Well after three years of adventures through time & space, Matt Smith has finished his tenure as the lovable immortal time traveler known as The Doctor.
Smith, who only has two more specials left as the 11th incarnation of the iconic lead character on the long running BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who, has filmed his final scenes for the upcoming Christmas Special. Who producer Marcus Wilson (who will also exit the show this year) confirmed via twitter that filming on the special had wrapped. “So it’s goodnight from me, and it’s goodnight from him,” Wilson’s tweet stated. “That’s a wrap. Christmas 2013. Thank you all.”
At the same time, the upcoming 12th doctor Peter Capaldi also visited the set to film his first scenes. Capaldi will be making a brief appearance in the special before taking over full time as the Doctor in Series 8 next year. However, before he can take over full time, we have two final appearances from Smith to look forward to; the 50th anniversary special entitled “The Day of the Doctor” which will see Smith alongside the 10th Doctor David Tennant and the mysterious John Hurt (rumoured to be playing a missing Incarnation) which will air on November 23rd and the above mentioned Christmas special which will air on Christmas Day.
This is a curious time for many fans of Doctor Who, myself included. While the show (which first aired in 1963) has been a staple of geek culture for half a century over in its native Britain, the show never quite caught on in a large way in the United States until the recent relaunch that started in 2005. I didn’t even start hearing about Doctor Who until Matt Smith’s second series started wowing my friends and I could see why. Smith always played the role with this engaging mixture of an older man’s knowledge and a childlike curiosity for everything around him. From the way his lanky frame comically bopped around an adventure to the somber moments where he contemplated his existence as an immortal traveler, Smith’s performance made for a very memorable Doctor that definitely appealed to a mass audience. While he may not by my personal favorite Doctor (Christopher Eccleston’s 9th FTW), Smith’s tenure has certainly made an impact on my love for the show that can’t be erased.
So, now that he’s leaving, should we be looking forward to Peter Capaldi as the 12th? I certainly am, especially after seeing his brilliant comedic performance in 2009′s In The Loop. While he may not be able to carry over that vulgar tone to the role of The Doctor, Capaldi expressed a certain amount of gravitas and sarcastic wit in that film which could be used quite well as The Doctor. Who show runner Steven Moffat has emphasized that the 12th Doctor will be quite different from Smith’s incarnation, which is the inherent genius of the regeneration concept in the Doctor Who universe; it allows for such an interesting way of changing up the character. A new actor takes over and gives The Doctor a different personality that gives the show new avenues in which to take the character, which I’m sure Capaldi will embody once he takes on the mantle.
Via Digital Spy
Now, what about you all out there? Will you be crying into your colorful scarves when Mr. Smith leaves this Christmas or will you be firing up your sonic screwdrivers in anticipation for what Mr. Capaldi can bring to the part? Post your opinions in the comments below!
