Patrick Stewart To Guest Star On Doctor Who? [UPDATED]

Is Patrick Stewart (TNG’s Captain Picard) about the trade in the Enterprise for the Tardis? According to a report in the Brit tabloid The Daily Star, the actor has been offered a recurring role on Doctor Who, the hit British Sci Fi series. This report is not confirmed, but Stewart is currently appearing with Doctor Who star David Tennant in Hamlet.

 

According to the report in The Star, Stewart has been offered the role of a rival Time Lord called the ‘Meddling Monk,’ a character last seen on the series in 1966. The Star quotes a ”Star Trek insider’ (they probably meant a Doctor Who insider) saying “Patrick has been formally approached to star in Doctor Who and is very keen to do it.” The report notes that Stewart will take the role if his film commitments allow. However Stewart, does not appear to have any film commitments and besides doing voice work and commercials, his focus has been on the stage in recent years.

Although The Star is a dubious publication, Stewart has previously expressed interest in doing a spot on Doctor Who. A year ago we reported that the actor told North Scotland "I have been (a fan) actually yes, and deeply dismayed that I was never asked to be in it! I think it’s a terrific series." At the time he was also quoted as saying "I would love to be in Doctor Who. I am doing some RSC work with David Tennant next year so who knows? If we gel on stage we could on screen." Now a year later Stewart’s run with Tennant and Hamlet is a sold out hit that runs through to next January.

Tennant’s work with the RSC has actually cut into the Doctor Who schedule and so for 2009 there will only be four ‘specials’ instead of a regular season. These will begin shooting January, after Stewart and Tennant wrap up their work on Hamlet. Tennant is expected to return to the role for a full season to air in 2010. According to the Star report, the BBC is ‘so keen’ to get Stewart that they would save the character for him until the 2010 season if needed.

But, for now treat this as a very interesting rumor.


Stewart appearing with Tennant in Hamlet

 

UPDATE: More rumors?
Doctor Who site Planet Gallifrey reported on Patrick Stewart possibly playing The Meddling Monk a week ago and again today. One of these reports was picked up by io9. It is possible that The Daily Star repackaging these, or they may have their own sources. For now we will just have to wait.

UPDATE 2: Another Tabloid joins in
The UK’s Sun Tabloid is now reporting the same rumor and appear their own source, but have no other details.

 

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Why is Peter Townshend dressed in scrubs?
I suppose it be becuz he’s Doctor Who.

Arrrrr… it would be interesting ta’ see Stewart on Who… as a villainous Time Lord… but why is his TARDIS shaped like a a crate o’ Earl Grey?

Arrrrrr…

Wow, he must be desperate for work.

Each to his own, I suppose. But I find Dr Who low-budget, childish, and asinine. I don’t understand its popularity. I wouldn’t be surprised if Stewart were interested in a role in Dr Who, though. Remember when Ian McKellen (Gandalf) joined Coronation Street…

2.Why Pegg has done it but it’s the Star so I don’t trust it and they are only doing specials next year

Nu-Who = Russell T Davies’ over-hyped, overrated, garbage, self-indulgent vanity project. Rot in Hell!

Stewart should stick to theatre.

3. It also appeals to the same mainstream that XI is suposidly targeting

Dr. Who is mainstream? Really?

how cool would that be stewart in another great sci-fi programe i just hope he wait till 2010 so davis has gone and moffatt can write something that would use his talents to there full

Now, I know that everything Trek is sacrosanct and that, y’know, that also means that it’s the only decent science fiction in the history of the genre, but Doctor Who has been around nearly forever and continues to bring interesting, entertaining, and engaging characters and storylines all while doing it on a lesser budget. It’s a great show, and I think it would be very exciting to get Patrick Stewart on the program. Not only would it not be a desperate move, but a rather smart one Doctor Who is, afterall, a highly rated show in Great Brittain. Lord forbid it’s not a high dollar, high concept American show. No, Dave Tennett isn’t the greatest Doctor the show has ever had (Tom Baker remains the best) but he’s good in the role and the show is entertaining and fun.

I recently read an online news item saying that Stewart might be doing an unspecified role that didn’t require prosthetic makeup; the article author speculated that the Meddling Monk was one possibility. Now the Star is “reporting” that he’s been offered the role of the Monk? I suspect they just read the same online article I did and misinterpreted/misrepresented the author’s speculation as a fact. Thus are rumors born.

