Who the hell is Eleven?
Being on the wrong side of the pond, I've only seen the first four episodes of Series 5. (The temptation to acquire others is strong within me, though, particularly given what I've heard about them improving.) I realize that, as a DW newbie, I'm barely entitled to have an opinion, but I can't keep from chiming in on some of the discussions that have been going on...if nothing else, the sharing of pain is cathartic, right?
So...I'm not impressed. I don't hate it thus far, but I'm definitely not impressed.
I know that some of the problem is the switch from Ten to Eleven, plain and simple. I mean, Nine was (and in many ways still is, honestly) my Doctor. He was the first one I saw, and he made me fall in love with this show. I spent half of Series Two pouting at the screen, thinking how good any given episode would have been had it been written for Nine, and muttering uncharitable comparisons to rodentia. (Yes, I woke up to Tennant's hotness eventually. What can I say, I was bitter.) But Ten won me over in a big way well before the end of the series. So I do realize that Eleven could be played by a nude Ewan McGregor, using his natural accent, and I'd probably still grouse a bit. (A tiny bit. Probably.) But I don't think it's that simple.
I know that some of the issue is the overall change from RTD to the Moff. Moffat has written some very good episodes in the past, don't get me wrong. However, they tend to go in for a focus on BIG! SPLASHY! STUFF! rather than quieter character beats and subtle development. I realize that there are fans out there who dig his approach, and even that my lack of affection for it might earn me some disdain from Classic Who fans. To each their own, really...I'm glad that those folks are getting a show that works for them, and I wish them joy of it. But it's not working for me like it used to.
And I know that some of it is the lead actor. Look, don't get me wrong...I like Matt Smith. He seems like a nice guy, and he can certainly act. But, really, he's just not in the same weight class as Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant. Honestly. They both had an extra decade or so of experience past what he's currently got when they took on the role. And I'm not qualified to make judgments about talent (as anyone from my one college acting class would be delighted to tell you), but...I don't know that I can see Smith playing Hamlet anytime soon. (Personally, I also feel that there's a certain...aesthetic differential between Eccleston or Tennant and Smith, but YMMV; I don't feel that the current lack of male eye candy is really that big of an issue, all told. I mentioned my initial reaction to Tennant above, right?)
But these aren't the major issues for me, I think. Here's my problem, and I'd be delighted to hear anyone else's take on it. The main problem I'm having thus far is that I don't know who the hell Eleven is. (And no, Moffat, you do not get a free pass around that issue by saying that he's the same guy. Look at previous Doctors and tell us that again, hm?) I think that the blame for this could be placed on several people, but I'm less interested in laying blame than trying to figure this out.
By this point in his series, we knew that Nine was a moody soldier, wracked by guilt, who was often a bit terse but could turn on the brains and energy on a dime. We had seen him be fairly casual about the prospect of getting killed, at least until he was with Rose. We knew that he cared about Rose, although we didn't quite know how much yet. We could infer things about him from his clothing; I've seen lots of people refer to the jacket as armor, and I don't disagree.
By this point in Ten's first series, we knew that he was a hyperactive, orally fixated geek with one hell of a gob on him. We knew that he was more likely than Nine to talk his way out of trouble, but that he'd be willing to go for a physical solution if need be...though woe betide anyone else who was. We knew that he was absolutely smitten with Rose. (Yes, D/R is my OTP. No, I don't think you have to agree in order to see the depth of emotion between them. Go with it.) We could tell that he had softened and warmed up a bit, based on the clothing.
What do we know about Eleven that's in any way different from these? He's klutzier? He doesn't seem to feel bad for fucking up his companion's childhood? Truly, I'm not sure. Help me out here, people, because being proven wrong would make me feel better here. I'd love to hear feedback...what character traits am I missing? What makes this Doctor different?
So...I'm not impressed. I don't hate it thus far, but I'm definitely not impressed.
I know that some of the problem is the switch from Ten to Eleven, plain and simple. I mean, Nine was (and in many ways still is, honestly) my Doctor. He was the first one I saw, and he made me fall in love with this show. I spent half of Series Two pouting at the screen, thinking how good any given episode would have been had it been written for Nine, and muttering uncharitable comparisons to rodentia. (Yes, I woke up to Tennant's hotness eventually. What can I say, I was bitter.) But Ten won me over in a big way well before the end of the series. So I do realize that Eleven could be played by a nude Ewan McGregor, using his natural accent, and I'd probably still grouse a bit. (A tiny bit. Probably.) But I don't think it's that simple.
I know that some of the issue is the overall change from RTD to the Moff. Moffat has written some very good episodes in the past, don't get me wrong. However, they tend to go in for a focus on BIG! SPLASHY! STUFF! rather than quieter character beats and subtle development. I realize that there are fans out there who dig his approach, and even that my lack of affection for it might earn me some disdain from Classic Who fans. To each their own, really...I'm glad that those folks are getting a show that works for them, and I wish them joy of it. But it's not working for me like it used to.
And I know that some of it is the lead actor. Look, don't get me wrong...I like Matt Smith. He seems like a nice guy, and he can certainly act. But, really, he's just not in the same weight class as Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant. Honestly. They both had an extra decade or so of experience past what he's currently got when they took on the role. And I'm not qualified to make judgments about talent (as anyone from my one college acting class would be delighted to tell you), but...I don't know that I can see Smith playing Hamlet anytime soon. (Personally, I also feel that there's a certain...aesthetic differential between Eccleston or Tennant and Smith, but YMMV; I don't feel that the current lack of male eye candy is really that big of an issue, all told. I mentioned my initial reaction to Tennant above, right?)
But these aren't the major issues for me, I think. Here's my problem, and I'd be delighted to hear anyone else's take on it. The main problem I'm having thus far is that I don't know who the hell Eleven is. (And no, Moffat, you do not get a free pass around that issue by saying that he's the same guy. Look at previous Doctors and tell us that again, hm?) I think that the blame for this could be placed on several people, but I'm less interested in laying blame than trying to figure this out.
By this point in his series, we knew that Nine was a moody soldier, wracked by guilt, who was often a bit terse but could turn on the brains and energy on a dime. We had seen him be fairly casual about the prospect of getting killed, at least until he was with Rose. We knew that he cared about Rose, although we didn't quite know how much yet. We could infer things about him from his clothing; I've seen lots of people refer to the jacket as armor, and I don't disagree.
By this point in Ten's first series, we knew that he was a hyperactive, orally fixated geek with one hell of a gob on him. We knew that he was more likely than Nine to talk his way out of trouble, but that he'd be willing to go for a physical solution if need be...though woe betide anyone else who was. We knew that he was absolutely smitten with Rose. (Yes, D/R is my OTP. No, I don't think you have to agree in order to see the depth of emotion between them. Go with it.) We could tell that he had softened and warmed up a bit, based on the clothing.
What do we know about Eleven that's in any way different from these? He's klutzier? He doesn't seem to feel bad for fucking up his companion's childhood? Truly, I'm not sure. Help me out here, people, because being proven wrong would make me feel better here. I'd love to hear feedback...what character traits am I missing? What makes this Doctor different?