This was a good read (for me, anyway). I agree with nearly everything the author brought to the table.

The Captain Kirk Problem: How Doctor Who Betrayed Matt Smith

And I disagree completely.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. If we all liked the same things the world would get boring. I, for one, am just beyond ready to see someone show Moffat the door.

I agree that Moffat is worthless for the most part and that given a better show runner, Smith's run would have been much better.

I was never in love with Matt Smith as the Doctor but he grew more likable. But as he did the show got worse and worse through no fault of his own. The fun he brought to the series was stifled by Moffat's generally chaotic storytelling. I would completely agree it's time for him to go. But likewise I thought it was well past time for Matt to go too.

Absolutely fantastic article, took the words from right out of my mouth beat for beat.

I agree with the majority of points made in the article, but I don't think "swaggering bully" is particularly the term I'd use to describe Smith's Doctor. Nor is "also withholds vital information from the people about whom he supposedly cares the most" something that is exclusive to Smith's Doctor or Moffat's writing.

His "withholding vital information" is small fry to the stuff the seventh Doctor was pulling.

I often wonder how much of Doctor Who's problems are Moffat and how much is "executive meddling". Case in point: The decision to shoe-horn a man who is known to work best across an hour, or in multi-part stories, into 25 minute one shots. Tbh, most writers know their strengths and weaknesses. As much as I'm not defending him here, I can't bring myself to blame it all on him.

This is of course blatently ignoring the sexism and complete lack of understanding of the building blocks of story-telling that pervades everything he does now days...

I agree whole-heartedly that Matt Smith alone carried the last few series.

But it's strange... I was so ready for RTD to leave (absolutely sick of the melodrama and over- reliance and abundance of explosions and john barrowman/catherine tate and, well, so on). I welcomed Moffat with open arms. I thought, hey, here's a guy who's not too bad given his writing credits so far.

Well as it turns out, Moff has better less vapid ideas with below subpar execution (my favourite RTD era episodes are penned by him. He just works better when pulled back by a co-writer of some kind) and RTD has subpar ideas with a near consistant track record of enjoyment (which Moff is really, really lacking in).

Don't get me wrong I've enjoyed it all since 2005, but I can't bring myself to get off the fence on either of the reboots showrunners. I guess I love and hate both of them equally -shrug. Then again no one is totally perfect, and frankly I love Who to bits. So I'm not complaining ;)

So, the last days (years) of the Eleventh Doctor. It started off on a high point, got incredibly low (Clara and her family, along with a naked Matt Smith (?)), and then built up from there. Regeneration energy used a weapon: I can live with that, especially as it's a new regeneration cycle; Tasha Lem was obviously meant to be River Song (apart from her fate), but I can get over her because of Handles, who is, for some reason, a more like by me than Clara, who, again, does nothing apart from talk. And 12 (I know he's 14, but 12 feels like a better fit in my mind. Don't question it.) I put down his forgetting how to fly the TARDIS to Post-Regenarative trauma, but I hope it doesn't stick.

And now to wait until Autumn for a new series. Hooray.

Season 8 filming has started, with official shots of Capaldi in costume expected to be released sometime this week.

Exciting! :D

EDIT: Vastra and Strax confirmed to return!
https://twitter.com/Who_News/status/420523802649317376

And some more info and first on-set Capaldi pic (in Smith's outfit)
http://blogtorwho.blogspot.co.uk/201...-series-8.html

Yay! It's always exciting to see what the new Doctor will be wearing. Personally, I'm hoping for something less formal than Tennant and Smith's suits, more like what Eccleston wore.

A number of pics out in the wild of the Paternoster Gang on set. Rumor is the villains of the episode are the Clockwork Droids from The Girl in the Fireplace.

*Eyebrow Raise* The Clockwork Droids . I presume they won't be the same as last time, although I guess they could have been fixed or something. And the Daleks. And I'm not even sure why I'm spoilering that.

Moffat on Capaldi: "fiercer, madder, less reliable Doctor"

Also:

It's going to be one hell of a wait isn't it? :(

Sounds exciting! I hope we get a Doctor that talks a bit slower as well, after the manic Smith. Even Tennant often started babbling at high speeds. Not that I mind either, just nice to see something different.

EDIT:
Well, this is similar:
https://31.media.tumblr.com/bbcf134a...mJu1sosdmb.jpg
Source: http://meatisdelicious.tumblr.com/post/72550758407

Also season 9 has been confirmed, though I don't think that comes as a surprise to anyone.

Favourite TARDIS crew right there.

I'm wondering if Jenna Coleman will play off Capaldi better than Smith. She has a lot of potential in this practically clean slate.

I'm liking what I'm hearing.

This sounds like exactly what I was hoping for!

Sounds fantastic!

