Doctor Who (Matt Smith)

[Sundae]

Wow!

What a wonderful opening episode. Love the new Doctor already, completely and utterly, and am a little bit in love with him. LOVE Amy - the hair!

And I see from the clips of forthcoming episodes that a number of familiar faces are along for the ride. In fact there were a surprising number of familiar faces in the first episode. Olivia Colman for one, who had the most frightening part of all (spoiler when she ran down the corridor with her daughters and all their teeth I physically shuddered - that would have been me behind the sofa a few years ago!)

Mark Gatiss' episode is in a fortnight's time. Unsurprisingly it's replete with period detail... Victory of the Daleks, set in WWII. Even the Daleks have a very austere look to them.

Stupidly, I kept watching the clips to see if Jack was in any one them. I know he isn't. I know I would know by now if he was. But childishly I keep hope.

[Datalyss]

The TARDIS materializes in the States on Saturday, April 17,2010 at 8pm CST on BBC America.

[DanaC]

Loved it!

He is soooo The Doctor

[Datalyss]

Whoa! 2 praises. Now I'm really lookin' forward to it.

How does he compare to David...acting-wise?

[monster]

Couldn't be worse, surely?

[DanaC]

David Tennant is an excellent actor. His Hamlet was mesmerising.

[monster]

But his Doctor was awful.

[DanaC]

*smiles*
I disagree. Tennant is/was my favourite Doctor.

[Sperlock]

But this one didn't like bacon!

[Datalyss]

IMO, D.T. was the best Doctor since T.B.

[monster]

Originally Posted by DanaC

*smiles*
I disagree. Tennant is/was my favourite Doctor.

*raises eyebrow and thinks dana is nuts*
I disagree with your disagreement. But I don't disagree that he's your favourite Doctor.

[Clodfobble]

I'm sure that as an American my opinion doesn't really count, but I too will boldly declare that Tennant is my favorite Doctor. But I'm giving Matt Smith a tentative approval based on his interviews; haven't seen his debut episode yet.

[Ibby]

I have SUCH high hopes for the season to come. It wasn't until very near the end that I actually admitted that he is, in fact, the Doctor... but the Doctor, he is indeed.
And the budget! Blimey, they must have doubled it at least. SO much more polished and believable. I know part of what makes the show what it is comes from the camp absurdity of it but... I think they know that too, and will keep the perfect balance of knowing when to be silly and when to actually USE that effects budget.

Also, the new "desktop theme"? LOVE it. Retro-pinball-chic.

[DanaC]

Actually, their budget has been sligthly tightened up.

They've come along way from the rubber monstr suits, and papier mache prison cells, but they still have to do a lot with a little :P

@ Clod: I think you'll like his portrayal of the Doctor.

This is one of the things I love most about Doctor Who: the renewal. I remember when I was a kid, seeing Peter Davison interviewed as he was about to take over the role (at the age of 29, he was the youngest ever to take the role, until Matt Smith came along). That was the first time the doctor changed, for me. Now here we are almost 30 years later, and my 11 year old niece has just tuned in to see the new, fresh-faced Doctor.

She loved it! i am so pleased. Their lot didn't watch the Tennant era. I think they may have watched one or two of the Eccleston episodes, at the start, but it wasn't a show they followed at all. I suggested to Soph that now it's a new Doctor and a new production/writing team, this would be a great time to give it a go: a completely fresh start, no need to have seen it before, no recurring characters from the past five years etc.

I've been so hoping she'd give it a go, because she has a real appreciation for stories and story telling. Moffat (the new show runner) is a superb story teller. He knows what is frightening and compelling: he was responsible for some of the best stories in the previous era; the ones that send a shiver down the spine.

Quick word about the new companion Amy: I think that was probably the best intro to a new companion I've ever seen. She's wonderful. Perfect for Smith's Doctor.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by monster

But his Doctor was awful.

Originally Posted by Datalyss

IMO, D.T. was the best Doctor since T.B.

I agree with Data over Monnie? Well... yes I do. I pat my own back for being so open-minded

The Ten was literally a marvellous Doctor. Because I marvelled at him.
And is a good actor.
At least the way I gauge it; whether something rings false, or whether he only ever plays one role. Neither were apparent to me.

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I'm sure that as an American my opinion doesn't really count

We're a global community, my dear! At least as long as you love our output

I'm giving Matt Smith a tentative approval based on his interviews; haven't seen his debut episode yet.

As an arch-conservative with a small c I can ask no more. In fact it's what I did myself.

British reviews have applauded the new Doctor, but almost all (I've read) have bemoaned the low budget. How the show can't compare with American series, with movies. Man alive (Stephen Merchant ref for Dani) what do they expect out of the TV licence?! I can't remember ANY national paper campaigning for a rise in the licence fee; it would fill their mailbags with complaining letters. But the BBC are supposed to work in an arena where £4 million for 90 minutes is doing things on the cheap?!

Anyway, suspension of disbelief is part of what Doctor Who is good at. You don't look for strings and zippers. You don't even really look for plot holes. You just love it for what it is and go along for the ride.

Saying that, SPOILER: I was annoyed at the idea a WPC would be wearing a short skirt and seamed stockings - WTF?! And she didn't use her call sign when using her radio, OR sign out with "Over." But such is the power of Dr Who I was too taken in to do more than tut. I certainly didn't guess she was a strippogram! Fool.