Allow me a preface: as a student at a liberal arts college, I have to write many papers, etc. that aren't exactly what I'd like to write about. For instance, this is something that I wrote for my Psychological Science class. Our unit for this was Social Psychology (I happen to know that the professor is a huge Tolkien fan, so he probably understands how obsession works...) and the module was persuasion techniques. There is some technical vocab in the piece, so here are some definitions that you might like to know:
When I say that an ad uses central processing, what I mean is that it tells you facts about why you should buy (etc.) a certain thing, and tries to use logos to convince you. Ie, "this new Maserati can travel through space and time!" When I say that an ad uses peripheral processing, it means that the ad creates a distraction of sorts to advertise to you. Ie, perfume/cologne ads with two sexy people about to make out. I kid you not when I say that that is the example the professor gave in class. Hey, its college: we're all adults here, right??
BBC America’s MetroNorth Advert Campaign
These ads are on train in NYC. They are simplistic, which grabs
attention because it contrasts with most other Metro North ads. If that’s not
the only thing that grabs the attention, “TARDIS and “Time Lord” are not in the
vernacular for most New Yorkers (although the number is certainly on the rise!)
Since the TARDIS is a space/time transportation apparatus, it actually could
get you home 700 years ago, although if you live in NYC where these trains run,
you home was marsh land 700 years ago. The new vocabulary sparks
curiosity—“what the hell is a TARDIS?” New Yorkers are always looking for the
newest, shiniest thing, so maybe a TARDIS is that new Maserati? (I wish) These
ads are peripheral. Nothing really generally has happened any time I was on a
Metro North train (I live just outside NYC). Most ads have interesting pictures
and the very small text that is simply not legible from more than maybe four
feet away. In a train, you are certainly not running between cars to find a
poster that best explains why you should purchase a car, and this is the same.
Most (emphasis on the “most”) people just kind of find what television shows
they watch, and don’t actively search for it (most of us who watch Doctor Who would actively search for a
new series, but then these ads are wasted on us because we don’t need to be
advertised to in order for us to watch it; we already do in a quasi-religious manner).
BBC America’s Use of Online Meme Theory
This ad is also peripheral
processing. It is meant for to be seen via social media. The official Doctor Who page shared it, and then it
counts on people who “like” that page would “like” it or share it with their friends so It gets
more publicity simply because they know the awesomeness that is Doctor Who. The image started on
Facebook and also ended up on Twitter and Tumblr. Also I believe I used it for
something on my site as well. As an online ad, it plays with the concept of
“going viral”. Putting it in the news feeds also is subliminal messaging, as an
uninterested person might just scroll by, but still they saw the ad and it
reached their processing, making them more likely to notice more Doctor Who ads in the future. If they,
the next day, happen to be in a Metro North train and notice more prominently
the afore mentioned ads, Doctor Who
has successfully entered their minds, and I wish them luck purging it from
there—but than again, I don’t suffer from an obsession to Doctor Who. I rather enjoy it.
These
last three ads all play on commonly known expression. “My Other Ride is a ________________”, “If You Lived Here, You’d be Home by Now” and
“Trust Your Doctor” are generally not new phrases for people. They take the attention
from a known phrase to get your attention and deviate from it to make their
advertising point
Using Doctor Who’s Popularity in Other Businesses
This ad is different from the rest yet still refers to Doctor Who. It is a magazine advert for
the University of East Anglia, where Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith got his degree
in acting. Although UEA has “university” right in the name, it is a business:
their product is education. All schools that charge tuition are businesses. This
ad could be more for central processing. In general, one does not decide to go
to college on a whim, and looks for a good school. It appeals to logos. It
states that many well-educated people have gone there, and even one huge actor.
Then, it appeals a combination of pathos and logos with the happy, hopeful
student, proud to share his place of higher education with 826 distinguished
people. There is a major downfall to the ad: if you prefer Tenth Doctor David
Tennant over Matt Smith.
Usually, on
this package, there would be the Birds Eye fisherman, a figure much like the
fisherman on Gorton’s fish products in the US. Here is the joke: In Matt Smith’s
first episode, “The Eleventh Hour,” he is having an insatiable craving, ultimately
fulfilled by a midnight-snack of fish fingers (basically the UK’s equivalent of
fish sticks, but rectangular) accompanied by custard (think vanilla pudding but
a little more liquidy). Ever since then, fans have loved to eat the unlikely
pairing of food. And I will say from personal experience that it is also quite
good. This isn’t quite an ad, but it actually uses a bit of central processing.
