8th Doctor Zygon Inversion Speech

Here Paul McGann does the 12th Doctor's speech in the "Zygon Inversion." As usually he does a smashing job!

[@joemhoward]

This man deserved more than a TV movie, audio dramas and a short leading into the 50th special, if only they had brought back Doctor Who with Paul McGann.

[@rvmiv]

+Joseph Howard The Big Finish stuff alone proves that he is a great Doctor

[@Toogoofy317]

+Joseph Howard He is a very nice guy to boot! His birthday was the week before so he had a cake and he served it to all of the fans. I never would have thought in a million years the Doctor would be 'serving' me cake!

[@WardNightstone]

+Joseph Howard agreed even if it meant Fox had be behind his run

[@Bacbi]

+Joseph Howard correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't his doctor roughly 7-800 years old? And the war doctor was roughly 900, and unlike Eccolston or Tennant who combined only lived for like 7 years, before Smith got to age from 907 to 2000 (probably because they want to be able to have him return and look older when he does on anniversary specials, like if they ever want to do another 5 doctors story again or something) . So conceivably if McGann said yes and BBC wanted to couldn't they make an episode with just McGann as the Doctor since he has a longer life span to pick up from.

[@connorwade2607]

+Bacbi The War Doctor was 800, and the Ninth was about 903, so Nine actually lived for about 100 years (presumably mainly during the off-screen adventures after he regenerated from War, as we see those drawings of him on the Titanic etc.). My theory is that because 8 technically died on Karn, the War Doctor himself was 800 years (i.e. he had lived for 800 years in that one body), and so the Doctor's age right now is from when he became the War Doctor.

[@HammerBroYoshi]

He does a great job making what Capaldi interpreted as a speech delivered in fury and anger, into a passionate and calm speech that works just as well.

[@SympleSymon]

Just goes to show how great and deep a speech it is, that it can be conveyed in numerous ways yet still be great. And people give Moffat shit about his writing ...

[@HammerBroYoshi]

David B Andrews Yeah. There have been some stinkers in Moffatt's era, but overall his episodes have been pretty good.

[@irrevenant3]

@@SympleSymon People give Moffat shit about some of his writing - and not without justification. He writes some great stuff, and he writes some pretty poor stuff. I've never heard anyone give him shit about this speech.

[@Sonictails54321]

The ironic part is, he's the last regeneration right before the war.

[@8LiterallyJustTheNumber8]

actually the eighth doctor lived at least a few years into the timewar before regenerating, he just tried to avoid getting himself involved, which ultimately failed.

[@Sonictails54321]

+TimeStorm Well, I meant to say was that 8th was the last right before fighting in the war.

[@lyndabotez2422]

He's a powerful actor. Imagine if he prepared it in advance?

[@OrangeKyle91]

Not bad for a cold read. The best cold read of a New Who speech done by a Classic Doctor Who actor, though, has to be Sylvester McCoy reading the Eleventh Doctor's Stonehenge speech.

[@danmenard6917]

Stage Directions:

[@august7535]

OrangeKyle91 actually I disagree. I think Colin Baker did a better job. He made it almost more genuine than Matt.

[@OrangeKyle91]

*shrugs* Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I don't really like the sound of Colin Baker's voice. It just sounds insufferably pompous to me. I'm sure he's actually a nice guy in real life, but I have very sensitive hearing, so I just can't get past the sound of his voice. It reminds me of the guy who played Gilderoy Lockhart in the movie of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, whom I immediately loathed when he opened his mouth (of course, I already disliked the character from reading the book, but the sound of his voice amplified that feeling). I just can't like a character whose voice sounds like that.

[@julieeverett7442]

yes, but what a lot of these youngsters dont realise, or actually know, Sylvester McCoy is a Shaksperian(?sp) stage actor he is very used to this. I saw that reading, he jumped into character almost immediately, it took a moment to bring out the coldness of the latter years, but the more light heartedness from the beginning, oh yeah!!

[@timrob12]

I now know that Doctor Who actors don't mind doing things just for the fans. And not just reading of lines from other Doctors. I met Dan Starkey and had him re-enact the "I will melt him with acid" line for me and my brother. It was brilliant. And he threw in the "hitting Clara with the newspaper" as a bonus.

