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Sci-Fi Television United Kingdom

Matt Smith Leaves "Doctor Who" 375

First time accepted submitter Dave Knott writes "The BBC has announced that Matt Smith will be leaving 'Doctor Who', after spending the last four seasons in the titular role of The Doctor. Smith will remain for the upcoming 50th anniversary special, where he will star alongside a majority of the other actors who have taken on the character, and will exit following the yearly Christmas episode. No actor has yet been cast as the twelfth incarnation of The Doctor, although there was a teaser involving John Hurt at the end of the most recent season of the show."
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Matt Smith Leaves "Doctor Who"

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  • First... (Score:5, Funny)

    by webmistressrachel ( 903577 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @04:33AM (#43887701) Journal

    I got first because I went back in my TARDIS... ;)

  • by Anonymous Coward

    William Hartnell was the first Doctor, at about 55 years old.

    Matt Smith was 28.

    Obviously the Doctor is getting younger and younger. I predict that the next one will be around 18. Perhaps Tom Holland?

    • by GNious ( 953874 )

      They just introduced a 73-year old Doctor - theory broken.

    • by Nyder ( 754090 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @05:05AM (#43887775) Journal

      William Hartnell was the first Doctor, at about 55 years old.

      Matt Smith was 28.

      Obviously the Doctor is getting younger and younger. I predict that the next one will be around 18. Perhaps Tom Holland?

      Probably give him a 6 pack abs also, running around shirtless.

    • by JustOK ( 667959 )

      I heard it's going to be Wil Wheaton

  • by auric_dude ( 610172 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @04:45AM (#43887735)
    An Alternative History of 11 American Female Doctors http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2013/05/doctor_who_american_female.php [houstonpress.com] & The Other 11 Doctors http://www.scifind.com/features/the-other-11-doctors/ [scifind.com]
  • No Shit (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Nyder ( 754090 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @04:46AM (#43887737) Journal

    Considering the last episode credits had: Introducing John Hurts as the Doctor, it was a pretty damn big clue that Matt was leaving the show.

    http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9985/doctorwho20057x13thenamz.jpg [imageshack.us]

    • No way (Score:2, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward

      John Hurt is an old man, and they wouldn't take the risk for a long running show. (Sorry John). More likely he's in for a subplot lasting a few episodes.

      The 'doctor name' plot is wrapping up (that episode was way too complex/messy, Moffat needs to reign it in a bit), the next big over arching plot is due, there'll be a bridge to that.

      So we had River Song, Cracks in Time, Silents/3d Printed People, and Doctor's Name plot threads, I'm assuming Hurt will do an bit of intro to that thread.

      • by Nyder ( 754090 )

        John Hurt is an old man, and they wouldn't take the risk for a long running show. (Sorry John). More likely he's in for a subplot lasting a few episodes.

        The 'doctor name' plot is wrapping up (that episode was way too complex/messy, Moffat needs to reign it in a bit), the next big over arching plot is due, there'll be a bridge to that.

        So we had River Song, Cracks in Time, Silents/3d Printed People, and Doctor's Name plot threads, I'm assuming Hurt will do an bit of intro to that thread.

        Well, Matt Smith is the 11th Doctor. We know the 13th doctor is evil (from past episodes) and we know (unless they changed it since he's the last timelord), timelords only get 12 regens (making 13 total lives). So it would be logical (Star Trek reference, couldn't resist) that John Hurt is the next doctor.

        And what's old got to do with it? You telling me older actors can't act? Or we should be worried because he might fall over and die any day? Seriously? John Hurt looks like a doctor. I know

        • by teslar ( 706653 )

          we know (unless they changed it since he's the last timelord), timelords only get 12 regens (making 13 total lives)

          Not anymore, the Doctor has had infinitely many regenerations for a while now [guardian.co.uk].

          • by Nyder ( 754090 )

            we know (unless they changed it since he's the last timelord), timelords only get 12 regens (making 13 total lives)

            Not anymore, the Doctor has had infinitely many regenerations for a while now [guardian.co.uk].