I know if I were looking for fish fingers and couldn’t decide on which brand,
the Eleventh Doctor in the corner would most definitely persuade me to choose
that brand. It is also peripheral processing because his being there has undoubtedly
grabbed the attention of some fangirl who bought the fish fingers simply
because Matt is on them. As a side note,
the people at Birds Eye were a little amusing—they gifted Matt a year’s supply
of fish fingers for being on the box, which is extra silly because he’s said in
interviews that he really doesn’t care for fish fingers and custard.
All these
ads work together: ads like the first three point people in the direction of Doctor Who and then campaigns like the last
two use that interest to promote their business.
"I'll be a story in your head. But that's okay. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? Because it was, you know, the best."
Dear Doctor,
They say you never forget your first Doctor.
I will say, you were not quite the first for me. The first Doctor I watched was the Ninth. But you were the Doctor when I became a Whovian. So, not only is this my first Christmas special, but this is my first regeneration as well.
Though this may be the first time I actually
admit it, the answer is, and always will be yes.
You know by now that I have mixed feelings about you. I hope it counts for something that a really, really do want to like you. But I think Ten will always be my Doctor.
I began watching the show on a medical leave from college in February of this year. I am a Theatre Arts major and a lot of the other students in the program love it. I didn't quite fit in with them, and so I began watching it as something to be able to talk with them about and understand the references.
But, as you can tell, it became more. So much more.
Since my second or third year of high school, I've known I was a relatively decent writer compared to my peers. (Quite franklyI thought that spoke more about my peers than myself.) Starting this blog proved me wrong. Once it picked up momentum, it never really stopped. It evolved in a way I could not imagine.
And you carried the show while all this was happening.
For me, you only became the Doctor in late February or March, so I am still attached to your previous face. It's strange, how we attach to faces.
Your song is ending now, too. But, as Ood Sigma said, the story never ends.
And that is so true. Just over a month ago, we all celebrated fifty years of Doctor Who. And we, as a community, have never been stronger. I would attribute most of that to the internet, allowing millions of Whovians to connect everyday. I believe there have been studies that prove that talking about things (and people too!) is conducive to creating the bonds that we call love. Twitter. Facebook. Tumblr. All crawling with Whovians, if your know where to look. I believe the epic of your story will only perish when the human race does so as well. It will go to the end of the Earth--and perhaps beyond.
Here's the gist of what I'm trying to say. Bad Wolf said it best:
You know the sound the TARDIS makes? That wheezing groaning? That sound brings hope where ever it goes. To anyone who hears it, Doctor. Anyone. However lost.
There has been no line in all of Doctor Who with more veracity than that. That wheezing, groaning used to invoke such a response in me that I set it as the text tone on my phone to desensitize myself it it (not that it really worked, of course).
Before I end this letter, I'd like to share my most fond memory of you with you. This summer, I babysat my two-year-old cousin, Max, for two consecutive weeks. On the Tuesday or Wednesday of the second week, I popped on "The Beast Below," as we had just watched Treasure Planet and the Orcus galacticus, naturally, reminded me of the Star Whale. Max, curious as ever, asked what exactly a Star Whale is. And, as that episode is pretty child-friendly (compared to a lot of the other stories), I didn't think it could do any harm (and as far as I know, it has not). He and I watched it. And he loved it. I wonder when his mother (my aunt) will Google "star whale" and figure out what happened.
So, Doctor. The Eleventh Doctor. Matt Smith. Sir Doctor of Tardis. The Oncoming Storm. The Drunk Giraffe. And, in a way, my Doctor. You are so loved. And by no one in the exact same way as me.
Goodbye, Raggedy Man.
The Forever and Always Yours Ley Wynn
PS. It's not quite goodbye, you know--same software, different casing.
Allow me to first say that typing the title to this post was the first time I ever spelt "twelfth" right on the first try that I can remember.