[@TheAustin5235]

8 is my favorite doctor, he is totally underrated

[@SamuraiZero]

He needs a reboot series

[@Voileen]

He's actually the longest running, continuous Doctor. He's been playing the 8th Doctor in Big Finish audio drama's for over 15 years now! And they are freaking epic!

[@s02229]

He did such a great job, a very different take, but full of emotions as well . love it

[@thatmanrunning]

Very great reading. Obviously it's not fair to compare him to Capaldi, but the difference I take from this is with 8 this speech is coming from his passion for life, and with 12, this speech is coming from his bitterness from loss. Equally compassionate, but 8 is more about knowing how beautiful life is, while 12 is about knowing how painful death is. Just my two cents on this speech anyway.

[@KatzePiano]

It's funny that Moffat tried to get Chris back for the 50th, but never Paul. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love what John Hurt did with the War Doctor, but I still think it's a shame that the Eighth Doctor didn't get to play his part...

[@DarthRushy]

+KatzePiano He couldn't imagine Paul's incarnation having anything to do with the Time War.

[@KatzePiano]

Did he say that somewhere?

[@DarthRushy]

KatzePiano Yeah, interviews all over the place.

[@KatzePiano]

Ah, I've found one now about him picturing the Doctor in the war being more grizzled, so I guess Nine would make more sense.

[@connorgreen609]

+KatzePiano but there was a short episode with him regernerating into the war doctor so lol

[@AJwiththeAK]

Paul mcgann took it from shouty angry scottish man to heartbroken shakesperian drama

[@SuperJimJam]

there's nothing more angry scottish man than shakespeare (macbeth)

[@ghostengineer]

he's such a handsome and dashing man, that I wish we could hold off on regenerations for awhile and back track and do a series of the 8th doctor

[@jplegend98]

ghostengineer big finnish

[@CinemaQuirks]

he started off rocky but as he got further into the monologue he really felt it, and damn, the universe will never know how fantastic he would have been even with 1 season. I will still hold on hope we will get a kind of elseworld spinoff shows, where we can have past doctor return.

[@NateSean]

If I ever go to the electric chair, I want Paul McGann to read the list of charges against me.

[@MatthiasPendragon]

This is obviously not at his top performance (its cold read so you can't blame him,) but dang he still falls into the eighth doctor so naturally. I just started listening to his stories with Big Finish and he's fantastic in them.

[@JetSetDex]

This man should have had a full season as the Doctor!

[@hagamapama]

The guy I really want to hear try this speech on for size.. is Sylvester McCoy. He was a speech giver as The Doctor in the first place, and I can just picture the speech in his clipped, rolling brogue.

[@GiratinaofFury]

I've listened to McGann in the audio dramas, he does such an amazing job.

[@NightmareproductionsOFFICIAL]

For god’s sake we rlly missed out on seeing him as the doctor. I’d love to see him in an episode just to himself under RTD. I don’t like the TV movie but he’s great.

[@charlieinthefog]

I've always told the 8th Doctor is a poet now this confirms it!

[@victorkong82]

If I were ever at a Paul McGann Q&A, I'd be a total contrarian just for yucks and go on and on and on about Withnail and I.

[@MrArrogant95]

+Victor Kong I remember I met Paul McGann last year and was super excited, my friend doesn't watch Doctor Who and said to him "well I loved you in Whitnail and I". Paul looked so excited to talk about something other than Doctor Who and it broke me...

[@Toogoofy317]

He actually answered several questions about his earlier roles! One he talked about was losing a leg and getting married in the same episode!

[@tomimpala]

What a job to just hand this monologue to him like that!

[@Toogoofy317]

+I Do Monologues Yes, I was very happy he had no problem doing a 'cold read'. Could you imagine if he got the chance to do that after knowing the lines?

[@tomimpala]

Mary Sharp I know! "WHAT?"

[@Toogoofy317]

+I Do Monologues Yeah, a bit of a faux Pau on my part. I should have done the Kate part lol. But, I got so engrossed in his performance I forgot! I admit I had a fan girl moment! After he did this he served his birthday cake to his fans! A true class act he is!

[@tomimpala]

Mary Sharp God I wish Dr Who'd open up more to the doctors of old.

[@retnavybrat]

+I Do Monologues I'd also like to see more former companions from the Classic Era.

[@0megaFan]

I don't think he'll ever get his own miniseries or anything like that but please at least give the man a multi-Doctor episode! He deserves more!