Just, finally, watched the Time of the Doctor. And it was excellent the whole way through. The Papal Mainframe, the Daleks, A Town called Christmas. ... And I held it together. Right up until Amy returned and said "Raggidy Man.. Goodbye" ... Blubbered like a newborn -_-

Maaan, I need someone to leak the new costume.

Heck, a description or teasing hint would do.

I'll settle for anything more than Capaldi in 11s clobber and the vagueness of "combines new and old".

It is really frustrating having the new Doctor so closely guarded. We'd had a whole episode with Tennant by this point before. I just hope that building this kind of hype doesn't work to Moffat's detriment as he leaves is in a place where we can only go down.

"Elements of the past and the future, combining to make something not quite as good as either..."

Knowing Moffat it won't be nearly as great as the hype. Just another fast talking (if slightly older) doctor... yes, thats despite what he's said about 12 being more like 4 in that regard.

Just do what I do. No hopes what so ever. No predictions, or spoilers. Just watch it when it airs and enjoy it for what it is. :-D

That sounds like a plan.

It should be my motto.

I loved the few seconds we have of 12, and I'm definitely fond of Capaldi as an actor and a fan of the show himself.

Seems great so far, but I'm not going to start reading too far into what he said. That ruins Dr Who for some people. They read into the littlest things (the ginger reference) and get upset when a prediction based on a one off joke doesn't pan out. Pretty silly imo.

The thing is for me, is Moffat's Who has been so bad, I'm now just clutching at straws that it wont always be shit.

Capaldi was excellent on Torchwood and if you haven't seen In The Thick of It he's an absolute bastard :lol But he's a fun bastard to watch.

I REALLY hope that ginger joke has gone away to die.

It never stuck in-show though, that's the thing. You can blame it's longevity on a certain breed of fan.

I'm probably alone in this, but, to a certain extent, I've never needed a show to be totally word-for-word perfect the way I want it to be to enjoy it. I like a hell of a lot of stuff a hell of a lot of people generally dislike. Perhaps that makes me weird... It does. I know that already. haha

Let's be honest, don't we like PR despite its track record on finding bad actors?

Doctor Who is brilliant when it's brilliant and fun when its mediocre. There are plenty of episodes which break that rule for me, but the good stuff far out weighs the bad. It's been around for so long that there's plenty of material to love even if you don't like what's happening now. eg, I can't watch "The Twin Dilemma". Tried multiple times. I just ... can't. but that doesn't spoil much for me. I just ignore it ;-)

They did enjoy running it into the ground. That's why I loved "New Kidneys.. I don't like the color!" "Of your Kidneys?!" so much. And I really hope that Capaldi does end up being more a Tom Baker Doctor and less of a quirky young man thing. I want my madman in a box to be an actual madman in a box.

Did you read the link I posted a few posts down? ;)

Some news I found over on a toy forum elsewhere:

Fingers crossed its 5", they should give us at least that :(

On an unrelated note, with the show off-air I've taken to listening to more Big Finish stuff (admittedly mostly Dalek stories so far). Here's what I've listened to so far.

Renaissance of the Daleks - 5th Doctor. Bit of a weird one, playing around the with idea of Dalek toys coming to life. Struck a bit close to home really :lol

Enemy of the Daleks - 7th Doctor. Superb action-based story, which can be pretty hard to nail with audio only. No grand scheme, just the Daleks invading and blasting their way through anything that gets in their way.

Doctor Who Unbound: Masters of War - Incredible. AU story with David Warner playing an alternate 3rd Doctor with the Brig as a companion. Amazing twist on the Dalek origin incorporating dropped plot points from the original Dalek story. I HIGHLY recommend this if you ever get the chance to check it out.

Yes I did, my hopes are high >_<

http://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite....ection-wave-2/

Kinda disappointed that they released 10 and 11's again, but Eight's more than makes up for it.

11s isn't even worth buying. Its a dumbed down version that doesn't open up.

I've already got two versions of Eleven's, so I'm not even sure why they're releas...

Capaldi's getting a new one, isn't he?

I don't, so I'm kinda annoyed this is a dumbed down version :lol I've only got into the Screwdrivers since getting Pertwee's as a present, and McGann's is a must-have so I figure I might as well get them all.

And I don't doubt for a second Capaldi will get a new one since its an instant merch seller. I mean, John Hurt got one and that had about 2 minutes of screen time.

If he gets a new one I hope it's more toy-friendly than the Eleventh's. That was quite hard to replicate as a toy, and it didn't work that well. Plus, no high-end product could replicate it.

I got his original one back in 2010 as a present and the Create Your Own Sonic set that came with another one. I also have the original sonic screwdriver and the laser screwdriver (which is the awesomest one I have). I used to have the sonic lipstick but my little sister boke it. That would have been so much better to release than 10's again.