We are just a couple of short months away from the inaugural episode of Peter Capaldi’s 12th/14th Doctor and all the excitement that comes with regeneration. It has now been six months since Matt Smith gave up the Old Blue Box for good and it is time I talked about what for me are his 5 finest moments (and later 5 favourite episodes) which makes him my second favourite Doctor behind the legend that is Tom Baker.
Sadly, not all of the below scenes have social media videos. I may update in future if they make an appearance.
1. Never Tell Me the Rules!
No video of this yet but this was his penultimate speech, and the final one that 11 would deliver to his enemies at Trenazalore. After 600 years of defending the planet against Timelords trying to come through, and an alliance of his enemies who would attack the moment they came through, 11 delivers a defiant speech. First he orders them to kill him but realises they think he still has something up his sleeve. His body is exhausted… he is dying.
2. Defying a God in Rings of Akhaten
Still hurting from the departure of the Ponds but distracted by the enigma that is Clara Oswald, he finds a planet occupied by an intelligent super-being holding a whole planet to ransom. This is the moment that he vents his anger at that god, unburdening himself of his heavy heart, the things he has seen and lost. Somewhere during the speech, he begins to shed tears and this is so convincing you have to believe that Matt Smith is feeding off of personal experiences, not just the Doctor’s.
3.Goodbye to the Ponds
Though their departure was harrowing in itself, Smith shows the sheer depth of his sorrow at their being time-locked. It isn’t just the lines he delivers, but the way he delivers them that makes us all carry a heavy heart. We feel for him yet we know he is in good hands with River here even though she shows him so tough love and reminds him of what she too has lost here (her parents). This is a superb testament to Smith’s acting and is the finest single moment… away from the playfulness, the flirting and silliness of the relationship between The Doctor and River Song.
4. Fish Fingers and Custard
Doctor Who has, at its heart, often been very silly. Sadly this silliness was barely hinted at during the haunted tenures of both Ecclestone and Tennant. Smith brings it back with a vengeance and in this, his very first episode, we see just how daft the character can be. From the cheeky grin he gives young Amelia Pond, to the slightly grumpy way he demands food “you’re Scottish, fry something!” and then disgustedly tosses out the toast with a “and stay out!” to the moment he demands Fish Fingers and custard, he has already settled into the role. Later in the episode he delivers his one and only “Whoooo da man?!”
5. Jammie Dodger Super Weapon
The things I refer to as the iDaleks blasted onto our screens in an early episode. Churchill’s Ironsides soon revealed their true nature when finally they had The Doctor in their grasp and promptly they ended up on the Dalek ship where the last of the Tennant Daleks began production on a new Dalek untainted by the changes of the past. They were immediately menacing and not afraid of The Doctor. He was forced to improvise… with a biscuit.
That’s mine, what are yours?
