Time for a heated debate and one of those shiny poll things (that I've not done before - ohh exciting times).

It's a simple question. Assuming he wants to and is allowed to should Capaldi stay on beyond series 10 or should he be thrown into the same skip as Moffat at the end of series 10 to give Chibnall a clean slate?

I'll try and keep the poll options as neutral as possible but just to plant my flag pole firmly in the ground I would personally prefer Capaldi to stay on for at least the first series of Chibnall's era. I think he's a fantastic actor and he's really acted his chops off during series 9.

More so, I'm not really keen on each show runner's era being so clearly defined and it almost being treated like a soft re-boot of the show each time the big chief changes. I would prefer it be a little more seamless, as when cast members change and more like it was in the good old days. Fair enough that Chibnall should be able to start off with a clean slate, and he certainly should be free to ditch as much Moffat fluff as he wants to but I would prefer to see his take on Doctor 12 than starting off with a new guy just for the sake of it.

Finally I'm not too hot for the three years and out rule which seems to have crept in and would very much like someone to break that and think Capaldi is the most likely candidate to do that.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the matter. Let the voting and fighting commence...

He should stay he is a very talented actor, and the longer he stays we may change the precedent that we don't need young actors.

I've tried to add a poll twice now but it doesn't seem to be working Do they usually take a while to appear?

I'll use the alert button.

EDIT: Oh there it is. My first, shiny happy poll (Apologies to Colin Baker)

Woohoo, 100% saying Capaldi should stay. Right. How do I close the poll now

It's working now.
I voted for Peter to stay, as I want to see what he can do under a new production regime.
As I said elsewhere, I think there will be enormous pressure from the BBC to replace him with a younger prettier actor as soon as possible, but I'd like him to do at least part of series 10.
Why not a regeneration part way through the series? That's never been done before, but there's absolutely no reason why it shouldn't be.

I voted go. Not because I want him to really- I love him and his Doctor- but I think its best for the show and for the new show runner. So much as I would like another 2-3 seasons with Capaldi on balance I say let him leave with Moffat after an amazing one.

I voted undecided. I think Chibnall should be given a clean slate and a huge new promotional push in 2018 which the series definitely needed in 2015 but with no new Doctor or companion or producer, the BBC didn't seem to have a clue how to promote the show and so went for the appalling "same old same old" angle, which definitely hurt things somehwat. However, I would happily watch Capaldi be the Doctor forever. If I had my way, I'd want them to somehow get 2 series done before Chibnall took over but that's never going to happen.

Leave and bring back Tom Baker!

I put leave I want it to be like 2005 and 2010 again birand new headwritter bramd new doctor brand new arc.

I think he should stay if only to help ease the transition between the Moffat and Chibnall eras

I think he will go and I think that might be a good thing. I like Capaldi a lot as the Doctor but a whole new start for Chibnall's era with no leftovers from Moffat's time seems likely to happen. Might be for the better too.

Not bothered

But it would be nice to have a new doctor with a new EP. Series 5 was very much like a total refresh of the show. It was new everything.

I voted undecided but on balance I think I would like him to stay for at least one series after Moffat leaves, to make a smoother transition.

When RTD and Tennant left together it felt so strange with everything changing so dramatically. It was a new show, yet still the same. I would like a little more continuity this time round.

Chibnall should get a chance to make it his version on the show from the start, not have to write a character someone else created. A proper refresh is needed.

Stay, he's the best Doctor in a very long time and he's only just begun to tap into what he can do with the role. It'd a shame to get rid of after only one more series.

But to a certain extent Chibnall can change Capaldi's interpretation of the role to suit his own vision of the show. He won't just be writing for a character that he didn't create. Look at the differences in Tom Baker's portrayal from Hinchcliffe to Williams to JNT.

I do accept that though that in this day and age of show runners instead of producers, ultimately it should be the show runners decision (as long as he makes the right decision ).

Given that Capaldi and Chibnall are both life long fans of the show I expect ultimately the decision may come down to whether their visions of the show and the Doctors portrayal are cohesive and if these forums highlight anything it's that different fans can sometimes have wildly different opinions about the show and the direction it should take.

I certainly think Chibnall should have a partial clean slate when starting so either a new companion or a new Doctor but I don't think it should be both.


I'd like Capaldi to stay for at least one series (or possibly a partial one to make it different as someone above said) but then that would (in my scenario) mean the Series 10 companion would be a 1 series and done companion.

