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November 14, 2010 4:55 PM Subscribe
"On Monday morning, you can tell all your friends at school about this." Matt Smith makes a surprise appearance at the Doctor Who Proms 2010. (SLYT)
For those, like me, who have no clue what a Proms is.
posted by thylacine at 5:01 PM on November 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by thylacine at 5:01 PM on November 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
That's no prom. Based on the text of the post I had imagined an entirely awesomer event where Matt Smith showed up in character, Johnny Depp-like, at some little high school's Doctor Who-themed prom.
Why is it a "surprise" when the Doctor shows up at a big official Doctor Who event?
posted by The Tensor at 5:04 PM on November 14, 2010 [4 favorites]
Why is it a "surprise" when the Doctor shows up at a big official Doctor Who event?
posted by The Tensor at 5:04 PM on November 14, 2010 [4 favorites]
For those, like me, who have no clue what a Proms is.
I'm going with my original idea that there is a Dr. Who-themed high school dance out there somewhere.
posted by griphus at 5:05 PM on November 14, 2010 [17 favorites]
I'm going with my original idea that there is a Dr. Who-themed high school dance out there somewhere.
posted by griphus at 5:05 PM on November 14, 2010 [17 favorites]
I'm going with my original idea that there is a Dr. Who-themed high school dance out there somewhere.
I'm certain that no one in my high school who actually knew who Dr. Who was attended a prom.
posted by octothorpe at 5:13 PM on November 14, 2010 [9 favorites]
I'm certain that no one in my high school who actually knew who Dr. Who was attended a prom.
posted by octothorpe at 5:13 PM on November 14, 2010 [9 favorites]
I love Matt Smith, and part of his appeal is that he seems like he's had (at least to American ears) about sixteen Red Bull and vodkas before every appearance. He wobbles, he slurs, he's all over the place all the time and damn does he make a fantastic Doctor.
posted by WidgetAlley at 5:18 PM on November 14, 2010 [17 favorites]
posted by WidgetAlley at 5:18 PM on November 14, 2010 [17 favorites]
Matt Smith's going to be on Craig Ferguson this Tuesday (the 16th). At least, that's what Craig tweeted last week. Plus, a Dalek. This will be a supernova of nerdy awesome! I can't wait to see Matt's Secretariat dance!
posted by orrnyereg at 5:19 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 5:19 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
Oh, that was adorable.
And I grudgingly just admitted to my daughter that Matt Smith makes an acceptable Doctor.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:24 PM on November 14, 2010
And I grudgingly just admitted to my daughter that Matt Smith makes an acceptable Doctor.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:24 PM on November 14, 2010
Awesome! I just wish I could see the whole thing. How long was Karen Gillian on stage before Matt Smith showed up? Did they interact after the clip ended?
posted by sharkfu at 5:24 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by sharkfu at 5:24 PM on November 14, 2010
Oh my god, the face of that kid in the fez and the bowtie as he screams "GOODBYE DOCTOR!"
I heart Matt Smith so hard.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:25 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I heart Matt Smith so hard.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:25 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Knowing how Matt Smith dances, I wish he'd shown up at my prom. Three cheers for hipster doctor!
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:30 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:30 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'll also admit I giggled like a fool watching this.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:34 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Solon and Thanks at 5:34 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Acceptable? Merely acceptable?
I say thee FIE!
Matt Smith is a frikkin' awesome Doctor.
posted by cerulgalactus at 5:34 PM on November 14, 2010 [5 favorites]
I say thee FIE!
Matt Smith is a frikkin' awesome Doctor.
posted by cerulgalactus at 5:34 PM on November 14, 2010 [5 favorites]
I have to say, as much as I loved Eccleston and Tennant... To my great surprise!, I'm pretty sure Smith has ecliipsed them both.
Fez.
posted by flaterik at 5:48 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Fez.
posted by flaterik at 5:48 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
YES YES YES!
I wish I had something to actually contribute to the thread. Sorry, I'm too busy squeeing.
I think the Queen really should pass some law, or something, requiring Matt Smith to keep making Doctor Who episodes for, like, at least the next twenty years.
posted by meese at 5:54 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
I wish I had something to actually contribute to the thread. Sorry, I'm too busy squeeing.
