My Manifesto on Why the Eleventh Doctor is Amazing
I'll preface this by saying that everyone has "their" doctor. There's one Doctor who will always be the one they relate to, no matter who came before or who follows after. In watching New Who, I personally wasn't actually a huge fan of Ten, and while I liked Nine, I didn't become attached to him in the time he had. This is in no way said to disparage either Doctor. These are solely my personal opinion. I always considered my Doctor to be Four, but even then there wasn't a strong connection. And then Eleven came along. It's almost hard for me to put into words why, which seems silly considering how much is written below, but he just became my Doctor. And more than Four had ever been, because he was well before my time so it was always a matter of looking into the past. Eleven is a character that I can connect to and watch as he develops. And everything about him, all the little tics and quirks, just draw me to him more.
While I fully intend to discuss Eleven on his own merits, I'll get this part out of the way first. You can't judge Eleven without at least acknowledging he is, at least in part, a culmination of the experiences of his other ten incarnations. That's like saying you can only judge someone on the last five years of their life. It doesn't work. Everyone's past factors into the person they are now in some way, and Eleven is no exception to that. His experiences shape who he is. The Doctor has even said that the experiences of his deaths can impact his regenerations and resulting personalities. On the whole, the Doctor is an incredibly complex individual with layers both in his own personality and in the remnants of past incarnations. Part of what makes Eleven so appealing is the little tics and traits that call to mind other Doctors. In Eleven you see the manic nature that can be found in the Fourth and Tenth Doctor, along with the calm self-assuredness of his Fifth and the intensity and temper of his Ninth incarnation. He has all of those things without becoming a copy of someone else. He maintains who he was but asserts his own personality. And more than that, Eleven has learned from his past mistakes. I honestly didn't care much for the Tenth Doctor, because I felt like he could be too cruel and judgemental, to the point of hypocrisy, and his arrogance got out of control. Eleven still possesses arrogance. I very much doubt the Doctor could be completely without it. The difference is that Eleven's arrogance is tempered by experience. He has been knocked down a few pegs and has gained a level of humility that makes him better. Similarly, he has the outbursts of temper that Nine was prone to, but he handles the aftermath differently. He is able to see when he is wrong, and he owns his flaws.
Eleven seems comfortable in his skin in a way other Doctors aren't. He knows who he is and he doesn't care if he looks ridiculous or seems odd or off-putting. You know what? Bow ties are cool! And so are fezzes! And he doesn't care if anyone else thinks so. He's not going to worry about petty things like that because he knows what he likes and he knows the sort of person he is. This self-awareness extends to his interactions with his companions. He acknowledges his reasoning for keeping companions is grounded in his own limitations. He is so much a part of the vastness of the universe that he can't see the amazingness out there any more, but he wants to. So he shares that with people who can see it, and he is able to find that part of himself through them. There's something a little heartbreaking about that, but at the same time it's something he both acknowledges and works to overcome. That sort of self-awareness draws people to him. The man bagged Marilyn Monroe, had a lovely redhead into him...and Amy liked him too. What? Vincent van Gogh was perfectly charming and adorable in Vincent and the Doctor.
But speaking of companions, I enjoy Eleven's relationships with his companions, and the way that the interplay between Eleven, Amy and Rory achieves what Nine/Ten, Rose and Mickey never could. It's a relationship with respect and affection and a certain level of equality. I always kind of felt weird about the Doctor and Rose on both sides, because from my perspective the Doctor treated Rose like a child and she seemed to be so dismissive of her relationship with Mickey that I had trouble enjoying the three characters interacting. There was nothing necessarily wrong with them, and I do appreciate them, but something was missing. Amy is a character who knows what she wants and knows her own mind. She is in love with Rory, but she sort of wants a little fling with the Doctor too before she settles down. Because of this, their dynamic has the push and pull and the little moments of jealousy, but it never strays into something uncomfortable...unless you count the Doctor's intense awkwardness when it comes to the very notion of relationships and physical intimacy. And yes, Amy isn't Eleven, but you can tell a lot about someone by the company they keep. Amy is strong, confident and brilliant, Rory is steadfast, loyal and compassionate, and River is intense, passionate and badass. They can all hold their own with him, and it's the first group that felt cohesive and right. Eleven has the good sense to surround himself with people who will challenge him and force him to be better. He doesn't talk down to them if he can help it, and they help him as much as he helps them. Eleven also holds on more than other Doctors. He kept going back for Amy. He never made Rory feel unwelcome, and even played the bad guy to strengthen Rory's relationship with Amy. Even when they were married and he could have left them to a normal life and just moved on, like he had so often in the past, he didn't. There's a connection in those three that's really beautiful.