It has had a Christmas Day special on BBC1 for 4 years. That in the UK is mainstream

He should play the new brigadier in command of UNIT. The scenes of Lethbridge-Stewart trying to explain the antics of the “unpaid, underappreciated scientific advisor” would be gold.

I say cast him as UNIT’s new commandant.

Imagine Lethbridge-Stewart trying to explain the antics of the “unpaid, unappreciated scientific advisor”….

Patrick Stewart as a time lord??? So much for the doctor being the last one. *lol*

It’s a British thing, I wouldn’t understand. But that’s okay. From what I’ve seen I’m not really missing anything.

Unfortunately, most of the UK ‘mainstream’ these days are knuckledraggers who are busy impregnating their 12-year-old sisters on council estates and only stop off for a post-coital cigarette to watch Dr Chav: a disgrace to the name ‘Doctor Who!’

Anyone with a half a brain is down their local pub binge-drinking and complaining about the credit crunch on a Saturday, anyway! 10 million viewers? Well, that means 50 million non-morons are busy doing something more intelligent!

The new show is 100 per cent about Russell T Davies whinging on about his personal life and zero per cent to do with making an enjoyable, intelligent programme.

A mature, intelligent, sophisticated writer would be able to separate his personal politics from good writing. Certainly, Doctor Who doesn’t deserve to be mentioned (breath out, breath in) in the same breath as the original Star Trek!

Dr. Who Cares?

Oh get a life. There’s nothing wrong with DW. People who say it’s crap grew out of it. It’s still excellent stuff.

And at least RTD can talk about real life, unlike the bloody deluded Roddenberry. It’s no secret the best Trek series have more to do with “WAR, WHAT IS GOOD FOR”, than the Getalong Gang.

Now that Steven Moffat is taking over from Russel T. “season finale needs more explosions!” Davies, I have every confidence that the show will pull itself back from the brink of mediocrity it’s fallen into over the last season.

Anyone who can watch Moffat’s episodes – “The Empty Child,” “Blink,” “The Girl in the Fireplace,” and “The Library” and call them “asinine” has no taste in science fiction or good television in general.

I say cut it back to a half hour and bring back the multipart story arcs.

“Done in one” is not a good fit for Doctor Who.

I think Stewart should come back for X Men IV. I’d go see that.

Typical Trek-snobs can’t accept or leave alone any other science fiction series. God forbid anyone should like those other shows apart from Trek. Only think I can advise is never to refer to Doctor who or Babylon 5 as ‘ low-budget, childish, and asinine’ to Mr. Harlan Ellison, he’ll cut your nuggies off!

Babylon Five was good. The CG effects were kinda crap, but the series was great.

21. Number 6 –
“Typical Trek-snobs can’t accept or leave alone any other science fiction series. God forbid anyone should like those other shows apart from Trek. Only think I can advise is never to refer to Doctor who or Babylon 5 as ‘ low-budget, childish, and asinine’ to Mr. Harlan Ellison, he’ll cut your nuggies off!”

Okay, I had that coming. I can respect the legacy of Dr. Who — and its’ adherants are certainly as passionate about it as Trekfans are about their favorite franchise. I have no qualms whatsoever in seeing an actor well-associated with Doctor Who appearing in some future version of Star Trek. That kind of cross-pollenation benefits us all. Hope you Whovians enjoy ‘borrowing’ Patrick Stewart from us! ;)

I think this would be fantastic!
I’d love to see how Patrick Stewart would fit in on “Doctor Who”.
Maybe his TARDIS will have a pet lion fish in it!

Doctor Who has actually been around longer than Star Trek, having started in 1963. Personally, I think Patrick Stewart would be excellent as the Doctor.

This is very exciting news, if true – but I’m confounded and disappointed by those of you badmouthing Doctor Who (and, by extension, Stewart’s taste), who I can only surmise haven’t actually seen it.

Doctor Who is an absolutely wonderful, often spectacular series, and as recent reinventions go is as comparably significant and well-done as the Batman and Bond ones (although in the very different and more restrictive medium of television). In fact, this year it pretty much became my favorite current television series period (yes, even above Battlestar Galactica, Lost, 24, House, Pushing Daisies, you name it) due to such brilliant work as the two-part “Silence in the Library” and “Forest of the Dead”.

If you haven’t been watching, you’re missing out on some truly exhilarating and inspired science fiction adventure (the kind of which we frankly haven’t seen in Star Trek in years).

My gosh. I just watched the two-parter “Human Nature” and “Family of Blood” on DVD. I was blown away. It’s true, Doctor Who often has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek, but the show often demonstrates how thoughtful, creative, and fun TV science fiction can be.

