As much as his detractors wouldn't like to admit, Eccleston was a huge part of the reason the show managed to become a success again.
I absolutely agree - he was instrumental at a time when the programme's new inception stood on a knife's edge.
More's the pity, then, that he seems to have disowned it.
I felt the same when Pauline McLynn refused to take part in the anniversary doc about Father Ted.
With Dermot Morgan dead you'd have thought she'd have felt some goodwill obligation to take part, but no.
It's an honour to play an iconic and much-loved character so it's very revealing when certain people then develop an almost snooty, too-cool-for-school attitude afterwards.
Tom Baker did exactly the same thing for the Five Doctors and it doesn't seem to have hurt him much long term.
Would've been nice to see Chris, though.
But in defense of Tom, he wanted to have significant time away from DW. After all, he was in it from 1974 until 1981. He did deicate tons of his time to the show. Ecclestone did 13 episodes, 9 whole months.
I agree with the OP here, it's the one thing that's put a dampener on the 50th for me. When John Hurt started to regenerate I really thought we would get a glimpse of Ecclestone. He's too busy taking himself too seriously as a real thespian to realise the 50th is bigger than any individual and really it would've been the right thing to do to give up a few hours of his time.
I really wish the BBC had used some stock footage of him to complete the regeneration.
Not sure what to think of him not showing up. Doctor Who is like Star Trek, in the way that if you star as a main character in it, you become part of a family. You turn up for events, for specials, for alternate reality/future episodes.
Not sure what to think of him not showing up. Doctor Who is like Star Trek, in the way that if you star as a main character in it, you become part of a family. You turn up for events, for specials, for alternate reality/future episodes.
Try not to think of it as Doctor Who for a second. Think of it as a job/workplace that turned out to be a really bad experience for him (assuming that's how it was). Would you go back?
it would have been fab to see CE but I don't understand the hating.
No one really knows why he declined or what happened. And all this slating him for being a proper actor lovie... he took on a science fiction role in a reboot. A series that no one really knew would work or not, and could have been a massive turkey. DT and MS knew what they were signing up for and how popular it was. So give the guy some kudos for playing a character in such a way it helped the show and stop slating him for his own reasons for not going back.
No one knows what happened, could have been anything, and if he didn't enjoy his time there - why would he want to revisit it. I wouldn't go back to my last work place for a visit, ever.
Unless you know why he left and what happened and why he declined all this speculation and negativity towards him is pointless, he's an actor - yes the fans are disappointed but does that mean he should wear this cross for ever? and if he's taking roles to pay the mortgage as he said - then how easy would it have been for him to milk the Doctor Who franchise whilst having problems with it (speculative, we don't know for sure)? But he hasn't, so there must be a reason why. So stop the hate. Enjoy the show for what it was.
Try not to think of it as Doctor Who for a second. Think of it as a job/workplace that turned out to be a really bad experience for him (assuming that's how it was). Would you go back?
Irrelevant, because it is Doctor Who. A national (international?) institution that is way bigger than one person, or one person's ego.
Irrelevant, because it is Doctor Who. A national (international?) institution that is way bigger than one person, or one person's ego.
was it in his contract - if this show becomes a massive success you are obliged to attend fan shows and star in anniversaries. Whilst you are all moaning about CE, your missing out on discussing the positive bits.
Move on.. get over it... the CE moaning is getting so boring.
To be fair to Chris, at the time he signed on to play the Doctor no-one knew if the show would last more than one series, much less get to 2013 with a multi-Doctor anniversary story.
Now you might argue that he had a moral obligation to the fans or whatever to appear, notwithstanding the above, which may be so, but look at it from his point of view - he agreed to one series and that was heavily influenced by RTD being the writer.
Also remember that the reason he said he left was because he didn't want to be typecast. Now if he'd been in the 50th then all the press would be about him being the Doctor again, which is probably something he wanted to avoid.
If he doesn't want to reprise the role, even for a 30 second cameo during the regeneration scene, then that's up to him and personally I don't think he deserves a lot of the stick he's getting on here.