Okay, now I will get to the point. My nomination for the role of the Twelfth Doctor is none other than Ben Daniels. Although he's not young like the past two Doctors have been and probably won't have the epic fangirls that Tennant and Smith bring to the fandom, I think Daniels could be a very suitable choice. I first saw him as Tristan in BBC's Merlin ("Sword in the Stone", parts 1 and 2) and I immediately thought that he could play the role with the emotional vulnerability that Eccleston's and Tennant's performances made me expect from Matt Smith, which, for me, in my humble opinion, Smith did not deliver on. I think that if the Beeb wants to go with another male for the role that Ben Daniels is perfect for it--of course, that is if he wants it.
Then, there is the possibility of the Doctor becoming a woman, which was only made bigger by Matt's recent comment at the San Diego Comic Con. If this happens, I've no idea who it might be. I'd like to see Olivia Coleman in the role; I just have a funny feeling about her and this role. I know the BBC has said that they are wanting to cast a non-A lister who isn't already known for some other role, like Emma Watson. May I suggest myself?
What it comes down to is that only time itself will tell, and unfourtunately for us it itsn't the non-linear wibly-wobly, timey-wimey sort of time. We humans at this point have to go about time linearly, so we can only wait and see. You can bet that you can come back to TARDIStyle and see an announcement here as soon as it breaks!
I try to keep the real world out of this blog, but not today.
Tonight, I send my heart(s) to the peoples of Boston. May they have the strength to have hope carry on.
CYBERLEADER: You are proof. DOCTOR: Of what? CYBERLEADER: That emotions destroy you. DOCTOR: Yeah, I am. Mind you, I quite like hope. Hope's a good emotion.
Netflix really is a gem. It's got almost all of the revival episodes, and some of the highest-regarded classic episodes. The first Doctor Who Entertainment Weekly issue gave a list of each Doctor's best episode (more on that here) and with the exception of William Hartnell and Colin Baker (There are no episodes with him, aside from the end of Caves of Androzani when he is regenerated in to.), all those episodes are there, plus some more.
According to EW, the best adventure for each doctor was:
William Hartnell-An Unearthly Child (The first episode. I've only been able to find clips of it on youtube. Let me know if you know of a free way to see it in its entirety.)
Patrick Troughton- The Mind Robber
Jon Pertwee- The Green Death
Tom Baker- The Ark in Space
Peter Davison- The Caves of Androzani
Colin Baker- I don't remember. I couldn't find the info online; this is pure memory recal from four days ago. Possibly Trial of a Time Lord
Sylvester McCoy- The Curse of Fenric
Paul McGann- Only had one television appearance, the made-for-TV movie.
Christiopher Eccleston- The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
David Tennant- Blink (I must disagree with this one. The Doctor didn't appear much in this to really warrant it as his "best adventure.")
Today, Sydney Newman, one of the original creators of Doctor Who, would be 96 years old. He died on 30/10/97 of a heart attack in Toronto, Canada. He is responsible for the TARDIS' dimensional transcendentalism (it's bigger on the inside), the Doctor being called the Doctor and not a proper name, and the show's title. He was against the addition of the Daleks. Newman was a long-time lover of the science fiction genre.
"Up to the age of 40, I don't think there was a science fiction book I hadn't read. I love them because they're a marvelous way—and a safe way, I might add—of saying nasty things about our own society."
In America? Don't get BBC America? Something else? Well, tardisblue.net will be streaming The Bells of Saint John LIVE at 6:15GMT, which is 2:15ET (where I am)
Here is the link: http://tardisblue.net/index.php?page=stream
I will be there in the chat room as TARDIStyle :)
ALLONS-Y
"David Tennant and Billie Piper to return for blockbuster celebrations with John Hurt also confirmed.
"The BBC has today revealed some of the all-star cast that will mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. David Tennant and Billie Piper will join current Doctor and companion, Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman, while John Hurt (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Alien, Harry Potter) will also co-star.
"Last seen as the Doctor on January 1st 2010, this will be the first time Tennant has reprised his role as the Tenth Doctor. During his reign as the Time Lord, Tennant appeared in three series as well as several specials. He was first revealed as the Doctor in the 2005 series finale, ‘The Parting of the Ways’.
"Meanwhile Billie Piper, who played companion Rose Tyler for two series following the reboot in 2005, will appear in the show for the first time since featuring in Tennant’s last episode, ‘The End of Time’ in 2010.
"Also confirmed to join the cast is John Hurt who will also co-star in the 3D anniversary special that will form part of blockbuster celebrations, set to take over the BBC. Produced by BBC Cymru Wales for BBC One, the 50th anniversary will be written by Steven Moffat and Directed by Nick Hurran.
