One nice thing about the new Doctor...

[rabid1st]

...we won't have any trouble finding vid footage of him in bed with Rose. That David Tennant has been rather stingy giving it up...but voila...Secret Diary S1 episode 6 and there's the youngster having a fine old time of it.

I don't know what to think about this bit of casting. I have seen the lad in a couple of things and he left absolutely no impression on me. Also, I do think 26 is a bit young for the Doctor...no gravitas to speak of in the under 30 set. Sorry for those of you in that age group...I am sure you have your serious moments. And I know there are many school boy crushes out there on the Jonas Brothers or whomever. Sadly, I didn't go for the late teens and early twenties even when I was 15. I always required a bit of worldly experience before my heart went pitter-pat. Still, let's not sell the lad short...maybe he can carry this off. He's got some huge Size Tens to fill, but he might have what it takes to make our jaws drop and leave all his naysayers enchanted. We won't know much until May 2010.

It's the reek of Twilight in the air that has me more concerned than anything else...that smirk, the black leather, the poofy hair. Doctor Who should define cool...not fall into step with whatever is trendy in the moment. The promo pics speak to me of lack of originality...and that is a bad sign for 2010.

Rae

Comments

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

His name is Matt Smith. He was in both of the Sally Lockhart movies with Billie Piper and he's in Secret Diary of a Call Girl, S1 episode 6...he plays a man Hannah takes home named Tim who won't leave.

If you go to GOOGLE and NEWS and type in David Tennant you will see about 500 articles about this bit of casting and lots of pictures of the new Doctor.

Rae
who isn't as upset about him as about the direction of it all...but maybe it will work...a lot depends on what RTD does with Rose/Ten in my book.

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

elevenseyebrows

What's funny to me about it is that the pic they have in the userinfo has him wearing glasses... which makes him look 1000% better, since his lack of eyebrows don't show.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

CHORTLE! How wonderful that there is already an LJ about your obsession! I didn't notice his lack of eyebrow, truthfully. I just noticed he looked about eleven to me.

Rae

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

Somebody mentioned it, and now I can't not see it.

[bananasandroses.livejournal.com]

The cynic in me says this is casting to have an Eleven that looks as close to the Ten that Moffat thought he was getting as possible.

*sighs*

I am gonna miss Ten something chronic. Thank God for fanfic!

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Well...see...I cling to that idea with them courting David in the hopes that they really are going to switch the Doctors...this would mean we are going for a "Not your father's Oldsmobile" sort of vibe from the new bloke and his youth could play into that. It would also explain why David was momentarily tempted to stay on...because it would be tempting to recreate the Doctor.

The way I see it, if we complete that metacrisis thingee somehow and 10.2 is 11...and 10 goes off into the sunset with Rose...then we have a Doctor who is the Doctor...but who has been judged unfit by his previous self. So, he'd have a lot to prove and he could have that sullen chip on his shoulder and the untried, yet old as the hills way about him. It seems that is what Moffat was after...I can only hope that he had a better reason than a simple inability to let go of David Tennant or think of anything original.

Rae
who thinks we are all going to miss Ten something chronic.

[pathnotfollowed.livejournal.com]

I like his look. He is very young, and I'm hoping that it won't scream out of him on screen. I'm 21, and I totally get what you're saying about gravitas etc. The doctor NEEDS a presence on screen, and younger people tend to have trouble conveying that, I think.

David Tennant is a very hard act to follow, and for me, he'll always be my doctor (because he was my first), but I'm excited to see where the show goes now. I want to know if we'll get any more involvement with Rose because, let's face it, nobody seemed too happy with THAT conclusion, and I want to see if they'll properly wrap it all up before David's exit. If they do, then it means that we can effectively start watching a brand new show with brand new undertones etc. And hopefully, we can get rid of that bloody god-complex too!!!

