Doctor Who Meta-Fan Fic: Casting "Inspector Spacetime" 's Twelfth Inspector

Since TV Tropes' just-for-fun Inspector Spacetime project has turned out to be one of its richest collaborative metafictions (with its own wiki spinoff), why don't we try an open casting call for the plum role of the Twelfth Inspector?

The role of the Inspector has previously gone to such notable actors as Christopher Lee, Graham Chapman, Stephen Fry, and Steve Carell (in that terrible Made-for-TV Movie). Now that Peter Capaldi is officially the Twelfth Doctor, perhaps some of the runners-up should get a shot at playing his rival, e.g. Idris Elba or Richard Armitage. Maybe it should go to an unconventional choice, like Julian Barrett of The Mighty Boosh or comedian/broadcaster Sue Perkins. After all, the best thing about being an Inspector Spacetime fan is that the show is a product of our imaginations—"The question isn't who, but when..."

For example:

The Twelfth Inspector

Olivier Award–winning British theatre and television actor Ben Daniels plays the current incarnation of the Inspector. Previously, he was best known as Crown Prosecutor James Steel from Law And Order UK and Ian Fleming from the bio-pic Ian Fleming: Bondmaker (though he also co-starred with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in Doom).

• Badass Bureaucrat: The Twelfth Inspector possesses an encyclopaedic knowledge of rules and regulations from innumerable planets, which he regularly employs to outwit his enemies.
• Fair Cop: Daniels is one of the more ruggedly good-looking actors to play the part.
• Politeness Judo: The Twelfth Inspector is also a master of using formal etiquette to put his opponents off guard.
• Unusual Euphemism: He cannot stand profanity and will resort to highly idiosyncratic, sesquipedalian circumlocutions rather than swear.

Can we get Ruth Wilson? Ruth Wilson is doing this.

He's the Doctor. He could be anywhere in time and space.

Sure thing - go ahead and make your pitch for Ruth Wilson. She's done both mystery/thrillers (Luther and Agatha Christie's Marple) and science fiction (The Prisoner remake), so she'd be a good fit. It could even be her breakout role...

With Doctor Who's 50 anniversary coming up and Community back on TV in January, it's probably time to finalize the 12th Inspector's actor. Ben Daniels has worked OK as a placeholder but otherwise hasn't caught the Internet's fancy, so I'm bumping this thread to solicit more suggestions. Please go ahead and let your imaginations run wild...

Louis CK.

You didn't say it had to be casting that would ever actually happen...

"Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy."

Ha! Probability is nothing to worry about here. Extra credit goes for plausibility, of course, so someone with both sci-fi and cop shows has an advantage over Louie, who at least had the role of Police Officer Dave Sanderson in Parks And Recreation. What kind of tropes would he bring to the role?

edited 16th Nov '13 9:52:05 AM by btravern