"Filming for the 50th anniversary starts this week. Meanwhile a brand new series starts on BBC ONE today (30 March) at 6:15pm for a run of eight epic episodes, which officially introduces the Doctor’s newest companion, Clara Oswald, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman."
Today is shaping up to be just like Christmas--well, without the alien invasion.
Not only will we get the premeir of Doctor Who in a few short hours, but we have also been told some fantastic news about the 50th anniversary special, which begins filming on Monday: David Tennant and Billie Piper will be returning!
"David Tennant and Billie Piper will appear in the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, the BBC has confirmed. "Tennant was the 10th Doctor and Piper played his on-screen companion Rose Tyler in the BBC One show. "Filming on the show, which will also star John Hurt, will start next week. "Tennant's successor, Matt Smith - also in the special with his new assistant played by Jenna-Louise Coleman - says fans 'will not be disappointed' by the 3D show, due to air on 23 November. "Tennant and Piper have long been rumoured to be making a return for the special, which is being written by the show's executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat. "In January, Piper, appearing on the Graham Norton show, denied she would be appearing. 'I wasn't asked, no,' she said. "'I think Matt Smith may have said, in passing or in jest, it would be nice.' Smith has said the show 'manages to pay homage to everything - and look forward'. "'I read it and I clapped at the end. I think it's hilarious, it's epic and it's vast,' he said. "Moffat, meanwhile, has said he took special care to protect the secrets of the story. "'One length I've gone to which is a really good security measure - I make sure I don't get a script, because I will lose it,' he said. "'I forbid people to hand me one. It's on my computer under lock and key.' "The first story of Doctor Who's 2013 run, The Bells of Saint John - described by Moffat as a 'proper London thriller' - will be screened later. "Viewers will see the Doctor and new companion, Clara, played by Coleman, battling an evil entity in the world's wi-fi networks. "Future episodes of the show, which is filmed in Cardiff, see the return of the Cybermen and old enemy the Ice Warriors, who last appeared during the Jon Pertwee era in 1974. "Tennant starred in Doctor Who from 2005 to 2010 while Piper first appeared in 2005 opposite Christopher Eccleston, who played the ninth Doctor. "She left the show in 2006 but returned for a number of episodes in 2008 as well as for Tennant's final episode, broadcast on 1 January 2010. "The first episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, starring William Hartnell as the Timelord, was broadcast on 23 November 1963. "As part of the anniversary events, the BBC will also broadcast An Adventure in Space and Time - a one-off drama looking at how the sci-fi show came to be made."
In a post from 26 March 13, SciFiBulletin reports that Matt Smith will stay as the Doctor in to the 2014 season, according to an interview in the upcoming edition (30 March-5 April) of "Radio Times."
"Doctor Who star Matt Smith has confirmed categorically that he is committed to Doctor Who for the next year – taking him through the recording of series eight – and that he is taking the show on a year by year basis.
"There have been rumours that the 50th anniversary special would conclude with the Doctor regenerating, but this would seem to put a stop to those.
"The Radio Times includes a wraparound cover featuring the various monsters to be featured in the eight episodes about to be aired, and confirms the titles of all bar the finale: The Bells of Saint John; The Rings of Akhaten; Cold War; Hide; Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS; The Crimson Horror; and Nightmare in Silver. Moffat’s finale, featuring the return of River Song, will be revealed later, with the head writer explaining, 'You’re about to learn something about the Doctor that you never knew before. And I think you’re in for a shock…'”
While we all wait, and wait, and wait for that clock on the left to hit zero, those of us with many Facebook fan pages (ours is here!) in our News Feed are wondering if all their friends have stopped posting, but then realise that the Doctor Who fan pages are just posting...a lot.
And who can blame them? I know I long for some new info on Clara to make a new post out of! But since I haven't got that, I'll post about something else.
Call me what you will, but I don't think bowties are cool. Frankly, I think that the Doctor should really try a cravat again. But his bowties are certainly something that make this Doctor...unique.
All the Doctors have had elements of their dress that aren't quite normal to us.
The First Doctor
William Hartnell as the
First Doctor get a 4/10
It's not in the picture here, but the first thing I want to cover is that hat of his. Really, what is is? It looks like a small trash bag. If anyone knows what the deal is with that, please let me know in the comments section.
And under that hat is something else...strange. His hair. I'm not saying I don't like it, I'm just saying that it is odd. Like an Ood.
Then, there is his tie. I really don't know the proper word for it. This is do like.
Next, the coat. It seems that most of the Doctors have a coat that is strange but loveable.
And I just noticed this--the ring he's wearing. Let me say that I'm not a fan of rings, and this one isn't and different.
In total, it seems that the First Doctor's outfit, not including the bottoms, is a throwback to the late 1800s or the early 1900s. I'm the kind of person who really likes the dress of that period.
This incarnation of the Doctor was strict and grandfatherly. He communicated those traits with his old-style choice of dress that's a bit shocking at first look, but might grow on you as you watch him slowly become a bit more relaxed.
The Second Doctor
Patrick Throughton as
the Second Doctor gets a 4.5/10
It is here we see bowties appear, but at this point in real-world time, bowties aren't as much of a faux-pas as they are today. Aside from his hats, we don't really see too much eccentricity in the dress. But that is not to say, and I do not mean that the character is not eccentric. Because he is. Very, very eccentric. He's got catchphrases like "Oh my giddy aunt" and introduces us to the endless running with "when I say run, run," a phrase that also graced the lips of the Ninth Doctor. And I won't fail to mention his recorder. See? I just did. It's also worth the note that this Doctor is the one who adopts his over-arching pacifism after the series was criticized for being too violent.
The Third Doctor
Jon Pertwee as the Third
Doctor gets a 6.75/10
Now here's where we get cookin' with the strange. The Third Doctor steers us back to the Victorian Era (in the Bessie, of course) with his red coat and the ruffles on his shirt. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he also have a cape at some point? And that hair. Ooh, that hair. Its the first coiffure that's full of Time Lord secrets. What Three doesn't have in the oddness factor, he makes up for with his clothes. And, with Jo Grant, he starts to have companions that can hold their own in tough situations. And Sarah Jane Smith starts her time with the Doctor here, too. The Third Doctor makes great contributions to the character traits of the Doctor that don't fade with regeneration. The gentelmanly dapper dress of this incarnation is like the bright colours on poisonous frogs: it says "don't mess!", but reassures you that if you don't get on his bad side he won't woop your butt with his martial art skills.
The Fourth Doctor
Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor gets a 9/10
The Fourth Doctor brings us the most eccentricity in dress and very possibly character. He's the first doctor to wear question marks, although they feature much more prominently with the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Doctors.
The wide brim of this fedora is brilliant, simply marvellous. It sits upon oodles of curly hair, rivalled only by his previous regeneration.
One does not simply watch Doctor Who and not develop a love for long scarves. The Doctor says that it was knitted by Madame Nostradamus and deems it irreplaceable when it gets hit by a laser in The Arc in Space. Baker says that the original scarf was made by Begonia Pope who was given the yarn but unsure of how long to make it, so she used all of it. There was a much shorter "stunt scarf", and the total length of it varied, the maximum being 24' which is about four times the height of the Fourth Doctor.
This Doctor is one that acts the strangest, and until the introduction of the other Baker, dresses the strangest. It's the scarf that assures you that he's crazy if his demeanour didn't already convince you of that.
The hat, hair, and scarf are the most prominent of this Doctor's off-kilter dress. As Baker played the doctor for the longest amount of time of all the Doctors (1974-81), his costume was in constant flux. Read more about it here.
The Fifth Doctor
Peter Davison as the Fifth
Doctor gets a 3/10
Not many man can pull off decorative vegetables, but if any one can, it's the Fifth Doctor. This Doctor's clothing is basically just cricket whites, plus the jacket and hat. This Doctor's clothes influenced some of the Tenth Doctor's dressing habits as well.
Oh, and the trainers. And... [putting his glasses on] snap! 'Cos you know what, Doctor? You were my Doctor
-The Tenth Doctor to the Fifth Doctor, Time Crash
This Doctor, aside from the question marks on his collar and the celery, is one of the more "normal" regenerations of the Doctor, at least dress wise.
This Doctor was challenged at first by the Whovians because of his age, being by far the youngest to get cast in the role at the time. His calm outfit helped reassure viewers that he was the respectable Doctor we know and love and not young whipper-snapper, while keeping some of the oddity from his previous regenerations with the celery, the purpose of which is artfully unexplained until his last episode.
