Doctor Who: A Series 8 Wish List

Doctor Who: A Series 8 Wish List

The 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who is fast approaching, as November 23rd will see a feature length special hit our cinema and television screens. 

Written by show-runner Steven Moffat and featuring returning cast members David Tennant and Billie Piper alongside regulars Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman, the story will see the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors (Tennant and Smith respectively) caught up in an adventure featuring another of their past incarnations - a mysterious character played by acting legend John Hurt.

Let's take a moment to look beyond that though. Matt Smith has sadly announced he will be departing the sci-fi series on Christmas Day this year, and the Eleventh Doctor will regenerate into a new form. Who will be the lucky actor chosen to portray the 1,200 year old Time Lord? Only 'time' will tell, although there have been some names floating around here and there...

Doctor Who: Who Should Be The 12th Doctor?

Even further than that, however, we have an eighth series on the way in 2014. Jenna Coleman has confirmed she will return as Clara Oswald, the Doctor's current companion, alongside a brand new Twelfth Doctor. Hopefully there will be no mid-series split this time (leaving fans with an annoyingly long break between episodes - series seven started in September last year and only finished a month ago!), but other than that, here's an episode-by-episode hypothetical wish list for Series 8...

Episodes 1/2

Writer: Steven Moffat (Showrunner, Doctor Who)

The pitch: A new Doctor, presumably fresh from the closing seconds of 2013's Christmas Special, lands on present day Earth (not modern day London though, that's becoming far too stale!). Rather than feature a huge monster or a dastardly scheme, episodes one and two are actually a low-key introduction to the personality and characterization of Doctor number Twelve. Clara herself is attempting to get over the loss of the Eleventh and get used to the Twelfth, while subtle hints to the story arc of the series (mysterious messages, references to events in the 50th Anniversary) are laid out but not necessarily focused on.

Why it would be awesome: Series seven divided fans due to Moffat's desire to create a "blockbuster" episode per week. As such, two-parters (giving the story an hour and a half of screen time rather than forty-five minutes) were scrapped in favour of big-budget extravaganzas. It's time to bring back those intelligent stories which indulged in characterization and plot, and where better to start than the beginning?

Episode 3

Writer: Toby Whithouse (Writer/Creator, Being Human)

The pitch: The Doctor takes Clara to a brand new planet featuring a new monster and a larger cast of military personnel attempting to capture it. The Doctor, however, has a more urgent reason to catch the monster - it's taken Clara!

Why it would be awesome: Toby Whithouse is no stranger to sci-fi, with Being Human just one of the projects under his belt. He's also written one of the best episodes of New-Who, The God Complex amongst others, as well as showing interest in taking over from Steven Moffat as the show runner of Doctor Who. Taking the new Doctor to an environment outside his - and our - comfort zone would also be a much clearer indicator of his character. We're going to need that if we're to stop missing Matt Smith!

Episode 4

Writer: Neil Cross (Writer/Creator, Luther)

The pitch: On a planet in the far future, its Sun is slowly but surely dying, leave the entire surface in desolate darkness for hours at a time. The Doctor and Clara become stranded and, as night falls, they find friends and foes on all sides. Possibly featuring the return of an old enemy - the Weeping Angels. Don't blink.

Why it would be awesome: Neil Cross had the pleasure of writing Hide, one of series seven's better episodes, and he proved there that spooky, clever horror is definitely his forte. A planet in darkness and the Weeping Angels closing in - what's not to be terrified about?

Episodes 5/6

Writer: Steven Moffat (Showrunner, Doctor Who)

The pitch: In Victorian Scotland (references to Ten's adventure Tooth and Claw abound!), all of the children in a small village are having terrifying nightmares about a man calling himself The Doctor and his horrific time machine which carries with it only one thing: the promise of death, pain and destruction. What happens when their nightmares become a reality, and the TARDIS crash lands in their town? Episode 5 ends on a huge cliffhanger, revealing the return of the fantastic "Dream Lord" from Series 5. Huge hints at the overall story arc here.

Why it would be awesome: The Dream Lord has featured in only one episode of Doctor Who so far, Amy's Choice in Series 5. He was definitely well received, however, and fans have been looking forward to his return ever since. Imagine a Doctor Who take on Nightmare On Elm Street, in which the Dream Lord is manipulating childrens' dreams and having them think The Doctor is a murderous tyrant!

