The obligatory 11th Doctor reaction post, in list form

[ishtar79]

1) Yep, I was disappointed they didn’t cast an actor of colour (I wasn’t particularly hopeful that it would be a woman). Plus, I was kind of looking forward to seeing fandom explode.

2) …but hey, it did anyway. Oh fandom, never change!

3) The reactions in my flist seem restrained-I wish I could say the same about assorted doctor who coms.

4) And unlike the reactions we would have gotten to a non-white doctor, people don’t feel the need to conceal their real objections behind convoluted excuses for fear of being branded racist, so a lot of comments can be summed up with “DEFORMED FOETUS”!

5) I suppose all the people calling for a more ‘mature’ and ‘classical’ doctor would be very pleased with the casting of someone who looks like…One. There’s no such thing as too Oldschool!Doctor, right?

6) And we get to the root of at least some of the outrage. Perhaps people want an *attractive* Doctor, much like Eccleston or…Tennant?

7) Because God knows, there were *no* negative comments on Tennant’s looks when he was cast. None whatsoever. No rodents were EVER invoked, and no icons of “Not the REAL Doctor” ever made. Because we fandom people are the very antithesis of fickle. Catherine Tate was welcomed without reservations…right?

8) (I still don’t find Tennant physically attractive, though I do find him hot at times and ALWAYS compelling. And Chris Eccleston, while shaggable in every way, has a nose and ears that deserve their own cast credits).

9) Look, the lack of eyebrows is slightly disconcerting to me too. But one does not need eyebrows to act, no matter what Emma Watson might believe. And hey, if I can get used to Tennant’s lack of chin, this guy will grow on me too.

10) People do remember Tennant is STILL around, right? Let’s not treat the poor guy like a sitting duck Doctor.

Bottom line? I’m waiting to see him act. And the casting in DW has yet to let me down, no matter how “WTF”-like their initial decision may seem (prior to watching the first season, I couldn’t think of Billie Pipper without the torturous “Because we WANT to!” chorus in my head. And Billie, no matter what intra and extra-textual issues I had with Rose, absolutely won me over with her performance).

So go on, you odd-looking, eyebrowless manchild. Impress me! And for God's sake, stay AWAY from the Internet.

Comments

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

Evidently Moffet was looking for someone older/more mature... and Matt Smith blew him away in the auditions (that BBC interview Smith said he tried to take some risks), so I'm ready and willing to be impressed...
Off-beat and quirky is a good thing in The Doctor (IMO)...
of course I would have adored Chiwetel Ejiofor in the role, but I haven't seen any evidence that he wanted it, in fact I'd be surprised if he did (he has quite a good career going w/out getting sucked into Doctor Who fandom weirdness). Right now he has five movies lined up to be released soon...

So does he really have no eye brows? I guess I need to watch that BBC interview again....

[kagyakusha.livejournal.com]

My mother claims to have seen him in something -- i can't recall what, but she said she liked him in it so... *cross fingers* here's hoping? I'd rather be optimistic than negative anyways. ^^;

[liluv.livejournal.com]

Well, I am happy with the choice. He looks weird, although I admittingly find him strangely attractive ("strangely" because nobody else seems to think so).

I´ve actually seen him in the Sally Lockhart(d?) mysteries and found him rather striking. I mean, I remembered the guy and that although his role was dead boring and the whole production was- well...

It´s funny how afraid the DW fandom is of teenage girls isn´t it? I am not sure there isn´t something rather misogynic about the neverending complaint about fangirls, who are accused to just want to ship (and shag) the Doctor. I guess it´s because some Who geeks love to identify with an unthreatening unattractive Doctor in his mid-sixties, who still gets the hottest babes on board.

Ah well, I loved the hoohaw and I am looking forward to him as the next Doctor. I hope he really is that good an actor, because of the big shoes thing.

As for the sitting Duck: didn´t you too get he impression that Tennant was already distancing himself from the role? I found the Christmas Special somewhat melancholic. Like the Farewell was already in motion. Dunno.

[miranda-skye.livejournal.com]

Didn't people hate David Tennant at first? I don't have any strong feelings either way but I'd rather wait until we see him in the role before making a judgement

[aegflota.livejournal.com]

*random moment of bitterness* It's not like he can be worse than David Tennant, is it?

[q-spade.livejournal.com]

No Paterson Joseph, then? I suppose those rumors were too good to be true. Can't say I've heard much wankitude about the new fella either – clearly I hang out in the wrong right places!

It's interesting that the Doctor seems to be growing old backwards, even if that wasn't what Moffat (or past writers) originally intended. I wonder if he'll work that into the larger narrative somehow. I've heard that the Doctor can't become female – the physical likeness can change, but the biological sex cannot. :(

8) (I still don’t find Tennant physically attractive, though I do find him hot at times and ALWAYS compelling. And Chris Eccleston, while shaggable in every way, has a nose and ears that deserve their own cast credits).

Hee! I do find Tennant attractive because Scottish men are my weakness, och aye, but Eccleston's Doctor was far superior. One season was nowhere near enough, Chris left it too soon.