The Sixth Doctor
Colin Baker as the Sixth
Doctor gets 2/10
Woah, there. This Doctor needs to calm down a bit. He looks like a unicorn drunk on rainbows threw up on him. Again, we see wild curly hair and question marks on his collar. The coat is a Do-It-Yourself nightmare which I don't even what to address but will. (The things I do for my readers...) Colin Baker's Doctor is brash and puts a foul taste reminiscent of ear wax in many mouths, as does that coat. That coat. That coat. It must have been that coat that made the Doctor swear them off in his next incarnatuon
The Seventh Doctor
Sylvester McCoy as the
Seventh Doctor gets 3.5/10
The Seventh Doctor looks a lot (in terms of clothing) like the Fifth, minus the decorative vegetable, and add more delightfully tacky question marks. Sweater vests, in my book, are even lamer than bow ties. And I feel just plain bad for the person who had to knit that. Their sight can't possibly be what it once was. All the question marks must have been what threw Ace when thinking of his name. But really, you'd think after a while she'd get that it's the Doctor and not the Professor.
The Eighth Doctor
Paul McGann as the Eighth
Doctor gets a 7.75/10
Believe it or not, a really do like this Doctor's look. His forehead and chin/jawline is what really make it work. I think the dress of the Victorian Era is charming in general. It seems (ha, "seems" and we're talking about costumes which have seams...) that the Doctor fancies clothes from that era, as the First and Third Doctors' outfits also have late-1800s overtones. McGann, who wore a wig as the Doctor, suggested (like Colin Baker) that the character have the short hair and leather jacket combo that was adopted for the next Doctor, portrayed by Christopher Eccleston, who had been asked to play the Eighth Doctor. With this Doctor's amnesia playing a significant role in his only on-screen appearance, I'm surprised we don't seem more question marks on him.
The Ninth Doctor
Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor gets 6.5/10
The first episode of Doctor Who that I watched was Rose, which is the first episode with Christopher Eccleston, and I'm gonna be honest: That first time the Doctor appeared on screen, I was a bit perplexed. I went in to it knowing that David Tennant was one of the Doctors, but didn't know about Eccleston. My confusion was due to the fact that the Ninth Doctor's garb isn't strange or anything. In fact, if the v-neck was just a normal tee, he dresses like my dad (one of them pulls it off way better than the other, and I just realized that if you add a moustache to Eccleston, the result would look like my dad). Since Eccleston was only the Doctor for 13 or so episodes, he doesn't have as much of a developed character as most of the other Doctors. He looks like any other denizen (a synonym of which is tenant) of London, but couldn't be farther from the truth. Here is when we really start to see the Doctor as a god trying to be human.
The Tenth Doctor
David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor gets 10/10
Ten is my favourite, no question. The slim-and-a-little-bit-foxy David Tennnat is a 10 to start with, and the geek-chique helps the cause. From the head down:
He may not be ginger, but his hair rocks. It's full of Time Lord secrets on its worst days. His left eyebrow is eloquent and prolific in emotion. Plus, you can't really look at them without seeing his chocolatey eyes. Then, we have his sideburns. I love them, but they do get mixed reviews. I think the people who don't like them haven't seen him without them. Next, we have the coat. Personally, I really love the coat. The prop replica is hanging in my closet right now. I don't know why or how the coat is as fabulous as it is. Time Lord secrets, again. The main element of the outfit is the Junior-Lawer esque suit and loose tie, which highlights how incredibly thin Tennant is--"you hug him and you get a papercut!" The final thing is the converse. They rock my socks, and apparently his too, as when he takes them off in Smith and Jones he's not wearing any. The BBC gives a guide to dressing like Ten. We also see the most developed character from him, which just goes to show how much of an amazing actor he is. If you haven't seen him in Cassanova and Hamlet, I strongly suggest you do.
The Eleventh Doctor
Matt Smith as the Eleventh
Doctor gets an 8/10
All of us who like the Tenth Doctor are a bit spoiled by his performance. I know I don't like him as much as far as his ability to show emotion as an actor, but do realize that it may be a character choice. It's fun to see him in the whimsical ensemble elements, like the tweed jacket, high-hemmed pants, and the suspenders, and certainly the fez and the Stetson are a laugh. Bow ties aren't cool, but he does pull them off. It's not as eccentric as some of the outfits we've seen the Doctor in (coughsixcough), but you definitely would do a bit of a double take if you saw a man this young dressed like your grandfather and looking this incredible on the street. And if you do see a rather young man dressed this old on the street, go to him and ask if he's the Doctor, because you might just be on to something.
