The Thirteenth Doctor To Be Revealed July 16th
by Erik Amaya
It’s almost time to shout “Thirteen!”
According to a helpful video posted by the official Doctor Who Facebook group, the Thirteenth Doctor will be revealed on Sunday, July 16th following the Wimbeldon Men’s Final.
For months, many have speculated on the identity of the new Doctor. Names like Fleabag‘s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Game of Thrones‘ Natalie Dormer and Tilda Swinton have floated about as the hope of the first female Doctor rose exponentially. That’s presuming, of course, that new showrunner Chris Chibnall wants to go in that direction. Male possibilities include Supergirl‘s David Harewood, occasional Q and 007 helpmate Ben Whishaw and The League of Gentlemen‘s Reece Shearsmith. Shearsmith briefly played Second Doctor actor Patrick Troughton in the telefilm An Adventure in Space and Time and anything that gets the modern Doctor closer to Troughton instantly becomes my favored choice.
But one thing I’ve noticed this time is the lack of a true favorite. The Sun‘s recent oddsmaking article suggests Waller-Bridge is the favorite, but it doesn’t have the momentum Peter Capaldi or Matt Smith had in the days just before their announcements. Capaldi emerged as the favored name fairly quickly while Smith appeared out of nowhere just days before he was revealed to the world. Of course, that was because it leaked a day or two early.
Whoever may end up with the keys to the TARDIS, it will no doubt sadden a group of fans who always wish their Doctor would come back. Even I fall into that trap with my love of the Troughton persona. But I’ll just as quickly embrace the Doctor — whoever she might be — as I always have. Change is at the very heart of the series and everyone who comes to the part makes it wonderful and theirs.
Yes, even Colin Baker.
