for the revival, should they of just kept McGann in the role as the doctor for the first series, or was employing eccleston a better idea?

He is very good in the prequel they put out yesterday.

It was probably wisest to start fresh, and someone as big as Christopher Eccelston really helped relaunch the show.

However I do wish they could have done it with Paul McGann

Chris did a fine job but really only comitting to one series was disapointing. In retrospect Paul should have had his moment...

At least he's had it now... does anyone know if Paul has done an interview about it yet? I'd love to hear it if so

Umm yes, no.

Yes as proved by yesterday's minisode he would have been great if given good material. No the show needed the momentum from a new actor to let people try again after the disappointment of the TV movie.

Of course it should have been McGann. Honestly, I do try not to dislike Eccleston too much, but he doesn't even appreciate it! As for the "big name" excuse for using Eccleston - rubbish. McGann was just perfect as the Doctor. I'm sure the show would have been just as popular.

The only upside is that Eccleston left sharpish (Yay!) and we then got the best Doctor ever (Ten), who may not have had a chance to take the part if McGann had been the Doctor for several series.

I honestly don't know. I was always pretty resentful that McGann hadn't been asked to return to the title role and RTD always said "There was no point bringing him back for a regeneration as it will confuse the new viewers", or something along those lines. Fair enough. But he could have had a couple of series for people to get to know him. Plus, that would confirm him taking part in the War, which would very much suit me.

However, saying that, it was nice to start a fresh and we may not have got the wonderful Doctors in Eccleston, Tennant and Smith... Also, RTD may have not displayed the incarnation as the character he later became, instead opting for a continuation from the TV movie.

There is a difference between excuse and reason.

Yes! Sure, a bit of a makeover would be necessary - but what we got yesterday was just that and it worked out very well. Eccleston wasn't bad, but he's still probably my least favourite Doctor (which says a lot about all the other actors to play the role).

As muchas I would love to see more of McGann's Doctor I don't think it would have been the right decision to restart the series with him, it needed to be a fresh start and I think CE did an excellent job, he's my second favourite NuWho Doctor after Matt Doesn't mean I am not sat here wishing there was some way to see more of PM now though

Honestly, as much as I love McGann's Doctor the show needed a fresh start. It's fine basing a new series on old content but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and the TV Movie was slightly lacking if we are honest.

Eccleston wouldn't have been my first choice, and if I had to choose in 2005 then McGann would have won. However in hindsight the total split between old and new was needed to entice new fans and to appeal to a new generation. It's good that McGann got his finale, and the gap between series is now kind of bridged, but back in 2005, it needed to be fresh, which sadly McGann wasn't thanks to the TV Movie.

I said this in the other thread yesterday that I would have much preferred McGann to have come back but after a gap of 9 years maybe it's understandable that a New Doctor had to be found.

I guess to woo younger viewers who were too young or not even born in '96, it would have been confusing to have a Doctor from that far back suddenly reappear in the role so the show needed to start from fresh to appeal to everyone.

Maybe if the gap between TV movie and the New Series hadn't been so big McGann would have come back. I reckon even in 2000 we could have got away with him returning or at least having him back for a regeneration in a pilot episode similar to how McCoy had done.

However, from a personal point of view I'd have preferred him to return. Much more preferable to Eccleston imo.

Although it would have been good to see the regeneration from Paul to Christopher (of course we didn't know then what we know now!), even if only in flashback at some point during the 2005 series, it was undoubtedly the right decision to re-launch with Christopher.

Personally I think Moff had Eccleston in mind to be the one fighting in the Time War. He was a lot more grumpy and sullen to start with so it would fit well, and if he was in it then McGann to Eccleston would have been seen.

Obviously with Chris not wanting to be part of it a suitable "warrior" had to be found. I doubt McGann would have had the choice, but if he had I'd like to think he wouldn't want to have played the darker Doctor. McGann plays a very innocent version of the Doctor, with a childlike wonder of excitement about him and still does lots via Big Finish, so to end his tenure with that revelation wouldn't really be good.

Anyway more importantly, where did 8th's hair go? It was awesome. I know Paul hated it, but many fans loved the long haired hippy style.

Perhaps, although that would have come close to contradicting 'Rose' where Eccleston acted as if he had come fresh off a regeneration.

I would have loved McGann in the role but I think it would have been a mistake. Anyone who watched and disliked the TV movie would have assumed it would be the same and not bothered watching. Or course, die-hard fans and casual viewers would have watched anyway so it's difficult to say which would be better.

*waves at Lowri*

I would probably have preferred McGann in the role but I don't think the series would have been as successful with new viewers because McGann would have come with a lot of continuity and backstory behind him that could confuse people (not just the Movie but also, Big Finish - who would have probably have had to stop doing 8th Doctor audios as well). Plus we'd have to deal with him being Half Human

I think it all worked out for the best, really. Particularly if you are a fan of Big Finish.

I love Paul McGann as the Doctor, but I'm glad they started afresh in 2005 with ol' Big Ecc himself. There's a lot of fun to be had with Doctor Who in speculating about the adventures you don't see onscreen, and to create that mystery in 2005 around what had happened in the intervening times was a good call. I think you get a much better pay-off by revealing a snippet of information here, a drop of plot there. RTD did that very well with the Time War through his four seasons, and it's great seeing the Moff doing it now.

Personally, I prefer McGann as the Doctor but I can see why Ecclestone's style would attract a broader audience.

Given how poorly received the TV movie was, I think they needed a clean break, and therefore a new Doctor, clearly signalling a re-boot.

I have no doubt McGann would have done a great job, but Ecclestone was great (mind you I think they're all great in their own way, except for Colin)

Ouch!

BTW please will people stop calling poor old Chris "Ecclestone"!!
It's Eccleston!

No they needed to make the show completely different from the movie, so they did the right thing casting CE. The thing is now we've seen PM as the 8th it kind of feels like we've been robbed of a great era on TV.

It would be great if he crosses timelines with PD, but would that take the shine off the new Doctor?

I voted Eccleston. I actually reckon since the low point of McCoy every Doctor has been an improvement on the previous incarnation. The minisode was enjoyable but I tend to think McGann would have outstayed his welcome fairly sharpish. Actually I was already thoroughly bored of him by the end of the TV film.

PC, you mean?

I refer you to the pointless thread about initials.