The smallest positive integer requiring three syllables in English

[strange_complex]

After a minor but enjoyable lie-in and a leisurely morning of breakfast and Frasier so old I hadn't seen it, I headed into town to enjoy duck breast and chocolate tart in honour of kissmeforlonger's birthday, and then Weston's Perry in honour of kantti and deeply_spurious's presence in town.

Sitting in Mr. Foley's at about 6pm, I realised that the world at large now knew who the Eleventh Doctor would be, though I did not. So deeply_spurious very kindly looked it up on his iPhone, and thus I learnt. Back home, I find that fandom has (inevitably) exploded, though there are some very sensible posts out there from Pickwick, Lefaym and Ed Zeppelin.

I thought I hadn't heard of him at first, but now that I've seen some larger pictures I realise that I do know him from Ruby in the Smoke and Shadow in the North. And that's about the right level of established public profile for me - he's not a total unknown, but he comes free from too many preconceptions (for me, anyway).

I would have liked it to be Paterson Joseph, but I would have been worried too about how he was going to be handled, for the reasons outlined in my post about Rosita. I'm slightly alarmed at the thought of a Doctor who, for the first time, will be younger than me, but I'm very ready to give him a chance. I was fairly lukewarm about the prospect of Tennant, after alll.

Above all, I hope they'll make use of his youth to lose something of the lonely God / "the one, the only, and the best!" aspect which Tennant has acquired, and go for a Doctor with a little more self-doubt - much as they did with Peter Davison in the wake of Baker (T), of course.

And that's about all there really is to say on the issue until his first story.

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Comments

[xxxlibris.livejournal.com]

I'm hopeful - I saw him last year on stage in That Face and he was very very good, so appendages are crossed.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's heartening. Thanks.

[davesangel.livejournal.com]

go for a Doctor with a little more self-doubt - much as they did with Peter Davison in the wake of Baker (T), of course.

Agreed - that would work very well. I also think that Matt Smith has a very quirky quality to him that would make him different to David Tennant, who is more 'humanised', and would thus separate him from his predecessor.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Yep, quirky is good. I haven't seen the Confidential yet, as I was out, but will watch it shortly for more of an idea what he's like. Tennant is quirky in some ways - but as you say, in a more human way than he might be.

[gillywoo.livejournal.com]

I too am hopeful but am disappointed at the lack of Paterson Joseph.

I would love it if they get rid of the 'lonely god'/'gay jesus' stuff that RTD and Tennant have created and am also hopeful that because he's a young looking doctor they'll try not to make the romane stuff too oblique.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I think there will be plenty of romance going on - not least because it has been a major element in two of Steven Moffat's stories to date (Girl in the Fireplace and Silence in the Library). I just hope it doesn't become too prominent, because it could get rather tedious and emo if so.

[davesangel.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yes, that's my worry too. There was so much criticism of Russell T Davies for creating the whole Rose/Doctor relationship, but Moffatt just went somewhat over-the-top with all of the romance stuff. We'll just have to wait and see but I'm not holding my breath on that one...

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think major romance is pretty inevitable, I'm afraid.

[gillywoo.livejournal.com]

I don't mind a little bit of implied romance, it's just when it gets prominant that it starts to annoy me. I swear that they did the Christmas special last year just so Tennant could have a screen kiss with Kylie.

[kernowgirl.livejournal.com]

I have every confidence that they'll pick somebody with the ability to become a very good Doctor, but I'm bitterly disappointed they've skewed even younger. Rich and I really wanted an older doctor this time--both because they've not had one in new who yet and especially because it might tone down the romantic themes. I'm tired of the Doctor having girlfriends! Perhaps it's just faulty memory, but I swear classic Who never had half as many love interests!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

No, it's not faulty memory - it didn't. I mean, some Classic Doctor / companion relationships can fairly easily be read as romantic (e.g. Four and Romana), but it's never explicit.

I've decided that what I'd really like to see now is a larger TARDIS crew, which would leave room for romance between some of its members without needing to involve the Doctor. But I've no great hopes that it will happen.

[kissmeforlonger.livejournal.com]

Thanks for coming yesterday - it was really good to see you.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

You too - and happy birthday for the day itself!

[rhube.livejournal.com]

*waves* Hello there! Hope you don't mind me friending you, but you seemed cool at thirstypixel & sprezzatoura's New Years party, and we seem to have a fair amount in common, so I thought I'd say 'Hi'!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Yes, of course - I have just friended you back. Glad to have made contact. :-)