I remember when I first joined this forum that the very first thread I started concerned the many people who were slating Matt Smith before they'd barely seem him on screen, and some of this was before he even made his debut at the end of TEOF!!!!

It seemed every website forum I visited regarding Doctor Who debate that he was being absolutely mauled(not by everyone I admit!). I just couldn't understand why so many people were judging him so badly before they'd even seen him on screen.

Now, 11 Episodes down, Matt Smith seems to be getting mainly positive feedback for his performances in this series and I wondered how people feel about him now compared to their views/instincts pre-series?

For me personally, he has been ten times better than I ever thought he would be. Before the series started, even before his debut at New Year, I didn't know enough about him to make a proper judgement really, but I had a feeling he'd be okay, but he'd probably be not as popular as Tennant. After his debut at New Year, and after seeing the first trailer, I felt I'd like him as The Doctor. I saw the potential there. Loved his debut, it was well funny! I still felt he'd be a good Doctor in his own right, but again I still didn't think he'd be as good as Tennant.

Now, after 11 episodes, I feel he could be. It took me several weeks to get accustomed to him but once I did, I find myself laughing at his antics far more than I ever did with Tennant. I think he will be one of the more popular Doctors, right up there with Tennant and Tom Baker in years to come.

I'm glad my instincts were right and they he exceeded my expectations spectacularly. What does everyone else feel about him now compared to their thoughts before this series began?

I like him and his take on the Doctor. He will the most popular Doctor until Doc 12 arrives and so on....

Well done Matt and this is a Tennant-lover!!

I can remember that furore - I actually quit this forum over the crap that was being smeared all over the boards. Some of the rubbish being posted on here made me genuinely furious!

(Edit: I obviously rejoined some time after... )

Answering the title question:

About the same. I expected a great Doctor, and I got one.

Far, far better. I thought he'd be much too young for the part, but he's been absolutely wonderful since his first episode.

I knew from Confedentail that he was something special. While some were dismissing his youth as the Moff and BBC attempt to catch the "hollyoaks" audience, I had a feeling that this will be a great opportunity to play that young body and old soul very well...and I was right!!!! *looks smug*

I loved him every episode....he may have not knocked Ten off yet, and I think the reason he has got such a high pedistool is because he made me believe in that fact that show goes on, and when i was ready to hate him, unlike Matt....and to end up loving him was something special....but Matt isn't far behind, and he already is popular....one day people will be saying for the next guy "will he be able to fill the big bow tie of Smith?"

And that is how it should be!!!

I confess to being unsure but was willing to give him a go, not really expecting much.

But I was pleasantly surprised and have grown to love his Doctor more with each episode. Coming to the close of the series, I really think he's been fantastic and is up there at the top with my favourites.

Neither, as I didn't form an opinion.

Having never seen him as the Doctor I was unable to think anything of his portrial of the Doctor. So I had no baseline to start from.

Now I have seen him I like him a lot

I didn't like him at first but that was because he managed to annoy me with the timing he was announced. So I just thought he'd be bad based on nothing really. However I did look him up and I've been a Smith fan since about a year ago. He's better than I thought he'd be, but I had no idea as to how he would 'be' the Doctor. Anyway, yay Matt!

The same I would say, I've supported him since his announcement on Confidential unlike most of Who fandom (it was Moffat I had the problem/worry with). He was absolutely marvellous in TEH and was a real contender to be my favourite Doctor, but other than a few snippets he has totally failed to match that performance for me. I’m kind of so-so about him in that I wouldn’t mind if he regenerated in The Big Bang, nor would I mind if he stayed for another 2 Series.

Very wise thing!!!!!

I thought he looked like the Doctor the first time i saw him, and so had great hopes for him, which have been more than fulfilled. He is great.

As a DT fan, though, I never thought I would like him as much as Tennant . But I almost do.

The casting of such a young actor never worried me, I trusted Moffat had made the right choice. However, when I saw the first promo pics from The Time of Angels, I was slightly concerned that together with Amy they looked so young. But on the other hand, I loved his look as The Doctor.

Now having seen him on screen, he has completely blown me away. Perfect and Doctorly in every way. His age is irrelevant, in fact I am blind to it. He embodies an old time traveller. His movements are quirky and alien, his line delivery is snappy, fun and passionate.

Put simply, love him!

Much better than I thought.

Yeah, I'd have to say when I first saw the trailer and pictures of him for the new Doctor Who, I was like 'What have they done?' but he's alright, not great, but better than I expected.

When he got first announced, I thought he wiuld be too young, too babyfaced; but as I didn't know anything else about him, I just figured time would tell. But I actually liked him a lot already in TEH which was a great start of the series.

So, he's better than expected in that his characterisation of the Doc works despite him being pretty young.

I might aswell post the views of my friend who lives across the pond but isn't into forum madness like me....



She wasn't too keen on him....thought he looked too young, and when she watxhed the Eleventh Hour she though he was trying to be like Ten....however I told her to watch out for episode two and see if she feels different....and lo and behold, she now thinks he is fantastic!!!!

Better, I won't say much better because I thought he would be great!

I didn't have any set thoughts of how he would do as the Doctor before he started. I really loved DT and was simply hoping that Matt would do good enough for me to like him. I was very surprised at how fast I came to really like him in the role though

I was fairly optimistic, but even so, he has exceeded my expectations. I thought after 30 years it was safe to say that no one could challenge Peter D's place at the top of the pile for me, but apparently I was wrong!

It made me furious as well. I went on several forums and stuck up for him. My loose analogy was that it was like buying a pair of shoes. You normally wouldn't buy them with trying them on see to see if they fit, and make sure they are comfortable. That's how I saw Smith in the role, make sure he fits in playing The Doctor and see if I feel comfortble with him playing the role and he has. And I'm glad he has as well cos if he'd been crap, would still be washing the egg of my face now!!!!!


Crazzy, if I may steal your thunder and be Smug Twice?! ()

Aside from Matt Smith, I actually had really good vibes about Tennant when he made his debut at the end of Series 1. I had never watched him before in anything, didn't know much about him, but just from that one minute or so he made his debut, I knew he was gonna be a better,nicer, more popular Doctor than Ecclestone and he was!

As for your other point, if you leave Doctor Who with your audience wanting more, you're definitely on a winner!!!!

Oi its not ogten i get to be right!!!!


For me I didn't like Tennant because I wasn't familier with the point of the hsow and the idea of change....i came to it from series 5...for me CE was the Doctor....I didn't know anyone else who had played the role so it didn't matter...and so this smug thin looking guy starts talking about his teeth when Chris has just left the building...oh i was annoyed, come Christmas Invasion, I sat there being misarable that he wasn't the Doctor...Chris was....before I knew it, I got so caught up in the story, that when Ten came out of the Tardis and said "did you miss me?" i didn't relaise I had missed him...and from then on...I just loved him so much!!!

And maybe that played a part in me not judging Matt, although in a way i was, because I felt he was going to be great....but whatever so...my love for the Tenth Doctor is what helped me come to accept change, and it makes me feel jealous of all you old who fans whop got to live through so many regenerations...a end of one era and tha start of a new...

I love being a fan.....

I beg your pardon!!! Are you suggesting a gay agenda?

I was exactly the same. I had not seen him in anything, and I didn't know how he would be as the doctor. I was a wee bit concerned about the age until I saw him in the confidential interview (if I'm not making it up that we knew about the age before we saw the interview).

I do like him a lot!!

I wasn't before..... They would make a lovely couple!!!!