Irrelevant, because it is Doctor Who. A national (international?) institution that is way bigger than one person, or one person's ego.
Not irrelevant at all. He's a human being. I would've loved for him to be there, too, but if he can't get over whatever it is that stopped him, then telling him that Doctor Who is bigger than that isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference.
It takes some people a long time to climb off their high horses, maybe Chris needs a few more years to do that.
Having watched the show I can only say if he knew what it would be before hand I can understand why he said no, such a shame it could have been so good
Also remember that the reason he said he left was because he didn't want to be typecast.
No he didn't, the BBC leaked his departure against his wishes and then said in a press release that he was leaving for this reason with no discussion whatsoever with him. They were forced to retract the statement by Eccleson because it wasn't true.
Why do people keep saying "It was his choice" as if in mitigation?
Well duh, yes of course it was. No-one is saying he oughtn't to have a choice.
He just used his choice to make a piss poor decision.
Yes, I think the defenders miss the point.
Every single other living Doctor, and their families, and the ex-showrunner, and many companions, were involved in the 50th celebrations in one way or another. Either they were in the show itself, or in Davison's excellent spoof, or in An Adventure in Time and Space.
Only Eccleston stood apart from the celebrations.
Now, of course, if you're invited to a party, you can refuse. But when everyone else is joining in and entering into the party spirit, not to go can, in Tennant's words, seem churlish.*
The party analogy falls down, of course, because it's not exactly a party. It's paid work. So if Eccleston saw DW as "just a job" how come he doesn't see it like that any more? He could have done a 2 minute scene and got well paid for it, and pleased a lot of people. He chose not to.
I'm sure Eccleston gets how much the show means to fans, and how many people see him as "their" Doctor. Yet he can't just put aside his own feelings, whatever they are, and show up for a few filming sessions?
Come on, it's indefensible. Much as many of you like Chris, and admire him as a person and an actor, you must see it as pretty mean spirited.
*I don't know if Tennant meant Chris by his "churlish" remark. Probably not, he's a nice guy and I doubt he'd slag anyone off. But the remark does fit Chris's attitude, imo.
No he didn't, the BBC leaked his departure against his wishes and then said in a press release that he was leaving for this reason with no discussion whatsoever with him. They were forced to retract the statement by Eccleson because it wasn't true.
Try not to think of it as Doctor Who for a second. Think of it as a job/workplace that turned out to be a really bad experience for him (assuming that's how it was). Would you go back?
Yes I would, for the fans and for the bigger picture.
You will probably laugh at this comparison but I'm going to make it anyway.
I remember the second school I taught at. I was covering a maternity and only there for a year. The department was horrendous - bitchy infighting, nastiness. The senior leadership team (heads, deputies) were horrid with me too. I couldn't wait to leave.
As we approached May my Yr 11s were breaking up for study leave - and they were so sweet. I got a card and a class 'leaving do' from them, complete with a powerpoint presentation! And the last thing they said to me was "You will be there on results day... won't you sir?".
So, come August I did go. Put a brave face on it, and did the smalltalk with those vile teachers who I couldn't stand the sight of.
Why? Because they weren't important. My pupils, the people I'd (hopefully!) inspired were the ones who counted, and I owed it to them to take a day out of my holidays to congratulate and be with them.
Eccleston left because of behind the scenes bullying and poor treatment of minor crew members and how it was handled by the higher ups when he complained about it.
Eccleston left because of behind the scenes bullying and poor treatment of minor crew members and how it was handled by the higher ups when he complained about it.
Fair enough.
Even better reason for him not to return right there.
Eccleston left because of behind the scenes bullying and poor treatment of minor crew members and how it was handled by the higher ups when he complained about it.
It's well known and has been widely discussed but people with a good deal of inside knowledge, it's not even the first time in this thread it's been mentioned. Eccleston has said he had issues with the culture on the set in interviews (linked up thread). Theres someone who directed early blocks of filming in series 1 who never came back to the show.