If you haven’t watched it, don’t slam it. If you have only seen a couple of episodes don’t slam it either. What would a person unfamiliar with Star Trek say if their first exposure to it were “Spock’s Brain” or “Code of Honor?” Childish and asinine might be their first impression too.

Just like to add my voice to those expressing their disappointment over those Trek foods who feel the need to bad-mouth other sci-fi franchises. Yes, Doctor Who occasionally suffers from low production values, and sometimes descends into silly melodrama, but at its best it’s a true example of quality sci-fi and even a compelling, human drama (I still have trouble watching the final scenes of “Doomsday” without crying). Hmmm, sound like any other TV franchise we’re familiar with?

Additionally, to say it isn’t mainstream is ridiculous. It may be largely under the radar in the states, but in the U.K. it’s just as big as Star Trek or Star Wars.

So to those of you who, after having caught one or two episodes, dismiss Doctor Who as childish and asinine, I only say this… imagine judging all of Star Trek on the basis of “Spock’s Brain” or one of Wesley episodes of TNG. Yeah. That’s what I thought.

*apparently I said “foods” when I mean “fans.” WTF??

“Why is Peter Townshend dressed in scrubs?
I suppose it be becuz he’s Doctor Who.”

…You are *so* going to hell for that one :-P Then again, I’ve seen a photochopped cover of Who’s Next where the obelisk in the center of the cover that The Who have just pissed all over was replaced by the TARDIS.

Wasn’t Peter Davison reprising his role in tha’ new Who wit’ that crazy Tennant bloke? Just fur a bit. Tennant makes some good beer…

That’s a haunting picture thar’… likely tha’ sceen wherein Claudius is prayin’ and confessin’ ta’ God whilst Hamlet toys wit’ strikin’ ‘im down… However… did Tennant take that crown off Patty’s head? Or is he just overly bonkers? What’s he doin’ wit’ dat cigar? Oh… a bare bodkin be it, I supposes… Whar’ can I get them suits?

And why can’t we all just get along and go after tha’ real enemy- Starry Wars! Continual exposure ta’ banner ads proclaiming Trek vs. Wars has me all “Manchurian-Candidated up” ta’ blow up me some death stars and Q-wings….

Trek Wars Ahoy!
Tek Wars?

Arrrrrr…

I love the new Doctor Who – Russell Davies has turned a kind of kitschy guilty pleasure into something really extraordinarily good. And while I preferred Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, I’ve grown to like David Tennant a lot.

It’s great to have DW news here, even if only for the Trek connection – there’s no aspect of “Star Trek” *other* than Abrams’ movie that I’m not completely bored and uninterested by these days.

DR. WHO, the best sci-fi series since TNG! I would love to see Patrick Stewart and David Tennant on the small screen. Maybe Stewart can play the Doctor’s companion or a capitan of an earth ship from the future.

Good grief, the venom in some of these posts is really unnecessary. It is science fiction for crying out loud. If you cannot seperate that then move on. People enjoy the programme, its fun, hip and modern. If you cannot adopt the concept then relax. You compare and analyze everything to death, snobs indeed! Nothing ever compares to Star Trek but I ask you this, if Star Trek is so great then why does it not inspire anymore.It has obviously not elevated you to any degree of objectivity. You do not respect other works of fiction to its own legion of fans. I love the show even with Russell T. Davies era but look forward to Moffat taking over.

#31. rebecca

*apparently I said “foods” when I mean “fans.” WTF??

LOL

I thought the typo was supposed to be “Trek FOOLS” of which I am one.

:-D

And spooky, I also agree that it’s disheartening to see such comments. Some are probably just angry people and some are probably just trying to start something.

I personally was one who couldn’t get into Dr. Who. Didn’t like it at all (as an adult). I remember as a kid watching it with my 12-years-older sister and being scared to death of the Daleks (when was that – – early – mid-sixties??) Now that I see those episodes I laugh and say “what was I thinking?” Cheese. But so are some Star Trek episodes. Some of the early “alien” costumes are almost embarrassing – – The Gorn, the early Klingons (add-a-goatee-become-a-Klingon), Morg and Eymorg, the Brain Cells from Deneva (flying fake barf)… you know what I mean. But we love them all the same.

kg

I have seen the new Doctor Who episodes here in the states on KERA 13 the local Fort Worth / Dallas station for the past year . I am a fan . It is an intellectual , thought provoking , enjoyable science fiction , that does drama and comedy well .