I'm the Doctor; I'm worse than everybody's aunt! And that is not how I'm introducing myself.
Okay! One more question, just one. Is this world protected? You're not the first lot to have come here. Oh, there have been so many. And what you have to ask yourself is...what happened to them? Hello. I'm the Doctor. Basically... run.
Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me, 'cause it's important and one day your life may depend on it. I am definitely a madman with a box.
The Doctor is self-assured, often to the point of arrogance, but the fact is that it's warranted. He's saved the universe too many times to count. And he does it without any expectation for thanks or recognition. He has made himself into a protector of humanity, when he had no obligation to do so. He could do anything, and he protects Earth and humanity from terrible threats. They're not his people, and they're often disappointing and selfish and you're left to wonder what it is he sees in them. Even he wonders, especially when humans do really thoughtless, cruel things. But at the end of the day, he sees the potential and the good rather than the flaws and he makes the conscious choice to help however he can. The Doctor is competent, capable and insanely brilliant, so much more than people expect when they see a young man who looks awkward and wears a suit with elbow patches and a bow tie.
Amy: So there's other Time Lords, yeah?
Eleven: No. There were, but there aren't... just me now. Long story. It was a bad day, lots of bad stuff happened. And you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever.
Amy: One little girl crying. So?
Eleven: Crying silently. I mean, children cry because they want attention, because they're hurt or afraid. When they cry silently, it's because they just can't stop. Any parent knows that.
Amy: It came because it couldn't stand to watch your children cry. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead, no future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind.... you couldn't just stand there and watch children cry.
Amy: Amazing though, don't you think? The Star Whale. All that pain and misery. And loneliness. And it just made it kind.
Eleven: But you couldn't have known how it would react.
Amy: You couldn't. But I've seen it before. Very old and very kind. And the very, very last. Sound a bit familiar?
Eleven has the same pain of being alone, that his other incarnations had, but even moreso. In the aftermath of The End of Time, he is truly the only remaining Time Lord. But he doesn't become bitter. He helps. He is kind and compassionate in a way and to a level that is unique to him. He's gentler than past versions, without losing the edge that makes him so dangerous to his enemies. He isn't as callous about things and he doesn't disregard the emotions of others. He cares, often more than he should, and he wants to see the best in people. He doesn't like to cause pain and he does his best to minimize the damage he causes. And he owns up to his mistakes and doesn't hide from them. Watching the Doctor, I feel like he possesses a greater respect for life and the universe than other incarnations. More than that, the Doctor is a parent. And a grandparent. And his connection to children is sweet. He doesn't get involved because of any grand reason. The catalyst is a crying little girl. That is enough reason for him. The comparison in the episode, between the Star Whale and the Doctor, is right there and in your face. But it doesn't make it any less true. The Doctor's pain could have hardened him or made him cruel, but instead it gave him an incredible capacity for kindness and compassion and mercy.
Eleven: You are my enemy! And I am yours! You are everything I despise. The worst thing in all creation. I've defeated you. Time and time again, I've defeated you. I sent you back into the Void. I saved the whole of reality from you. I am the Doctor, and you are the Daleks!
Dalek: Correct.
Eleven: Don't mess with me, sweetheart!
Dalek: Scan reveals nothing. TARDIS self destruct device non-existent!
