BBC’s next Doctor Who move could be make or break

Many Doctor Who fans – like myself – have fell in love with the show's countless travels through time and space, but have now found ourselves at a very unlikely destination.

Whether you're a die-hard that has followed the series since it first began with William Hartnell, or whether you enjoyed the stories portrayed by Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant or Matt Smith, Doctor Who is falling away from the heights of years gone by.

BBC's decision to select Peter Capaldi as Matt Smith's successor in 2013 seemingly split much of the show's audience, with reactions of optimism, skepticism, and even ageism.

The twelfth, and some would suggest final, Doctor has come under a tremendous amount of scrutiny during his reign.

But Capaldi's time on-screen as the centerpiece of BBC's most iconic Sci-Fi television series will soon come to an end after the actor announced that the end of season ten will mark his departure.

Looking back, though, what exactly went wrong?

From the outset, it seemed as if there wasn't the same connection between The Doctor and his companion. Such a complicated relationship between the two has been a staple of the series, regardless of the individuals taking up the roles.

Doctor Who fans were familiar with the underlying presence of emotional tensions between The Doctor and his companions, as we saw with Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Amy Pond and River Song. It made it interesting, gave it a bit of an edge, kept The Doctor on his toes.

However, there was a sense that Capaldi's arrival weakened the likelihood of a relationship between two of the series' main pieces, moving forward. Whether that was down to the age gap between him and his original companion Clara Oswald, played by Jenna Coleman, is a debate for another day. But, they just never fit comfortably together on-screen.

That isn't – in any way, shape or form – suggesting that Capaldi didn't succeed in portraying the type of character that they wanted to create. He is a fantastic actor and brought his own style to the role. The entire package just never captured my imagination as much as his predecessor – even if he found himself in a "tough act to follow" scenario.

It wasn't just the lack of sexual chemistry, though, but a lack of comedy as well. The joking around, synonymous chiefly with Matt Smith's character, has been sorely missed.

The Doctors over the years have always managed to pull off eureka moments that leaves you either gobsmacked or with the hairs standing on your neck as the 'how has he done that?' music starts rolling in the background (you know the one I'm talking about: "dun, dun, dun, dunununun, dun dun dun…").

OK, maybe you don't… But do click the link above! Listen to it in the background as you read on.

Anyway… What sets apart the good Doctors from the greats is the ability to bring an exciting personality to the role – and that is where, I believe, Capaldi's character was flawed.

Doctor Who doesn't have the same attraction it once had and moving away from the series' usual style could be a disaster, should they continue in their current direction of travel.

If you're in need of an example, look no further than this year's Christmas special.

At one point, you were left pondering as to whether or not it was the right channel. I actually did have to check. Is that bad?

It felt more like a small independent company had set up a superhero movie for an American audience, and then just as they were about to release it, somebody told them at the last minute that they had to shove Peter Capaldi in it and name the entire thing Doctor Who.

Now, scathing as that mini-review might sound, the show just didn't have the same distinguishable 'British' feel to it – which we all know and love.

Especially when you hold it in comparison with the special episodes of years gone by. Consider: "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" which aired in 2011, "The Snowmen" of 2012, "The Time of the Doctor" from the following year or even "Last Christmas" in 2014 – to name a few.

Now, as the BBC go back to the drawing board, searching for the next person to steer the series into the future, they must be conscious of the situation that the new Doctor is adopting.

There needs to be a reason to be interested. Something fresh. At the moment, there isn't enough mystery to create anticipation.

You might have noticed that the main image for this article was a Dalek, and that was not chosen by accident.

For quite some time it has felt like you have to wait around for some of the series' old guard to return, in order for the episodes to have a hook. But really, that is the job of the Doctor – to provoke us, test us, make us think! Maybe even, you know, leave us hanging on the edge of our seats for what is next to come.

That just doesn't happen often enough, these days, and it is down to the next Doctor to find a cure for the show's ongoing condition. Because after all, nobody wants to see the BBC's next decision prove fatal.