Yes, he remarks on his new Eccleston ears. But he could have just regenerated from Paul McGann, who would have been the Doctor responsible for ending the Time War. Here's how I see the Moffat plan and its adaptation.
Before the Name of the Doctor, the season ender, Moffat planned for a 50th anniversary special teased by a short showing McGann either preparing to end the Time War, or having just done so and regenerating into Eccleston. Eccleston, Tennant, and Smith then star in a 50th anniversary featuring every New Who Doctor. Moffat contacts Eccleston, who turns the role down.
Moffat then repairs the damage by adding a scene to the Name of the Doctor introducing Hurt, an explanation of how a Doctor is there who has not hitherto had a number (although numbers are outside the context of the show). A teaser now shows McGann regenerating into Hurt, who will go on to end the Time War and regenerate into Eccleston.
I thought that the dialogue showed signs of having been written for Ecclestone, especially in the encounter with the interface-in-Rose's-form. It would have made a lot of sense to me.
That was my feeling too. I felt the role was kinda designed with Eccleston in mind.
And this would to me explain the incredibly clunky ending of the last season where nothing really made sense and it was all apparently designed just to shoehorn in William Hurt AS! THE! DOCTOR!
A finale that was then not referenced and completely ignored by the 50th entirely. Having done it's job of shoe-horning in this extra doctor.
William Hurt would make a fine Doctor (first American cast in the role!). He could have played him as a mix of some of his previous roles, such as Mr Rochester and Richard Feynman.
My guess would be as well as, not instead of; perhaps a proper cameo instead of a repurposed clip, and a proper regeneration scene for Hurt. But no more than that
( ... )
True about the reuse. Human Nature's probably the biggest example.
Moffat does canonise McGann's radio dramas in Night of the Doctor, though.
As for the regeneration, I swear I'm not mad, but just before it cuts away from Hurt during the regeneration you can see his face for a split second start to change into Eccleston.
I must have watched that about seven times now, having heard people say that, and if you can point out the bit that's clearly Ecclestone (and not, say, Atkinson) I'll be very impressed!
It looks to me like they just blurred his face a bit, to be honest.
(And yes, they occasionally do reference the radio/books in the TV series, when they feel like it. No love for Frobisher yet though.)
I much prefer the idea that the war doctor was a concession to practicality than something that was supposed to have happened all along (though now it exists, I embrace it wholeheartedly as cannon).
I think there are a bunch of clues that make me think it was absolutely planned for some time that there was to be a doctor not counted as the doctor and reasons which make it less convincing as a story with just one more incarnation
( ... )
Comments 29
Reply
Was there a line making that explicit?
Reply
Before the Name of the Doctor, the season ender, Moffat planned for a 50th anniversary special teased by a short showing McGann either preparing to end the Time War, or having just done so and regenerating into Eccleston. Eccleston, Tennant, and Smith then star in a 50th anniversary featuring every New Who Doctor. Moffat contacts Eccleston, who turns the role down.
Moffat then repairs the damage by adding a scene to the Name of the Doctor introducing Hurt, an explanation of how a Doctor is there who has not hitherto had a number (although numbers are outside the context of the show). A teaser now shows McGann regenerating into Hurt, who will go on to end the Time War and regenerate into Eccleston.
Reply
DOCTOR: Ah, could've been worse. Look at the ears.
Which does seem to indicate that. Although I'm sure Moffat could have worked around that if he'd tried :->
Reply
Reply
And this would to me explain the incredibly clunky ending of the last season where nothing really made sense and it was all apparently designed just to shoehorn in William Hurt AS! THE! DOCTOR!
A finale that was then not referenced and completely ignored by the 50th entirely. Having done it's job of shoe-horning in this extra doctor.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
And _clearly_ Hurt doesn't regenerate into Ecclestone.
It's Hurt -> Atkinson -> Grant -> Broadbent -> Grant -> Lumley -> Ecclestone.
Reply
Moffat does canonise McGann's radio dramas in Night of the Doctor, though.
As for the regeneration, I swear I'm not mad, but just before it cuts away from Hurt during the regeneration you can see his face for a split second start to change into Eccleston.
Reply
It looks to me like they just blurred his face a bit, to be honest.
(And yes, they occasionally do reference the radio/books in the TV series, when they feel like it. No love for Frobisher yet though.)
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment