After Matt Smith's first year in the titular role of Doctor Who (a very good one at that, in my opinion), there were rumors that, like Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston, he might be leaving the show just a series after he started. Various reasons were given, including Smith's desire to move to America and focus on films, or that ratings for "The Big Bang," were bad enough to send him packing.
Steven Moffat, Doctor Who's current showrunner, has dismissed those rumors. The question of a regeneration was posed to him by BBC News after Benedict Cumberbatch, the star of Moffat's miniseries Sherlock, didn't deny an inquiry of whether or not he would be the Doctor in his upcoming recurring role in the series. "Maybe," Cumberbatch replied simply, and the rumor mill began to churn.
Moffat has decided to put a stop to the rumors of Cumberbatch -- or anyone -- replacing Smith. "There is no vacancy," Moffat stated, putting at ease the minds of Smith fans everywhere. "Matt Smith is the Doctor and he's been an astonishing success and - who knows - maybe he'll never regenerate again."
While of course the quotation that "maybe he'll never regenerate again" translates to "he won't regenerate for a few years," it's still nice to see that bit of reassurance coming straight from the horse's mouth. Smith has been my favorite Doctor since Eccleston in 2005, and is the latest in a stream of great actors to portray the time-travelling alien.
Within the continuity of the series, the Doctor can only have thirteen incarnations, and Smith is the Eleventh. While it seems likely that the story will find some way around this, regenerating the Doctor so soon seems like a self-destruction just waiting to happen.
Doctor Who will return in December with a Christmas special (starring Smith alongside companions Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill), and then again next spring with a sixth series.
I think Benedict's comment was taken a bit out of context. On the last TV Over mind article about that statement, his quote seemed to imply that he will be having a reoccurring role, not taking over as The Doctor. Does that mean he could be The Silence or working for The Silence or, hell, he could even be a new incarnation of The Master. (Since obviously death is not a big deal for The Master).I think Smith is definitely safe for awhile. They spent so much time in this season setting up this Doctor/Amy/Rory partnership I'd hate to see them disband it so quickly. I like having companions not based on being romantically interested in The Doctor. Having them be close friends can still provide for the same level of stakes.
Thank you that somebody finally is giving Christopher Eccleston his due. Yes! He was fantastic as the doctor. All the grit angst and quirkiness anyone could ask for. Pahlease. Will people stop dissing his performance? Guh! And thank Heavens Matt Smith will be around for a while because I had to get used to Tennant (good as he is) before I accepted him because Eccleston had been so good in the role. I'm not saying Tennant wasn't a good doctor because he was, but Matt Smith became the doctor for me from the get go. That young upstart… I thought he could never pull it off, but not only does he pull off the part, he owns it! Owned! He took me hook, line and sinker from the first line. The intensity of Eccleston. The wise old dandy quality of Pertwee. The quirkiness of… well… all of them. Smith knows how to fill a screen. What I thought would ruin it for me was his youth, but he has youth along with this old, wise quality about him. So… will he ever regenerate? Don't care. Just don't make it anytime soon. Do you hear me, Mr. Bow Ties are Cool?
As was Eccleston, Smith is as bad as they get. And contrary to all the ads, "HE IS NOT THE BEST EVER!" far from it. The Doctor in all his greater glory has been all the others that have played him, but not these two. If anyone was the best it was David Tennant. Case Closed. It is sad when you have to bring in three other characters to carry the show and what was this about the Season Finale and it low ratings? Right.It is a gross shame that the producers that build the franchise to a new high left and Tennant with them. As far as I am concerned, and I have known of the Doctor since 1963 and have been watching Doctor Who since it first aired in the States on PBS in the 1970's, the Doctor is Dead. And Mr. Moffat, you are as deluded as you are sure you know what you are doing . . . and you Sir, killed him.
your a moron, matt smith does a fine job as the doctor. david tenant was so so at best.
I honestly felt that tennant did a great job I still do not like Smith in the role. I actually hope that when they do get to the 12th doctor they end the show with revealing his name(after all that is THE question) and I would agree moffat is not thinking clearly if he says he will never regenerate. he has to regenerate you cant take a show older than most of its viewers and change the core story elements that way. He will have to regenerate and the show will have to end with his final incarnation. I love to have a good show end with a coherent conclusion to its major plot lines. it makes it memorable.
There are plenty who would disagree with you. And to determine that a thirty-something-year-old series is dead after one series? A little short-sighted of you, sir.
Sandfarmer, you are a fool. Smith is fast becoming a great doctor. The kid can act and he has his version of the Doctor, which is very, very good. Eccleston version of The Doctor was fantastic. He reminded me of a war veteran, which frankly he was, coming to grips with the emotional trauma of what happened during the war. Eccleston, Tennant, and Smith are the best actors to play The Doctor since Baker. I have been watching Doctor Who for as long as you have, kid, and these last three Doctors are the best.
The best ever Doctor was Jon Pertwee. Period.
And you sir, are an idiot.
What is totally humorous about your statement is the familar tone it takes. I am a major Dr Who fan. I have watched the series since it first started airing in the US also. These comments have pretty much been made about every actor in the Dr Who series. Then after awhile people start liking the new Dr Who and buy the time they leave people do not want them too. Then the next Dr Who starts and a few years later the person they say was worst is ranked up there with best. When Tennant first started they said he was a bad Dr Who. I loved Tennant myself and was not too thrilled with Matt Smith when he first started but I will say hes got the Dr Who char down now. Yes the Big Bang was alittle anti climatic. But that was writers not actors fault. From what I have been hearing abou the next season its going to be alot better. But lets stop hating on Smith because we are a Tennant fanboy.
