[TV] Doctor Who

[Deleted]

Popular comedian, actor and broadcaster Sanjeev Bhaskar

Never knew he existed

[Deleted]

Oh boy! Next month! Can't wait! I also love Capaldi as the Doctor! He's brilliant! <3

[Shockeye]

What's with all the comedians guest-starring and why is the Doctor always needing so much help?

It's sounding like Romper Room.

[Kelimbror]

What's with all the comedians guest-starring and why is the Doctor always needing so much help?

It's sounding like Romper Room.

I read these announcements and I think a couple of things: 1) I'm not British so I have no idea who these people are and they will just seem like random actors to me. 2) When finding out they are all popular British celebs, I start to feel like Who has become some weird meta cultural phenomenon where the show could become a caricature of itself. I'd rather it not be a vehicle for FotM celebs and just keep telling stories tbh. I guess in this media age they have to announce all these people for publicity, but it would be nice if they cast them to just let the episode speak for itself. Not going to happen in our age though.

[Deleted]

I read these announcements and I think a couple of things: 1) I'm not British so I have no idea who these people are and they will just seem like random actors to me. 2) When finding out they are all popular British celebs, I start to feel like Who has become some weird meta cultural phenomenon where the show could become a caricature of itself. I'd rather it not be a vehicle for FotM celebs and just keep telling stories tbh. I guess in this media age they have to announce all these people for publicity, but it would be nice if they cast them to just let the episode speak for itself. Not going to happen in our age though.

Well speaking as a brit I have no idea who this guy is, and I rarely notice celebrities and comedians when they're in Doctor Who. David Walliam in God Complex and Peter Kay in Love and Monsters are the only ones that spring to mind.

[Deleted]

You are not alone in you lack of knowledge on who these guest stars are. Of all of them Frank Skinner is the only one I know of. I'd ignore them tbh and let the show speak for itself.

One thing I don't like about guest start is that they often give away a key part of the plot. I was recently watching Bones, and Richard Schiff was a guest star. And as usual, he was temporarily a suspect. However, knowing the actor, and the roles he's been in the past, i was confident that he would not prove to be the culprit. Also, he was a suspect early on and by know all the episodes begin to follow a common trend where they accuse one person, turn out not to be that person and they find out it's another, you can tell guild or innocence based on how far into the episode you are!

But yeah, if we see, say, Charles Dance suddenly on screen or in the credits of Dr Who, you'll know right away he's The Master, if you get my drift. I'd prefer they avoided big names for goodies or baddies for this reason, but that's not really possible anymore.

[Immitis]

I read these announcements and I think a couple of things: 1) I'm not British so I have no idea who these people are and they will just seem like random actors to me. 2) When finding out they are all popular British celebs, I start to feel like Who has become some weird meta cultural phenomenon where the show could become a caricature of itself. I'd rather it not be a vehicle for FotM celebs and just keep telling stories tbh. I guess in this media age they have to announce all these people for publicity, but it would be nice if they cast them to just let the episode speak for itself. Not going to happen in our age though.

well its mostly for them. they get to say "hey i was in doctor who!" and it also may get a few people watching who normally wouldnt.

it also helps that the cameos and guest stars in doctor who tend to be very tasteful. they dont just let people walk on and act like an idiot. most of the time i wouldnt even notice them if i didnt know who they were

[Kelimbror]

Well speaking as a brit I have no idea who this guy is, and I rarely notice celebrities and comedians when they're in Doctor Who. David Walliam in God Complex and Peter Kay in Love and Monsters are the only ones that spring to mind.

Well I don't know most American celebs, so it's probably more for people who are all gonzo for that stuff. I'm sure there are people raving about all these actors over there being in Who. Just like silly cameos on American shows. I don't get the fuss really.

I was recently watching Bones, and Richard Schiff was a guest star. And as usual, he was temporarily a suspect. However, knowing the actor, and the roles he's been in the past, i was confident that he would not prove to be the culprit. Also, he was a suspect early on and by know all the episodes begin to follow a common trend where they accuse one person, turn out not to be that person and they find out it's another, you can tell guild or innocence based on how far into the episode you are!

Heh...I love Bones, but yeah sometimes it gets pretty predictable. Not only does it follow your format, but normally the first major character they show (who doesn't get accused immediately) is always the bad guy in the end. My wife got so good at the Bones guessing game that she would glance at the screen for 2 seconds and nab the killer right away. Still a fun show though. Sorry for OT.

[Immitis]

oh the article forgot about foxes.

although i guess hers is more of a main role in an episode instead of just a guest star.



most of the time when a singer shows up in doctor who they end up pretty well.

billie piper was a singer before doctor who, now look at her.

this is foxes

[Kelimbror]

oh the article forgot about foxes.

although i guess hers is more of a main role in an episode instead of just a guest star.

