Once Upon a Geek

I’ve bought into it.  I’m convinced.  I’ve been brainwashed.  I’ve drunk the kool-aid.  I’m actually getting excited about Matt Smith taking over the role of the Doctor.  Not that I’m anxious to rush David Tennant out of the role, after all he’s my favorite Doctor of all time (just beating out Peter Davison and Tom Baker).  I’m just interested to see what direction the show will go in.

I’ve just watched the Doctor Who Confidential episode from this past weekend, “The Eleventh Doctor”.  The special did a great job celebrating the history of the show as well as the previous actors (love those montages!).  At the same time, it was a good opportunity for the new showrunners to explain their casting philosophy.  Finally, Matt Smith did a solid job in his interview impressing upon the viewers that despite his age, he’s taking the role very seriously.

I’ve got to trust that Matt Smith is a great actor.  After all, he’s done a number of roles and the showrunners for Doctor Who approve of him.  As long as the stories are written well and directed well, the show should continue to be outstanding.  I have complete faith in Stephen Moffat.  As well as being a versatile writer, he’s also smart enough to surround himself with exceedingly brilliant people.

To be honest, I was put off by Matt Smith’s appearance at first.  His hair and usage of his hands made me a little nervous.  After watching this Doctor Who Confidential episode, I realized it’s just fear of change.  I’m comfortable with David Tennant and not exactly thrilled about him leaving.  If you look at history, it’s always been slightly off-putting when we first see the new Doctor.  Our hearts belong to the previous Doctor and we’re not quite ready to accept this new stranger.  For example,

• Jon Pertwee - The first time you see his velvet jacket and frilly shirt, you can’t help but think, “No way! He stole Jimmy Hendricks’s wardrobe! And he looks old!”  But sure enough, it just suits him perfectly (pun intended).
• Tom Baker - C’mon.  If you can’t look past his genius performance and see how absolutely insane he looks, then you need to get your eyes checked.  The first time the public saw that scarf, the big smiling teeth, googley eyes, and crazy hair - they were pretty skeptical too.
• Peter Davison - The guy from “All Creatures Great and Small”?  With sideburns? In a Cricket outfit?  Is that even really a sport?  Seriously?
• Colin Baker - ‘Nuff said.
• Christopher Eccleston - After years of the Doctor dressing in some semblance of a shirt and tie (whether it be Edwardian-style, velvet jacket with ruffles, or simply a modern look), here was a guy that looked like he was on the prowl for chics at a bar on a Saturday night.  He just didn’t look Doctor-ish.
• David Tennant - Skinny geek with tennis shoes?  Someone get that guy a comb.

It’s all just a matter of perspective.  The first time I see the new actor, it’s hard to imagine him being as good as the current guy.  And typically I find flaws in their look that I decide I simply don’t like.  However, as I look back at previous Doctors, they all did a great job and their look was perfect for their version of the Doctor.

In conclusion, I’m very sad to see David Tennant go, but I’m ready to give Matt Smith a chance.