C+Q - Top 5 People I'd Cast as the Next...Master
Well everyone, Peter Capaldi is leaving Doctor Who. As such, I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring with a top 5 list of actors who I think should play the next Master.
First of all, some things: this list isn't entirely some weird snarky attempt to parody top 5 Doctor actor lists. It's actually only partially that. Mainly, this list exists because I have way more opinions about good Masters than I do about good Doctors. I don't know why, but I find the Master a much more engaging character. Part of it is down to my love of camp, cheesy, "I'll get you next time!" fun. Part of it is down to the Master's infrequent appearances in the series, making every time they show up a big event. Part of it is that the Master is a dark mirror of the Doctor, and those sorts of characters are always fun to analyse. But the biggest reason why I care so much about this character is that Michelle Gomez came along in 2014 and made me care. And now, with the news that Peter Capaldi is leaving along with Moffat, Michelle Gomez is probably leaving too. I hate it, and I seriously hope she comes back to menace the Thirteenth Doctor, but her days in the role are probably numbered. I just hope her final appearances in Series 10 do her justice.
Anyway, here, in no particular order, is my list of 5 people I think could come close to replacing her. No matter who comes next, it isn't going to be an easy task.
1 - Charles Dance
Let's get one of the most obvious choices out of the way first. Charles Dance would be incredible as the Master. For me, the Master right now has a problem similar to one the Doctor once had; while the Doctor kept getting younger with every regeneration, the Master keeps getting funnier. I love the comedy of Michelle Gomez's Master (and I love the youth of Matt Smith's Doctor) but this trend is unsustainable. If the Master continues to get funnier, the core of the character will be lost. The problem of the Doctor's youth was solved with the casting of Peter Capaldi, and similarly the problem of the Master's comedy antics would be solved by casting a 'no nonsense' actor to buck the trend. Charles Dance would bring us back to a Roger Delgado-esque style of Master; one who's cold and calculating but with a charm you can't help but love. He'd be excellent both as a means of course correction for the character and as a good Master in his own right.
2 - Natalie Dormer
Natalie Dormer is one of many actors I often see suggested for the Doctor, and while I'm sure she'd be brilliant, I see her more as a Master personally. It's funny how the sorts of people who'd be good at those roles slightly overlap. I'd cast her for the same reason I'd cast Dance: she'd be charming but ruthless, having no patience for the Doctor's whimsy. If you don't believe me, watch her in The Diabolical Kind, the twelfth episode of the second season of Elementary. Just import that performance into Doctor Who, call her the Master, and you wouldn't have to change a thing.
3 - Thandie Newton
While she ultimately played a goodie in Westworld, it's easy to see that Thandie Newton would make an exceptional baddie. I imagine a Newton Master would be closer to the likes of Gomez or Ainley in terms of having a playful, almost flirtatious relationship with the Doctor, but with a serious edge of pure evil bubbling underneath. She'd be like Alex Macqueen but without the jokes (why yes, I'm absolutely the sort of person who considers the Alex Macqueen Master as canonical as Gomez or Ainley, thank you for asking).
4 - Anthony Hopkins
While we're talking about Westworld: Anthony Hopkins. Basically, he'd be the Derek Jacobi Master but for more than 4 minutes. I mean, don't get me wrong, the 4 minutes between Derek Jacobi opening the watch and regenerating into John Simm is fucking spectacular, but it's just too short. Hopkins would be able to take the same style of Master and turn it into something recurring. Obviously not as recurring as Delgado or Gomez or the other Anthony due to how expensive an actor of Hopkins' calibre would be, but that's basically why it's okay to splash out on famous faces for Masters more than it is for Doctors; Doctors are in every episode but Masters can come and go with years between appearances. I'm sure the BBC has the money to spend on an Anthony Hopkins appearance every now and then.
5 - Sarah Parish
As I've said, there's some overlap when it comes to actors who'd make good Doctors and good Masters, and Sarah Parish occupies that space nicely. I'd happily watch her in either part, but after BBC's Atlantis, it's far easier for me to imagine her in a more villainous role. Like with the others on this list, I think she'd have what it takes to bring the Master back into a more serious direction while still displaying the wit and charm that every incarnation shares. She's also used to being a regular in BBC adventure shows so I'd expect her to appear more often than the likes of a Hopkins Master.