Episode 7

Writer: Neil Gaiman (Writer: The Doctor's Wife, Stardust)

The pitch: A more low-key, sombre episode as The Doctor and Clara find themselves in the middle of World War I. On the eve of the horrific Battle of the Somme (in which the Allied troops are mercilessly slaughtered after going "over the top" of their trenches), the time travellers help the soldiers deal with an extraterrestrial monster scouring their trenches. Might make you cry.

Why it would be awesome: In Series 6, Gaiman managed to create one of the greatest Doctor Who episodes of all time, The Doctor's Wife. The acclaimed author would no doubt find oceans of inspiration to draw from in this situation full of soldiers doomed to meet their demise at sunrise. This would also hark back to stories such as The Waters of Mars, in which The Doctor is forced to let people die just because their death is a fixed point in time and space, never to be tampered with. 

Episode 8

Writers: Russell T. Davies (Former Showrunner Doctor Who)

The pitch: A smaller story dealing with The Doctor's inner turmoil and guilt as Martha Jones calls him back to Earth. More hints at the overall story arc here with mentions (possible cameos) of past companions. A sort of tribute to the Tennant era in both style and dialogue, while Martha and Mickey Smith show The Doctor that Torchwood and UNIT are butting heads over a particular missing time agent...

Why it would be awesome: Moffat has said before that former showrunner Russell T. Davies has been asked to return to write just one or two episodes, and each time he has inched closer and closer to saying yes. Bringing back characters from the Eccleston/Tennant era would be a perfect call back for Davies, while the return of Freema Agyeman and Noel Clarke would be brilliant fan-service. 

Episode 9

Writer: Chris Chibnall (Creator/Writer, Broadchurch)

The pitch: In this year's "Doctor-lite" episode, a small village attempts to deal with the sudden appearance of an alien in their midst. The creature in question has been injured in its crash landed ship (a Sontaran or a Judoon perhaps?) and is in the care of a child and his father - but when the rest of the community find out their secret, they might be much more hostile. Some want to kill it, some want to save it and the entire situation snowballs.

Why it would be awesome: Chibnall is no stranger to stories set in a fictional community, as the fantastic ITV drama Broadchurch showed off earlier this year. The most interesting part of the episode would be the small community's interactions with each other until The Doctor and Clara arrive to break up the tension. Think Series 4's Midnight meets Series 5's The Hungry Earth.

Episode 10

Writer: Peter Jackson (Director, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy)

The pitch: In a huge, FX heavy extravaganza, The Doctor and Clara are pursued through space by an enormous shuttle claiming to possess "The Doctor's greatest mistake." The Doctor is desperate to outrun it, but the shuttle itself isn't giving up so easily, leading to an epic chase through the Time Vortex, pursued by echoes of The Doctor's enemies. The final moments reveal the dramatic return of the one and only Captain Jack Harkness, fitting like a glove with the series story arc.

Why it would be awesome: Peter Jackson has frequently stated his desire to write and direct an episode of Doctor Who, and an episode which blows the entire show's budget is certainly worth his talents! Plus it's high time that Captain Jack made a comeback.

Episodes 11/12

Writer: Steven Moffat (Showrunner, Doctor Who)

The pitch: A two-part finale written by Moffat himself, bringing the series' story arc to a climax harking all the way back to "who blew up the TARDIS?" in Series 5. Captain Jack and Clara connect over their paradoxical lives (The Impossible Man and The Impossible Girl). The Episode 11 cliffhanger ends with the suggestion that Captain Jack is involved in the return of some of the Time Lords, misleadingly suggesting that they blew up the TARDIS.

Why it would be awesome: The mystery of who blew up the TARDIS has been irritating many fans for three years, so it would be good to see Moffat wrap it up nicely. It remains to be seen whether or not he and Jenna Coleman will remain on the show past Series 8, but if the answer is no then this final episode would be a neat finale to both of their eras on the series, with the 12th Doctor and Captain Jack continuing to travel together for the time being.

While all of this is hypothetical and is almost definitely not going to happen, I think we can all agree that I'd be a damn good writer for Doctor Who!

Doctor Who returns on November 23rd for its 50th Anniversary Special!

Review: World War Z

Review: World War Z

Director: Marc Forster

Cast: Brad Pitt, James Badge Dale, Mireille Enos, Matthew Fox

Running Time: 116 Minutes

There's one thing that any zombie lover needs to understand about World War Z before heading into the cinema - this is NOT a horror movie. At best, World War Z is a teen-friendly disaster movie masquerading as a zombie story, perhaps due to the revived interest in the genre. You can either thank or blame the likes of The Walking Dead for that.

