The Doctor at 50

I chose to stay at home to watch Saturday's episode of Doctor Who; I'll choose pizza over popcorn any day. But many others elected to sit in a cinema full of other fans, and pay to watch something they could have watched at home for free. I imagine there were moments when cinemas across the country erupted in cheers as they saw their old favourites grace the big screen.

Over 10 million UK people tuned in to watch the 50th Doctor Who episode, Day of the Doctor. However, you would be forgiven for not bothering to watching it, after the overkill lead up that we have been exposed to over the past few weeks. I enjoy Doctor Who, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad that the hype is finally over; at least until they want to celebrate the 75th anniversary.

We have spent six months waiting, after being teased at the end of series 7 with the words 'Introducing John Hurt as The Doctor'. As a result, Doctor Who fans have been suffering from a half-year-long headache, as we all tried to figure out what Stephen Moffat was up to. However, it has certainly been worth the wait.

Broadchurch - The Best Whodunnit For Ages

The eight-part ITV series has come to an end, and those who have invested the past weeks watching it, now know who the killer is. For those who did, it was a rewarding end, tying up all the loose ends, bringing closure for the town and it's viewers, but also they got to watch some brilliant acting. It is at this point I should stress that if you don't want to read spoilers, find something else to do on the Internet - You're welcome.

The New Regeneration Of Doctor Who

Not only has the Doctor himself regenerated, but so has the entire show with a completely new cast, new sets, a new theme tune, and a new writer. This blog is hardly anything original, as already the Internet is filled with thousands of people wanting to share their thoughts and feelings about the first episode the new series of Doctor Who, with Matt Smith. I, like many, thought that the new series would be rubbish and unsuccessful. It is essentially a completely different program now seeing as everything has changed from the last series, and it had a lot to achieve and live up to in the first 64 minute program. However, did it achieve this?

It most certainly did, and I think I may even say that it is better. David Tennant was a great Doctor and was possibly one of the most popular Doctors yet, but in my opinion he became too emotional. You watch the old episodes of Doctor Who with Tom Baker, Peter Davidson, Jon Pertwee or whoever, you will never see them in emotional scenes which break the audience’s hearts. Some will argue that was a good thing, others will insist it was a bad thing. In keeping with Doctor Who tradition, it was a bad thing, but for appealing to the modern audience, it was a good thing. Matt Smith, on the basis of his one episode, looks like a traditional, old fashioned Doctor.
He has the ideal appearance. He is the youngest actor to play The Doctor, but his unique appearance certainly makes him perfect for the role. He is a man, who looks young, but also, intriguingly, looks old. Now, seeing as he is playing a 900-something year old Time Lord, it just seems perfect. He has the right level madness too and looks like he could easily fit into Wallace And Gromit. Okay, his appearance doesn't include a random vegetable in the top pocket of his jacket (which I must say, I want), but he just seems brilliantly mad and funny. He seems to have the perfect mixture for any brilliant Doctor. Lines such as 'You're Scottish. Fry Something' made me warm to him instantly.

There are those people who will be missing David Tennant greatly, and upset that the show can carry on without him and are refusing to watch the new episodes. However, that is the spirit of Doctor Who that even after an actor has had enough and wants to move onto different projects, they can just carry on with someone else. That is why the trick of regeneration was invented, and it is quite an easy cheat to explain why someone else is playing the role. When you think about how they do it in soaps; it is much better. If an actor no longer wants to play a role in a soap, the character will usually go on holiday for 6 months and return with someone who is of a different height and looks completely different - yet everyone just accepts this.

Doctor Who also has a new writer and producer - Steven Moffat. Now, this is a man who had written and produced numerous other shows including sitcoms, and a few episodes under the reign of Russell T Davis. Also, he wrote the Comic Relief Doctor Who Special of 1999 in which Rowan Atkinson, Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and Joanna Lumley all play The Doctor (It is very funny and you will find a link to it at end of the blog). All this experience makes him perfect for his new writing job as it clearly shows he can do comedy with Doctor Who. Judging by the first episode, he will be a good writer, and some of his previous episodes from previous series have been some of the most popular.

The theme tune is different too, but still keeps the main structure of all previous Doctor Who theme tunes. All the theme tunes have the four beat structure, which symbolises the Time Lords heartbeat. The theme tunes from the old days, which seem to send a tingle down your spine of remembrance as the ear-piercing screeching starts, are actually very similar to today's theme tune. Sure, the last theme tune didn't evoke the same emotions, but then the new theme tune for Matt Smith, seems to go back to its roots of being dramatic and soul-churning, and personally I think that it is brilliant - and still it includes the ear-piercing sound which seems to go right through you and for some reason has become iconic of Doctor Who theme tunes - to deafen the viewer for a few moments.

Then there is a new TARDIS and Sonic Screwdriver. How brilliant they both look. Sure, the sonic screwdriver is bigger and slightly reminiscent of the toys you find in Ann Summers, but (without trying to sound like I am describing of those said toys) this new one has green lights and looks more mechanical. As for the TARDIS, well that is a thing of mechanical beauty also. It is what I would imagine a Kwik Fit would look like in Narnia. It has to be one of best interior designs the TARDIS has seen before. The TARDIS looks more mechanical than ever before, and that is exactly what it is suppose to look like, but with different levels as well just makes it look even better. Also, we may be treated to seeing the library and the swimming pool which were shown in the older episodes - a bigger TARDIS with my more rooms - promises to be a good 13 episodes.
However, with any Doctor, there has to be an assistant, and the new one is a beauty. Amy Pond is her name and on second impressions (because the first impression was of her as a brave little girl) we can conclude she has very nice legs. You have to admit that is quite the entrance for a new assistant - wearing a kissogram police uniform as she hits the Doctor over the head with a baseball bat, which she continued to wear for a majority of the show. She is played by Karen Gillan, a 22 year old Scottish girl whose only previous TV acting role was in a previous Doctor Who episode. It does seem that the younger the Doctor gets, the younger his assistants seem to get and I honestly think it won't be long before the Doctor is played by a 13 year old boy with a female companion of 8 years old; and then I'll no longer be able to say things like 'nice legs' without being questioned by the police.

Anyway, I have written quite a hefty blog so far about the new Doctor Who episode and there has been no real mention of the actual episode itself. The episode started with the TARDIS crashing through the skies of London, and was rather successful in showing how mental Matt Smith's Doctor will be. Then the scene with him eating Fish Fingers and Custard - a disgusting combination, but I'm sure it is a combination which many children have tried during their Easter Holidays and probably made them sick. I haven't tried it, but I assure you if we had Fish Fingers and Custard in the house - I probably would have been curious also.

Then you have all the Doctor’s funny, witty one liners which are again usually associated with all the legendary Doctors. The alien was quite a simple one and seemed to be so the viewer could be eased into the introductory episode. Matt Smith seemed to ease straight into his new role by jumping around and uttering the trademark gobbledegook as if he knew what it actually meant. He even used the trademark cheeky grin which both Eccleston and Tennant had. It was a brilliant Doctor Who episode and I think it promises to be a brilliant series and Smith promises to be a fantastic Doctor.

The best moment of the episode for me was on the top of the hospital towards the end when he summons back the aliens to confront them. The alien then trolls through the history of the Earth, and in the process images of all the past Doctors appeared and then at the end Matt Smith walks through, wearing what will now become his trademark smoking jacket and bow-tie. I think that was a brilliant moment of recollection and seemed like he was being officially christened and accepted into the role.
Like a lot of people, I was ready to write off the new series and I am glad I didn't because just by watching that one episode, I felt like a 10 year old child again, which is something I never felt while watching David Tennant - who was more of a serious Doctor in his final episodes. It is just this persona which Matt Smith has created for himself instantly which makes me feel this way - something which I have felt previously while watching the older episodes of Doctor Who, particularly with Tom Baker and Peter Davidson.

I feel guilty for previously thinking that Matt Smith would go into Doctor Who history like Paul McGann as a rubbish Doctor who ruined it, before seeing hardly any of his acting. I had not seen him in any previous shows to judge his acting skills, and you certainly could not do it by judging by the last minute of Tennant's final episode. However, I do honestly feel that Matt Smith has the potential to be a great Doctor, so let us hope and pray that the remaining episodes are just as good - if not better - and that I have not just given the new series all this praise falsely. If I feel I have, then be sure I'll be ready to blog my anger and disgust.

Here is to hoping that series 5 of Doctor Who will continue to be fantastically brilliant.

Click Here For The 1999 Comic Relief Episode Of Doctor Who