I'm absolutely happy to give him a chance.

He has played supporting roles well - especially in Moses Jones - and there was nothing in the final few seconds of The End of Time nor in the trailers that suggests that he won't be a good Doctor.

His age isn't really an issue as far as I can tell. DT is a bit short of 900 years himself!! what is 10/15 difference in age when playing a 900 year old character? An alien at that. A 900 year old alien that regenerates?

If he turns out to be pants, then fair enough. I just can't see any reason for presuming he will be.

For those judging Matt Smith on his short scene in TEOT prt2, please watch DWC. It was clearly difficult to be thrown into the mix right at the end, just after Tennant had left the set, with explosions etc happening. He was filling in for the last scene, not yet making the role his own.

Let's face it Tennant had it easy in comparison, replacing an actor who had only done one series of a new production, and had an established character in his first scene to act with.

there is nothing wrong with people having reservations but at least give MS a few full episodes before offering a proper appraisal of whether he will be a good Doctor or not.

I think it works out Matt Smith is about a year younger.

To be honest that trailer looked a lot better than DT camp version of Dr Who which was becoming very tiresome and stale.

That clip had a touch of the Tom Baker's doctor about it - can't wait

You should watch the preview trailer on the BBC website. It looks like he will be really good. On watching that, I don't think he's too young either. I am bored with hearing that now. Peter Davison was only a few years older and he could play an old timelord perfectly.

I'll just get on my soap box about one more thing. Every post I've read saying "Matt looks weird - don't think I'll like him" - written by WOMEN. Nice to know.

I think most blokes who have no sexual inclination towards their own sex couldn't give a damn what he looks like, as long as he does a good job.

Unfortunately, they may not like to admit it, but a LOT (not all!) women have been watching Dr Who for the last 4 years mainly for eye candy, and these are the ones posting they don't think Matt will be any good.

For god's sake, what's it matter what he looks like? Are we saying William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy etc were stunners?! This is the David Tennant effect we are seeing with female fans.

I expect it to be great, the writing will be surely, Matt Smith is a good actor, and the new assistant is incredibly pretty.

Might lose a few viewers with DT's passing but the core audience of kids, their parents, and long-term Who fans will surely remain constant.
Might even gain a few new ones having such a gorgeous assistant

I really resent that comment. While I am sure a minority of fans will make an issue of his looks, to make such a sweeping generalisation about female fans is disgusting and totally untrue. Furthermore the double standards in play are amazing. It's alright for the guys to leer about female companions, but women aren't allowed to find the Doctor attractive!

Doctors are never completely "themselves" following a regeneration. The first Tennant episode was all about " what kind of Doctor am I". So its a little early to judge Smith.

He does impress me as being part Troughton part Davison...2 of mty faves so I am optimisitic that he'll be very good in the role.

I'm a woman and I couldn't give a monkeys what he looks like. I'm so excited for the new series and I didn't just watch David Tennant as the Doctor because he's got a lovely face.

Personally also I t don't think there's anything wrong with Matt Smith!! Give him a chance!!!!!

I knew someone would say that.

I said "a lot", not all. If I said ALL that would be a sweeping generalisation. This wasn't. I tried to cover myself, failed. What I said wasn't disgusting. That's a definite over reaction to a simple point I was making.

You could still say the majority of female viewers are watching it for the right reasons. That still means there are a LOT watching it because they fancy Tennant and those people do post on forums.

So don't try and villanise me and create conflict for making a simple valid point.

Matt Smith is "interesting looking".

Now if women decide after a while he's actually good looking then that will be good for other "interesting looking" blokes

How is it a valid point when you have no evidence to support what you have said? There might be a few comments on an internet message board, but it's all a drop in the ocean in terms of the wider audience. It's an utter generalisation on your part.

Conversely in my house it was Mr Ber who was making unflattering comments about the way MS looks and it was me saying "don't be horrible, he looks nice"

Riiiight... Cause men going all misty eyed about how Amy Pond will be great because Karen Gillian is very good looking isn't the same ?
That's the post that was just below yours in case you hadn't noticed...


So please, guys, no double standards !

Female and gay males watchers might have enjoyed eye candy while Tennant was on, but please don't say that it clouds the judgement of "most" female viewers about how Eleven will be.

I am female, I am only a fan for a year and half granted but I haven't passed any judgement yet on how Matt Smith will fare : I'm waiting to see a proper episode with him yet.

I agree. I think you have misinterpretted my post. Anyway I'm bowing out of this discussion, so say what you like now. I won't be here to read it.

By the way if the Doctor had an ugly female assistant or a male assistant, I'd still watch it. So there's no double standard with me. I saw a lot of ugly assistants over the years in the old series, it didn't stop me watching.

Difference is i'd not stop watching if his new assistant wasn't pretty, Ms Jones did nowt for me personally.

Neither Billie nor Freema nor Catherine did anything for me as a heterosexual male.

Matt however, has my Who glands a-racing, which is very worrying for me!

I have seen a large amount of posts like that on twitter..but I expect that to change rapidly.

I saw loads of comments saying David Tennant looked like a weasel or a rat before he took over.

Fame and a starring "hero" role can make someone attractive very quickly. Few gave Daniel Craig a second look until he became Bond.

OMG, this is a rediculous thread. The guy hasn't even started yet, how can you judge him.

Yes he's young, but I remember similar comments being made when TB regenerated into PD (yes, I am too old ).
However, in my mind PD was brilliant, and as the man himself has said, DT based a lot of his doctor on PD!

Give the guy a chance, I for one can't wait until april!

He'll be fine. He's the best thing to happen to DW since Christopher Eccleston, i think, and am very, very, very excited about what might happen next.

Didn't watch BBC3 last night so not seen a trailer. Off to Youtube now ...

And I don't fancy Matt Smith but I won't stop watching either. So there you go.

It seems to me that for a lot (and it's now my turn to do a generalization) of sci-fi straight male fans it's easier to say that females watch sci-fi because the leading man is good looking than to accept that we can watch it because we like the genre too.

Wow. Just seen the trailer. He's gonna be even better than I expected!

The end is only the beginning, and we should all remember that.

"Geronimo" the new catchphrase?

from the trailer, i think he looks interesting. I'll definitely be watching.

Age has never been a defining factor in the quality of a doctor, the thing that matters is ECCENTRICITY. From what I have seen the new fella has bucket loads of that.

Oh dear, I'm sure they will re-cast just to keep you happy.