TARDISlore7

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

As a dedicated Whovian and general sci-fi fan, there has never been a bigger disappointment to me than when I began watching Matt Smith's first series of Doctor Who. When Smith was first announced as the new Doctor, and the first images circulated, there was much negativity, but I decided, despite first impressions, to give the new incumbent a chance, and saved my judgment. Then I started watching the series and realised what an idiot I had been. I have nothing against Matt Smith personally, but I find his performance to be a shallow reflection of previous Doctors, a politically-correct, Tennant-lite, court jester who is not funny, but simply irritating. In fact, I find it impossible to take his Doctor seriously in 'tense' moments, due to his 'comedy' nerd voice and mannerisms- more to the point, he lacks the sense of gravitas that all of the previous actors (yes, even Colin Baker) added to the role. Amy Pond is also a very irritating and unlikeable character, often promiscuous and rude (see especially her last-minute 'seduction' of the Doctor at the end of 'Flesh and Stone').However, I lay most of the blame for the gradual collapse of a once-intelligent show squarely at the current showrunner, Steven Moffat, whose reliance on repeatedly killing Rory as quick-fix drama, lazy depiction of the sonic screwdriver as an all-powerful, get-out-of-jail-free magic wand, and tedious overuse of 'sexy'/'sweetie'/'ginger' "jokes", are slowly but surely destroying a television phenomenon. Oh, and let's not forget the hideous new 'redesigns' of elements such as the daleks, the TARDIS interior and the silurians. All in all, a pretentious and hollow show disguised and fattened heavily by an increasing amount of marketing, and an equally hollow Doctor.