Capaldi Reveals His Future Doctor Who Wishlist, Including One Gatwa Era Detail He Says Isn’t Canon
Peter Capaldi has shared his thoughts on what Doctor Who should retain in its next incarnation.
Speaking on the Half the Picture podcast in a recent interview, the Twelfth Doctor actor offered a distinctly traditional vision of the programme, drawing on his lifelong affection for its original incarnation.
“I think it’s actually quite a small show,” Capaldi explained.
“It’s the Doctor and the assistant slash assistants in the TARDIS,” he said, describing how the central group travels into different worlds filled with monsters, strange adventures and emotional stories.
Capaldi argued that the programme needs to maintain that central relationship, with the Doctor and companions finding safety and warmth inside the TARDIS between adventures.
He was particularly protective of the TARDIS itself when the conversation turned to the possibility of redesigning its interior to resemble a jazz bar.
“No, you don’t mess with the TARDIS,” he insisted.
“It’s got to retain its 60s essence,” Capaldi continued. “It can be amped up obviously, but its essence has to be a 60s thing.”
He also offered some preferences about the Doctor’s companions, suggesting that a small team would work best.
“You can’t have more than two,” he said, adding that he liked the idea of having a male and female companion alongside the Doctor.
The conversation also took a humorous turn when the subject of the Doctor’s appearance came up.
Capaldi declared that the Doctor should never have facial hair, insisting: “He shouldn’t have a beard.”
When the interviewer pointed out that Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor had sported a moustache, Capaldi responded: “I don’t think that’s canon.”
Capaldi also emphasised the importance of monsters, arguing that modern television has relatively few programmes featuring the kinds of creatures that helped make Doctor Who so appealing to younger viewers.
“I think kids love monsters,” he said, referencing aliens, robots and reptilian creatures.
While Capaldi admitted that his personal vision of Doctor Who was heavily influenced by the classic series, he remained enthusiastic about seeing what the programme’s next creative team might bring to the screen.
