's been a dedicated father turned into a war machine.  He's been the fighter with regrets..  A damn fine choice to play the soldier turned maths teacher, and Clara's new boyfriend.








The Mistress

Bebe Neuwirth--
She's been cold and sexy on Cheers, She's been wacky and macabre in the Broadway Version of the Addams Family.

Can anyone else pull off the newest Incarnation of the Doctor's Nemesis.  I don't think so























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