That's okay though; fans of the book World War Z, upon which this movie is very very loosely based, need to understand that its source material is barely represented here for better or for worse. Instead, we have leading man Brad Pitt facing against hordes of the surprisingly blood-free undead in an effort to put a halt to the end of humanity as we know it.

Philadelphia is wiped out in a matter of minutes. The President is dead. The mysterious virus responsible is transferring itself by taking over host after host - oh you get the idea. The word "zombie" is only uttered once in the entire film but we all know the story of how the virus works. Pitt is former UN worker Gerry Lane, now a family man but forced to return to the field after the pandemic leaves society in tatters in hours. Forced to abandon his wife and kids, Gerry travels the world in a desperate search for a cure.

Yes, the fate of the world lies in the hands of a man called Gerry. 

Luckily that's only one small underwhelming factor of World War Z. Sure, director Marc Forster's vision of the undead looks more like an angry crowd at a Saturday night football match, but there is some impressive visual effects work. The hordes of zombies overwhelming military barriers left, right and centre look phenomenally intimidating from a distance, particularly in one incredible sequence in Jerusalem. 

Where they fail to impress is in the close contact situations whereby, rather than dripping with the blood of their victims, they simply look a little more pale and angry, even comical at times. The 12A certificate sticks out a sore thumb and, had it been allowed to, World War Z could have been that bit more terrifying with the odd flash of gore here and there. There is the odd jump scare but anyone with their senses should feel them coming from miles away, and bullets enter walls rather than flesh with horror hinted at rather than shown. At one point a crowbar enters a zombie's head completely out of frame. Come on, Hollywood, we can handle it!

This is a Hollywood product though and as such it relies heavily on its star. Brad Pitt is, as always, a very capable leading man and guides us through the narrative with enough enthusiasm and desperation to keep us enthralled in his story. It's becoming increasingly difficult to believe that this is the same man who brought us the Irish boxer from Snatch.

At the other end of the spectrum, Peter Capaldi is given a welcome entrance towards the end, while Lost star Matthew Fox is unfortunately wasted in a laughably small cameo. Gerry's wife Karin's sole job within the narrative is to stare at her phone wistfully waiting for her husband to call. So much for a strong female lead. 

There are some incredibly nail-biting set pieces though, harking back to the likes of Danny Boyle's pivotal zombie horror 28 Days Later. One sequence aboard an aircraft is astoundingly tense, and while the climax itself is a little soft the events leading up to it (a desperate game of hide and seek within the walls of a research facility) are suitably atmospheric. Even the first five minutes send chills up the spine as an entire city (looking suspiciously like Glasgow) is swallowed up by the virus. 

Summary

The production horrors behind this film are known to most; various rewrites, re-shoots and firing of crew members ensured that the creation of World War Z could have been a disaster movie in itself. Luckily very little of it shows as, ultimately, World War Z is a welcome if watered down addition to the zombie genre on a global scale. Horror fans shouldn't expect buckets of gore and various aspects of the narrative fall down the usual genre clichés, but it's still a very enjoyable, tense and often affecting watch. Nice save, Brad.

8/10 - Great

See it if you liked: 28 Days Later (2002), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Zombieland (2009)

Review: The Hangover: Part III

Review: The Hangover: Part III

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, John Goodman

Running time: 100 Minutes.

Stu, Phil, Alan and (to a lesser extent) Doug are back for more supposed mayhem in The Hangover: Part III, which brings the comedy franchise full circle as the gang head back to Las Vegas.

We didn't need this movie. At all. The Hangover: Part II was critically mauled by fans and journalists alike for being a carbon copy of its predecessor, however looking back it would have been perfectly fine to leave the Wolf Pack's adventures there and then. Creator/director Todd Phillips seems to have lost the motivation to develop his characters and his storytelling - but he must have figured a trilogy seemed better than a duology.

With that in mind, we've been handed the grand finale, the Return of the Jedi of the Hangover series. So is it any good or should it have been last orders a long time ago?

Well, it's okay for a cheap laugh. Whereas the first Hangover movie was a surprise hit garnering a huge cult following (and making a star of Bradley Cooper), this franchise has lost all of its originality and wit. Part III doesn't feel like a Hangover movie - at times it doesn't even feel like a comedy. It's more like a half-arsed action movie with the occasional laugh thrown in; it's humorous but bleak, cheeky but dark.