If Capladi does leave with Moffat I think the Series 10 companion should stay on (possibly with the Chib introducing a 2nd or even a 3rd companion in Series 11).

It really depends on how well Series 10 performs ratings wise.
Series 9 didn't perform poorly, but compared to the previous 8 series which were all pretty consistent there was a very noticeable drop in the viewing figures. If the ratings decrease any further with Series 10 then I think the only thing which would reignite interest in the show is a Series 5-style revitalisation- ie. new showrunner (which we now know will be Chibnall), new Doctor, new companion, new opening credits, new look, new style, new direction.

I'm personally happy for Capaldi to stay as long as he wants, but if it turns out that he simply doesn't engage viewers as much as the other Doctors then I think a fresh start may be necessary.

Waiting till the Ratings for Series 10 come in wouldn't really work in my opinion.

The scripts for Series 11 will be (if not finished ) in the process of being written at that time, deciding to cast a new Doctor as late as April/May 2017 would throw everything into turmoil.

(Doctor plays guitar riff) "Darling, you've got to let me know. Should I stay or...."

Voted Stay as he's great. But don't think he will. Guessing a Christmas 2017 regeneration.

For me the show should avoid a complete clean break like it did with Series 5 - which was perilously close to feeling like a soft reboot. I really struggled to like either Amy or Rory at the time, and feel part of the reason for that struggle was that the series was trying to sell both a new Doctor and a new companion simultaneously again. Sure, Series 1 obviously had to do the same - but that worked as a means to reboot a show that hadn't been on the TV properly in sixteen years. Series 11 will follow the previous Christmas episode by a matter of months, as was the case with Series 5...some carry-over is good. I think it'd be arguably even more difficult this time, as Series 5 was following a 'specials' year where we'd been weaned off of what had come before. Series 11 has to immediately follow Series 10, and a change in showrunner is enough of a change to the status quo. Too much change all at once makes it feel like we're back to square one again, and not necessarily in a good sense.

Aside from that though, Capaldi is just brilliant. I think he needs a little more of a chance to shine through as a 'fun' personality now - as the Christmas specials have shown him - but even then I absolutely love his darker, wittier approach. If we can have a few less shoehorned in guitar-on-tank scenes that show a lack of confidence in his character, Capaldi can really carry the weight.

I think as well that it may be kind of important for someone to break the three-year tradition we've had going between Tennant and Smith. I'd hate for it to become an unwritten rule that some fans come to expect, as it serves to only make the show feel a bit more predictable and formulaic and to also then potentially lead actors to leave before their natural end game.

Also one more thing that I've just thought of...

If it was already done and dusted and, for example, Chibnall had come in demanding a clean slate and new Doctor would the BBC not have included in yesterday's news that series 10 will also be Capaldi's last, and already be billing the next series as Moffat and Capaldi's final series?

There's no point in trying to keep these things secret and just look at the fanfare the BBC made last time the role was re-cast.

I know that's not how it was handled with RTD and Tennants departures but wasn't that because Tennant wanted to a little more time to consider the options before he ultimately decided to leave with RTD?

It seems to me that there's at least a discussion to be had involving the transition...

^ I guess the difference is that with Tennant there was literally only a handful of episodes left by the time his departure was announced.

Capaldi still has a whole series to go at the very least - and with Christmas 2017 as well he'll still be the Doctor in nearly two years from now - which is a longer period of time than he has been the Doctor on our screens so far. We won't be getting a full episode with the next Doctor for over two years yet in the event that Capaldi is leaving. I guess it wouldn't be in the best interests of a drama show to announce the departure of their lead so prematurely... people will then be obsessed with "who's next" rather than giving Series 10 any focus.

And this is all hypothetical anyway. There is still an equal chance Capaldi will stay on into Series 11 as well.

No because that would look very bad. The headlines would be all about the show being in crisis as BBC bosses frantically swing their axe amongst cast and crew in a last-ditch attempt to save the ailing show, etc.

I suspect at Capaldi's time of life, he's happy to stay in any job as long as it lasts. Chibnall is probably yet to think about what kind of show he wants to make and whether Capaldi fits his plans. And Moffat will probably think it's some kind of clever publicity thing to drum up viewers by teasing people about whether Capaldi's leaving with him or not. Just as he did at least twice before with Coleman.

Go. I think capaldi.is a great doctor btw. He will have done his 3 series. New show runner new doctor.