Eleven: All right, it's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea!
Eleven: And if I let you go you will be stronger than ever. A new race of Daleks.
Dalek: Then choose, Doctor! Destroy the Daleks or save the Earth.
The Doctor makes mistakes. He has enemies that cause him to become so angry that his rationality flies out the window. He can be an absolute idiot where the Daleks are concerned. But his view is not completely black and white. He wanted to save Bracewell, even though the Daleks had created him, and his focus was on protecting the people around him rather than stopping the Daleks from escaping. Though he did treat this as a failure, he didn't lose sight of the fact that the important part was that he had kept the people around him safe. Even though the Daleks are his greatest enemy, the Doctor lets them escape because saving people is more important to him at the end of the day. Lives matter to Eleven, and he won't risk them even to stop his enemies. The Daleks are part of why he's alone in the universe, but he doesn't allow that to consume him. He sees what really matters and focuses on that. Eleven has his flaws and faults, and there are many of them, but they serve to make him a more complete and complex person. AND HE FACED THEM DOWN WITH A JAMMY DODGER! HOW IS THAT NOT AMAZING? IT'S A FUN TIME SNACK!
Amy: Run!
Eleven: You see I'm not going, I'm not leaving you here
Amy: I don't need you to die for me, Doctor, do I look that clingy?
Eleven: Didn't anyone ever tell you? There's one thing you never put in a trap if you're smart. If you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there's one thing you never, ever put in a trap.
Angel Bob: And what would that be, sir?
Eleven: Me.
River: Father Octavian, when the Doctor's in the room, your one and only "mission" is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home! And trust me, it's not easy! Now if he's dead back there, I'll never forgive myself. And if he's alive, I'll never forgive him. And Doctor, you're standing right behind me, aren't you?
Eleven accomplished something I hadn't previously thought possible. He got me to like River Song. In her earlier appearance, I hadn't liked the character at all, and that largely came down to her chemistry with Ten. In the case of Eleven, their interactions were fun and snippy and flirty and there were levels and subtext that were absent with Ten. As someone who hoped River was never coming back after her first appearance, I was genuinely surprised how much the difference in the Doctor she was interacting with made in my view of her. Sometimes it really does come down to chemistry between people and how they make each other better. That isn't to say that River is defined by her interactions with the Doctor, but when a character is so closely tied to another it's hard to appreciate that character if there's no connection. Meanwhile, Amy is strong and confident and not a damsel, even when she is very much in peril and that just makes her all the more brilliant. Add to that the fact that the Doctor was perfectly willing to sacrifice his entire existence to stop the Angels and save River and Amy, and he is just awesome.
Rory! That's a relief! I thought I had burst out of the wrong cake. Again. That reminds me, there's a girl standing outside in a bikini. Can someone let her in, give her a jumper? Lucy. Lovely girl. Diabetic. Now then, Rory, we need to talk about your fiancée. She tried to kiss me. Tell you what though, you're a lucky man; she's a great kisser!...Funny how you can say something in your head and it sounds fine.
Rory: And you kissed her back?
Eleven: No, I kissed her mouth.
Amy: You can't stop her on your own.
Eleven: We don't discuss this! I tell you to do something, Amy, and you do it. Huh?
...
Rory: Thank you.
Eleven: Yeah... You're welcome.
Eleven, for someone so old, is surprisingly clueless when it comes to interpersonal interactions and relationships. It's something I find endearing about him. He isn't trying to get between Amy and Rory, but he makes mistakes and says stupid things. He's an idiot bloke sometimes. As much as he can sometimes seem so far from being human, he is just a bloke and he says idiotic things and makes stupid choices and he sees nothing wrong with letting a guy know his fiancée sort of kissed him. Because he's honest to an awkward degree. And even though he's been in relationships in the past, it's still something that's not exactly comfortable for him. But more than that, he respects Amy and Rory's relationship. He won't do anything with Amy because she is in a relationship with Rory and he won't come between them. He's a good guy and a good friend and as much as he will tease Rory and give him a hard time, he genuinely likes and respects him and that comes through. Also, he jumped out of multiple cakes. That's just adorable.