Yet perhaps the most interesting thing about Part III is its sheer determination to be different from its predecessors. It's as though Phillips laughed at the reviews for Part II and said "Okay, you want something different? How about something that's nothing like Parts I and II?" While it would be justified for him to do this, he completely overdoes it (much like Ken Jeong's performance as Leslie Chow), leaving behind something that barely resembles a Hangover movie.

The gang are all back though as, after the death of Alan's father, the Wolf Pack decide that it's time for the 40 year old man-child to finally grow up. However on the way to his new therapy, they're pulled over by Marshall (a welcome extended cameo from John Goodman), a dangerous gangster who kidnaps Doug and forces the Wolf Pack to find Mr. Chow lest they wish their comrade to be shot. The guys have to find Chow and attempt to take back the gold he stole from Marshall - a trail which leads them back to Las Vegas where it all began.

Zach Galifiankis does the hairy man-child routine better than anyone else, but in this third outing it's really starting to get stale. Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms are shunned to the sidelines as Phil and Stu in what is essentially Alan's story; he's off his meds and his family want him to become a contributing member of society. While this does give the story its main drive, it's sad that the brilliant talents of Cooper and Helms are wasted so much. The film probably could have done without them, and it doesn't help that Community's Ken Jeong gives the most irritating, overbearing performance of the lot.

Despite covering more ground than the first two films - Mexico, Thailand and Las Vegas all get a visit - Part III occasionally feels more like an indie flick when compared to the originals. Sometimes it regains a little charm for the small interactions between the three heroes ("I can't be your hero anymore, Phil") and there's also an amusing cameo for Melissa McCarthy (of Bridesmaids fame), but when the film returns to loud, brash shouting it immediately loses it.

That's not to say it isn't funny at all; there are some laugh out loud moments between the bickering trio, and stick around for that end credits scene which harks back with some sentimentality to Part I. Where the film is strongest is in its main cast, and luckily they do deliver where it counts. It's just a shame that the script can't seem to find its identity despite having two previous movies to both lift and learn from. 

Summary

Tonally a complete departure for the Hangover franchise, The Hangover: Part III is both bravely different and disappointing in equal measure. The few laughs are only provided from its central cast, and the majority of the feature feels more like a cross-country heist movie rather than an out-and-out comedy. Some scenes feel shoehorned in just to be completely over the top, while not enough screen time is given to the great talents that are Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper. Slightly more original than Part II but failing to recapture the effective hilarity of Part I, The Hangover: Part III is a sadly muddled send off for the once brilliant Wolf Pack.

4/10 - Disappointing

See it if you liked: Eurotrip (2004), The Hangover (2009),  Bullet To The Head (2013)

Review: After Earth

Review: After Earth

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Will Smith, Jaden Smith

Running time: 100 Minutes

Oh, M. Night Shyamalan. You've done it again, you old rascal. Only this time you've dragged the reputations of the Fresh Prince and his son down with you!

After Earth may not be the very worst blockbuster of 2013 (by a small margin that crown still belongs to Movie 43), but it's definitely making a strong case for the prize. Ridiculous to a fault, horribly acted from the start and presenting only one or two redeeming qualities, Shyamalan's latest is simply an uncompromisingly bad movie. 

Audiences will still go and see it though, thanks to the appeal of Will Smith and his son Jaden, for whom this film was intended to be a vehicle into super stardom. Unfortunately, while Smith Senior delivers the goods albeit with an oddly chosen accent, his son simply cannot carry the full weight of a genre movie on his shoulders quite yet. He has potential (to quote Louis Walsh) but in a film where only two characters are our focus, Jaden fails to entice as a protagonist.

Frankly this is the wrong genre for such a film anyway. A 12A certificate grants After Earth the mere luxury of dabbles of blood here and there and but one jump scare, whereas this family-friendly sci-fi could have been much greater as a survival horror a la Dog Soldiers. Shyamalan knows best though, right?

The premise itself is actually really accessible, although it's through a long, confusingly told slog of exposition that we get to the point. Having exhausted our world and its resources, Cypher (Will) and his son Kitai (Jaden) are members of a colony of humans living out in the stars. When their ship crash lands on a particularly deadly planet, Kitai wakes to find the rest of the crew dead on impact - all except his father. However, with two broken legs and no sign of recovery imminent, Cypher sends Kitai out on to the deadly planet's surface to locate a beacon which will bring help. "Do you know where we are?" he asks his son, as the audience waits with baited breath. "This is Earth."