People that pooh-pooh the thought of watching it with out having seen it , are akin to the people who think the new Star Trek film will be rubbish without having seen it .

Patrick Stewart is an excellent actor whose range reaches far beyond the Star Trek universe . I look forward to him guesting on Doctor Who . A great actor on a superb show . To all the naysayers who claim to hate that which that have not taken the time to watch , sit down and watch it one night , just give it one hour of your time .

If you don’t like it hey , that’s ok don’t watch it . The rest of us shall enjoy it without you .

Until next time …….this is Fleet Captain Kor’Tar of the U.S.S. Kahless NCC-76108

Rant over !

I LOVE me my Doctor Who.

I never could get into the original series, as the $1.98-per-episode budget was a little hard to get past in order to enjoy what was going on. However, my first exposure to Doctor Who was The Five Doctors, so I guess I could have done worse. (I now own that episode on laserdisc. I’m so retro.)

However, the 2005 revamp is wonderful. No, not every single episode is a stunner–the “space Titanic” Christmas special was about as fun as a tooth extraction–but for the most part, the series is wonderfully entertaining, and the witty humor often makes me laugh out loud. (I’m sorry, but most of the time that Star Trek does comedy, it’s forced and painfully unfunny).

On the other hand, “The Girl in the Fireplace” is one of the best hours of television I’ve EVER seen. I’ve shown it to Doctor Who novices repeatedly, and without exception, their jaws are on the floor when it’s all over, they’re so impressed.

I do have to respond to this, however:

“The new show is 100 per cent about Russell T Davies whinging on about his personal life and zero per cent to do with making an enjoyable, intelligent programme.”

I’m sorry, but that’s 100 percent crap. I’ve seen this complaint repeatedly on various message boards, and it’s almost always made by people who are deeply homophobic. Just because the executive producer is openly gay doesn’t mean that the occasional–yes, occasional–gay reference and/or character is an example of pushing a “political agenda.” If you don’t like the existence of gay characters on TV, or in sci-fi programming, that’s your problem. Some of us gay Trek fans actually enjoy seeing people like us show up from time to time in our sci-fi entertainment. So sue us.

Sorry, Anthony… I just had get that off my chest. :-)

Finally… if I may add, I actually found Season Four to be the most consistently satisfying year of the new Who. I originally believed the selection of Catherine Tate was going to sink the show, but surprisingly, I’m really going to miss her as a companion. The mix of comic and tragic elements to her character really grew on me. Well done, Davies… now bring on Moffat!

Personally, I love DW almost as much as I love ST. I would love to see Patrick Steward in the show.

I think Patrick Stewart will bring a great gravitas to Doctor Who. Hope it is true.

It really seems as though the new series has passed a lot of people by.

For anyone even remotely curious, I highly recommend watching the episode “Blink” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VUgJ761iT4&feature=related) which is one of the best of the new series, which (ironically) doesn’t feature the Doctor much at all.

It’s a great introduction to the revamped series, and even if you don’t watch any of the other episodes, it’s a very intelligent self-contained story. I’ve had plenty of sci-fi haters who really enjoyed that episode, and I’m hoping to see a similar reaction to the new Trek.

On the ‘mainstream’ status of Doctor Who, it’s worth pointing out a few things. It’s been on longer than Trek, 45 years vs 42; there’s been more episodes of it (751) than of every Star Trek show put together (and, if you include Dr Who’s spin-off series that goes up to 791).

The most recent episode was the #1 watched show in the UK that week and it regularly pulls in audiences of 9-10m in a market 1/5th the size of the US. Essentially, in British terms it’s not a niche show like BSG but a thundering phenomenon like Heroes or Lost. All while pulling in figures in the US comparable to what shows like BSG and Stargate get.

All that said, it’s fair enough to say that DW will probably never be seen in the *US* as anything but a niche show.

I think the problem for some people is that they can’t enjoy a good sci-fi story unless it has hollywood quality special effects. These same people make fun of the styrofoam rocks on TOS.
Doctor Who has some of the best sci-fi stories I’ve ever seen, and also a few of the worst. On average I think it is one of the best sci-fi shows made. Besides “Blink”, people should check out “The Girl in the fireplace”, another good modern Who story.

* Chuckle Chuckle *

Oh dear, oh dear, as far as I’m concerned there is no X vs Y wars.

I watch Star Trek, Star Wars, Dr Who, Space 1999, Lexx, Farscape, Torchwood, Babylon 5 and many inbetween. They’re not mutually exclusive.