I am an American and have only been watching Doctor Who for a couple of years, but I really don't like this version with Matt Smith. Not quite sure why he rubs me the wrong way – perhaps it is because he is so funny looking. I really doubt that he could make it in America as a leading man in movies. I basically turned off the show around the 5th episode and MAY decide to check in again next season….
American actors and actresses have become incredibly boring, just like American musicians have. If you go back and look at older movies and TV shows, and I mean from the early '90s on back, people had their own faces and they didn't have to look like Barbie and Ken dolls. Someone like Matt Smith would have had no problem whatsoever making it here because guys in particular had a lot more freedom as to what facial type people expected them to have. Handsome, ugly, fat, skinny, big nose, small one, bald or full head of hair, didn't matter. While the women had less of a permissible range of looks than the men did, there was a much greater range for them than there is now, too.
I don't really care if Americans (and I'm one) think Smith is funny looking. Americans don't know how to appreciate difference anymore, despite all the lip service to the contrary. God forbid someone not be a proper decorative object. Makes me ill, to tell you the truth.
American actors and actresses have become incredibly boring, just like American musicians have. If you go back and look at older movies and TV shows, and I mean from the early ’90s on back, people had their own faces and they didn’t have to look like Barbie and Ken dolls. Someone like Matt Smith would have had no problem whatsoever making it here because guys in particular had a lot more freedom as to what facial type people expected them to have. Handsome, ugly, fat, skinny, big nose, small one, bald or full head of hair, didn’t matter. While the women had less of a permissible range of looks than the men did, there was a much greater range for them than there is now, too.
I don’t really care if Americans (and I’m one) think Smith is funny looking. Americans don’t know how to appreciate difference anymore, despite all the lip service to the contrary. God forbid someone not be a proper decorative object. Makes me ill, to tell you the truth.
Didn't the Master supposedly run out of regenerations and still come back? If he's still popular enough (with nearly 50 years of popularity now, he probably will be), they'll find a way to regenerate the Doctor a 13th time.
Also 13 Regenerations = 14 incarnations!With each new Doctor, the personality change is understandable considering what each Doctor has been through. Smith is a great Doctor and all the haters are just people who hate change. Besides, how much longer do you think Tennant could have continued before his version of the Doctor became stale and boring? Tennant's time was up, his song was ending. He could have gone 1 more season at the most. Anyone who has some respect for Tennant's artistic integrity will understand that.
No. It's 12 regenerations = 13 incarnations. Pay attention.
Another problem = Americans don't really understand Doctor Who and dismiss it. Without its below average visual effects and quirky, nerdy actors, it WOULDN'T BE DOCTOR WHO!
sorry timelord, but I do get it, I have watched doctor who since the tom baker years when I was kid. I am a american and do understand doctor who. So don't go and say "All Americans", that is a broad statement.
As an American and Doctor Who fan, I'd like to say some of us do get it.
As much as I dislike Matt Smith and his (in my opinion) poor portrayal of the Doctor, I think the root of the problem is the writing- it's become just…awful. It's weak and predictable. They should have ended it with Tennant- an amazing doctor back when they had amazing writers.
I agree that the problem is the writing. Moffat offers great shocking visuals but but the show is more than that. He needs to slow down a bit. Also, I like Matt Smith but he needs to speak up.
I totally agree. I have been a Dr. Who fan for many years. I hated to see David Tennant leave the role and tried to give Matt Smith a fair chance. I hate to say that I have stopped watching. I cant stand Matt Smith and the writing. The show is juvenile and has lost all of its quirky charm.I've resigned myself to watching re-runs (thank goodness I have many, many years to re=watch!) and wait with great anticipation for Torchwood to return.
i also feel that i 'get' Doctor Who & have loved it for a long time. i really have enjoyed Matt Smith & his performance. Looking forward to Christmas!
dan j
I'm an American and from the very first moment, when my big brother sat me down in front of the tube to watch Doctor Who….I got it, I understood the quirkiness and I loved it. Maybe there are a lot of American who don't appreciate the shows and cinema from other countries, but for every one of those who do not enjoy it, there are plenty of us who are supporters who are grooming younger viewers to appreciate foreign features. I plan on creating a lot of 'Whovians'….and viewers who will appreciate unique productions from other countries.
It's the geeks and the freaks who get it here, mostly. We're the ones who haven't bought in to Borg consumer culture, at least not in the same way everyone else has. We still take the time to stop and notice the little oddities of life, and to appreciate them.
It’s the geeks and the freaks who get it here, mostly. We’re the ones who haven’t bought in to Borg consumer culture, at least not in the same way everyone else has. We still take the time to stop and notice the little oddities of life, and to appreciate them.
Technically it is the doctors 12th incarnation because he regenerated on the second-to-last episode of the 4th series when he is exterminated by a Dalek. He then focuses his regen' energy into his severed hand.
considering the actors, i think the doctor keeps getting younger starting from the begging.. i mean, when its the 13 regeneration he could be like 15 if thats the case here! and i dont want that to happen! i bet nobody does… and i dont get how the age gets older but the look gets younger and to me thats wierd
Don't forget Tennant regenerated twice.