Oh my goodness! What a twist! Although the clue is really in the title...

The whole narrative is bafflingly dull, not helped at all by the strangely subdued performance by Will Smith. Perhaps it's intentional to give his son more space to strut his stuff, but really it alienates us further by making us bored. Even in I Am Legend when he had nought but a dog for company, he was more enjoyable to watch.

That said, the script does grant him one fantastic speech regarding the psychology of fear ("Fear is fiction. It's nothing but a fake vision of our own future"), one which Batman himself would be proud of, but writer/director Shyamalan fails to elaborate further and allows After Earth to fall into tired, clichéd chases through jungles and rocky terrain.

Constant flashbacks to Kitai's childhood are always imminent too, which does nothing to keep us going considering that it's effectively the same flashback from different viewpoints again and again. Shyamalan's directorial decisions are painfully annoying too, with some frantically shot scenes quickly cutting to black so frequently that it becomes a headache. 

Are there any redeeming qualities from After Earth? Well, now and again there are promises of what could have been. The (rare) action is decent enough but a lot of the CGI looks unworthy for even a film student project, and the chemistry between Smith Senior and Smith Junior is believable...but then it would be, wouldn't it? Jaden's not cut out for this sort of movie yet though - The Karate Kid remake, while unnecessary, showed off a great performance from the young actor and hopefully this film won't kill his career before it's even begun.

Summary

After Earth is one of the worst movies to hit our cinema screens this year. As a survival horror with a 15 rating it could have been very enjoyable, but thanks to its family-friendly certificate it doesn't realise its potential. M. Night Shyamalan makes some very annoying directorial choices and despite Will Smith himself pitching the story, the narrative is a completely boring shambles. His son Jaden fails to be an inspiring protagonist, spending the entire running time whimpering and crying and while there is some potential for excellent dialogue here and there, it's all squandered by pointless chases and boring sentimentality. If this is the way cinema is going, I don't want to live on this planet any more either.

2/10 - Awful

See it if you liked: Signs (2002), Predators (2010), Oblivion (2013)

Review: Man Of Steel

Review: Man Of Steel

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe

"You will give the people an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you. They will stumble, and they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun."

Russell Crowe's carefully chosen words in the trailer for Man Of Steel really sum up the struggle that Superman, and many of DC's superhero franchises as a whole, have faced over the last decade. With the exception of The Dark Knight Trilogy, DC have failed to make their selection of superheroes appeal to the mass market, with efforts such as Superman Returns, Green Lantern and Watchmen failing to garner much more than criticism. 

Until now.

Is Superman the best superhero of them all? Well, the clue is in the name but certainly he's one of the most definitive. Other than the Christian cross, the 'S' (although it's not an S, according to this movie's Superman) is one of the most recognisable symbols in human history - and Man of Steel is about to become one of the most aesthetically astounding superhero movies of all time. 

Although for all its visual wham and bam, Man of Steel does have a cold heart that even Superman  couldn't blast through. Producer Christopher Nolan's trademark solemnity? Check. How about an antidote to Marvel's incessantly colourful, witty heroes? Check. Okay, how about some humour? Hmm, we seem to be lacking in that department.

The story still sticks though, and it's in interestingly non-linear fashion that we're fed the real origins of Superman a.k.a Kal-El a.k.a Clark Kent. From the stunning opening sequence depicting his birth to the moment his escape pod crash lands on Earth, we've never been this close to Clark's past before, and the touching sequences between him and his adoptive father Jonathan are our window to the values that Superman was brought up with. 

Why his adoptive father? Clark (or Kal-El) is an orphan, an alien from another world: Krypton. When Krypton's core decides enough is enough and implodes (global warming, military rebellion, take your pick), Kal El's father sends his son to Earth in an effort to preserve both his life and the future of the Kryptonian race. Raised by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark struggles to adapt to the real world and the suggestion that it isn't ready for him and his superpowers.

Flash forward into the future and Clark is a grown man whose power is tested when a former Kryptonian General Zod attacks Earth to find him and rebuild Krypton on our planet. 

Man of Steel is an oddly paced outing - the first ten or so minutes on Krypton are fantastic, a visually astounding build up of Superman's birth, but afterwards it's a very long slog of exposition as we follow Clark's upbringing. It's all essential to the character though, and the movie ensures that Clark is the star of the show as he struggles with his identity. Henry Cavill is a decent Superman, if a little bland - whether it's the script or the actor himself, one of the most frustrating things about him is his refusal to crack a smile. Even Bruce Wayne laughed now and again.

