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Hey youtubers it’s Charlie and since Sylvester McCoy was just caught talking about a New
Master for Doctor Who Series 8, I thought it was time to talk about or top 10 choices
for a new Master.
We need to think of people that would work really well with this new more serious tone
Peter Capaldi is supposedly bringing to the series. Full disclosure, Sylvester McCoy said
he knew who the new Master was, during a recent convention in Newcastle. That means either
he’s blowing steam or there really is a brand new Master coming.
For the purposes of this video, let’s just assume he was speaking truthfully. And since
this is a pretty big deal I’ll try to get a follow up Q&A video out by next Tuesday.
If you’re finding me for the first time, be sure to subscribe to get it.
So first off we need to acknowledge the rumor that Charles Dance who plays Tywin Lannister
on Game of Thrones has been offered the role. Book readers will understand why that might
work out from a production scheduling standpoint between Season 4 of Thrones and Series 8 of
Doctor Who. Please don’t post spoilers in the comments though.
But there are so many other similar actors who have also been named as being in talks,
all of whom are every bit as scary as Tywin Lannister.
So lets’ talk about our Top 10 Picks for The Master including some of those rumored
people.
Number 10 - Billy Nighy. Yes he did already appear in and episode as another character,
but The Master is meant to be the antithesis of The Doctor. And as we learned in the 50th
Anniversary, The Doctor is destined to become caretaker of a museum. So it would fit thematically
that The Master would also have the same type of job at some point.
Nighy has played several grand villains in I, Frankenstein, Pirates of The Caribbean
and the Underworld series. It’s really his Davy Jones role that makes me think he could
pull off role though. I always thought of The Master as a tragic villain as depicted
in The End of Time. And that’s exactly what his Davy Jones character was.
I’ll say that I have several vanity choices and he’s definitely one of them.
Number 9 - Jason Isaacs. One of a few Harry Potter actors on my list. I really liked his
Lucius Malfoy character in the earlier films before Voldemort arrived and cowed him into
submission. He has played more viscious characters, but there’s something about the characters
in Harry Potter that gives them this old-timey ness that I feel we’re going to see in Series
8. Especially with that first episode back in Victorian London.
I always felt like Doctor Who was kind of a period story, so all the best actors on
the show were also good period actors. Number 8 - Emma Thompson. Harry Potter Actor
number 2. But only by coincidence. Trelawny would be an awful Master. Could you just imagine.
Thompson though is one of the great leading ladies originating from the UK and she’s
at the right age to play against Capaldi’s older Doctor.
She’s mostly known for playing non-threatening characters and mostly her roles haven’t
let her be very evil in the grand sense. But I would love to see her play someone analogous
to Voldemort. I even picked he who must not be named as one of my choices for a new Time
Lord.
Doctor Who has a history of casting multiple Harry Potter actors in the same episode.
Number 7 - Harry Lloyd. Who better to play the Master in after a Dickensian Series 8
opening than the real life great great grandson of Charles Dickens. Seriously, Harry Lloyd
is related to Charles Dickens. He’s also had amazing roles in Devil’s *** and The
Iron Lady as powerful characters and he’s also one of two Game of Thrones actors on
the list. Yes, he was Viserys Targaryen. Crowned in molten gold. Isn’t it a funny coincidence
that he also starred in The Hollow Crown.
The Master is really the creation of the Time Lords, but he wants to be King of the Universe
just as badly as Viserys wanted the Iron Throne.
Number 6 - Chiwetel Ejiofor. Mostly known for protagonists and now for his work in 12
Years a Slave, Ejiofor previously had an amazing run against The 9th Doctor Christopher Eccleston
in The Shadow Line. So in a meta kind of way he’s had a practice run.
Capaldi’s portrayal is going to be very different than Eccleston’s so he’d have
to be a little more grand. But he also played a very ambiguous if not effective villain
in Joss Whedon’s Serenity. I don’t think that character would be passionate enough
to be The Master, but Ejiofor is just so good I have no doubt he would be amazing.
Number 5 - Benedict Cumberbatch. For fans of a certain age, or maybe everyone. Cumberbatch
is the most popular choice for idosyncratic characters. It’s like everyone has their
list of favorite actors and everywhere in the world he’s somewhere in the top 5. Which
is why he’d probably never have the time to do it. But picture his version of The Master
with the wit and appearance of Sherlock and the Voice of Smaug the Dragon. The Master
really is like the genetic blend of those two characters. Grand, evil, precise, calculating
and terrifying.
Number 4 - Alan Rickman. Dial it back from a dragon a little bit and you have a much
more practical villain, the third Harry Potter actor on the list, Severus Snape. Arguably
one of the best tragic villains or tragic heroes in recent memory. Depending on how
you look at it.
The other evil role that really comes to mind is his Hans Gruber from Die Hard. He’s as
admired for it as he is parodied. Which I think is perfect for Doctor Who. It’s a
series that at both times is beloved and just a little bit silly. Usually the showrunner
is mostly the one that informs that second part. The humor of Moffat’s run is slowly
turning into something else and if the rumors are to be believed. Coming to an end.
Number 3 - Gary Oldman. Harry Potter Actor number 4 on the list, I sense a trend. One
of the best character actors working right now and willing to try just about anything.
He actually said that the main reason he took the role of Sirius Black in Harry Potter was
because of his children. Let’s hope that his children are also Doctor Who fans.
Imagine a blend of his characters from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Dracula. Maybe even
just Dracula. What I’m saying is, I would love to see Dracula be the new Master. Didn’t
Gordon Tipple’s Master look like he could have been a vampire?
Number 2 - Malcolm Mcdowell. One of the most iconic villain character actors of the last
40 years. I consider his Alex character from Clockwork Orange to be a spiritual Father
to Andrew Scott’s Moriarty. If Capaldi almost seems like he could be Matt Smith’s father,
then who better to play the counterpart to John Simm than McDowell. In fairness, he is
the oldest person on this list and seems more like a more sinister version of Derek Jacobi’s
Master. And I really think they’ll go with someone younger and a little more prominent
in the eyes of audiences right now.
Which leads me to my Number 1 pick - Tywin Lannister. I mean Charles Dance. Due to the
incredible popularity of Game of Thrones it’s hard to think of him without thinking of Tywin.
But outside of the rumors that he’s already been cast, there are so many things that scream
“Yes” about this.
First, The pedigree of evil. That actually sounds like a good title for an episode. He’s
played several amazing villains and is mostly known for playing distinguished characters.
That is to say The Master will not appear as a fool. Then look at the perspective of
the BBC. They want the show to be as popular as possible. The best way to do that is to
find amazing actors that are incredibly popular. For more on this refer back to my Benedict
Cumberbatch choice.
Right now next to Walking Dead, Game of Thrones is one of the most internationally popular
shows on television. Meaning almost anyone who watches TV probably knows and fears Charles
Dance.
Imagine a more forthcoming version of Tywin dressed in Victorian clothing. Which opens
a whole new topic of discussion for a future video. What should the new Master’s costume
look like?
And with that I’ll pass it to you guys, let me know who you want to see as the new
Master and do you believe the rumors that Charles Dance has already been picked.
Like I said I’ll try to get a Q&A video up on Tuesday to follow up on this so subscribe
to get it if you’re new to my channel and leave your questions.
Big stuff tonight too. There’s a new Game of Thrones trailer that I’ll be posting
and new Walking Dead.
Right now click here to learn about the newest actor they just cast for series 8 and click
here for my top 10 picks for new Time Lords.
Thanks for Watching, see you guys tonight. High Fives!