The writers of Doctor Who were in a very difficult situation at the beginning of season 5. First of all, the most iconic Doctor since Tom Baker had just retired after four long years on the program, and it was going to take something special to make audiences forget about him. And his chosen replacement, Matt Smith? A lot of fans weren't convinced he could pull it off. Now, of course, we know that he was an inspired choice, a talented actor if occasionally let down by his material. But in 2010, he seemed impossibly young, and many people thought the show would end up trying too hard to be hip and teenager-oriented. So it's fair to say that The Eleventh Hour was carrying quite a lot on its shoulders. And for the most part, it manages all the tremendously difficult things it's being asked to do. Matt Smith wins us over in the first five minutes of the episode, and Amy Pond presents a compelling, if not immediately lovable, new companion. The story is secondary to the character building, but the end result is a fast-paced, exciting story that endears us to the new Doctor and makes us very optimistic for the rest of season 5.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