In conclusion; I'm happy and excited, and I think that he deserves a chance to prove himself. If he messes it up, we'll all be sure to kick up a fuss until someone realises anyway. He knows that; the show has legacy and amazingly loyal fans, and the BBC will hold that up as being of higher importance than anything else.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

See? This is my feeling...exactly...if the give us Rose/Ten togetherness...if we get our happy for her lifetime out of it. Then, I can go on with this guy well enough...provided this wasn't stunt casting and he's really able to convey the character. To me...if we give him time with Rose...then we get a changed Doctor out of it. We get a Doctor who has either morphed in some way through the human spectrum...or we get a Doctor who has been Earthbound for 80 years. Either way we have something that works with this particular look.

But if we have a sort of retreat into even more childish Doctor...brooding about how nobody understands him...well...that just makes me tired of it all. So, again...it all depends on how they finish off Ten as to how I will feel about the new bloke.

Rae
who is much older than you...I could be YOUR mom...and I could almost be the new Doctor's mom, too. Not that, as I said, that's really what is bothering me...it's if he can carry it off that matters.

[acciochocolate.livejournal.com]

Your thoughts about the gravitas parallel mine.

I too have always liked older men from the beginning. When I was a freshman in high school I dated a senior. I had crushes on the older actors that I was watching in movies on TV with my mother. :) Oh, I like cute little boys too, but grown-up men are really more attractive.

Oh, and the Twilight reek--again great minds think alike. Moffat could have cast Robbie Pattinson and been done with it, ya know? *laughs*

But the lack of originality thing, now that has me worried. You're right, DW should set trends, not follow them. Elsewhere, I read today that Peter Davison was Luke Skywalker-ish, and I can so see that now! DW following along behind Star Wars--not a good idea. (Don't get me wrong, I love SW, but DW shouldn't have been influenced by it. However, a Han Solo character, that would be better! *grins*)

I'll give the new guy a chance, but I'm not thrilled by this casting. Besides, didn't Moffat talk about casting a older actor?

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

In the confidential Moffat mentions how he shot is mouth off and argued quite a lot for an older man. He felt that David was a lucky shot but that mostly the character needed more gravitas. HEE! Well, he didn't use that word...but that was his implication. But then, he says he was bowled over by Matt Smith and couldn't forget about his audition even though he pressed on for two months trying to find someone else.

So, yeah...I do wonder if the younger TEN look is because of what Moffat is planning to do with the character...because he had talked to David about continuing...and it seems to me that he must be planning something where David COULD continue or a younger version of him could. But then, maybe it's just coincidence all around. At this point, I'm not thrilled with any of it...so it is all down to RTD giving me what I need with Ten and Rose before he and David bow out.

If we are really getting a new start on the Doctor...if the Doctor can do ANYTHING...upto and including having a life again with someone he loves...then I will be willing to go on. For me, Journey's End tarnished the Doctor's character and nothing about Moffat or this new fellow says they can make me believe in him again. Only RTD and TENNANT can do that...

As for Davison and Star Wars...that is really interesting. I was a huge Star Wars fan...and a huge Fifth Doctor fan...he was my Doctor until Ten came along...but I never thought of the link between the two. I still can't see it. But I will say that only the fact that Davison was such a well honed actor let his Doctor work...the chemistry with Tegan was something different and Davison added subtle layers to some very indifferent scripts. We will see if this new fellow has the ability to convince us he's 1000 years old, I suppose.

Rae

[fidesangelus.livejournal.com]

Huh... well the bright side is that I'm not tempted at all to continue to watch Doctor Who after DT leaves. The new Doctor and Moffett have all the best I can wish them but I'm just going to be moving on.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I will say...I'm not tempted either. Which could be good. I only want my Rose/Ten love story given a much, much better ending than that piece of turtle dung stuck on the back of Journey's End. My hope is that RTD just sort of tried to do his ending...realized it wasn't working (which we know he did) and decided to give us a complete do over next year.

At this point...the only reason I will watch S5 is that RTD gave me my Rose/Ten happy and I'm willing to give the show a shot in honor of that. If it's just regenerative business as usual...I see no reason now to go forward with any of it...as I am not intrigued in the slightest.