I think the Queen really should pass some law, or something, requiring Matt Smith to keep making Doctor Who episodes for, like, at least the next twenty years.
posted by meese at 5:54 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
God I love how Matt Smith plays this role - it's like somebody's favorite spry, corny, grandfather constantly jumping with joy at the prospect of being in a young man's body.
posted by Navelgazer at 5:59 PM on November 14, 2010 [9 favorites]
posted by Navelgazer at 5:59 PM on November 14, 2010 [9 favorites]
The complete show is available on certain shady sites.
posted by Duke999R at 6:03 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by Duke999R at 6:03 PM on November 14, 2010
Navelgazer hit the nail on the head. This is a very old man living in a young man's body. Like a lot of fans, I think I was skeptical at the start, but I was won over by both Matt's enthusiasm and the moments of gravitas he has brought to the role.
Watch the next 2-3 minutes from this clip from his appearance in the Sarah Jane Adventures. There are two moments that struck me in particular:
1. As they are repairing the transport device, Sarah Jane asks the Doctor about his last regeneration. The Doctor's reply is quiet and mournful: "It always hurts."
2. Later, the Doctor goes over to comfort Jo and re-assure her that even though he had never contacted her again, he still watched over her. In this young goofball, all of a sudden, the very old and powerful Time Lord suddenly emerges. "Doctor, it's really you!" "Hello."
I watched this a few days ago while on a plane home from vacation on an iPod, and I couldn't help but cry a little. I'm an old fan who started watching back in the 80's, so I know I'm not the primary demographic. But I felt just like Jo at that moment: "Doctor, it's really you." This is the Time Lord I grew up with.
posted by zooropa at 6:17 PM on November 14, 2010 [6 favorites]
Watch the next 2-3 minutes from this clip from his appearance in the Sarah Jane Adventures. There are two moments that struck me in particular:
1. As they are repairing the transport device, Sarah Jane asks the Doctor about his last regeneration. The Doctor's reply is quiet and mournful: "It always hurts."
2. Later, the Doctor goes over to comfort Jo and re-assure her that even though he had never contacted her again, he still watched over her. In this young goofball, all of a sudden, the very old and powerful Time Lord suddenly emerges. "Doctor, it's really you!" "Hello."
I watched this a few days ago while on a plane home from vacation on an iPod, and I couldn't help but cry a little. I'm an old fan who started watching back in the 80's, so I know I'm not the primary demographic. But I felt just like Jo at that moment: "Doctor, it's really you." This is the Time Lord I grew up with.
posted by zooropa at 6:17 PM on November 14, 2010 [6 favorites]
Random kid in a fez FTW!
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:27 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:27 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think the Queen really should pass some law, or something, requiring Matt Smith to keep making Doctor Who episodes for, like, at least the next twenty years.
The greatest thing about his being my age is that it means he can keep playing the Doctor until we both die.
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:51 PM on November 14, 2010 [7 favorites]
The greatest thing about his being my age is that it means he can keep playing the Doctor until we both die.
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:51 PM on November 14, 2010 [7 favorites]
It's alright, but it's not going on stage with Orbital at Glastonbury.
You know one thing I like about him? He seems like he genuinely wants to be in the role, and that hopefully that means he'll be hanging around for a while and not buggering off to do shakespear or getting chubby and growing a beard to be in a declining US TV show or anything.
posted by Artw at 7:13 PM on November 14, 2010
You know one thing I like about him? He seems like he genuinely wants to be in the role, and that hopefully that means he'll be hanging around for a while and not buggering off to do shakespear or getting chubby and growing a beard to be in a declining US TV show or anything.
posted by Artw at 7:13 PM on November 14, 2010
The first few seconds of the Orbital thing made me CRACK. UP.
Because he's wearing a coat that looks like what Captain Jack wears, and he has this swagger and silly "What up, baby!" line. It's as if the Doctor decided he was going to be Captain Jack for Halloween.
Yeah, I know, it's Matt Smith, not the Doctor. But it was funny... in my mind.
posted by meese at 7:21 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
Because he's wearing a coat that looks like what Captain Jack wears, and he has this swagger and silly "What up, baby!" line. It's as if the Doctor decided he was going to be Captain Jack for Halloween.