Yes I would, for the fans and for the bigger picture.
You will probably laugh at this comparison but I'm going to make it anyway.
I remember the second school I taught at. I was covering a maternity and only there for a year. The department was horrendous - bitchy infighting, nastiness. The senior leadership team (heads, deputies) were horrid with me too. I couldn't wait to leave.
As we approached May my Yr 11s were breaking up for study leave - and they were so sweet. I got a card and a class 'leaving do' from them, complete with a powerpoint presentation! And the last thing they said to me was "You will be there on results day... won't you sir?".
So, come August I did go. Put a brave face on it, and did the smalltalk with those vile teachers who I couldn't stand the sight of.
Why? Because they weren't important. My pupils, the people I'd (hopefully!) inspired were the ones who counted, and I owed it to them to take a day out of my holidays to congratulate and be with them.
Ammounts to rumours, but he clearly didn't get on well with the higher echelons of the production team, hence why he didn't return.
It's more than a rumour, I'd say, but it's unlikely that we will hear anything directly from the people concerned about it for many years if ever at all beyond the broad strokes we have seen.
As they used young Hurts face in Night Of The Doctor then there is no reason they couldn't have done the same with Chris all they needed was after he regenerated we saw a quick glimpse of his face in the TARDIS control panel or something
As they used young Hurts face in Night Of The Doctor then there is no reason they couldn't have done the same with Chris all they needed was after he regenerated we saw a quick glimpse of his face in the TARDIS control panel or something
Yes, I said the same myself in the episode thread, it was odd the way they did it. With CGI nowadays they could have completed the regeneration effect in close up at the least. Odd decision from an editing perspective, I must say.
Comments
I absolutely agree - he was instrumental at a time when the programme's new inception stood on a knife's edge.
More's the pity, then, that he seems to have disowned it.
I felt the same when Pauline McLynn refused to take part in the anniversary doc about Father Ted.
With Dermot Morgan dead you'd have thought she'd have felt some goodwill obligation to take part, but no.
It's an honour to play an iconic and much-loved character so it's very revealing when certain people then develop an almost snooty, too-cool-for-school attitude afterwards.
But in defense of Tom, he wanted to have significant time away from DW. After all, he was in it from 1974 until 1981. He did deicate tons of his time to the show. Ecclestone did 13 episodes, 9 whole months.
I really wish the BBC had used some stock footage of him to complete the regeneration.
Try not to think of it as Doctor Who for a second. Think of it as a job/workplace that turned out to be a really bad experience for him (assuming that's how it was). Would you go back?
No one really knows why he declined or what happened. And all this slating him for being a proper actor lovie... he took on a science fiction role in a reboot. A series that no one really knew would work or not, and could have been a massive turkey. DT and MS knew what they were signing up for and how popular it was. So give the guy some kudos for playing a character in such a way it helped the show and stop slating him for his own reasons for not going back.
No one knows what happened, could have been anything, and if he didn't enjoy his time there - why would he want to revisit it. I wouldn't go back to my last work place for a visit, ever.
Unless you know why he left and what happened and why he declined all this speculation and negativity towards him is pointless, he's an actor - yes the fans are disappointed but does that mean he should wear this cross for ever? and if he's taking roles to pay the mortgage as he said - then how easy would it have been for him to milk the Doctor Who franchise whilst having problems with it (speculative, we don't know for sure)? But he hasn't, so there must be a reason why. So stop the hate. Enjoy the show for what it was.
Irrelevant, because it is Doctor Who. A national (international?) institution that is way bigger than one person, or one person's ego.
was it in his contract - if this show becomes a massive success you are obliged to attend fan shows and star in anniversaries. Whilst you are all moaning about CE, your missing out on discussing the positive bits.
Move on.. get over it... the CE moaning is getting so boring.
Now you might argue that he had a moral obligation to the fans or whatever to appear, notwithstanding the above, which may be so, but look at it from his point of view - he agreed to one series and that was heavily influenced by RTD being the writer.
