293 replies to this topic

[tennyoaisu]

Well, here's to 2010!

Matt Smith on IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1741002/

I am cautiously optimistic. I like how he uses his hands in the interview; very expressive and much like Ten's crazy eyebrow waggling.

I see a bit of Tennant in him, but maybe I'm just bonkers. Maybe it's the sideburns.

Edited by tennyoaisu, Jan 5, 2009 @ 2:47 AM.

[mepells]

The hair is weird and will definitely take some getting use to, but I think it fits. And I love the hand gestures. As for the age, well, let's see what Moffat does with it. I'd prefer an older actor, but it's not as if I'm going to stop watching or declare that MS will kill the magic. I was bereft when CE left and it took 2 years (and Donna) to like Ten, but I still watched. Even when all I could do was carp about Ten's treatment of Martha. So I'm willing to give the new guy a chance and I'm trusting RTD and everyone else to do right by the show. Their vision doesn't match mine, but hey, I'm not the one working at the BBC! And as it's been said before, the only bad Doctor Who is no Doctor Who.

[tennyoaisu]

I was bereft when CE left and it took 2 years (and Donna) to like Ten, but I still watched.

This is exactly how I felt too. I could not stand Ten in S2/3. I thought he was a jerk to Martha. I had enough of the angst. Donna smacked him around and made him grow up a bit...

...and so I hope by physically aging down, he won't mentally age down again (without Donna).

I am very, very, very excited for Eleven. The fact that he is rather unknown appeals to me even more. Of course, not being in the UK, I had never heard of CE or DT before either.

[TWoP Bayliss]

Jim was my favorite character in the Sally Lockhart books, after the heroine. I haven't watched the second one yet, but I loved him in "Smoke." I think he's going to be brilliant, and wicked hot besides.

[Radagast]

I've seen both his Sally appearances; not the most Doctorish of roles, but he seems competent and expressive. I'm sure Moffat has seen the qualities required or else he wouldn't have the job.

Maybe someone should add UK to this thread.

Both sides of the Atlantic will know the exact same amount about him until 4.18 airs - and that will be a good year from now - so that's probably a bit early to think on.

[Sauvage]

Thanks for the IMdB link--it tickles me that his first listed film role is as "Curious Onlooker." (That's so often my role!)

Is there a theater version of IMdB?

[Demian]

He needs visible eyebrows. Seriously. That vast expanse of apparently bare skin between his eyes and his hairline is freaking me out.

[cutecouple]

There's IBDB, but that's for New York/Broadway. Not sure what the West End equivalent would be.

I think he'll work out fine, light eyebrows and all.

[Cygnia]

Is that going to be his official "look" for the series or are they going to unveil it closer to 2010?

[Radagast]

Is that going to be his official "look" for the series or are they going to unveil it closer to 2010?

They have 6 months to decide on a 'look'. The pictures are of Matt Smith channeling as much of the role as he can so far, nothing more.

[Limber]

Ah, the eyebrows! I knew there was something I (and he) was missing. And I don't think he's bad-looking, but I finally realised what some of the promo shots made me think of: those skulls that forensic artists cover with clay to show what a murder victim might've looked like. A bit too smooth and waxy, and with the aforementioned missing eyebrows. I might just watch too much MSNBC late at night, though.

The fluttery fingers while thinking were hilarious, but so was the way he was processing that entire thought -- excited, nervous, excited, yes, excited, stops him from sleeping. That seemed pretty succinct.

I guess he just seems innately thrilled, in a way that both Tennant and Eccleston's Doctors were. I like my Doctors with unbridled enthusiasm as their neutral setting.

[Dana S]

He needs visible eyebrows. Seriously.

Be careful what you wish for...

Depending on his acting skills, I think he could be a very interesting Doctor. The Young Doctor could be great to change the traditionally fatherly role.

[Angelyne]

The ninth doctor was my first doctor and I fell for him hard. When he regenerated I was shocked! Being a new fan, I didn't know much Doctor Who lore and this was quite unexpected. Well along came the 10th doctor and in season 4, he pretty much blew me away. I even had to go hunt down a short clip of the ninth doctor in order to remember what he looked like.

Not much can be infered from an interview. If you watch David Tennant in an interview, there is very little of the doctor in him. And remember than they choose MS despite the fact they were looking for someone a bit more mature. They choose him because he nailed it. So I am just trusting the show to come up with another awesome season.