Yeah, I know, it's Matt Smith, not the Doctor. But it was funny... in my mind.
posted by meese at 7:21 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
And I grudgingly just admitted to my daughter that Matt Smith makes an acceptable Doctor.
He's far from my first Doctor, but dang, he definitely owns the role.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:00 PM on November 14, 2010
He's far from my first Doctor, but dang, he definitely owns the role.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:00 PM on November 14, 2010
And MS might just be the hippest actor yet to play the Doctor.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:01 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:01 PM on November 14, 2010
Oh, I just love him. :)
posted by katillathehun at 8:22 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by katillathehun at 8:22 PM on November 14, 2010
He seems like he genuinely wants to be in the role, and that hopefully that means he'll be hanging around for a while and not buggering off to do shakespeare.
Let us be fair: no one in the history of the world was more excited about being the Doctor than Tennant. I have no idea why he left (and I'm only conflicted about saying I wish he hadn't because Matt Smith is awesome), but it sure wasn't out of a lack of love for Doctor Who.
posted by you're a kitty! at 8:30 PM on November 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
Let us be fair: no one in the history of the world was more excited about being the Doctor than Tennant. I have no idea why he left (and I'm only conflicted about saying I wish he hadn't because Matt Smith is awesome), but it sure wasn't out of a lack of love for Doctor Who.
posted by you're a kitty! at 8:30 PM on November 14, 2010 [3 favorites]
I think Tennant was part of a package deal with RTD, so to speak. Moffatt was starting completely fresh, and that required a new Doctor.
In truth, if I'm ranking the new Doctors, I'd place Smith first, Eccleston a distinguished second, and Tennant a respectable but distant third. That's a little unfair to Tennant - the writing in his seasons was by far the worst of the new seasons. But what really frustrated me was the "Human Nature"/"Family of Blood" two-parter, because Tennant showed off all of his considerable talents there, playing a version of the Doctor who could display sixteen different thoughts and emotions and vulnerabilities with a single look, and then we went back to what was obviously him kind of phoning it in the rest of the time. It's not that he was ever bad, just that he failed to make the character as interesting as it deserves to be, in my opinion.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:41 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
In truth, if I'm ranking the new Doctors, I'd place Smith first, Eccleston a distinguished second, and Tennant a respectable but distant third. That's a little unfair to Tennant - the writing in his seasons was by far the worst of the new seasons. But what really frustrated me was the "Human Nature"/"Family of Blood" two-parter, because Tennant showed off all of his considerable talents there, playing a version of the Doctor who could display sixteen different thoughts and emotions and vulnerabilities with a single look, and then we went back to what was obviously him kind of phoning it in the rest of the time. It's not that he was ever bad, just that he failed to make the character as interesting as it deserves to be, in my opinion.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:41 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
The "package deal" with RTD was indeed part of the reason why he left -- he's also said that he wanted to go out at a point when he still loved doing it. He didn't ever want to get to a point where he was dragging himself to work and sighing, "oh, God, the Daleks again?"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:00 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:00 PM on November 14, 2010
Oh my god, the sight of the Doctor putting that little boy in his chair and ruffling his hair brought tears to my eyes because I wanted to be that little boy.
posted by Ian A.T. at 9:01 PM on November 14, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by Ian A.T. at 9:01 PM on November 14, 2010 [5 favorites]
That was so painfully, painfully charming. I want Matt Smith to be my husband boyfriend lover doctor.
I will also fight to the death anyone who dares claim that Tennant is better-looking than Smith.
posted by Phire at 9:14 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I will also fight to the death anyone who dares claim that Tennant is better-looking than Smith.
posted by Phire at 9:14 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh, this is so great. This is so great!
posted by mewithoutyou at 9:22 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mewithoutyou at 9:22 PM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Zooropa - I may have teared up quite a bit there too.
posted by cerulgalactus at 9:42 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by cerulgalactus at 9:42 PM on November 14, 2010
Here's the line that totally sold me on Smith. Mad man with a box, indeed. Underlying all his manic activity and joie de vivre in this incarnation is the rather terrifying idea that he may not be all right in the head anymore, and that is what makes him so powerful and dangerous and awesome. It's only his self-awareness of his condition (and the presence of the companions) that keeps him from being a force for pure evil, like say, The Master.
