5. James Nesbitt
Let's face it, the Master is and always has been a ridiculously over the top role. I almost don't know if I would want an actor who was going to play the character with a touch of restraint. Maybe I want someone who's going to gleefully chew the scenery to bits. To that end, James Nesbitt seems like a perfect choice. He's done the Jekyll/Hyde thing already, so we know that he's more than capable. Is it perhaps too similar to his critically acclaimed performance on Jekyll? I don't think so. At the end of the day, I feel that he has the perfect energy for Moffat's brash, exuberant spectacle. He would bring such a malevolent intensity to the role, without going too far off the reservation.