The 11th Doctor: The Story of a Lifetime

Everyone has their favorite Doctor. Maybe you’ve been watching since the 70s and Tom Baker’s infinite charisma is still with you today. Maybe you started watching as the revival aired and you fell in love with the immensely popular manic 10th Doctor played by David Tennant. As for me, my favorite Doctor is Peter Capaldi’s 12th, due to his tremendous acting ability and the emotional gravitas he seemed to always carry during the role.

But for quite a few Doctor Who fans, Matt Smith is their favorite – and it makes sense. The 11th Doctor’s era is when Doctor Who exploded in popularity in the Americas, greatly expanding the show’s reach and audience. There is always a sort of imprint that your first Doctor has on you – and for a lot of fans that first Doctor was 11. For me personally, he didn’t rank as high as the other nuwho doctors. That said, I certainly don’t dislike 11 – on the contrary, I adore his run as the Time Lord – but I think the reasons he makes a great Doctor are a bit more complex than most people assume.

Stay frosty!

Thanks for watching my video: The 11th Doctor: The Story of a Lifetime

#DrWho #11thDoctor #DoctorWho

[wardy]

Elevens Rings of Akhaten speech is still one of the best speeches in all doctor who just behind twelves zygon inversion speech

[gigaatom]

The whole “subconsciously chooses the next regeneration” is one of the best theories out there

[danielengfer]

I never thought about Eleven’s run that way before, but you proved it to me. This video would have been great to have in 2013. I miss pre-2018 Doctor Who!

[The_Triple_Point]

what's so cool is that everything 11 did was knowing he couldn't regenerate anymore

[Terry.W]

I loved Matt Smith he mixed youth and maturity so well ...and he had presence ..you believed in him as the Doctor..

[zekeg.]

Man, you should do every doctor's story like this video. You Made me tear up with watching this.

[dracopug]

That closing dialogue before his regeneration will legit stay with me forever, I believe it, and it's not even my favourite incarnation

[abdullahbinismail]

Too much, I can’t. Someone was cutting onions towards the end of this video. But please do more.

[The_Triple_Point]

Ten was my first, 11 has always been my favorite
12 has my favorite episodes tho
Heaven Sent is unmatched

[cds]

Oh my god this video just made me sad because it reminded me of how good doctor who was before they ruined it all with the “timeless child” thing. Very interesting video though.

[TheWaffle]

Matt Smith made me fall in love with optimism. Through all the sorrow of losing the Ponds, memories of Gallifrey, and that angst he gained from 10, he ended his story happy and with no regrets.

It's the thing that inspires me the most about the 11th doctor. It's the fact that he taught me that no matter how hard it gets, no matter who hurts you or how your world burns down, there is always hope for a better tomorrow. He taught me that you have to be the one to live your life according to how you want it to go.

However sometimes, things happen. They can be good or bad, but sometimes things just happen. But life is like a pile of good things and bad things, the good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant.

Miracles, wonder, and hope. A Doctor Who story.

[nomorejedi]

I think my fave 11 moment was his, "Nobody human has anything to say to me today!!" It's such great emotive acting in just one line

[yetypicalmusic]

My first doctor was Matt, but I never thought of his story like this. You’re so good at explaining his story and I applaud you for that. Season 5 is a representation of childhood, maybe that’s why I like it so much! Then again, I guess I’m living in season 6 right now.

[kanyevil]

Matt smith was my first doctor, and my favourite. Not to talk about how much I loved Amelia and Rory ponds as his companion throughout the 3/4 of his series. Such a great trio!

[sunwentai]

An interesting take. I do like it.
Yet, I always thought of the Eleventh Doctor as the one who tries to remember. His manners are based on the Second Doctor, he even uses his "you've redecorated; I don't like it" catchphrase, the 50th anniversary was during his era and it was all about remembering the past. The Silence prevent you from remembering. Amy needs to remember him to bring him back at the end of Series 5. The Rings of Akhaten is all about cherishing memories. Eleven uses the word "remember" so many times during his tenure, and especially at the very end. The Eleventh Doctor was an ode to Doctor Who, to remember where he came from, during his very last incarnation.
...well, during his 12th regeneration anyway. ;)

[lbricks]

There is also some thematic brilliance in having a reorchestrated version of the Long Song play as Smith regenerates, a song that never ends.

[shingo]

My favorite of all time is the 11th doctor! Still on this day (2023) I have prob watched each of his episodes more than a 100 times.
Favorite campaign of all time is Donna noble! No other. ❤

Thanks for making the video!

[FNZ]

I relate to him a lot. He's got a dark side, and he tries to hide and uses humor to bury deep down. You can tell when he was giving his speech to the parasite God. He started crying because he was going through his dark past. When he snaps, it's aggressive and honest scary. When's he's silly, he's Overtop. Sometimes annoying, but he is entertaining himself. When he's hyped up or excited, he feels indestructible and grand.
I'm similar to this, and this is why I connect to him so well.

[navijam]

I love this, finally someone has explained exactly why Matt Smith will always be my favourite Doctor. There is so much cultivation in this incarnation and its incredibly deep rooted in his entire run.

[georgep]

When you think you know everything about Dr. Who and then you discover it's deeper than you thought