Well, this is a fine Who-do-you…
“Actor Christopher Eccleston has quit as Doctor Who after just one episode of the new series has been screened, the BBC has confirmed…Eccleston, whose first appearance as the ninth Doctor attracted 10 million viewers, said he feared being typecast.”
Okay, fanboy moment flashback…You know what I want to know? I’ll tell you what I want to know. Why the hell wasn’t he locked into at least a three-year contract in the first place? I agree with Peter Davison and the late Patrick Troughton that this is the optimum time for an actor.
And I can’t imagine the new series will get any traction if they have to keep replacing the Doctor…not to mention, he’s only got three regenerations left.
This also reminds me of when TV-movie Doctor Paul McGann took the role only to balk at some publicity and convention appearances. I thought at the time, isn’t that something that should have been negotiated as part of the deal?
I mean yes, the most an actor owes is his performance and all that kind of deeply-sensible stuff. But when you’re taking on the part of an icon, a certain level of commitment and additional responsibility should be involved as well.
Okay, fanboy flashback moment over.