Pratchett (left) with Wilkins (right)
Today at B&N at Union Square, NYC, Terry Pratchett and Rob Wilkins had a discussion about Terry’s new book Dodger. The conversation was wonderfully derailed several times, and they got to share other Pratchett news about The Watch TV series and Nation and so on (I’ll be sharing those on this blog in forthcoming posts), as well as tangents about things like Doctor Who. Below is the transcript and video of Sir Terry’s opinion on the casting of the Doctor.
Rob: David Tennant could play anyone. He could play Moist von Lipwig.
Terry: I was there for the first episode of Doctor Who. The thing about Doctor Who, if you are a real Doctor Who fan, you might know that when the BBC put it out, not many people watched the first episode, but those that did were telling people about it. So, on the next Saturday, they repeated the first one so that people could see what it was all about. Just a piece of trivia, but there it is, because I was there, hiding behind the settee.
Rob: William Hartnell was no David Tennant, though, I’m sorry.
Terry: No, but David Tennant is a definite David Tennant. He is the best Doctor Who of ever because he is an actor. The best of them are…funny, the modern ones are just bloody clowns. A bit like you [Rob], but nevermind.
Rob: That’s okay. I’ll audition for the part.
Terry: Ha!
Anglonerd 
I always thought David Tennant would make a wonderful Rincewind – all that running.
I’ve only just started reading The Colour of Magic and ever since Rincewind’s his first longer sentence in his first scene, he is David Tennant for me. Then he said “No-oo” and started explaining the walking box/reflected-sound-as-of-underground-spirits (or whatever it’s called, as I’ve said I haven’t read much yet) and I was completely convinced.
David Tennant was great.
I still like Tom Baker as “My Doctor,” though, as he is the one I grew up with. I still remember watching PBS as a kid. He left quite an impression.
To be honest, I like them all — some are better actors than others, some (including my favorites) over-act frequently … but, in the end, I think each of them contribute to what makes Doctor Who the strange and wonderful show that it is.
I didn’t want to see any of them go. But I’m glad I at least got to “meet” them, and I look forward to seeing many more to come.
(via reddit.com)
My favorite author commenting on my favorite show.
It’s like you’re extorting me for upvotes.
(via reddit.com)
Wow, thanks DT-Forum for picking this story up and running with it. And thanks to all the people who’ve been tweeting and tumbling. What a great response!
Alysa’s making me wonder: Which Discworld character do I think Tennant would be best as? Hmmm…. I’ll have to have a think about this
definitely could have been Moist and strangely, I think he’d be a great Nobby
Indeed!!
Absolutely agree with me Pratchett! David Tennant the greatest Doctor because he’s a great actor, so many range of feelings.
I do enjoy David Tennant as the Doctor but Christopher Eccleston will always be “my Doctor”. 🙂
I full heartedly agree with you there, Mitzi.
Eccleston is “my” new Doctor, and I adore Smith – but if we’re talking original Who it’s got to be Tom Baker!
A proper actor, too, and Northern, which I liked. “A lot of planets have a North” (paraphrasing from memory).
Christopher Eccleston will always be MY Doctor. But I love David Tennant, Paul McGann and Matt Smith too. I love all of them.
…doesn’t Terry Pratchett not like Who because of pseudo-science?
(via reddit)
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Reblogged this on Tanya's Blog and commented:
two of my favorite British things, Terry Pratchett and Doctor Who
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Picking your favorite Doctor is like picking your favorite child… or favorite form of chocolate! They are each of them fully realized and individual personalities. I know which one I love best, but it doesn’t seem quite fair to the other incarnations to say Who it is!