Rae

[fidesangelus.livejournal.com]

Well my main thing was that I said my goodbyes when I found out RTD was leaving. As much as I adore DT as the Doctor and Ten I knew that I would miss the way RTD did the show too much, especially if River made her appearance in S5. I wouldn't have been able to handle it so when David announced that he was leaving, for me it was like everything was coming to a close. Now if the new Doctor had been someone that I was really interested in or curious about I probably would have given the show a shot as a fresh new adventure in television but now I'm kind of meh. I'm not going to watch it just because I loved past seasons and there's nothing about it that is sparking my interest aside from past enjoyment of the series.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I think if RTD hadn't written his book...I would have said my goodbyes with Rose at JE. But I am going to go until David leaves and then bow out with RTD and DT (and hopefully Ten and Rose).

I might take it up again when it comes to American in 2011...if it comes to America. And, as you said, I would want to see it as a brand new show. Seeing it that way, for me...as I said...depends on Rose and Ten getting a proper time together. I am not interested in Moffat or this fellow...so all they have to offer me is a story I can believe in...and I see no reason to invest any energy in a Doctor who can only change his face and really CAN'T do absolutely anything.

I was gritting my teeth when RTD once again declared that the Doctor could do "absolutely anything" because it has been firmly established in canon at this point...that he can't have a family again or spend a few quality years with his true love. So, he's not much of an epic hero if you ask me.

Rae

[fidesangelus.livejournal.com]

So, he's not much of an epic hero if you ask me.

*applauds*stands up and cheers*whistles in agreement*

THANK YOU! I really, firmly agree with you on this point. The Doctor is utterly ticking me off right now and its frustrating. I watched the Christmas Special and wanted to chuck my laptop through a window because I was so annoyed. I'm hoping that RTD and DT will fix the Doctor/Rose story but if they don't then I'm really done. Unless the promos for the new series completely floor me which I really doubt...

[wickedgillie.livejournal.com]

Your talk of gravitas made me think back to a friend's recent picspam of Tennant. And one thing we all noticed was that DT was adorkable in his younger years but hardly exceptional until he turned into this magic sexy magnet man at 30.

I don't know what to think of poor Matt. I don't despair at his chops, per se. I am more concerned with what Moffat is going to do with him. Particularly since him as Eleven really is a younger looking Ten. Is Twelve then going to literally be 12 so we get madcap adventures where everyone thinks his companion du jour is his mum and nobody takes him seriously? Pishposh.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I went back and watched him interact with Billie in Secret Diary. He did interest me in the first few moments in the shop, but he quickly bored me so that I didn't remember him at all. This was not the case with Tennant, who I had only seen in Harry Potter. Tennant didn't impress me in Potter but he did revolt me...and since he was supposed to do that...I remembered him.

Poor Matt is indeed...poor Matt, I feel. This whole thing reeks of the second string team taking over...and the show going downhill. But we will see how it all comes around. And yeah, going younger and younger isn't always the answer to engaging young people. David is 37 and lots of 14 year olds are crushing like mad on him. I was about 10 with Peter Davison and I loved him dearly.

Tennant was a bit challenged with gravitas for some folks...I know there are still people who can't stand him. But for me...he is the ultimate romanitic Doctor. I think they should close the book on that particular style and go for something else...maybe rebellious youth will work. We will see, I suppose.

Rae

[wickedgillie.livejournal.com]

I guess so much of it truly depends on where Moffat is steering this ship. My fears have always been that Moffat was going all James Bond-y, womanizer-y, snap my fingers at the TARDIS-y, my companions aren't nearly as interesting at the woman of the week-y. And yet, seeing Moffat's choice of this geeky kid with crazier hair than David makes me wonder if that's really where he's heading. He's certainly not what I'd expect if we're going the Valeyard route.

I don't know. I really and truly don't know. Huh.

[the-larch.livejournal.com]

Doctor Who should define cool...not fall into step with whatever is trendy in the moment.