However, I have to confess that I don't expect them to top season 4th. This season is going to be very very hard to beat.

[HoneyBee]

He needs visible eyebrows

That I agree. Judging from his previous roles, he has nice eyebrows.

[darkestboy]

Those pictures of Matt were taken back in December 2008, the TARDIS was CGI-d in afterwards.

Now that we know who Eleven is, who should be his Girl/Boy Friday?

[TheLabRat]

Not knowing much about previous seasons of DW (prior to Nine), I think it would be interesting to give the Eleven a more mature companion (say Donna's age) to shake up the companion/Doctor bond a bit. I'd love to see a companion instinctively trying to parent the young man who's actually over 900 years old.

In recent years we've seen most of his companions have a crush on him and I think many in the audience may be expecting that. It would be interesting to case in a way that make shake up that expectation. It seems like many people don't expect romantic pairings to come from younger men and older women being cast together (remind me to mildly rant about that somewhere appropriate).

In truth, I would love to see Donna back. Since Matt seems to have a similar energy to DT in his interviews, but Donna did not have romantic inclinations for the doctor, I see a lot of potential story there.

Edited by TheLabRat, Jan 11, 2009 @ 8:41 PM.

[cutecouple]

In truth, I would love to see Donna back. Since Matt seems to have a similar energy to DT in his interviews, but Donna did not have romantic inclinations for the doctor, I see a lot of potential story there.

Me too, but my hunch is that specific companion arc, originally written for a different character, was designed to end at Season 4.

[Demian]

He needs visible eyebrows. Seriously.

Be careful what you wish for...

Ha!

I don't think he's bad-looking, but I finally realised what some of the promo shots made me think of: those skulls that forensic artists cover with clay to show what a murder victim might've looked like. A bit too smooth and waxy, and with the aforementioned missing eyebrows. I might just watch too much MSNBC late at night, though.

And I might just know too many female impersonators, 'cause I think the missing eyebrows make him look like a drag queen in civilian clothing.

[Fosca]

And I might just know too many female impersonators, 'cause I think the missing eyebrows make him look like a drag queen in civilian clothing.

Ye gods, you're exactly right. Well, maybe that's one way to get a female Doctor!

[darkestboy]

I think this thread needs a subtitle like Nine's Fantastic and Ten's Rude &Not Ginger.

[tennyoaisu]

Maybe something about his eyebrows. :P

[Cygnia]

Might be best to wait for his first episode to see if he'll have a catch phrase or an immediate one-liner that stands out. In the meantime, we could have a holder phrase or something. Maybe something Moffat said about him.

[TWoP Bayliss]

Isn't there a thread title suggestion thread somewhere? If not, please start one and take this there.

[LT]

I think I'm going to love him based on the finger and facial movements. So expressive. Jim Taylor was absolutely my favorite character from the books and I will now, finally, watch the movies. As for the eyebrows, it is more the five-head for me but if he has the charisma that he showed in the Confidential interview than I won't care a wit.

[darkestboy]

That's always good in an actor and the Doctor's such an expressive, restless character that you need the actor to keep up really.

[Waltuckian]

The promo shot of him leaning against the TARDIS made me think, "that's not the Doctor, it's his nephew, Jason." Sorry, I don't care if he's the reincarnation of Sir Laurence Olivier, I'm not buying this kid as the Doctor.

[Maxie3987]

I hope that Matt Smith *isn't* the reincarnation of Sir Laurence Olivier: he wasn't all that good in front of a camera.

I'll probably give the guy the benefit of the doubt seen as I've managed to get over my surprise at not having a clue who he was at first!

[ShadowX81]

He seems way too young for the role. Im sorry, but for someone to play the doctor they should be atleast old enough to be a doctor.

I was really dissapointed by this because we had already gotten the manic and boyish aspect from Tennant and I was looking forward to something new. Possibly someone older.

Instead, it seems like they tried to just recast Tennat.

[Laira]

I finally saw Matt Smith in a British mystery on PBS. Meh. If I hadn't known he was going to play 11, I wouldn't have noticed him at all. And damn, he looks young!

I was really hoping for a mature actor like Hugh Laurie to play the role.

[ocvictor]

I was really hoping for a mature actor like Hugh Laurie to play the role.

Well, Laurie's got a couple more years contracted to "House," so that's not happening, but I take your meaning. I kind of mis the Doctor being on the older side.

Still. Waiting and seeing.