4. The Black Doctor
While the Doctor has always been a man through his many regenerations, it also stands out that he has always been white. For a Time Lord to regenerate ten times, with all the faces in the universe to choose from, and turn out white every time, is a bit of an uncanny run of chance. Could it be time for the Doctor to step into the 21st century? There are of course hundreds of excellent black actors who could step into the role of the Doctor. Yet for me one British actor stands out, and that is the mercurial Idris Elba. Elba built his career in television, starring in The Wire as Stringer Bell, before taking on the title role in the BBC's Luther. He won acclaim for each, and has now started to break Hollywood, with roles in the likes of Thor and Pacific Rim. Next up, he is set to play a chap you might have heard of, Nelson Mandela, in a film telling the story of his life. The film looks sure to thrust Elba into the limelight. So could Elba be tempted back to British television to take on the role of the Doctor? He would certainly be a change of direction. Elba is a mountain of a man, and his performances are full of controlled aggression and force. Gone would be the nerdy charm and scrawny indie-chic appearance of Smith, replaced by the muscle-bound Elba. But that is not to say Elba is just some pumped up action star. His performances are defined by an incredible amount of depth, laced with a delicate layer of emotion and vulnerability. He would bring new heart and depth to the Doctor, as well as raw power. But if not Elba, there are others who could step into the Tardis. One of the bookmakers' favourites for the job is Chiwetel Ejiofor, who starred recently in the excellent Dancing on the Edge (alongside Matthew Goode, who would be an excellent choice for the Doctor himself if they go for a more traditional choice). Again Ejiofor would be a different kind of Doctor, bringing a sophistication and charm to the Time Lord. He too would be an excellent choice. A third choice often linked with the Doctor is a certain Richard Ayoade, star of the IT Crowd and director of Submarine. An actor with the comedic background to be the funniest doctor yet, Ayoade has also shown in his directing that he may have the emotional depth to play the doctor.