[@DravenGal]

We need more of McGann's Doctor. ON TV. He deserves it. Maybe they could work some "Wibbly wobbly timey wimey" magic and have him be the Companion of the next Doctor...orrrrrr, since it's been established the Doctor can, on at least a subconscious level, choose his face, make some subtle changes to McGann's look (he might work as a Ginger!) and have him play the 13th Doctor! It wouldn't be too hard to work out. Just for like, one season at least.

[@Pancake3225]

I always imagine how other doctors would sound delivering iconic speeches of different incarnations of the Doctor. At the end of the day, they are all the same man/woman.

[@thenationaltimelyactionhou9328]

I love this man

[@w_7571]

I love him so much

[@hhbicalho]

Please, someone have Jodie Whittaker read this speech. I'm dying to see that

[@16shogunelitegreen]

FUCK NO

[@void4831]

FUCK YES

[@James_Ravenscroft]

I’m sorry her voice is worse then a teenager having 10 voice cracks every minute

[@thewhovianproductionswhovi7255]

Matt Smith needs to do this. He is the only person, to me, who can do speeches that are long like this one

[@MichaelM28]

+The Whovian Productions Whovian Say that after watching sylvester mccoy's pandorica speech

[@thewhovianproductionswhovi7255]

+Michael McGrath which I thought was the worst possible way to deliver that epic speech

[@arjujannaka9807]

+The Whovian Productions Whovian Sylvester McCoy's pandorica speech was really great

[@MichaelM28]

The Whovian Productions Whovian You're just a biased matt smith fantard

[@GoddessOfWhim2003]

can he come back next season/series? i'd love to have more Eight in my life

[@moviehermit5631]

While this is a cold read, he still sounds like the Doctor, as well as a Doctor before the Time War

[@jonathongurnhill7693]

Get this doctor back to meet 13 please happen

[@Reprodestruxion]

The Zygons wouldn't have listened to 8

[@billybob01234567]

Nice version but still not a patch on Capaldi

[@igormennabarretohussene9207]

and i thought capaldi was the only one who could pull it

[@Toogoofy317]

Yeah, I was amazed how well he did with a cold read. Just handed him my tablet and he was amazing!

[@Robert10075]

But it’s in his future 💁🏼‍♂️

[@Voileen]

It is quite poignant, especially considering it WAS the 8th Doctor who regenerated INTO the War Doctor and that whole reason why - - ALL that stuff about the war and his pain and hurt, pretty much comes from the 8th Doctor and what he experienced (go listen to 15 years of his portrayal as the 8th Doctor in Big Finish Audio drama's to know what I'm talking about, which is considered cannon)

[@denniswainwright9095]

although I loved Eccleston as the Dr. I wish they had used Paul to re launch the show. Mainly because he is willing to reprise his part for the fans and not cop out with the not bathing in the same bathwater twice line. The others didn't find a problem with it after all did they.

[@almostfm]

In fairness, some actors just don't like to talk about past roles, especially in a more "formal" setting like a convention. I've heard that if you bump into him on the street, he's more than happy to talk about Who for a bit, pose for pix, etc. I've also never seen him talk at length about _any_ of his past work. It's not a cop out-it's the way he approaches his career. And he's free to make that choice-he doesn't actually owe us anything.

[@chadsandersoniii9560]

....flat

[@retnavybrat]

+Steven Sanders I think he did well for a cold read. : )

[@chadsandersoniii9560]

For a reading yes. But everyone saying "he nailed it!" No. Cool to see another Doctor read the speech. But there was no emotion or feeling. Maybe if he did it with the intensity like Capaldi. But I'm just not feeling it.

[@retnavybrat]

Steven Sanders You're right. But I'm looking at how he delivered under the circumstances. "Nailed it" like Capaldi? No, but for a cold read, it wasn't bad.

[@Toogoofy317]

+Steven Sanders Uh, I would love to see how well you "read" as you called this. Sweiously, he didn't just "read" it. If he were he wouldn’t have the inflection or voiced the character attributes of 8. As I unfortunately forgot Kate's part it would have been even better. He very easily could have said no and even though he didn’t have it memorized and was having a bit of a hard time reading the font size he made every attempt to make eye contact with me and the camera.

[@SamuraiZero]

The 8th Doctor is a Cold Emotioned Doctor