In Conclusion....
Like any of us, our style is indicative of who we are. My dress patterns are erratic, and so am I (you have no idea). Every time he regenerates, he's a new man, and we can only expect to see it on the outside, too. If the clothes make the man, then most of us think that DT is the best-dressed, too.
He's the cutest thing (next to an Adipose), but there's only one thing: he's not a Whovian!
In the world of middle school (and, *tear* high school...they grow up so fast [we have a five and a half year diffrence]), at least in the greater New York City area, being a Whovian is far from "cool"--and I'll admit that that is a big reason that I waited until college to get into it, and in my brother's quest to be the cooliest (I think its a alpha-maledominance thing), he avoids it, and even gets on me about liking it. Well, last Wednesday (20/3/13), I convinced him to watch an episode with me. I chose Silence in the Library/The Forest of the Dead, because that's the one that scares me the most (#VashtaNerada). And a miracle happened. Yes, a miracle as defined by the Doctor himself (Miracle: Very rare impossible things that just happen in this big, vast, complicated, ridiculous universe. See: The Pandorica Opens). He *liked* it. Now, like any thirteen-year old who's not fond of school, he tends to put things off to the last minute. He had to write a sci-fi story for his English class. He's not as verbal as I am (only .3% of the population are) and was a bit stuck. That is, until I came and gave him a bit of...inspiration. He already had commited to writing something about nuceulear ratiation after a third world war, and Silence in the Library was still fresh in his mind. Here is his Vashta Nerada-inspired story:
As you may have seen yesterday, there are regeneration rumours surrpunding the 2013 Christmas special. The rumour is that Matt wants to leave the TARDIS in exchange for a career in Hollywood.
This is the only article I found that makes an attempt at debunking it:
"The last time showrunner Steven Moffat was asked how long incumbent Doctor Matt Smith would remain in the role, he snapped back with a cheerily brisk 'Forever. For the rest of time'. There's the slightest chance you know, that he wasn't telling the truth...
"Of course he wasn't. If there's one thing more certain than death, taxes, and repetition of the phrase "Doctor Who?" in the new episodes, it's that Matt Smith won't be the Doctor forever. The Sun, amongst others, is keen for us to think that his departure will come sooner rather than later, namely, after the 2013 Christmas special. The newspaper ran a story suggesting that 'Insiders say the festive special will be Matt's last outing as The Doctor', citing Smith's ambition to break into Hollywood as his reason for bowing out after a four year stint.
"The BBC was quick to respond to the story, and had this to say:
"'Sorry folks but even we don’t know what’s going to happen at Christmas. It’s not been written yet! But Matt loves the show and is to start filming the unmissable 50th anniversary, and the new series starting on Easter Saturday.'
"It's not exactly a denial, and neither was Smith's answer to the question posed by Jonathan Ross last week, 'I am very happy doing it. I do the anniversary special, then the Christmas special. At the moment it’s 2013 and we will see what 2014 holds.'”
-Den of Geek, "Doctor Who: BBC Responds to Matt Smith Quitting Rumours"
So there it is. Any allegations about Matt Smith regenerating for the Christmas special are not fact...yet.
While I was searching for that, I did come upon some very interesting "contreversy" over regeneration.
Some are saying that the Doctor's lack of gingerness is condoning anti-gingerism.The Telegraph
When Eleven does regenerate to twelve, will it be a woman? For my own aspirations of playing the Doctor, I hope so...The Huffington Post
Helen Mirren has her eyes on the role. The Huffington Post.
And for all you worrying that he's run out of regenerations, here's reassurance for you, too. It's even a "fact"now.
What do I think of all of this?
The Impending Regeneration
Good. I'm really not a fan of the Matt Smith interpretation. He's...well, I'm going to be critical here, but before you say I don't know what I'm talking about, I do: I'm an actor, so I know that he can do better.