You mean you don't want him to be an emo tween with Robert Pattinson hair, a wardrobe stolen from the Jonas Brothers and a companion from the new cast of 90210? Why ever not?

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Yeah! What is wrong with me? :slaps forehead:

I can see now how he's the new generaion Doctor!

Rae
feeling all old fartish

[the-larch.livejournal.com]

I'm right there with you. The first time the Doctor drops some really modern new-boy slang I'm staging a walk-out.

[onlyoot.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, with shades of Twilight maybe the new doctor will SPARKLE in the sunlight and girls will look upon him and swoon.

[spastasmagoria.livejournal.com]

makes me wonder just how much Twilight The Moff has actually read ;) But it makes me hope the next companion is a serious cougar :)

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I'm actually pulling for some butlerish fellow...ala Alfred or Jeeves...to comment about the Doctor's way with the ladies...and get him out of trouble.

Rae

[spastasmagoria.livejournal.com]

or an outright tentacle monster. That'd be fun too LOL.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Tentacled monster effects are expensive. I know they will be saving a lot of money on the new guy...but still...lets stay in budget. How about a tentacled monster who shape-shifts ala Frobisher to look like a harmless butler guy...? That way if they ever do get Catherine Zeta-Jones she can play the butler guy.

Rae

[webeh.livejournal.com]

The promo pics speak to me of lack of originality...and that is a bad sign for 2010.

I'm actually doubting whether that's going to be the Doctor's look. I kind of think that it was just a poorly planned promo shoot of Matt as Matt. (If the Tardis is in the background, of course everyone will assume that the picture is of Matt posing as Eleven.) If I remember correctly, Tennant's wardrobe got a press release all of its own. I'm assuming the same will happen for Smith's.

I kind of like Smith. He's got this crazyness about him that was a bit hidden in his interview. Also, I kind of dig the way he expresses himself with his hands. I really hope he incorporates that into his character.

Smith was also in a show called Party Animals, which is basically a political version of Grey's Anatomy. Just not as annoying. He has more to do there. The way he carried himself reminded me of Jim Halpert from the Office.

Another up thing about Smith is that we can pretend he hooks up with Rose again and goes on adventures again. One where the both of them get to dress up in period outfits. :)

[webeh.livejournal.com]

Another up thing about Smith is that we can pretend he hooks up with Rose again and goes on adventures again. One where the both of them get to dress up in period outfits. :)

Well, we can in fanfiction and fanart.

[sunnytyler001.livejournal.com]

You kow, I thought about you and your theory (ten II is Eleven)last night when I saw the first pictures of Eleven.
Looks at his clothes. A jumper with a suit! Except for the coulours (Ten II has to claim he was part part of team Rose I guess, lol!), it's the same as Ten II!!!!!!
You might be right!!!!

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Yeah...but are his clothes relevant? It seems like they haven't really solidified the look and they just mocked up those TARDIS shots. So, you can't really tell. They are going in very early on this...in hopes of keeping us all talking about what's to come, I suspect.

Maybe I've totally missed the complete meltdown over this look...vampire chic of Twilight/True Blood...but I think it could be old news by May of 2010...and then it's just down to this guy and his talent.

All that said...he could work for me in a 10.2 exchange...I personally think that is the only way he works for me. Where...say...Morrisey or Paterson Joseph might have interested me on some level for what they brought to the role...I don't have any interest in this fellow. Which is not to say I don't think he might well be capable of bringing something new to the role. It's just that I don't care at this point one way or the other...I am not excited by this news in any way.

Still, he would work as 10.2 being 11 and having that youthful rebellion...10 left him on his own...10 doesn't think he's the REAL Doctor...Rose prefers the previous regeneration. And he's too young looking to get respect...he hooks up with an older gent (possibly a shape-shifting alien) who works as a foil for his exhuberant madness. And fun and frolic ensues.

But all of that is completely dependent on Ten and Rose having a life together...I don't just follow along with this useless guy who can only change his face into a fashion icon of our time and hang on his exploits...emo or not.

