Okay so Peter Capaldi's got the gig. I'm comfortable, although a little surprised. I associate him mainly with comic roles, but that could work out well.
How can that be? ask Moff, Jimmeh.
Actually someone on FB explained to me that John Hurt was only a future version of Matt Smith's Dr. Who or something in the final episode to the last series. So Hurt was by no means a shoo-in for the role.
Will Capaldi be a Scotch Dr.? I rather suspect that was a good part of the attraction...