As for comparisons with Nolan's Batman trilogy, DC have chosen to annihilate realism in favour of stunning extra-terrestrial set pieces. In many ways, Man of Steel is an intelligent sci-fi masquerading as a superhero movie rather than some 'Tesseract' nonsense, with Krypton coming across as a more gloomy and stunning Pandora (the world in Avatar) while Earth itself houses the well-written characters dealing with the sudden changes in their world.

Of those characters, Amy Adams' Lois Lane gets the most screen time, functioning as the damsel in distress, the nuisance poking her nose into Clark's life and the love interest all at the same time. The narrative flaws poke out a little here as, predictably, no matter how much trouble any of the side characters are in, it's inevitable that Superman will save them in the end.

He does it in style though - with Zack Snyder at the helm, it was a given that Man of Steel would look fantastic. The first time that Superman takes to the skies, the visuals are supreme - from those handheld zoom shots to the long-shot scenes of our hero pummelling his fists forward through the air, it seems impossible that he'll go any faster. And then he does.

Really the only thing left to say is that the running time could easily be trimmed; this feels like a much larger director's cut rather than a theatrical release due to the seemingly never-ending exposition and dialogue in the first hour or so. We understand that this is Superman's origin story and we need details, but there is a limit and 144 minutes seems a little too long, particularly in the final battle. The pacing is such that when the action kicks off, it quickly becomes tiring watching Henry Cavill and Michael Shannon destroying Metropolis in their conflict. 

Now that we've got the usual tale of laboured beginnings out of the way though, the inevitable sequels should prove to be something spectacular indeed. 

Summary

The seemingly invincible Superman had been defeated by the mainstream cinema audiences - until Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan teamed up to give us what is undoubtedly Clark Kent's best movie so far. The pacing is very off though and Cavill himself still needs to prove that he can carry the character of Superman on his shoulders, but if this is an indicator of a new interconnected movie franchise for DC, then bring on the rest of the Justice League gang. As Superman's solo outing, however, Man of Steel is a success. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Man of Steel's high score! Sorry...

8/10 - Great

See it if you liked: Sucker Punch (2011), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013)

Doctor Who: Who Should Be The 12th Doctor?

Doctor Who: Who Should Be The 12th Doctor?

"Doctor, what's happened?" - Peri.

"Change, my dear. And not a moment too soon." - Sixth Doctor

Doctor Who is a funny thing. Many say it's become a cult show that has become increasingly alienating to new viewers; others say it's a family show that's easily accessible for all ages. 

Whatever the general consensus may be, as soon as one actor portraying the Doctor announces they're leaving the 50 year old sci-fi, the whole world jumps on board the bandwagon of speculation. The bookies are having a whale of a time. 

The big news in the television world this week hit the headlines as Matt Smith revealed he is leaving Doctor Who. In 2010, the youngest Doctor ever had the unenviable task of taking over from David Tennant; luckily Smith took the part and ran with it, giving us an incarnation of the Time Lord who appeared old, young, morose, childlike and ridiculous at the same time.

As always, however, Doctor Who is about to move on into a new era. The Eleventh Doctor will be regenerating during this year's "tear-jerking, action packed" Christmas special - so who should jump on board to take on the part of Doctor number twelve? Here are just ten almost likely, almost possible and frankly crazy ideas, accompanied by some personal choices...

10 - Olivia Colman

With the recent 'uproar' regarding sexual equality in Doctor Who, the show may finally be on the hunt for a female to play the Time Lord. The Doctor can regenerate into anything or anyone, after all. Olivia Colman has recently impressed the country with her starring role in Broadchurch (opposite David Tennant, funnily enough), and her range is such that she could portray The Doctor in a way that pays homage to previous incarnations while also bringing fresh charisma to the role. Although a female Doctor could cause some controversial changes concerning the Time Lord's relationship with River Song...

You'll recognise her from: Peep Show (2003 - ), Broadchurch (2013)

9 - Chris O'Dowd

The most recent trend of Doctor Who (if the last two are anything to go by) is that The Doctor has to be a young man with looks to attract the average teenage girl. Isn't it time we had an actor with comedic experience? An Irish Doctor! There's nothing funnier than that. That said, Chris O'Dowd is unlikely to fit Doctor Who in his schedule thanks to his current breakthrough in to the Hollywood limelight. 

