Suvudu Universe

Unless you've been living under a rock during the past week (you know, one of those rocks that doesn't have Wi-Fi) you'll have heard that the next season of Doctor Who will see Peter Capaldi step into The Doctor's shoes.

After much secrecy and a live TV reveal, the Internet had some very divided opinions on showrunner Stephen Moffat's casting choices, with those against the decision largely spitting vitriol about Capaldi's age.

Then again, the average age of the people who frequent such corners of the Internet *coughTumblrcough* seems to be about 12 and a half, so their criticisms are largely due to the fact they can't write awkward and disturbing slashfic anymore without thinking about their dad.

Peter Capaldi is a good choice to play The Doctor, and his maturity can only help him. Besides, he's had some relevant experience in his previous roles that will help him don the sonic screwdriver.

John Frobisher, Torchwood: Children of Earth

Can teach The Doctor: How to make the decisions others can't bear to face

As the middleman between the British Government and The 456 - an alien race that abducted children and harvested human chemicals as personal narcotics - John Frobisher had to make some pretty harsh decisions.

Not just the usual "how to we slowly burn through the country's money and make it seem like we're doing our constituents a favour?" but the far more sinister "how do we hand over 10% of the world's children to these extra-terrestrial meth heads and make it seem fair?". This is a decision that leads him to murder his family rather than hand over his own children to the aliens.

As The Doctor, Capaldi will be able to push the Big Red Button that kills a planet, or cause an entire species to be wiped out in the name of the Greater Good. He won't do it with a smile on his face, but he'll be the only person in the galaxy with the balls to do it.

Lucius Caecilius, Doctor Who (The Fires of Pompeii)

Come on, he was in Doctor Who! What better prep can you have? It worked for Karen Gillan (who was also, rather supiciously, in the same episode before being cast in a leading role...).

Having met his Tenth Incarnation already, Capaldi gets a little insight into The Doctor's character and quirks, plus an advanced tutorial in the secrets of time travel since he's already been inside the TARDIS. Who knows how long he had been travelling with The Doctor before being dropped off to witness the destruction of Pompeii?

As The Doctor, Capaldi has insider information on how The Doctor thinks, as well as a working knowledge of the layout of the TARDIS. That'll come in handy during the inevitable "TARDIS goes nuts the first time a regenerated Doctor tries to fly" during the opening scenes of the new season.

The Angel Islington, Neverwhere

The Angel Islington is one of the best villains you're likely to come across, mainly because he does it with a smile on his face while he's hand feeding you grapes and stroking your hair, telling you how lovely you look today.

Meanwhile he's already plotted your downfall seven times over and has the keys to global annihilation in his hands. Humanity is beneath him and it's all a game to him. No wonder they got Benedict Cumberbatch to (brilliantly) portray him in the Neverwhere radio adaptation.

As The Doctor, Capaldi will be able to bring forth those demons more than his recent predecessors have. The Doctor can be cruel, and in some cases his mercy is crueler than his wrath. Just ask the Family of Blood. It kind of proves why you never piss off a Time Lord.

Malcolm Tucker, The Thick of It

Can teach The Doctor: How to rant, curse and swear his enemies into oblivion

To be fair, the Doctor has already had some experience in this field. Remember his famous "I am talking!" speech at the Pandorica prison in Stonehenge, while the collective armies of the Universe were amassed against him? Here it is for you, and if you don't want to watch that, here's an adorable little kid giving the same speech.

Malcolm Tucker, spin doctor for the Prime Minister, knows how to get people to do what he wants, and he does that by saying every curse word under the sun (NSFW), and adding in a few more of his own for good measure. He threatens, he shouts, he rants, he raves reduces his opponents to a gibbering wreck with just a few carefully placed expletives.

As The Doctor, Capaldi will be able to - oh, the hell with it. Just watch the clip and you'll see what it'll be like (NSFW - it has more swears than seconds).

When the next season of Doctor Who rolls around, Peter Capaldi is going to be stepping into some big shoes, but he'll be bringing his own brand of Doctor to the table, and that's definitely a good thing.

'till next time, as Malcolm Tucker would say, "fuckety bye!"