Also remember that the reason he said he left was because he didn't want to be typecast. Now if he'd been in the 50th then all the press would be about him being the Doctor again, which is probably something he wanted to avoid.
If he doesn't want to reprise the role, even for a 30 second cameo during the regeneration scene, then that's up to him and personally I don't think he deserves a lot of the stick he's getting on here.
Not irrelevant at all. He's a human being. I would've loved for him to be there, too, but if he can't get over whatever it is that stopped him, then telling him that Doctor Who is bigger than that isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference.
It takes some people a long time to climb off their high horses, maybe Chris needs a few more years to do that.
No he didn't, the BBC leaked his departure against his wishes and then said in a press release that he was leaving for this reason with no discussion whatsoever with him. They were forced to retract the statement by Eccleson because it wasn't true.
Yes, I think the defenders miss the point.
Every single other living Doctor, and their families, and the ex-showrunner, and many companions, were involved in the 50th celebrations in one way or another. Either they were in the show itself, or in Davison's excellent spoof, or in An Adventure in Time and Space.
Only Eccleston stood apart from the celebrations.
Now, of course, if you're invited to a party, you can refuse. But when everyone else is joining in and entering into the party spirit, not to go can, in Tennant's words, seem churlish.*
The party analogy falls down, of course, because it's not exactly a party. It's paid work. So if Eccleston saw DW as "just a job" how come he doesn't see it like that any more? He could have done a 2 minute scene and got well paid for it, and pleased a lot of people. He chose not to.
I'm sure Eccleston gets how much the show means to fans, and how many people see him as "their" Doctor. Yet he can't just put aside his own feelings, whatever they are, and show up for a few filming sessions?
Come on, it's indefensible. Much as many of you like Chris, and admire him as a person and an actor, you must see it as pretty mean spirited.
*I don't know if Tennant meant Chris by his "churlish" remark. Probably not, he's a nice guy and I doubt he'd slag anyone off. But the remark does fit Chris's attitude, imo.
It was probably still the truth though.
Yes I would, for the fans and for the bigger picture.
You will probably laugh at this comparison but I'm going to make it anyway.
I remember the second school I taught at. I was covering a maternity and only there for a year. The department was horrendous - bitchy infighting, nastiness. The senior leadership team (heads, deputies) were horrid with me too. I couldn't wait to leave.
As we approached May my Yr 11s were breaking up for study leave - and they were so sweet. I got a card and a class 'leaving do' from them, complete with a powerpoint presentation! And the last thing they said to me was "You will be there on results day... won't you sir?".
So, come August I did go. Put a brave face on it, and did the smalltalk with those vile teachers who I couldn't stand the sight of.
Why? Because they weren't important. My pupils, the people I'd (hopefully!) inspired were the ones who counted, and I owed it to them to take a day out of my holidays to congratulate and be with them.
Eccleston left because of behind the scenes bullying and poor treatment of minor crew members and how it was handled by the higher ups when he complained about it.
Fair enough.
Even better reason for him not to return right there.
Source?
It's well known and has been widely discussed but people with a good deal of inside knowledge, it's not even the first time in this thread it's been mentioned. Eccleston has said he had issues with the culture on the set in interviews (linked up thread). Theres someone who directed early blocks of filming in series 1 who never came back to the show.
Ammounts to rumours, but he clearly didn't get on well with the higher echelons of the production team, hence why he didn't return.
Like he said though, his overall screen time amounted to two series. He successfully rebooted the franchise. Fanboys are just overly harsh.
you are a lovely person,
If he didn't want to come back then that is up to him.
It's more than a rumour, I'd say, but it's unlikely that we will hear anything directly from the people concerned about it for many years if ever at all beyond the broad strokes we have seen.
Yes, I said the same myself in the episode thread, it was odd the way they did it. With CGI nowadays they could have completed the regeneration effect in close up at the least. Odd decision from an editing perspective, I must say.