You'll recognise him from: The IT Crowd (2006 - ), Bridesmaids (2011)

8 - John Hurt

This one is very unlikely, as (in one of the biggest twists in Doctor Who history) the Eleventh Doctor acknowledged that John Hurt's character is a former incarnation of the Time Lord. However, could it be possible that Hurt is actually a future version, and The Doctor's memories were muddled as a result of entering his own time stream? Er, probably not. Either way, we will see John Hurt, in his own words, "playing The Doctor in a sort of trinity with Matt Smith and David Tennant" in this year's 50th Anniversary Special.

You'll recognise him from: Harry Potter (2001 - 2011), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)

7 - Richard Madden

On the other end of the spectrum, the BBC might again decide to go for youth. Scottish actor Richard Madden, most known for his rocket to fame as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, would be an excellently diverse choice for The Doctor, whilst also keeping in line with the trend of young, poster-boy actors. The fact that he is actually Jenna-Louise Coleman's boyfriend is sure to help, plus it seems he's recently become unemployed...

You'll recognise him from: Game of Thrones (2010 - ), Hope Springs (2012)

6 - Peter Mullan

Yet another Scot to join the fray, Peter Mullan has a particularly diverse career, with a directing credit on 2011's Glasgow-based Neds as well as starring in some made-for-TV dramas and various Hollywood hitters such as Braveheart and Welcome To The Punch. In terms of The Doctor's dark side, Mullan would excel and the chemistry with co-star Jenna-Louise Coleman is easy to envisage even now.

You'll recognise him from: Braveheart (1995), The Fear (2012)

5 - Ben Whishaw

One of the more obvious choices for The Doctor has emerged as Ben Whishaw, an excellent young Brit who has already bagged a BAFTA for leading actor. While Whishaw would be an eccentric and energetic version of The Doctor, his casting would continue the recently predictable trend of the Time Lord getting younger with each regeneration. Some would argue that he bears too much resemblance to Matt Smith as well, but that would save on the CGI cost for the regeneration sequence....

You'll recognise him from: Cloud Atlas (2012), Skyfall (2012)

4 - Benedict Cumberbatch

Despite having already stated he'd never want to play The Doctor, Benedict Cumberbatch is still one of the favourites at the bookies. The star of Sherlock (the other project co-written by Doctor Who show-runner Steven Moffat) has injected that particular franchise with a modern twist, creating a Sherlock Holmes who is as socially challenged as he is intelligent. Sound like anyone in particular? That being said, most Doctor Who fans would much rather see Cumberbatch playing The Master thanks to John Simm's reluctance to return to the role.

You'll recognise him from: Sherlock (2010 - ), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

3 - Dominic Monaghan

Dominic Monaghan is no stranger to fantasy or drama, with a major role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and as Charlie in three seasons of Lost. The British-born actor's CV is certainly impressive but over the last few years, he has kept his appearances to a minimum. Doctor Who would be the perfect vehicle for him to regain the spotlight, and he would definitely be a fantastic choice for the 12th Doctor. You only need to watch The Lord of the Rings to see that he can handle both action and comedy in equal measure - two major factors that make up Doctor Who's success.

You'll recognise him from: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001 - 2003), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

2 - Joseph Gilgun

Sure, he's a bit of a left field choice but after starring in Misfits, Joseph Gilgun has proven his ability to easily win over devoted fans by taking over as the show's central character. Eccentric, dark and hilarious all at the same time, his performance in E4's teen-drama is fantastic experience on its own, but with acting credits opposite Guy Pearce in Lockout and in Channel 4's This Is England, Joseph Gilgun would be an ideal (if, again, annoyingly young) choice for the 12th Doctor - plus that accent itself would make the show infinitely more enjoyable.

You'll recognise him from: Misfits (2009 - ), Ripper Street (2013)

1 - David Thewlis

From Christopher Eccleston to David Tennant to Matt Smith: each incarnation of The Doctor in recent years has been getting younger and younger. It's time for a change, and David Thewlis is the man to bring it. He's probably too high profile for the role and, according to IMDB he has various projects on the go up until the end of 2014. That being said, his acting style is diverse enough for The Doctor, possibly even harking back to classic Doctors like William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. 

Is he likely to be picked? Probably not. In fact, whoever bags the role of The Doctor is more likely going to be a complete unknown, much as Matt Smith was in 2009.

