New New New Doctor
So, had you heard of Matt Smith then?
I've never watched him in anything (didn't see Ruby in the Smoke), so my only opinion of him so far is based on the live interviews in the DWC programme broadcast yesterday (which was obviously prerecorded, but from the slightly haphazard compilation clips I'd guess not for that long...). And in those he sounded horribly young to me - he had a young person's speech patterns and everything (such as I have, except that mine are informed by what was cool in the north in the 90s, and his are evidently based on what was cool in the south, about which I know less)! Not that this is really a good reason to mistrust him, but it's all I have to go on and my current inclination is to mistrust the decision. But then see how good Catherine Tate was, and I never thought she would be in a million years.
I should probably complain about him being too young too. I can't see that working particularly well, really. I think if they'd chosen someone older it would have introduced some nice variation - because we know from the ages of actors playing the Doctor in the past that the age fluctuates somewhat. Certainly there's no reason derived from the canon, as far as I can see, why he should 'get younger' (which of course is exactly what is *not* happening - he has a body that corresponds to a younger human appearance/physiology, but he is still getting older![1]).
[1] Though I seem to remember that a very enthusiastic DW fan friend of mine said when Eccles started as the Doctor that they got the age wrong - they said he was c.900, whereas he should really be c.1000. I'm not sure what this was based on though - perhaps it was the McGann film and/or audio books (which are held as canon, I hear, though I've never listened to one myself).
P.S. Has anyone started wondering about a companion yet? I don't know what's happening in this year's specials[2], or if there's any talk... but I suppose they'll have to get someone younger than the Doctor? Can you imagine an older companion like Donna being with someone that young? And Donna was, IMO these days, the best companion of recent years. Er, except for Jack. Oh, brilliant - please please please can we have a male, non-human, non-cockney companion? Please? Just to make a change!
[2] Has anyone heard how many specials there are going to be? David Tennant said in an interview a couple of months ago (after the announcement that he was quitting) that there would be four, not including this Christmas but including next Christmas. But I haven't heard an official announcement. I also heard that they would be 'bank holiday specials', so I expect the next one will be at Easter (it's called 'Planet of the Dead' IIRC - I'm hoping for zombies!).
P.P.S. I just realised one of my main complaints about them hiring an younger Doctor - it spoils the sexual tension! I don't mean the recent overt sexual connection between 9 and Rose, or 10 and Rose, or Martha and 10, etc. I mean that lovely, subtle undertone that's always been there, like a very pleasant sort of pederasty. I mean in the sense of 3 and Jo especially, or 7 and Ace - the sort of relationship where there's been a combination of tenderness on both sides and awe on the part of the companion because the Doctor is just so impressive and experienced. I think 9 managed that well, and 10 did to some extent but not all the time... but someone so much younger? I'm not sure about that.
I've never watched him in anything (didn't see Ruby in the Smoke), so my only opinion of him so far is based on the live interviews in the DWC programme broadcast yesterday (which was obviously prerecorded, but from the slightly haphazard compilation clips I'd guess not for that long...). And in those he sounded horribly young to me - he had a young person's speech patterns and everything (such as I have, except that mine are informed by what was cool in the north in the 90s, and his are evidently based on what was cool in the south, about which I know less)! Not that this is really a good reason to mistrust him, but it's all I have to go on and my current inclination is to mistrust the decision. But then see how good Catherine Tate was, and I never thought she would be in a million years.
I should probably complain about him being too young too. I can't see that working particularly well, really. I think if they'd chosen someone older it would have introduced some nice variation - because we know from the ages of actors playing the Doctor in the past that the age fluctuates somewhat. Certainly there's no reason derived from the canon, as far as I can see, why he should 'get younger' (which of course is exactly what is *not* happening - he has a body that corresponds to a younger human appearance/physiology, but he is still getting older![1]).
[1] Though I seem to remember that a very enthusiastic DW fan friend of mine said when Eccles started as the Doctor that they got the age wrong - they said he was c.900, whereas he should really be c.1000. I'm not sure what this was based on though - perhaps it was the McGann film and/or audio books (which are held as canon, I hear, though I've never listened to one myself).
P.S. Has anyone started wondering about a companion yet? I don't know what's happening in this year's specials[2], or if there's any talk... but I suppose they'll have to get someone younger than the Doctor? Can you imagine an older companion like Donna being with someone that young? And Donna was, IMO these days, the best companion of recent years. Er, except for Jack. Oh, brilliant - please please please can we have a male, non-human, non-cockney companion? Please? Just to make a change!
[2] Has anyone heard how many specials there are going to be? David Tennant said in an interview a couple of months ago (after the announcement that he was quitting) that there would be four, not including this Christmas but including next Christmas. But I haven't heard an official announcement. I also heard that they would be 'bank holiday specials', so I expect the next one will be at Easter (it's called 'Planet of the Dead' IIRC - I'm hoping for zombies!).
P.P.S. I just realised one of my main complaints about them hiring an younger Doctor - it spoils the sexual tension! I don't mean the recent overt sexual connection between 9 and Rose, or 10 and Rose, or Martha and 10, etc. I mean that lovely, subtle undertone that's always been there, like a very pleasant sort of pederasty. I mean in the sense of 3 and Jo especially, or 7 and Ace - the sort of relationship where there's been a combination of tenderness on both sides and awe on the part of the companion because the Doctor is just so impressive and experienced. I think 9 managed that well, and 10 did to some extent but not all the time... but someone so much younger? I'm not sure about that.