I do have to hand it to him that David Tennant's performance is a tough act to follow. Tennant, in general, is a phenominal actor. I first saw him in the televised version of RSC's "Hamlet" and loved it. That's a big reason of why I started watching Doctor Who. When you've seen an actor before, there's always a risk of it being that character playing the character. I didn't see Hamlet playing the Doctor. (I watched Casanova, which was done before Tennant started as the Doctor after I watched all of the Tenth Doctor, so I can't say that I saw Casanova playing either.) Of course, David has his trademarks that almost all his characters use--ie, "Welllll....," "Oh yes!," his eyebrows, but all those characters use those attributes differently.
In doing the Doctor so well, David also made it a really easy role to take over. We see so much emotion in Tennat's Doctor, and that lets us in to his personality. What we see him go through are emotions we all go through, but never talk about. I think that that's one of the best things about the Tenth Doctor. It may be that yes, I do have high expectations from any actor playing the role, and it is true that every Doctor is different from the last, but they still have traits from their previous regenerations:
"You know, I loved being you. Back when I first started, at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important—like you do, when you're young. And then I was you, and it was all dashing about and playing cricket and my voice going all squeaky when I shouted. I still do that, the voice thing, I got that from you. Oh, and the trainers. And... [putting his glasses on] snap! 'Cos you know what, Doctor? You were my Doctor."
-The Tenth Doctor to the Fifth Doctor, Time Crash
Anti-Gingerism
When the doctor eats beans and pears. It's quite simple: Amy is ginger and if the show had an anti-ginger agenda, then they wouldn't make someone as pivitoal as the Fantastic Amy Pond ginger.
Regenerating as a Female
and Helen Mirren as the Doctor
Also good. As I mentioned, I really want to play the role. There were some pretty solid hints that Twelve will be female. In The Eleventh Hour, one of the first post-regeneration new-body panics in that he's now a woman. Then, in The Doctor's Wife, he mentions the Time Lord Corsair and his regenerations. He says: "He had that snake as a tattoo in every regeneration. Didn't feel like himself unless he had the tattoo. Or herself, a couple of times. Ooo, she was a bad girl."
There are a couple of things that could prevent it, not "scientiffically," just from a buisness end. Since David played the role, we have the expectation for the Doctor to be a super-sexy man. While I do know females who are super-sexy men, Helen Mirren is not one of them--in fact, she is, sorry Helen, a bit on the older side, currently at age 67, and is a July baby so sould by 68 by the time she'd get the role. At 1200, the doctor is older than ever, but Helen would be the oldest actor at the start of her portrayl of the lonely god by thirteen years (William Hartnell, the First Doctor was 55 when he took on the role in 1963), which would be somewhat ironic as Matt Smith, who started as the Doctor at age 27, is the youngest actor to be the doctor by two years (Peter Davison was 29, and the third youngest was Tennant at 34). Then there is the fact that the Doctor being female would complicate the River Song-Doctor thing. I've got nothing against homosexuality--I'm a big suppourter of the LGBT movement--but I just don't see River as being a lesbian. Of course, the Doctor has now known River for three hundred years of his life, and we might just see River meet the Doctor for the first time before the eleven-twelve regeneration.
All and all, I've no problem with the Doctor being female, I just don't know how good it would be for the longterm continuing of the show...
Running Out of Regenerations
Again, we must remember that Doctor Who is a television show (yes, I know there are novels and comics and all sorts of other media of it, but mainly, it is a show) and show buisness is just that: buisness. Like the Doctor becoming female, it all depends on if the show is turning a profit or not. As long as it is, they'll throw continuity out the TARIS doors and into an event horison and/or find a reason why the Doctor earned extra regenerations.
In Conclusion...
There's a reason you're reading this blog: you like (or at leart are remotely interested) in Doctor Who. It's the longest running televison show on the planet, and thats because its fantastic. And I think it's gonna keep being fantastic for a long, long time.
These
ads are peripheral. Nothing really generally has happened any time I was on a
Metro North train (I live just outside NYC). Most ads have interesting pictures
and the very small text that is simply not legible from more than maybe four
feet away. In a train, you are certainly not running between cars to find a
poster that best explains why you should purchase a car, and this is the same.
Most (emphasis on the “most”) people just kind of find what television shows
they watch, and don’t actively search for it (most of us who watch Doctor Who would actively search for a
new series, but then these ads are wasted on us because we don’t need to be
advertised to in order for us to watch it; we already do in a quasi-religious manner).