I enjoy them all and if any of you don’t that’s fine too.

I’d like to see Patrick guest star in Dr Who.

Ha! Enter the Who fascists! The swarm is here to beat us down and tell us we’re all wrong! Criticising nu-Who in the UK is akin the stealing Prince William’s girlfriend! ‘You criticised my show so I’ll attack yours! Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!’ Who fans are a nightmare!

And Nu-Who is utter trash! Russell T Davies took a show that, while low budget, strived for strong plotting and exciting stories (until JNT) and has turned it into little more than a hobby-horse for his personal politics, which demonstrates a very poor writer.

In its heyday (particularly Tom Baker’s earlier stories) the show worked without bombastic music, unnecessary explosions, screeching and shouting.

Far from being a Trek-snob, I love proper Doctor Who. Proper Doctor Who was, at its best, far less OTT (and it had plenty in it that was OTT). In Human Nature/Family of Blood, did we really need to see a fish-eye lens go up the bad guys’ noses followed by an exaggerated sniff to make the (obvious) point that they were bad guys, for example?

Blink, possibly one of the best Doctor Whos ever made, avoided all that sort of nonsense in favour of genuine chills. The only bad bit was where the Doctor and his idiot companion who can’t act her way out of a paper bag, appeared in 1969 (phone UNIT anyone?) In Torchwood, the cast tried for some sort of gravitas only eventually to be brought down by Freema Agyeman, who sounds more like a kids’ TV presenter than an actress playing a doctor!

The Girl in the Fireplace was great when Tennant wasn’t gurning and his gormless chav companions shouting at him.

Peter Davison, in his brief appearance, brought more dignity to the role of Doctor in one short skit than had been seen in Doctor Who in years. Tennant’s screeching and gurning in that scene showed what an utter amateur he looks as the Doctor. Davison walked away with that scene and made me wish he was the Doctor again!

As it stands, ironically, the best ‘Doctor’ of recent times is Elizabeth Sladen’s Sarah Jane Smith. Her wise, sophisticated performance is everything the Doctor’s should be.

If nu-Who knocked its screeching and running down a notch and stopped pretending to be Will and Grace, it could actually be good. I’ll give it a shot when Steve Moffatt takes over, but nu-Who under that pretentious, talentless, politically correct (I would say ‘hack’ but that’s unfair to hacks) person, Russell T Davies, is an embarrassment to TV and the people showering it with praise shows how low it aims: ie readers of OK Magazine who think Big Brother is actually good television!

For what it’s worth, I like a lot of sci-fi and fantasy shows, some more than Trek or Who, some less. I prefer Star Trek TOS, but that doesn’t mean I ***hate*** the other incarnations. Bab 5 had its moments. So do the various Stargates. Buffy/Angel was a great series (which nu-Who often slavishly plagiarises badly) Alias is a great spy-fi show. Lost is wonderful. The Prisoner was a classic and I’m nervous about it getting a ‘Doctor Who’ done on the remake.

I trust JJ Abrams with Star Trek. He’s got the old-school touch where he can genuinely take a formula and make it modern without compromising it!

It’s sad: when I see nu-Who, I actually wish the US had made a Paul McGann series, which is something I never thought I’d see myself write. The pilot was weak, yet looking at it now, it feels far more Doctor Who-ish to me than nu-Who!

While the thought of Patrick Stewart as the Meddling Monk would have me over the moon, I’d be interested to see what he could do with the role of ANY baddie on Dr. Who. While I have really enjoyed the Russell T. Davies years, for the most part, and give him full credit for bringing the show back with a bang, I have to say that I’m really looking forward to Moffat taking over. He has been central to some of the absolute best episodes of the new incarnation and let’s face it, history and John Nathan Turner have shown that you shouldn’t overstay your tenure as Producer of Dr. Who.

I think it’s crap. I’m sorry but until my cat or dog tells me otherwise, i won’t believe anything from the Star or “The Sun”, the former i remember reading Star Wars Episode 3 being cancelled to lack of interest….

They. Print. Crap.

I find it a bit odd that Russel T. Davies is attacked for injecting his own politics and values (side note: being gay is not a value. It’s a fact) into his show. Didn’t Gene Roddenberry do the same?

Patrick Stewart is nothing but pure class. He is a great actor no matter if he’s being asked to do shakespeare, star trek, or a popular movie like X-Men. I’m sure that if he is given a recurring role in Doctor Who it will only work to the credit of the show.