mondojohnson

Some of you have been puzzled by my silence on the subject of Doctor Who over the past few months. Your confusion is understandable — after all, we’re eight episodes into the latest series, and not a peep? What gives? One reader thought that I had been stunned into silence by the show’s radical overhaul; that I had been left traumatized and mute by the sight of a new TARDIS.

I’m sorry to disappoint, but the explanation is far more ordinary: work. I just couldn’t find the time to see any of the new shows until recently. But now I’m caught up, having had my own little Who marathon over the past week. And now that I’m up to speed, I can assure you that I’m anything but traumatized by the new directions. Indeed, let me declare: Matt Smith is an outstanding Doctor, perhaps one of the best.

There was much hand-wringing over the choice of Smith to succeed David Tennant, the most popular actor to inhabit the role. How could a 27-year old actor, however talented, summon the eon-scupted complexities of the 907-year old Time Lord, memorably portrayed by 10 acting heavyweights? Well, the fears are unfounded. I don’t know how, but Smith nails it capably.

The Doctor’s indefatigable curiosity and quirky tics are all there, often performed with subtle homage to his first ten incarnations. Echoes of Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Tennant all reverberate through the performance without ever lapsing into mimicry. Smith has truly inhabited the role.

His skill is especially apparent in scenes that touch on the Doctor’s ancient burdens. The sharp, plosive rage emitted by the Doctor in the episode “The Beast Below” is one fine example: “No one human has anything to say to me today,” he curtly declares to a room of his beloved, yet infuriating homo sapiens. Smith managed to pack the Doctor’s immeasurable back story into his delivery of the line. He also did a great job in the difficult task of portraying the Doctor’s second meeting with River Song –the mysterious woman from the future whom the Doctor met on her last day. He knows their relationship will become extraordinary, but he doesn’t know how because the keep meeting out of sequence. For Smith to wrap his head — and heart — around such a crazy relationship is testimony to his skill. (Alex Kingston must also receive kudos for her reprisal of the role, the best new scifi character on the block, in my book.)

In the days to come I’m going to write up individual episode reviews for the new season. But like the Doctor’s friendship with River Song, I will probably post them out of sequence, as whim takes me. But, as you may have noticed, I am completely on board with the new series. The bold and radical changes — not just the casting Smith, but also the promotion of Stephen Moffat to head writer — were a gamble that paid off, for this fan, at least. It is shaping up to be one of my favorite seasons, and that is saying something.

io9 is soliciting entries for an informal “best science fiction character of the decade” competition. My vote: River Song (portrayed by Alex Kingston), who appeared in the amazing Doctor Who two-parter Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead.

Professor Song — a spacefaring archaeologist — summons the Doctor for help via his slightly psychic paper. But, unknown to her, the Time Lord’s arrival is the first time he is ever laying eyes on her. From the perspective of her timeline, they have already had many adventures — and perhaps, romance? She convinces the Doctor of this in the greatest unspoken line since Lost in Translation — she whispers his true name.

But she keeps mum on what the future holds for them… “Spoilers,” she warns with a smile.

The River Song character was brilliantly drawn by using “negative space”… what is unsaid or hinted at fills volumes of fan fiction in my mind.

(Production pics from the new series of Doctor Who have intriguingly glamorous views of River Song…. See previous post )

Extremely intriguing snaps from the set of Doctor Who season five, now in production. Not only do we see the snazzy young regeneration of the Doctor, but we are also teased by the presence of Alex Kingston, who played the brilliantly conceived character River Song in the episodes Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead.

The “River Song” thread was some powerfully engrossing storytelling — I am psyched by the possibility of them picking it up.

Tremendous hat tip to Blogtor Who, where you can find a treasure trove of Who pix and news items.