Is Matt Smith Returning to 'Doctor Who?'

BBC's Doctor Who is known for many things, but most of all, for the fact that every few years or so, the main actor of the show is changed. Sometimes the secondary characters as well! And normally this is a format that would just not work. But with Doctor Who, anything is possible.

If you're here, I'm going to assume you know the premise of Doctor Who well enough. He's a Time Lord who travels through space and time in the TARDIS, and often travels with a companion. The new series started back in 2005, giving us Christopher Eccleston for only a short first season as the 9th Doctor. We then were given the marvelous David Tennant as the 10th Doctor from season 2-4. 5-7 gave us Matt Smith, and now we're on Peter Capaldi, who has been rumoured to leave the show in 2017, the same year as showrunner Steven Moffat. Chris Chibnall will be taking over Moffat's position after he leaves, and it's logical to assume that he'll be starting with a fresh Doctor. And if so, that leaves fans wondering, who can we expect to see next in the TARDIS?

Well, if rumours are to be believed, 11th Doctor Matt Smith may be returning.

What Moffat Has Hinted

Steven Moffat recently hinted at the possibility of Smith's return, saying that his leaving the show was an incredibly difficult time, and that, "It felt like everything was blowing up around me." In regards to the actor himself, Moffat says that Smith is, "quite open about how much he misses it, and how much he wishes he hadn't left." Allegedly, Smith would be up for returning to the show. But then again, who wouldn't? I'm sure if you ask any of the Doctors, most of them would talk about their wonderful time on the show, and given the chance, they would have spent longer on it. So the fact that he wants to return doesn't necessarily mean he will. And personally, I hope he doesn't.

The Ever-Changing Personality of the Doctor

I have nothing against Matt Smith. While he wasn't my favourite Doctor, he was still fantastic, bringing a whimsical, childlike wonderment to the show. But that's the thing. Every actor brings something completely new to the role, and that's what makes this show work so well.

Eccleston brought an intensity and anger to the Doctor. He had a lot of pain, most of which he hid, because it was so fresh. He had just lived it.

Tennant brought wit and charm, but instead of anger, he had a deep sadness. His regeneration was a violent one, one that was built up for a long time. His last line can sum it up pretty well. "I don't want to go."

Smith's Doctor was so different from these two, because while he later grows much more fierce and ruthless, he begins as just a very hyper child. The first episode we discover he loves fish fingers and custard. If that doesn't say something, I don't know what does. But as I said, the reason this show works so well is that every Doctor is different. Maybe you aren't a fan of this or that Doctor. You know that in a couple of years, you'll be getting a new one. It's almost like a fresh start, and that's like nothing else that's on television. It's part of what makes Doctor Who so unique. If they start changing that, it could have a lot of consequences.

The Consequences of Bringing Smith Back

If they bring back Smith, all of a sudden there will be an uproar to bring back previous actors. Now, one episode is one thing. A Christmas special, or take the 50th Anniversary, for example. It works there, because it logically makes sense. It isn't out of the ordinary for a Doctor to return for a special. But bringing Smith back for a few seasons as the Doctor, I think it's a terrible idea. Doctor Who thrives on new actors and the new personalities they bring to this classic character. Change that, and it could mess with the essence of the show.

A Change in Leadership

Like I said, so much of this is speculation right now. Just because Moffat has hinted at it does not mean it will happen. And as he will not be the showrunner for much longer, soon it won't be up to him. And personally, I'm glad. While I think Moffat has a wonderful ability to create monsters, and having written some of the best episodes of Doctor Who, I didn't like him as the showrunner. I found that the depth of the companions decreased overtime. It started feeling more and more one dimensional, which is exactly the opposite of what Doctor Who is. I'm really excited to see what Chibnall does with the show, and hopefully, we won't have Smith or any other previous Doctors taking over for Capaldi any time soon.