He is not black and he is not a woman; but neither is he fucking twelve. (Although he is Twelve!) I am quite giddy with the news that Peter Capaldi is the new Doctor. (!!!!!! -- I feel this warrants multiple exclamation marks.)

Peter Capaldi is lovely. In so many ways. For the first time I find I am not even a little worried in the face of a new regeneration. There is no way this will not work. The voice, the face, the gangliness (it is now a word), the glorious accent (please God, let them keep it). The ability to cover both comedy and drama. I can't wait.

And before you ask, I am well aware that the Doctor cannot be a Malcolm Tucker clone. That would be Bad. In part because Doctor Who is, nominally at least, a children's show, and I doubt most people want 7-yearolds to be that ... creative in their use of language; but mainly because the Doctor is nothing like Tucker, apart from the devilishly clever plans and the uncanny ability to show up out of nowhere, of course. The Doctor is fundamentally an anarchist; Tucker is an authoritarian (and quite mean).

Still, let's take a moment to Marvel:



But this is also the man who played the Angel Islington in Neverwhere, and who was lovely in the beautiful Haunted Hogmanay (and everything else he has ever been in). And Capaldi is not new to Doctor Who, either. He was in "The Fires of Pompeii" (where Karen Gillan also played a small part -- in fact, I would say that Doctor Who has a fairly impressive track record when it comes to reusing actors who have featured in smaller parts; I wonder whether this could have something to do with its being so geek-driven; and I cannot help but think that that must be a Good Sign, because geeks are best, always), and he more or less single-handedly carried the one good Torchwood series, "Children of Earth".

Take a look at this show reel! Seriously. I know you don't usually click on my links, but make an exception this once.

I have been running around in heady anticipation, knowing he is playing Alan Rusbridger in The Fifth Estate, but this is EVEN BETTER!

(That said, it would be good if they could get Steven Moffat off show-running and back to his talent, which is writing bloody marvellous episodes; and I would like Helen Mirren as the Thirteenth Doctor, please -- although I'll be happy if that is a number of years in the future.)