With Series 5 of Lucifer currently streaming on Netflix, Lucifer himself, Tom Ellis has spoken out about people saying he would make a brilliant future incarnation of the Doctor.
Ellis recently said that, had he been offered the part before taking Lucifer, he would have jumped at the chance to play the Time Lord. Now though, he isn’t too sure his fans would see him in the iconic role. He said:
“Back in the day, I would have loved to have had an opportunity to play Doctor Who. I just never think that ever would have happened. Partly because I’d have done this show, and I just don’t think people thought of me like that. Weirdly, the part of Lucifer, in my own head I’m like, ‘This is my Doctor Who.’ That’s what it felt like. It’s the character traits, isn’t it? Having the luxury to play such a fulfilling character.”
I won’t disagree; I really like him in the role of Lucifer, which is adapted from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series for the DC Comics Vertigo Line. Throughout five series, Ellis has thrilled millions of fans as everybody’s favourite bad-boy, which poses a few questions about the nature of religion and proves it’s much more than just a show about the Devil deciding to take a holiday.
There are some comparisons to be drawn between Lucifer and Doctor Who – having the luxury to play a character like that, being able to be as alien and surreal as you like – and I believe that Doctor Who has indeed been name-checked in Lucifer in the past.
Also in the interview with Square Mile, Ellis explained that he thought he was going to be a “Oh look, it’s him” actor, following his walk-on role on Midsummer Murders way back in the day. Thankfully, starring opposite Miranda Hart in Miranda as her love interest Gary boosted him into public consciousness in the UK. He would later star in the one-season show, Rush, a medical drama which saw him rise in stardom in the US.
He has also starred in Doctor Who, playing Doctor Thomas Milligan in the Series 3 finale, Last of the Time Lords. Milligan helped Martha find a way of stopping the Toclafane and the Master. It was also explained that Martha later got engaged to him, though some time between The Doctor’s Daughter and Journey’s End, the pair broke up; the next time we see Martha, she is with Mickey Smith. Whether Ellis knows this about his character’s development is unknown!
For now, although once upon a time he would have cheerfully taken the part of the Doctor, Ellis is more than happy at calling Lucifer his chance to play the Doctor. But who knows what the future holds – perhaps one day he’ll grab the chance to take the role? Who knows what’ll happen if the Devil gets a time machine?!