And speaking of cakes, some people might miss the simple fact that Eleven took the time, in the middle of all of this, to get to know a nice girl named Lucy, even though it accomplished nothing for his goals. He listened to her and paid attention, and he knew that she was diabetic and wanted someone to give her a jumper. He didn't have to do any of that, and it wouldn't have been a story point if he hadn't. But he did. Because that's the sort of man this Doctor is.
Eleven: Well I wanted to see how you were. You know me, I don't just abandon people when they leave the TARDIS. It's Time Lords for life. You don't get rid of your old pal the Doctor so easily.
Amy: You came here by mistake, didn't you?
Eleven: Yeah, a bit of a mistake, but look, what a result! Look at this...bench, what a nice bench. What will they think of next?
Eleven: Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room.
Amy: I have to be this size; I'm having a baby!
Eleven: No, no. The hormones seem real, but no. Is anyone going to mention Rory's ponytail? (to Amy) You hold him down, I'll cut it off.
Rory: This from the man in the bowtie?
Eleven: Bowties are cool.
There's something that doesn't make sense. Let's go and poke it with a stick.
Eleven: Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?
Dream Lord: Me? Oh, you're on shaky ground.
Eleven: Am I?
Dream Lord: If you had any more tawdry quirks, you could open a tawdry quirk shop! The madcap vehicle, the cockamamie hair, the clothes designed by a first-year fashion student... I'm surprised you haven't got a little purple space dog, just to ram home what an intergalactic wag you are!
That right there is just what makes the Doctor on the whole adorable. He sees danger and he pokes it. He doesn't run away, except when he does, and his curiosity is what drives him. Not much more to say on that score, except that I really love that line so much. Except he was also willing to risk dying because Amy had lost Rory and he didn't want her hurting. And he was hilariously inept with pregnant Amy. He teases his companions and just has a great rapport with them. He's really terrible at small talk and sometimes an awkward person. And he really is kind of a walking, talking tawdry quirk with cockamamie hair. And even his crazy dark side is fun and hilarious
Alaya: I'm the last of my species.
Eleven: No. You're really not. Because I'm the last of my species and I know how it sits in a heart. So don't insult me.
Elliot: I can't do the words. I'm dyslexic.
Eleven: Oh, that's okay. I can't make a decent meringue.
...
Eleven: Dyslexia never stopped Da Vinci or Einstein. It's not stopping you.
There's a weariness and an old quality to Eleven underneath everything else that just touches something inside me. He's been through so much and seen so much and lost so much, and coming off the end of things for Ten, he has grown and changed and really become someone who is comfortable with that part of himself. He doesn't flaunt it, he just acknowledges the truth of it. He's suffered and moved on and he is someone who has come out the other side better for his losses. There's just something great about it and I love him so much for it. And he doesn't take bullshit from people or suffer fools. He's not going to let someone insult what he is by claiming it when it isn't true, because that's not something you joke about or lie about. Being alone in the vastness of the universe is a big thing and he's not going to put up with that. But, again, he hasn't allowed himself to become bitter. When it comes right down to it, it's about people to him. In spite of everything and the situation at hand, he'll still take the time to encourage a child who is doubting himself. Eleven really is just amazing with children and it is so utterly charming to watch him interact with them.
Vincent: Hold my hand, Doctor. Try to see what I see. We're so lucky we're still alive to see this beautiful world. Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character. The black is in fact deep blue. And over there! Lighter blue. And blowing through the blueness and the blackness, the winds swirling through the air. And there shining, burning, bursting through, the stars! Can you see how they roll their light? Everywhere we look, complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes.
Eleven: I’ve seen many things, my friend, but you’re right: nothing quite as wonderful as the things you see.
Amy: So, you were right. No new paintings. We didn't make a difference at all.