Rae

[sensiblecat.livejournal.com]

Word to all of that. Hadn't thought of the Twilight vibe but yeah...that bothers me. I'd rather they stayed true to the show's spirit than went the way of fashion.

Anything I say has to be qualified, because there was a time I felt this way about Tennant. But like you, I'm much more detached these days. Partly because in a way I'm following DT's own path by switching to Shakespeare.

Re the timing of the announcement...if David's just about to return and film the Specials, that will include a regeneration scene of some sort, and I guess doing things this way means they don't have to smuggle in the new guy and fight off the tabloids.

[frodolass.livejournal.com]

OMG, totally off topic (because I don't want to know who the new Doctor is) but have you seen 04nbod's post about the Doctor Who Comic, featuring a certain evil someone that we've been talking about a lot lately? XD

As for series 5, I have no interest in watching it so long as Moffat is driving, but I would NOT put it past him to make things emo sparkletastic like Twilight because that is what's in. *gag* So he can keep his Eleven. I'm going to stick with my oddball Dylan Moran Eleven, so there. =P

Is it the Valeyard? I think it must be the Valeyard.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Apparently I am no longer a special friend of 04nbod...or the link doesn't work for some reason. Anyway, I figure it must be about the Valeyard. And it is interesting that he's mentioned in the comics. I feel Moffat might bring him back...but I now wonder if RTD is just running out the clock. There was nothing new in the Christmas special. So, there is a good chance there is nothing new coming. And the recent news about 11 is not nearly as depressing as the rumors about his companion. Still, I figure THOSE rumors are just as accurate as the Paterson Joseph ones were. Not to worry.

If the rumors are true that they are searching for Billie Piper the second...well...then...we will know that creativity has left the building.

That main thing about 11 is he does nothing at all for me. Which is the case with Moffat as well. I don't dislike Moffat. I feel he's the best they can do. I'm not sure that Matt Smith is the best they can do...but he could work. I am reserving judgement on him. But I am not going on with the Doctor in any case if JE is the final word on Rose. Or, if we get a Rose/10.2 kid as new companion...which is very likely as things now stand...and far too much for me to tolerate.

Rae

Re: Is it the Valeyard? I think it must be the Valeyard.

[frodolass.livejournal.com]

Shh, don't tell anyone I linked you this:

The last

two pages.

I didn't know they were looking for a Billie Piper wannabe. If it's true, then I foresee the end of Who coming quickly due to boring repetitiveness. And I'm still not watching, no matter how nice the new Doctor might be.

As far as the Rose/Ten story not having the time to finish... well.. there is always the chance for a movie... maybe. *wibble*

Interesting that he makes that jump

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

But then...we have been talking about it for a very long time. That it is referenced in the comic strip tells me this isn't going to happen at all. But I like that the ideas are playing out somewhere. Of course, the Doctor is certainly a bit panic-stricken over the thought of 10.2 coming home, too. Making it seem that the canon almost supports wanting rid of him.

But yes...definitely the Valeyard. Never thought bout him having that cool beard...but that's very nice. DT could do that look. And I also like that they are dealing with the idea of the TARDIS absorbing the Matrix...because if she did...as I point out in Disheveled...then everyone is inside of her database...including the Valeyard.

Rae

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

You know, I hadn't even read this post yet when I watched the confidential, and I thought that he definitely had a Twilighty vampire feel to him.

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Apparently the papers are mentioning it in the U.K. as well. I have suspected from time to time that I have a string reporter on my FList...but it is more likely that I'm just a typical Whovian and have these reactions along with a majority of the fandom.

Of course, my reaction to Rose/Ten on the beach was apparently not typical, but I am gratified to note that the number of disgruntled people is growing as we go forward with emotionally distraught Doctor, lamenting his lonely state. That they can completely ignore character development and bring him out the other end as a young man with bad hair...is entirely possible (even probable) but I still have hope they will turn the bad decisions made by the Doctor at the end of JE around before we have to deal with Moffat.

Rae