And yet that's the beauty of the show. Sure, fans are always wary of the new Doctor at first. I was particularly apprehensive about Smith, considering that David Tennant was a personal favourite but within a few weeks, the bow-tie wearing, speech-making, fish fingers and custard eating Eleventh Doctor had won me over. The actor evolves with their interpretation of The Doctor and the show is the best launch pad into stardom that anyone could hope for. 

Until then though we have the 50th Anniversary Special in November, as well as Matt Smith's final episode on Christmas Day. Geronimo!

Some suggestions that didn't quite make the list:

Sean Pertwee - The son of Third Doctor Jon Pertwee.

Rupert Grint - Just because he's ginger doesn't mean he's getting the job.

Helen Mirren - Just because she's a woman doesn't mean she's getting the job.

David Tennant - He's gone! Get over it!

June Preview

June Preview

It's the first of the month which means it's time for our look ahead to the biggest movies hitting our cinema screens this month. From the story of the Fresh Prince and his son on a desolate planet, the 624th attempt at a Superman reboot and Brad Pitt's apocalyptic zombie thriller, June has plenty for us to get excited about. Let's go!

After Earth

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Will Smith, Jaden Smith

Release Date: June 7th

The pitch: Kitai (Jaden) and his father Cypher (suitably, Will) are stranded on a long-abandoned wasteland of a planet when their ship crash lands. As usual with M. Night Shyamalan, there's a twist - the planet is Earth, now home to savage creatures and terrain that has evolved to kill all humans.

Why you should see it: Think I Am Legend, except instead of a dog, Will Smith has a son. Also, this could finally be the turnaround that king-of-twists director M. Night Shyamalan needs after his horrific take on The Last Airbender.

Man Of Steel

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe

Release Date: June 14th

The pitch: Based on the Superman legend from DC comics, Man Of Steel tells the story of Clark Kent, a God-like man transported to Earth after the destruction of his home planet Krypton. Raised by his adoptive parents, Clark feels alienated due to his strange superpowers and struggles to find his place. But when the world is attacked by General Zod, he rises to the challenge.

Why you should see it: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's the expectations of every fanboy in the world! Just as Marvel's Iron Man paved the way for an interconnected Avengers cinematic universe, Man Of Steel could be about to do the same for DC leading to a Justice League movie. Plus with 300's Zack Snyder on direction duties with The Dark Knight Trilogy's Christopher Nolan producing, we can expect a very emotionally complex journey mixed with some stunning cinematography. 

World War Z

Director: Marc Forster

Cast: Brad Pitt, James Badge Dale, Mireille Enos, Matthew Fox

Release Date: June 21st

The pitch: Brad Pitt stars as a scientist who, while on holiday with his family, is recruited by the military to fight off a terrifying zombie pandemic destroying the planet.

Why you should see it: Partially filmed in Glasgow, World War Z promises to be an action packed spectacle despite its troubled production behind the scenes. World War Z also boasts its star Brad Pitt on production duties and Star Trek Into Darkness' Damen Lindelof writing much of the screenplay. Fans of zombie movies won't be disappointed either, as this contains the largest number of infected ever seen on screen simultaneously.

Despicable Me 2

Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Cast: Steve Carrell, Al Pacino, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand

Release Date: June 28th

The pitch: Evil yet loveable super-villain Gru is back as he is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help battle a powerful new evil stealing his minions.

Why you should see it: Despicable Me was a surprisingly hilarious hit for Dreamworks, with Steve Carrell and Jason Segel lighting up the screen with their comedic voice-over talents. For the sequel, Al Pacino and Kristen Wiig are on board promising to make this even more funny and entertaining than round one.

This Is The End

Directors: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen

Cast: EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN FAMOUS EVER.

Release Date: June 28th

The pitch: In a clever twist on apocalypse movies, This Is The End sees a wealth of Hollywood heavyweights playing slightly more outrageous versions of themselves. When Seth Rogen invites all of his movie buddies to James Franco's LA pad for a wild party, they soon find themselves facing the apocalypse with little to defend themselves with. There's also Emma Watson wielding an axe.

Why you should see it: From the trailer alone, it's clear to see that this will be one of the funniest and original comedies of the year. From Michael Cera hitting on Rihanna to Craig Robinson taunting Seth Rogen's career, This Is The End has plenty of side-splitting situations to look forward to. Again, there's Emma Watson wielding an axe.

Check back to Movies Under The Microscope over the rest of the month for reviews of all of these films.