Eleventh Doctor

Lore & Background

Within the narrative, this incarnation is characterized as an 'old man trapped in a young man's body,' often described by showrunner Steven Moffat. Smith portrayed him as someone with 'a lot of blood on his hands' who copes through constant traveling and thrill-seeking, adopting the nickname 'Mad Man with a Box.' His journey began when he first regenerated in the 2010 special 'The End of Time,' initially mistaking himself for a girl due to his long hair and exclaiming, 'Hair... I'm a girl!' Before his casting at age 26—making him the youngest actor to play the role—he had never seen Doctor Who but prepared by writing his own stories inspired by Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor. His arc frequently involved time travel paradoxes, such as being erased from history after closing the cracks in 'The Big Bang,' only to be remembered back into existence by Amy Pond.

In Their Own Story

His adventures were anchored by main companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), her husband Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill), and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman). He frequently traveled with River Song, sharing a romantic storyline, and notably appeared in two episodes of 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' alongside Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith before the actress's death. Key moments include meeting Amy as a child in 'The Eleventh Hour,' where she nicknamed him the 'Raggedy Doctor' due to his tattered clothes. In 'Victory of the Daleks,' he was tricked into spawning new Daleks, and in 'The Angels Take Manhattan,' Rory died protecting him before being erased from history. He also encountered the Silence, a hypnotic alien race, and witnessed his own future murder in 'The Impossible Astronaut.' His costume evolved from a brown tweed blazer with red or blue bow ties to a Prince of Wales check jacket, and later an eggplant purple frock coat.

Reader's Guide

To understand this incarnation, note that Matt Smith was cast at age 26 after producers feared he was too young, despite Piers Wenger acknowledging his capability. He initially auditioned wearing a look described as 'Captain Jack Sparrow' style, which he rejected in favor of the bow tie and tweed inspired by Troughton's story 'The Tomb of the Cybermen.' His catchphrase 'Geronimo!' debuted in 'The End of Time,' and he frequently declared that 'bow ties are cool,' alongside fezzes and Stetson hats. Unlike previous Doctors, his episodes utilized time travel to tell non-sequential stories over a four-year character arc. He was the last Doctor to appear with Sarah Jane Smith prior to her death. His companions included Craig Owens (James Corden) as an accidental temporary companion in 'The Lodger' and 'Closing Time.' The Doctor's personality balanced childlike wonder with deep melancholy, often wearing Amy Pond's reading glasses after they were left behind.

Did You Know?

• Matt Smith was 26 when cast, making him the youngest actor to portray the Doctor, three years younger than Peter Davison.
• Before auditioning for the role, Matt Smith had never seen an episode of Doctor Who.
• The Eleventh Doctor was the last incarnation to appear alongside Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) before her death.
• Smith's initial costume concept was a 'swashbuckling' look similar to Captain Jack Sparrow, which he rejected for a more self-directed style.
• In his first full episode, 'The Eleventh Hour,' young Amelia Pond nicknamed him the 'Raggedy Doctor' due to his tattered clothes.