Eleven: The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant. And we definitely added to his pile of good things.
Vincent and the Doctor was a beautiful episode that really touched my heart and spoke to me. I cried at that episode in a way I really haven't for any other episode. It wasn't about saving the day on a grand scale, though that was a part of it. It was about one person and one connection that the Doctor had. The Doctor knew he couldn't save Vincent, or change his fate, but he could give him a little happiness and show him that he was appreciated. And that was enough. More than enough. He learned things from Vincent and he truly listened to him and respected him when most people just treated him as a madman. He gave Vincent something he needed in a time when the man was losing his desire to go on. And meanwhile, his interactions with Amy, who couldn't even remember that she had lost someone who was a vital part of her life, were sweet and caring and just wonderful. He also sees what's important. He sees the little things and those moments that make us happy aren't diminished by suffering. Everything has it's role in shaping us and the good and the bad don't cancel each other out. What matters is living each day and appreciating the good, and that's what the Doctor does. Vincent and the Doctor is unquestionably my favourite Doctor Who episode and that is largely due to the Doctor.
Craig: If you ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout.
Eleven: ... Why would I want that?
Craig: Well, in case you want to bring someone over? Like a girlfriend, or...boyfriend?
Eleven: Oh! Oh, yes, yes, I will. I will shout, something like..."I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS!"
Eleven: Now all I've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?
Amy: Have you seen you?
Craig: It's the planning meeting, it's important.
Eleven: You're important.
Seeing the Doctor playing at being human was a high point for me, because it's fun to watch the Doctor out of his element. He's funny and awkward and a mess, and even when he succeeds it's a bit of a failure. He has conversations with cats and acts like a mess and tries to use a toothbrush as a weapon. But that's not what makes this episode. Hilarious antics are all well and good, but Eleven is about the personal connections. Eleven really cares. He takes the time to look after Craig and make him see that he is important. He wants him to know that he matters He cares about the individuals in a situation and it doesn't matter how boring their lives are or how flawed they are as people, Eleven cares about them and wants to help them. And that's important. It would be so easy to get lost in the bigger picture and miss out on the little things, but Eleven never does. He will always see the human element in a situation. And that, more than any grand gestures or world saving, is what makes him my Doctor.
Hello, Stonehenge! Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe! But, bad news, everyone, 'cause guess who! Ha! Listen, you lot! You're all whizzing about. It's really very distracting. Could you all just stay still a minute? Because Could you all just stay still a minute, because I. AM. TALKING! Now the question of the hour is, "Who's got the Pandorica?" Answer: I do. Next question: Who's coming to take it from me? [Pause] Come on! Look at me! No plan, no back-up, no weapons worth a damn! Oh, and something else, I don't have anything to lose! So, if you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceships, with all your silly little guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who's standing in your way! Remember every black day I ever stopped you! And then, AND THEN...do the smart thing: Let somebody else try first.
That speech is one of my favourite things ever in Doctor Who. It takes a lot of guts to tell your enemies that you have basically nothing to stand against them, and to have that be a reason why they should be scared of you. Eleven knows the score and he knows how to handle these situations and he's just all around amazing. Because this is the Doctor. And he will save the day, even when the odds are phenomenally stacked against him. And who doesn't love that?
It's funny, I thought if you could hear me, I could hang on somehow. Silly me. Silly old Doctor. When you wake up, you'll have a mom and dad, and you won't even remember me. Well, you'll remember me a little. I’ll be a story in your head. That's okay. We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? 'Cause it was, you know - it was the best. The daft old man, who stole a magic box, and ran away. Did I ever tell you that I stole it? Well I borrowed it, I was going to take it back. Oh that box, Amy, you'll dream about that box. It'll never leave you. Big and little at the same time. Brand new and ancient and the bluest of blue ever. And the times we had, eh? Would had. Never had. In your dreams I'll still be there. The Doctor and Amy Pond, and the days that never came. The cracks are closing but they can’t close properly until I'm on the other side. I don't belong here any more. I think I'll skip the rest of the rewind; I hate repeats. Live well, love Rory. Bye bye, Pond.