            Ya, i figured they might of done that with him being the last timelord. I just can't remember if that was in an episode or not. Cool, just read the article you linked and apparently it's in the Sarah Jane Adventures, which I have, just haven't watched the last 2 seasons. Guess I better get watching.

        • I am certain The Doctor can regenerate more that 12 times. It was stated when he used part of his life energy to heal a companion that it might limit his regenerations later and that he would need several. Also the generations numbers we use for the doctor are only counting those we have seen and should not be considered absolute numbers. It is very likely the 13th has already happened.

          John Hurts character was specifically mentioned by The Doctor to be who he was before he became The Doctor. He apparently s

        • There have been lots of suggestions for retconning the 12 regens rule to allow for more regens. The one I find most credible is that the 12 regen rule was enforced by the time lords themselves, and now that The Doctor is the only one left it's pretty much up to him. Chances are they won't bother retconning it, just ignore it and let the fans do their own retconning.
          • It's been established in previous episodes that regenerations are transferable. The Doctor's also been a bit profligate with his regenerations lately (blowing one to heal River's small cut) - he may be aware that he's transcended that limit for whatever reason.

          • Some times explanations are a detriment. Like midichlorians.

          • Re:No way (Score:4, Funny)

            by bruce_the_loon ( 856617 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @12:25PM (#43889869) Homepage

            I'd love the 13th Doctor to be desperately trying to avoid dying because he knows he's the last generation, then regenerating instead and saying something like "What? Nobody ever did 14? How did I do 14? And why am I still not ginger?"

        • And what's old got to do with it? You telling me older actors can't act? Or we should be worried because he might fall over and die any day? Seriously? John Hurt looks like a doctor. I know the BBC thinks it needs young actors for the doctor, but lets be real, the best doctors (IMO) were the older dudes.

          Nice (old) strawman. Old actors can indeed act. Usually better than younger ones. But acting ability is not the primary focus for casting a role. I preferred Tom Baker when I was a (much) younger fan, not because he was a better actor than Hartnell, Troughton or Pertwee, but because he was the first doctor I could relate to age-wise. With that said, eye candy seems to be *way* more important now to content producers and sponsors.than acting ability or credibility in a role. Look what happened when Pie

        • Re:No way (Score:5, Funny)

          by bill_mcgonigle ( 4333 ) * on Sunday June 02, 2013 @12:49PM (#43890001) Homepage Journal

          timelords only get 12 regens

          What is the Timelords' preferred numerical base?

    • It was a 'clue' for the 50th anniversary special [wikipedia.org].
    • Remember that John Hurt did not fare too well when he last encountered an alien https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film) [wikipedia.org] but Sigourney Weaver did, it only goes to show that the best man for the job is often a woman.
  • by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @05:05AM (#43887779)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • by Chuck Chunder ( 21021 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @05:36AM (#43887863) Journal
    Less SHOUTING. Too often they seem to try and create a sense of excitement through the sole mechanism of having the Doctor get excited and shouty. I don't think it Matt Smith's fault, he does do some of the darker, more ponderous moments very well. I think the situation should be exciting in itself and the Doctor then rising above it.
    • by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 02, 2013 @06:34AM (#43888031)

      More importantly: Less STUPID!

      The show got dumber and dumber every year. They are at 2.4 JJs* now! They just stopped caring if it makes any sense at all. (And yes, I did check for Dunning-Kruger effects. I can always show you the exact show-stopping non-sequiturs and inner contradictions of the stories.**)

      (* Named after JJ Abrams' "knack" for always "resolving" things with plain drooling retardedness and then calling it a day.)

