I am really grateful to him for relaunching the show and I do not believe any actor owes anything to the fans.
So before watching the Day of the Doctor I had no problem with him not being in it. But there was such a hole in it where the full regeneration should have been and it would have been such a small job that I cant help feeling a bit resentful.
And on top of that his complete unwillingness to say anything whatsoever during the 50th does make you wonder what exactly went wrong for him. It is not as though he has forsaken genre projects for high art- see Thor.
I think - without further info - we can only blame the 'culture' around the set for Chris wanting nothing more to do with it - and from what I've heard, and while things have moved on (hopefully), I don't have any bad feelings at all.
That's more or less what they did for about 1 second at the end there.
It was so short i couldn't see it until just now, Frame by frame ! LOL
They could have taken it a bit further to make it more visible.
As someone who tried to keep spoiler free, it was probably more of a let down for me as i would reasonably expect an actor to be able to film a 30 second part around any other work he had.
All he had to do was turn up for half an hour, stand in a room and be regenerated.
Christopher Eccleston - Shame on you!
That's ridiculous, he had no obligation to do anything, and none of us know why he didn't. He obviously had his reasons, which is his prerogative, so why can't people ay off the bloke.
I've been thinking about it and seeing as they knew he didn't want to do it why didn't they use the footage of him regenerating into Tennant but reverse it so it went into Eccleston. They could have used the head only and transposed it onto Hurt's head (having him in the same position) for just a matter of a few seconds.
I understand that CE didn't want to play any part but I'm still so disappointed about it.
I feel that when you take on a role like Doctor Who it is so much more than 'just a job' - I think you could tell that by the emotion in Tom Baker's performance tonight. Its very sad that CE didn't take this into account when he first accepted the part.
I feel as though he's disrespected the show's legacy and us fans. But he probably feels as though I'm disrespecting his right to choose what he does in his own life!
I feel that when you take on a role like Doctor Who it is so much more than 'just a job' - I think you could tell that by the emotion in Tom Baker's performance tonight. Its very sad that CE didn't take this into account when he first accepted the part.
...
Perhaps he did, but perhaps he found when he started that on-set life was so repulsive that when he quit he never wanted to come back...
I have to say it did feel like there was a hole where the 9th Doctor should have been. Just in terms of the plot it felt like it should have all the Doctor from Hurt to Matt. Just the little bits like where the moment calls DT the man who regrets and MS the man who forgets I wanted to know how she'd describe the 9th. Shame.
It's his decision whether to accept the work or not. But obviously staying away won't exactly endear him to fans. Easy to see that as a little imperious, rightly or wrongly. Especially when people of the calibre of John Hurt are involved. You wouldn't think an actor would want to be remembered, 50 years from now perhaps, as the one who wouldn't participate.
However in cold, hard logic, It's entirely up to him he doesn't owe anyone an appearance. There was enough going on anyway, so his prescence wasn't really required, even though it would've been nice.
I think when you take on the role of the Doctor you have to take on the whole responsibility of being part of a long running franchise which is loved by many.
I wonder what will happen in years to come if Eccleston's roles dry up. I'd bet he'd turn up at a few conventions then.
However, he was a brilliant Doctor so I can't be too down on him. Just wish he was a fan like Tennant is.
Problem for Eccleston now is he's always going to the one Doctor that absolutely nothing to do with the 50th Anniversary.
Smith and Tennant were in it, as was hurt.
McGann did the Night Of The Doctor
Davison, Baker and McCoy were in the afterparty and did their own 30 minute special
Tom Baker was in the episode.
He was not connected to it in anyway, shape or form and that's a shame, given how he was a massive factor in it's returning success.
I could understand if he couldn't make the filming due to making Thor 2, that's a massive movie and he was contractually obliged for it, but he could have at least filmed a little sequence somewhere to show his involvement.
Ah well, there's always the 75th anniversary, I guess
I think when you take on the role of the Doctor you have to take on the whole responsibility of being part of a long running franchise which is loved by many.
