Doctor Who 12th Wishlist - 13 Probable, Plausible And Impossible Replacements For Matt Smith
8. James Callis
It was James Callis that kept me watching Battlestar Galactica when the show spiraled into convoluted, telenovela-worthy nonsense in its final season. Im not speaking hyperbolically when I say that his turn as Gaius Baltar in Ron Moores cult revival is one of the finest television performances I have ever seen. Moore deserves credit for writing Baltar as something deeper and more interesting than the moustache-twirling, George Sanders wannabe of the original Battlestar, but it was Calliss performance that made him simultaneously repugnant, heart-breaking, hilarious and even, at times, a little bit frightening. Ostensibly, the closest thing the series had to a villain, Callis made Baltar so human and sympathetic, even in his myriad flaws, that you couldnt help but find yourself rooting for him.
WHY HIM: Well, lets see We know he can compellingly play an eccentric, tortured scientist with a unique fashion sense who travels the galaxy and is, by turns, brilliant, funny, vulnerable, unpredictable and enigmatic. The only question is whether he can switch out Baltars reptilian moral flexibility for the Doctors hardened sense of righteousness and noble heroism. I think its worth giving him the chance
SEE HIM IN: I dont really need to repeat myself, do I?