Doctor Who Review – The Eleventh Hour: Matt Smith's Debut Story
Matt Smith’s Debut Story
Apr 4, 2010Steve Bartle
The Eleventh Hour begins exactly where “The end of Time part 2” left off. David Tennant’s 10th Doctor having regenerated with such force that the Tardis interior has been blown to bits and the time machine is now crash landing on Earth with the 11th Doctor clinging on for dear life over the landscape of night time London. And this is just the pre-titles sequence!
The 11th Doctor new Title Sequence
Moffatt makes his first proper stamp on the show by giving us a new title sequence, with eerie gothic titles which are very effective. less effective is the music though which is arguably the weakest since the harsh synth sounding theme tune of the Sylvester McCoy era. It lacks gravitas and is frankly a bit insipid. the storm laden graphics deserve better accompaniment.
The 11th Doctor Early Scenes
As the Doctor lands in the back garden of little Amelia Pond we immediately see Matt Smith finding his feet in the role. His comedic timing when he tries to find a food that he likes and eventually settles on fish fingers and custard is frankly excellent. he is suitably erratic and full of energy but when he assures Amelia he is “The Doctor” we already believe him. Considering he is following Tennant and making his mark so quickly this is impressive to say the least.
Of course eventually he meets the adult Amy Pond and we are introduced to Karen Gillan, arguably the sexiest companion since modern Doctor Who returned. a fiery redhead (sound familiar?) who already bears the Doctor a grudge as he was supposed to return for her many years previously. the banter between the two main protagonists early on is very promising and they already have an undeniable chemistry.
“The Eleventh Doctor” Storyline
Perhaps the weakest point of this season opener is the story itself centred around the escaped Prisoner zero and the Atraxi who are trying to locate said felon. not only is the story quite weak in comparison to some other Steven Moffatt classics but the special effects for Prisoner zero are not exactly the best. however a season opener is very rarely a classic story as there is a lot of character introduction and exposition to get through so the narrative is never particularly exceptional in a first episode.
As the story progresses we see more of Matt Smith’s portrayal as he flits from forceful one minute to bonkers the next and then downright powerful when he forces the Atraxi to scan who he is and what he has been in the past. a great moment for fan boys too as we see flashbacks of all the previous Doctors, and how strange it is to see Mr Tennant as an ex – Doctor. We also get to see the Doctor essentially regenerate into his new outfit and already the geeky school teacher look seems perfect for Smith.
The new Tardis Interior
And for fans everywhere the treats do not stop as the Tardis has a new interior design and it is frankly wonderful. with multi levels and an interior not completely dissimilar to that of the 1996 Doctor Who TV Movie this adds great depth to the Tardis which previously was a little restrictive.
We also get signs of things to come in the form of an overall story arc as there is mention of cracks in the universe and a “silence” that will engulf the cosmos. one hopes the story arc will be more Vote Saxon than Bad Wolf.
So as a first episode there are for more positives than negatives. Far more. Smith has already stamped his uniqueness on his portrayal and there are many episodes for this to develop, as indeed is the relationship between the Doctor and Amy which promises so much. Smith is also frankly laugh out loud funny too and that is down to Moffatt’s writing.
We also have the question of a hanging wedding dress that will undoubtedly play a large part in the series. has the Doctor invited yet another bride to be aboard the Tardis? an excellent start…..Saturday nights have just got infinitely better once more!
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