I agree, it's a bit like appearing in Star Trek, you have to accpet that you're forever going to be linked to something like this. To act in any way negative towards it is a bad idea, Leonard Nimoy found that out when he wrote his first biography "I Am Not Spock"
I don't mind that he wasn't in it. For me, I never felt he was "the Doctor" anyway and I've always preferred Tennant and Smith from the new series. Having said that, though, I will admit that when Hurt's Doctor was regenerating, I did wonder for a moment if Eccleston was going to be there, even for a moment.
The whole point of the beginning of the episode 'Rose' is that we do not see 9’s first regeneration, it is a new start for the Doctor and I can quite understand if Eccleston thought it integral to the part he played.
Yes my hopes were dashed as it did look as if we were going to see it, I was ready to let out a big cheer as Hurt began to regenerate, but it didn't happen.
Yet it has always been a big part of 9's mythology that we do not see it because surely it would be too horrific, it wouldn't be a quirky mad...legs...noise....ginger...Barcelona regeneration it would have been a man destroyed, don't forget he doesn't know he has saved Gallifrey.
I kind of agree with Eccleston not doing it, and I say that as a massive 9 fan.
The BBC could have edited a regeneration scene from film they already had. This is all just rubbish saying C E should have been there. Blame the BBC if you want to find a problem. C E has nothing to do with it. Leave him alone and get over a tv program already.
It's his decision whether to accept the work or not. But obviously staying away won't exactly endear him to fans. Easy to see that as a little imperious, rightly or wrongly. Especially when people of the calibre of John Hurt are involved. You wouldn't think an actor would want to be remembered, 50 years from now perhaps, as the one who wouldn't participate.
Tom Baker did exactly the same thing for the Five Doctors and it doesn't seem to have hurt him much long term.
The BBC could have edited a regeneration scene from film they already had.
Exactly. They have footage of Ecclestone standing there from his outgoing scene, couldn't they have just done the morph in reverse FROM Hurt? At least so we could see his face fully form before cutting away.
Christopher Eccleston (apparently) left the show because he was very unhappy with management BBC, so there may have been a very good reason why he said "Thanks but no thanks!"
If Ecclestone appeared in the regeneration sequence, wouldn't you then be complaining about him not being in the full 77 minutes of it. Plus he did make a small cameo.
So what's this 'on-set culture' problem that Eccleston has such a problem with at the BBC? Did he really hate filming Dr Who?
You'd think he'd be over it by now since years have passed by now and things have changed. That's one major grudge he seems to be holding.
Apparently he didn't get on with senior people, there was bullying behaviour happening he didn't like, so he thought staying on would mean accepting things that he thought were immoral. Plus, you know, nine months a year away from home, working 16 hour days in quarries
Longer (unconfirmed) quote here...I think the official quote is that he "didn't enjoy the environment and the culture".
Massive shame we didn't get tot see Hurt fully regenerate into Ecclestone but at least we got something.
I do find the bashing of Eccleston very tedious, but... it was disappointing not to see the full regen, which for a second or two looked possible. But then we could have had lots more of Mcgann, and that was an opportunity lost too. Still, enjoyed it all.
No. Eccleston's Doctor was always the one that followed the end of the Time War. In 'Rose' he had only just regenerated.
The script probably went through dozens of rewrites. I strongly imagine it was originally intended to be a three-hander with the 3 "new" Doctors. That was probably the intention *long* before the story was even dreamt up. In these sort of anniversary things, the plots serve the gimmicks, not vice-versa.
The script probably went through dozens of rewrites. I strongly imagine it was originally intended to be a three-hander with the 3 "new" Doctors. That was probably the intention *long* before the story was even dreamt up. In these sort of anniversary things, the plots serve the gimmicks, not vice-versa.
I imagine so. Except Chris was never as likely to come back as David, so I doubt Moffat ever gave the idea of the three of them sharing the episode much thought.
