I think that the problem with a new Doctor is that it challenges what we’ve grown comfortable with. I mean, who would have thought that anyone except William Shatner could play Kirk? Thing is, unlike ‘Star Trek’, Who challenges you with change every few years (or a couple if you’re unlucky, Colin). So, we, as fans, have to deal with meeting and greeting someone new, like turning away from old friends and meeting a whole bunch of new ones. Yes, you might recognise some of the old surroundings or the odd associate from the past, but otherwise you’re faced with the unknown.
Luckily, Matt Smith doesn’t stray too far from the grinning lanky Tenth Doctor we grew to love. Indeed, Matt’s character combines the odd element from more than one past incarnation. For all we know, there may be method in the madness and this could in fact tie into the plotline for the whole season; but, I could be getting ahead of myself here.
‘The Eleventh Hour’ introduced the new Doctor, a new outfit, a new TARDIS, a new companion, a new showrunner… All new, super newness. Yes, we have known Moffat of old, as a writer of considerable talent; but, running the show represents a whole new kettle of fish, I’m sure. Getting a whole series to point in a specific direction requires a certain skill, a certain mindset.
I enjoyed the first episode and willingly ignored the holes in the plot. Indeed, I filled them in. When I get an injection, no matter how small, my brain normally puts in a lot of effort to imagine extra discomfort. Well, here that same brain sought to do the opposite, cushioning a bumpy ride with a few leaps of faith. Why would Prisoner Zero hang out in a hidden room in Amy’s house for 12 years? The answer: because it was hurt. Escaping from prison through a rift in reality requires more than a little effort, and Prisoner Zero suffered for it’s freedom. Simples.
Amy has strength and balls as a companion, though I hope she’ll be more than fire, legs and a Scottish accent. The new TARDIS shows a complete change of style, but most importantly opens the potential for more internal exploration with those ever so tempting stairwells leading further into the heart of the mathematical construct. And the crack in reality – the Pandorium waiting to be opened… it sounds good to me. Not sure how a prisoner can know more about it than The Doctor… but, then again, having now seen three episodes in total I get the feeling that whatever’s afoot means there may be a lot The Doctor doesn’t know about.