That speech. It broke my heart and made me love Eleven all the more. I cried. The relationship with Amy and the Doctor is beautiful. They care about one another and respect one another, and what they have is amazing and special and just plain epic. It's not something you find every day, and some people never find it. They friends and they love each other and they will do anything for one another. They push each other and challenge one another to be better and to never settle. They support each other and at the end of the day they always believe in one another. He came back for her. He did his best to make sure she didn't lose Rory and he was willing to sacrifice himself to give her back her life. She always believed in him, even when nobody else did, and she remembered him and saved him and brought him back. The Doctor loves Amy and it isn't a romantic love or a platonic love or even a paternal love...it's something more and bigger than all three. He saw her as a child and cared about her and saw the woman she became and that caring evolved into something new. She is his companion. They are amazing and I would watch ten more seasons of them and Rory.
Eleven: Hi honey, I’m home.
River: And what sort of time you call this?
Eleven: Are you married, River?
River: Are you asking?
Eleven: Yes.
River: Yes.
Eleven: Hang on, did you think I was asking you to marry me or-or-or-or asking if you were married?
River: Yes.
Eleven: No, but was that yes or yes?
River: Yes.
I already talked about River and Eleven and their chemistry, but the interactions in The Big Bang just highlights that. Eleven and River have something that was just missing with her and Ten. I don't even know what it is, but it's amazing. He's awkward with her, and they're both a bit snippy and flirty all at once, and their banter just feels real. I believed that they have history and a future, more than I ever did with River and Ten. All in all, Eleven's connections with his companions feel so much more genuine than Ten's did, and there's something so human about his relationships, while at the same time, he's so clearly not. He inspires people and makes them more and better. I look forward to more of them in the future.
Eleven: I think you'll find that I'm universally recognized as a mature and responsible adult.
Kazran: ...It's just a lot of wavy lines.
Eleven: ...Yeah, it shorted out. Finally, a lie too big. Okay, no, not really a babysitter, but this Christmas Eve, you don't want a real one. You want me.
Eleven: "Dangerous?!" Come on, we're boys! And you know what boys say in the face of danger!
Kazran: What?
Eleven: "Mummy!"
Eleven: Guys, we've really gotta go quite quickly. I just accidentally got engaged to Marilyn Monroe. How do you keep going like that? Do you breathe out of your ears? Hello! Sorry! Guys, she's phoned a chapel. There's a car outside. This is happening now!
Marilyn (in the distance): Yoo hoo!
Eleven: Yoo hoo! Right. Fine. Thank you. I'll just go and get married in July. See how you like that. Marilyn! Get yer coat.
Eleven plus kids always equals brilliance, because as old as he is and as tired as he can be he's still a big kid at heart, and I love that he can poke fun at himself about that. He's like Peter Pan. He brings out that child in people and stops them from growing up too much. He shows them amazing things and makes them better for it. He keeps people from becoming too jaded. He's caring and funny and all good things, but he doesn't hide from his faults. He has plenty of them. He's a role model for children because of all of that. And I can't stress enough that he accidentally got engaged to, and possibly even married, Marilyn Monroe. That is the sort of crazy luck that Eleven has.
To sum it all up, Eleven isn't just the Doctor, though that's reason enough to love him. He's the Eleventh Doctor. And he is so much more than just a continuation of what came before him. He's kind and compassionate. He cares about children and he goes back for his companions. He rocks a bow tie, a fez, and a Stetson and doesn't care if you think he looks silly. He surrounds himself with amazing people and doesn't shy away from criticism because even he has room to grow. He's funny and charming and frighteningly clever. He will save the day and he will never stop and never give up. He makes the people around him better for knowing him and he inspires people everywhere. There is so much more I could say, but I don't really think I have to at this point.
He's the Doctor. He's the Eleventh Doctor. And he's my Doctor.
[Originally posted here]