posted by KingEdRa at 11:00 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by KingEdRa at 11:00 PM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
I was at Glastonbury completely throwing the only chance I'll ever have to see Stevie Wonder so I could see Orbital for about the fiftieth time in my life. My Dr Who obsessed companions, annoyed with me for "making them" miss Stevie Wonder, nearly died on the spot. Like they weren't going to do the Dr Who theme at Glasto...
posted by vbfg at 2:27 AM on November 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by vbfg at 2:27 AM on November 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
He went to school with my ex. Which means a) the Doctor is younger than me b) my ex may have seen his little Dalek during PE.
(Another ex was on the same degree course as Benedict Cumberbatch. That would make one bitter.)
posted by mippy at 4:36 AM on November 15, 2010
(Another ex was on the same degree course as Benedict Cumberbatch. That would make one bitter.)
posted by mippy at 4:36 AM on November 15, 2010
It helps to think of whatever actor playing the Doctor as being the British equivalent of the Pope. (Especially after Russel Davies constantly wrote the character as a messiah for the last few years.)
posted by Catblack at 8:00 AM on November 15, 2010
posted by Catblack at 8:00 AM on November 15, 2010
Awesome! I just wish I could see the whole thing. How long was Karen Gillian on stage before Matt Smith showed up? Did they interact after the clip ended?
From what I remember, she was the MC for the entire show but they had very little interaction at any time. If Amy & the Doctor is what you want, have you seen these mini-episodes?
posted by scalefree at 9:03 AM on November 15, 2010
From what I remember, she was the MC for the entire show but they had very little interaction at any time. If Amy & the Doctor is what you want, have you seen these mini-episodes?
posted by scalefree at 9:03 AM on November 15, 2010
scalefree: "From what I remember, she was the MC for the entire show but they had very little interaction at any time. If Amy & the Doctor is what you want, have you seen these mini-episodes"
Great! Thanks for the links.
posted by sharkfu at 10:29 AM on November 15, 2010
Great! Thanks for the links.
posted by sharkfu at 10:29 AM on November 15, 2010
Craig Ferguson introduces the Dalek to the American public
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:24 AM on November 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:24 AM on November 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I will also fight to the death anyone who dares claim that Tennant is better-looking than Smith.
(tosses glove) Pistols at noon. In the Welsh Cave they used to stand in for Gallifrey. Be there.
(Matt's great as the doctor, but David Tennant's just too much my flavor of eye candy. ...I can concentrate on the episodes better now with Matt there, though.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:25 AM on November 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
(tosses glove) Pistols at noon. In the Welsh Cave they used to stand in for Gallifrey. Be there.
(Matt's great as the doctor, but David Tennant's just too much my flavor of eye candy. ...I can concentrate on the episodes better now with Matt there, though.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:25 AM on November 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
Yeah, Matt Smith is cute enough (love his slouchy boots), and extremely talented. But David Tennant is uberhot of the sort that probably makes puberty occur in teenage girls. I was once watching Hamlet with some friends and found myself monologuing about how attractive he is when he cries.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:42 AM on November 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:42 AM on November 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Can we talk about how BBCAmerica is going to air the Christmas Special on Christmas freaking Day? I would be so thrilled if they continued to air episodes the same day as the BBC does.
posted by Ruki at 5:59 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Ruki at 5:59 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Craig Ferguson interviews Matt Smith
The cold open was supposed to have a dance number over the Doctor Who theme (Orbital mix?) with puppets, costumes, and Matt Smith. It didn't happen due to clearance issues.
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:18 AM on November 18, 2010
The cold open was supposed to have a dance number over the Doctor Who theme (Orbital mix?) with puppets, costumes, and Matt Smith. It didn't happen due to clearance issues.
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:18 AM on November 18, 2010
Matt Smith also showed up on The Nerdist podcast this week.
posted by Tenuki at 11:57 AM on November 23, 2010
posted by Tenuki at 11:57 AM on November 23, 2010
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