The Eleventh Doctor Comes

It’s nearly time for the 11th doctor, Matt Smith, to appear in his first full episode – we had a taster in January after David Tennant’s doctor "didn’t want to go".

As I posted back in Jan 2009, Matt Smith will have to put in a long stint if he is to regenerate older than the other doctors even at their youngest – even if he plays the part for as long as Tom Baker, he’ll still retire as one of the youngest doctors.

The new series starts at Easter – so, what do I want in our new time lord?

1. I really don’t want him to be shouting ‘geronimo’ all the time.
2. I would like him to appear young, but be old. I don’t think I’m getting that judging from the trailers.
3. I’d like more involved storylines, without the deux ex-machine endings. I might get that with Stephen Moffat as show-runner. My favourite episode of the Tennant era being ‘Blink’ (the one with Sally Sparrow)
4. I could quite happily do without the “will they/won’t they” love-in between doctor and assistant. The answer is: No, no they won’t. He’s an alien.
5. Can we get Sally Sparrow back?
6. Did I mention the ‘geronimo’ thing?
7. I’d really like a story arc – more than a narrative laid impossibly on top of the villain of the week. I know there is no way we’ll see an extended storyline as in the past – but something lasting three weeks would be nice
8. Please, please: don’t tie the series to modern day earth. You’ve got all of time and space, use it!
9. Mostly, I would things to be not immediately obvious – but work-outable, and with less use of the sonic screwdriver as a magic wand.

I wonder if we’ll get any of that? I wonder too what others are hoping for (or fearing) in the new doctor?