Who?!?!
Bidding for the first reaction post here. (Yes, yes, I'm cheating, started writing this at half three. Very, very occasionally my job is good for something - I found out at about 1pm.)
So, Matt Smith, huh? (IMDB and wiki). I'm not particularly happy about the news, but mainly because he's not Paterson Joseph, rather than because I have anything against Matt - the only thing that bothers me about him is his age. I have actually seen him before; I watched the series Party Animals, and he was good playing a naive young parliamentary researcher. Whether that means he can play the Doctor, who knows?
He's VERY young - he's 26, and looks younger, I think. I'm worried that this means even more "romance" plots - because the chances of the new companion being a female Londoner between 18 and 25 again seem high - and less chance of the proper "alien" feeling. It certainly means that there'll be a new generation of teenage Who fans in it because they fancy the Doctor, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I've had enough run-ins with Ten/Rose batshippers (and the people claiming that nobody could ever possibly hope to be as good as Tennant ever ever ever so we should just give up now) that the thought of more of them doesn't thrill me.
My major question is about where all the Paterson Joseph rumours did come from. I hope, in a way, that he was offered the role and turned it down, because I'm worried that they've given in to the "it's totally unrealistic to have a black Doctor, and they'll just have politically correct anti-racism stories all the time!!!" idiots.
What could they do with such a young Doctor? Well, if they had an older companion - especially, perhaps, an older male companion - there could be a very interesting dynamic. (Bring back Mr Copper? Or Wilf! Wilf!) Otherwise, I don't suppose it matters much, as long as he can provide the necessary gravitas when it's needed. If they have a younger companion again then it'll be a very young show - just have to hope it doesn't turn into Hollyoaks In Space. Urgh.
From what Smith said in the programme, it sounds like he hasn't watched much Who - certainly not Old Who - but is planning to catch up, so I suppose that's good. It was nice having a fan as the Doctor, but I liked Eccleston more than Tennant and I never heard anyone suggest Eccles was a big fan, so clearly it's not necessary. He sounds intelligent, which is a plus! I don't think he said much else of interest.
Conclusion: not who I was hoping for, but not someone who fills me with utter dread, either. I'll leave off mournfully posting vids of the Marquis de Carabas until it all goes horribly wrong.
So, Matt Smith, huh? (IMDB and wiki). I'm not particularly happy about the news, but mainly because he's not Paterson Joseph, rather than because I have anything against Matt - the only thing that bothers me about him is his age. I have actually seen him before; I watched the series Party Animals, and he was good playing a naive young parliamentary researcher. Whether that means he can play the Doctor, who knows?
He's VERY young - he's 26, and looks younger, I think. I'm worried that this means even more "romance" plots - because the chances of the new companion being a female Londoner between 18 and 25 again seem high - and less chance of the proper "alien" feeling. It certainly means that there'll be a new generation of teenage Who fans in it because they fancy the Doctor, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing, I've had enough run-ins with Ten/Rose batshippers (and the people claiming that nobody could ever possibly hope to be as good as Tennant ever ever ever so we should just give up now) that the thought of more of them doesn't thrill me.
My major question is about where all the Paterson Joseph rumours did come from. I hope, in a way, that he was offered the role and turned it down, because I'm worried that they've given in to the "it's totally unrealistic to have a black Doctor, and they'll just have politically correct anti-racism stories all the time!!!" idiots.
What could they do with such a young Doctor? Well, if they had an older companion - especially, perhaps, an older male companion - there could be a very interesting dynamic. (Bring back Mr Copper? Or Wilf! Wilf!) Otherwise, I don't suppose it matters much, as long as he can provide the necessary gravitas when it's needed. If they have a younger companion again then it'll be a very young show - just have to hope it doesn't turn into Hollyoaks In Space. Urgh.
From what Smith said in the programme, it sounds like he hasn't watched much Who - certainly not Old Who - but is planning to catch up, so I suppose that's good. It was nice having a fan as the Doctor, but I liked Eccleston more than Tennant and I never heard anyone suggest Eccles was a big fan, so clearly it's not necessary. He sounds intelligent, which is a plus! I don't think he said much else of interest.
Conclusion: not who I was hoping for, but not someone who fills me with utter dread, either. I'll leave off mournfully posting vids of the Marquis de Carabas until it all goes horribly wrong.