Comments
So before watching the Day of the Doctor I had no problem with him not being in it. But there was such a hole in it where the full regeneration should have been and it would have been such a small job that I cant help feeling a bit resentful.
And on top of that his complete unwillingness to say anything whatsoever during the 50th does make you wonder what exactly went wrong for him. It is not as though he has forsaken genre projects for high art- see Thor.
It was so short i couldn't see it until just now, Frame by frame ! LOL
They could have taken it a bit further to make it more visible.
As someone who tried to keep spoiler free, it was probably more of a let down for me as i would reasonably expect an actor to be able to film a 30 second part around any other work he had.
That's ridiculous, he had no obligation to do anything, and none of us know why he didn't. He obviously had his reasons, which is his prerogative, so why can't people ay off the bloke.
I feel that when you take on a role like Doctor Who it is so much more than 'just a job' - I think you could tell that by the emotion in Tom Baker's performance tonight. Its very sad that CE didn't take this into account when he first accepted the part.
I feel as though he's disrespected the show's legacy and us fans. But he probably feels as though I'm disrespecting his right to choose what he does in his own life!
Perhaps he did, but perhaps he found when he started that on-set life was so repulsive that when he quit he never wanted to come back...
Just speculating of course...
However in cold, hard logic, It's entirely up to him he doesn't owe anyone an appearance. There was enough going on anyway, so his prescence wasn't really required, even though it would've been nice.
I wonder what will happen in years to come if Eccleston's roles dry up. I'd bet he'd turn up at a few conventions then.
However, he was a brilliant Doctor so I can't be too down on him. Just wish he was a fan like Tennant is.
Smith and Tennant were in it, as was hurt.
McGann did the Night Of The Doctor
Davison, Baker and McCoy were in the afterparty and did their own 30 minute special
Tom Baker was in the episode.
He was not connected to it in anyway, shape or form and that's a shame, given how he was a massive factor in it's returning success.
I could understand if he couldn't make the filming due to making Thor 2, that's a massive movie and he was contractually obliged for it, but he could have at least filmed a little sequence somewhere to show his involvement.
Ah well, there's always the 75th anniversary, I guess
I agree, it's a bit like appearing in Star Trek, you have to accpet that you're forever going to be linked to something like this. To act in any way negative towards it is a bad idea, Leonard Nimoy found that out when he wrote his first biography "I Am Not Spock"
Yes my hopes were dashed as it did look as if we were going to see it, I was ready to let out a big cheer as Hurt began to regenerate, but it didn't happen.
Yet it has always been a big part of 9's mythology that we do not see it because surely it would be too horrific, it wouldn't be a quirky mad...legs...noise....ginger...Barcelona regeneration it would have been a man destroyed, don't forget he doesn't know he has saved Gallifrey.
I kind of agree with Eccleston not doing it, and I say that as a massive 9 fan.
Would've been nice to see Chris, though.
You'd think he'd be over it by now since years have passed by now and things have changed. That's one major grudge he seems to be holding.
Exactly. They have footage of Ecclestone standing there from his outgoing scene, couldn't they have just done the morph in reverse FROM Hurt? At least so we could see his face fully form before cutting away.
Number 38
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/doctor-who/10468029/Doctor-Who-50-things-you-didnt-know.html
Longer (unconfirmed) quote here...I think the official quote is that he "didn't enjoy the environment and the culture".
I do find the bashing of Eccleston very tedious, but... it was disappointing not to see the full regen, which for a second or two looked possible. But then we could have had lots more of Mcgann, and that was an opportunity lost too. Still, enjoyed it all.
The script probably went through dozens of rewrites. I strongly imagine it was originally intended to be a three-hander with the 3 "new" Doctors. That was probably the intention *long* before the story was even dreamt up. In these sort of anniversary things, the plots serve the gimmicks, not vice-versa.
And Tom Baker refused the 20th. Big deal.
I imagine so. Except Chris was never as likely to come back as David, so I doubt Moffat ever gave the idea of the three of them sharing the episode much thought.