Doctor Who: The Eleventh Hour4 Stars
I’m going to begin with a nugget of information to ruffle some feathers; I never really warmed to David Tennant. Admittedly, he’s the man that re-branded the Doctor, bringing him to a new generation with much aplomb, and for many he will remain the Doctor with whom they will always associate. But for me, despite his snappy attire and stalwart longevity, he just wasn’t the Doctor. And after that all too brief excursion with Ecclestone’s manic yet childlike persona, he was something of a let down.
And so, with rapt anticipation after New Year’s excellently executed (if perhaps just a tad drawn-out) goodbye from Mr. Tenant, we finally greet Matt Smith, the Eleventh Doctor. And what do we think kiddies? Well, I’ll tell you what I think (as I am so inclined to do so round these parts); wow.
Season “five” of Doctor Who pulls out all the stops; new producer, new theme tune, new title sequence, new assistant, new TARDIS, and of course, new face. Shedding everything that has made the show Tenant for the last five years, Stephen Moffat and his shiny new team have truly thrust us into a brave new world for the Doctor.
Episode one immediately throws us into the brink of things, with the regenerating TARDIS crash-landing in Nebworth, only to discover a breach in the time-space continuum located in the bedroom of a young girl by the name of Amelia Pond. Promising to return in five minutes, the Doctor’s somewhat fried time circuits catapult him twelve years into the future to find an escaped intergalactic criminal and an embittered Emily, now going by Amy. With only twenty minutes to save the world, the Doctor and his new companion race to find the escapee and stop the galactic police force from destroying the planet in order to put an end to Prisoner Zero.
The story’s a good’un, but let’s face it, at this stage in the game, we really don’t care… It’s all a question of “is he filling Tenant’s Converses?” The answer? Yes, and quite simply tearing them apart at their seams. Matt Smith (Party Animals) gives us an entirely fresh take on the Doctor, cheeky, bubbly, and just all round likeable. His warning off of the invading army has none of Tenant’s perpetual anger, and quite honestly, gives it all the more credibility. Rather than yet another “I’m the Doctor, Rarr, Rarr, grumble, grr…”, Smith delivers in a calm and collected menace that Tenant never really managed to pull off.
Delightfully unknown Karen Gillan throws convention aside as she steps into her assistant’s shoes. Without the baggage of predecessors Billie Piper and Catherine Tate, Gillan has the opportunity to really make her own mark in the Who-niverse, much as Freema Agyeman did in her portrayal of Martha Jones, so far the finest assistant of this run of the show (not counting The Cribbins of course). Sure, it will take time for some fans to warm to her, but I feel she will be a companion to remember.
So, Mr. Smith, I salute you. With Moffat behind you, I have a feeling you will go far; not only in time and space, but also in our hearts…
Was that a little cheesy? I think maybe it was… Oh well.
your kidding right?! freema agyeman was TERRIBLE! seriosly, if russel t wasnt gay, i'd swear she'd slept her way onto the show. my god man her acting was more wooden than a forest!
ReplyDeleteThat said, the new lass is hot! i look forward to seeing her more :D
Ok so tennant got voted best doctor and bought along with him a whole new age of fans - put simply, a lot of people fancy him...ahem....anywho I have always had great hopes for Matt Smith and stood seemingly alone trying to relax people into knowing "it'll be alright".
ReplyDeleteFor me, Smith’s performance was epic. If a little too manic at the start with the crash perhaps - “Can I have an apple? Maybe I’m having a craving. Never had a craving before,” but instantly reminding us of tennant. Cleverness on Moffats part and also a safe move! He seems to have decided that Smith’s character should start out being not too dissimilar to Tennant’s. Instead of the sudden jumping transformations of the past us who fans are used to, we are being phased into him, give those of us still weeping for tennant time to get used to him (using the phrase “Timey wimey” and opening the doors to Tardis with a click of fingers) but Smith still has enough quirks of his own to suggest a new doctor will gradually come into his own - he is reminding me of eccentric professor with that bowtie at the moment! Not exactly sexy but oh so charming! hehehe. He looks older than tennant too, so his age isnt worrying me anymore. Oh and i love his hair. I think thats it.
Oh yeah, the story. I disagree, i dont think it was a good'un really. Started well, the tardis, fairytale, fish custard - wonderful stuff. There just seems to be a cockup when it came to the actual aliens! Its as if they had been forgotten and tacked on at the end! But as you say it wasnt really about that was it.
Oh and Amy Pond....gorgeous or what?! beautiful expressive eyes, very unpredictable character, love her, perfect for him. But another wedding plot??? Really? Do i care? Pft.
But Grae i am with you generally, i was so excited i watched it 2 times....then once more.
“I’m the Doctor. I’m worse than everyone’s aunt!”
God he's good.
Hehe, love you grae!
Lizy
X x
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