Like I said...it's becoming the parade of british celebrities. Like I totally get that the show is a cultural icon, but aren't people who actually live there tired of seeing them shunted into episodes as advertisement for their stuff? It's like Doctor Who has become the SNL hosting of Britain. Glad I have no idea who any of these people ever are so I can just enjoy.

[Khime]

I read these announcements and I think a couple of things: 1) I'm not British so I have no idea who these people are and they will just seem like random actors to me. 2) When finding out they are all popular British celebs, I start to feel like Who has become some weird meta cultural phenomenon where the show could become a caricature of itself. I'd rather it not be a vehicle for FotM celebs and just keep telling stories tbh. I guess in this media age they have to announce all these people for publicity, but it would be nice if they cast them to just let the episode speak for itself. Not going to happen in our age though.

This isn't exactly new, though. The Fourth Doctor episode "City of Death" had John Cleese and Julian Glover in it, and Kata O'Mara was already a famous film, stage, and television actress before she showed up to vex the Sixth and Seventh Doctors as The Rani.

In fact... while the modern series has a lot more, having famous celebrity guest appearances in Doctor Who dates back to the First Doctor.

Though I do understand that a celebrity who is an actor, like BRIAN BLESSED, has more business being in a TV show like Doctor Who than a celebrity who is a comedian or a politician.

[Kelimbror]

This isn't exactly new, though.

Naturally not, but it hasn't seemed like such a publicity stunt in the past was really what I was getting at. I can't think of an American equivalent, but there are several large shows that having guest stars and comedians announced every other episode would be really tacky. It won't affect me at all because I won't even know who these people are. Not complaining, just pondering how it feels across the pond because I don't know the culture in any relevant way.

[Khime]

Naturally not, but it hasn't seemed like such a publicity stunt in the past was really what I was getting at. I can't think of an American equivalent, but there are several large shows that having guest stars and comedians announced every other episode would be really tacky. It won't affect me at all because I won't even know who these people are. Not complaining, just pondering how it feels across the pond because I don't know the culture in any relevant way.

It's very hard to think of an American equivalent, because we don't have any shows that have been around quite this long that are of a fictional nature, and I imagine part of the draw to doing a guest spot on Doctor Who is the desire to be 'part of history' (no pun intended). The aforementioned Saturday Night Live has been around 39 years, but it's designed to be a guest/variety show. Other shows that come to mind which have 'famous' guests all seem to be comedies, like the Cosby Show, and I don't watch enough drama on American TV to know how often they bring on 'famous' people for a single episode (though I did find someone's list of My Favorite Guest Stars on NCIS that has 75 actors in it; is that a lot for 9 years/246 episodes?)

[Immitis]

the Simpsons does that quite alot.

i dont really see the issue as long as they are good. if the issue is that you cant see them as the character they are playing well ive seen capaldi in loads of things and i can still see him as the doctor.

they dont just let any old person walk onto the set just because their semi popular they have to be good enough to be in the show. the bbc isnt afraid of turning people down

[Arlee]

Can haz John Barrowman make an appearance pls? QQ

[lokithor]

Can haz John Barrowman make an appearance pls? QQ

I second and third this.

Did I say I approve of this message? He might be too busy with Arrow though, dunno how that scheduling is.

[Adoxe]

I second and third this.

Did I say I approve of this message? He might be too busy with Arrow though, dunno how that scheduling is.

He said in an interview that he's gonna come back to Doctor Who whenever they need him, no matter what his schedule is on other shows, he'd make time for Doctor Who if they want him back. I REALLY WANT JACK BACK!

[Kelimbror]

the Simpsons does that quite alot.

That's sorta the point. It's a pretty tacky/cheesy endeavor to have guest stars like that....but the Simpsons don't really go out of their way to advertise it either. It's really a tongue-in-cheek satirical spin on guest stars, since often they play themselves and are the butt of several jokes. Robot chicken does similar things. I don't think anyone would confuse the levity of those shows with how Who is presented, however. I don't have an issue with the show, which I've repeated several times. I was wondering more how the reception of it was over there, because I would find it pretty lame if a US show with the same type of serious story/approach did it. And I actually do have a good US example now...it would be like BSG or Star Trek using Kim Kardashian or Kanye West, then next episode having Jimmy Fallon on it. It seems that silly to me. Obviously they aren't the same quality as the British talent, but I also have no frame of reference for their real celebrity status there.

[apepi]

the Simpsons does that quite alot.

i dont really see the issue as long as they are good. if the issue is that you cant see them as the character they are playing well ive seen capaldi in loads of things and i can still see him as the doctor.

they dont just let any old person walk onto the set just because their semi popular they have to be good enough to be in the show. the bbc isnt afraid of turning people down

I would not mind seeing Stephen Fry.

I started to watch Sherlock, it is pretty good.

[Kelimbror]

I would not mind seeing Stephen Fry.

Oh god...don't say that too loud even though I rather enjoy him as well.

I started to watch Sherlock, it is pretty good.

Mm hmm. Keep watching. Minds will be blown.