      (** E.g. for Star Trek, I know it's not me being stupid, when the main one was Spock crashing a ship that has a ball of red matter the size of Chuck Norris' balls [~1m] on board, of which a *single* drop annihilates an entire damn planet, *into a fuckin' space-time rift! And the crew of the Enterprise just hovering there like drooling retards, instead of instantly going into full "This could end the fuckin' UNIVERSE" panic mode! ... Of course you can say that the moment they dropped Kirk on a deadly planet with not even a jacket nor compass and the nearest building miles away through extreme snow storms, excusing it with "Oh, he will find it!"... that that was the moment where the whole thing died and imploded in a vortex of FAIL. ... Followed by the whole Old Spock think and Scotty inventing teleportation just casually along the way, to add insult and piss in the face to injury.)

      • Nimoy leaking scientific equations to Pegg's Scotty was a homage to Doohan's Scotty in an earlier time travelling movie (ST IV) - i.e. Transparent Aluminum.

    • by Omestes ( 471991 )

      Step one, get rid of Amy Pond. Step two, get rid of Matt Smith. Step three, get rid of Moffat?

      I might actually start watching again, if that comes true. The last two seasons were crap, but no one has gotten around to telling Moffat that he really can't write, and that, no, he isn't Neil Gaiman so stop trying.

      Though if, and they won't, they get someone like John Hurt to be The Doctor, I'd still put up with Moffat's fountain of crap.

  • by Sam Andreas ( 894779 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @05:43AM (#43887875)

    "after spending the last four seasons in the titular role of The Doctor" - no, it was only three. The British do TV different than the Americans but there were only three "seasons" (including the current one) with Smith.

    "where he will star alongside a majority of the other actors who have taken on the character" - That was the fan theory ages ago, but the casting has long since been confirmed by the BBC [bbc.co.uk] and David Tennant is the only other former doctor to appear in the special.

    Regardless, Smith had a great run. I was skeptical at first at the "youngest ever doctor" but I was thrilled with the result.

  • Was never a fan of Matt Smith. Though not completely his fault. He hasn't had the best of scripts. I also haven't liked how they portrayed this version of the Doctor. I found him to be too willing to kill off an adversary. Previous Doctors would only do that as a last resort. I know that the Doctor was supposed to be going through his darkest period but even so I think that one of his core morals should have been kept.

  • For some reasons Dr. Who gets younger and younger, culminating in the 30 year old boy-ish Matt Smith.
    I was already thinking the next Dr. Who will be a 26 year old [wikipedia.org] in love with some 20 years old [wikipedia.org] girl. Personally I liked the previous Who character much better for the simple fact that Matt Smith looks like a boy.

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by archshade ( 1276436 )

      I agree with this - I don't really like Matt Smith (he is OK but the worst of the modern Whos). I don't think it's just the age thing either, the Dr. has always been eccentric but Matt Smith comes off more as "quirky". He comes off as someone trying to eccentric for the sake of the image and not because that is how his mind works.

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        What's with you people? This doctor is the most fun of any since Tom Baker, and maybe even moreso.

        I also like the general attitude (both his character and the show) that the Doctors is someone all the foes have learned to fear since he always beats their ass.

        It has, logically, indeed come down to this:

        Come onnnnnnnnn, then! [youtube.com]

        I'm fine with that -- playful. I had never taken to a doctor that quickly before.

  • Who's next? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by CanadianMacFan ( 1900244 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @05:55AM (#43887913)

    So ideally who would like to see as the next Doctor?

    For me it would be Stephen Fry.

  • by muphin ( 842524 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @06:56AM (#43888093) Homepage
    for all you reading too much into how many lives the doctor has....
    remember this.
    "The Doctor Lies" - River Song
  • by houbou ( 1097327 ) on Sunday June 02, 2013 @07:39AM (#43888215) Journal
    They are setting themselves for a final on Doctor Who maybe in 2 or 3 yrs from now and then will be rebooting the entire franchise from scratch. If only because there is way too much weirdly entangled history on that show. Hurt isn't going to be the last Doctor, this much I'm sure. I wonder how Tennant's Doctor will be made available.. Will it the "human" Doctor who is trapped with Rose, or is this going to be one of those convergences of Doctors as they meet across time and space.
  • Thanks for the spoiler, slashdot.

  • Time for a female Doctor.

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