Matt Smith to leave Doctor Who, and rumours over replacements.

[awakening]

After a few weeks and/or months of rumours that Matt Smith was going to be leaving the 50 year running show which he had been part of since he joined the show as the leading role of The Doctor in 2010, Matt confirmed a few days ago that he would not be returning for Season 8.

Matt will be in the 50th anniversary playing the Doctor, and then finally the Christmas special. He will regenerate at the end of the Christmas special into the 12th Doctor.

Naturally, there have been many rumours flung around about who will be replacing him, including many, many rumours that The Doctor will regenerate into a female.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am in no way sexist, but I would really hate it if the Doctor regenerated into a female.  Not because I think any less of any female actors, I adored Billie Piper, Karren Gillan and currently, Jenna Louise Coleman, but after 50 years, it would just feel to weird to suddenly make the Doctor a female.

On another note, I'm really going to miss Matt, as I feel he was fantastic. However, I feel that for him as an actor, he has grown and it is certainly time for him to move onto some new things

Thoughts from anybody else?

[Joseph DiPerla]

It took a while for Matt to grow on me. After all, he replaced my wife and I's favorite Doctor, David Tennant. But we came to really really like him. He is our second favorite Doctor of all 11 /possible 12 doctors.

I too have been hearing the rumours flying around of females for the lead part, particularly that Olivia Coleman is in the lead. While I do like her (She rocked in Broadchurch), I just can not stomach a female Doctor. As you said, I have the utmost respect for women and Catherine Tate did a fantastic job as Donna Noble. As far as actors to appear on the show, she is my second favorite after David Tennant and right before Matt Smith. However, as far sexuality, personality, likes, routine, background, etc... the Doctor is a man. I know a regeneration rewrites your genes/dna in every way possible and only leaves your memory/morals in tact. But, I just do not think its a good idea for him to regenerate into a woman. What would River say???

As for replacements, there are a few actors I thought of that could replace him, but one really stands out to me: Andrew Scott (Moriarty in Sherlock). He just has the right Doctor feel.

[Jared]

Well the precedent in the show is that Time Lords/Ladies are a sexually dimorphic race. All Time Lords and Time Ladies have regenerated into their respective genders. It doesn't really make sense for him to change sex considering.

[awakening]

Well the precedent in the show is that Time Lords/Ladies are a sexually dimorphic race. All Time Lords and Time Ladies have regenerated into their respective genders. It doesn't really make sense for him to change sex considering.

I can't remember the name or the Time Lord who did this, but in The Doctor's Wife, the Doctor talks about a Time Lord who regenerated into a woman.
Also, I know it's not an official Who episode, but in that parody with Rowan Atkinson in it, the Doctor regenerates into a woman at the end.

[Dave Gilbert]

Every time a Doctor leaves, there are rumors about the replacement being a woman.

EVERY. TIME.

It has yet to actually happen.

Personally, I'm a bit sad and excited to see Matt Smith go. On the one hand, I love his portrayal. He's really made it his own. I love watching him. But on the other hand... the writing has gotten almost incomprehensible. The pacing has increased to the point where it's difficult to process what is going on. Or maybe I'm just getting old. Either way, a Doctor's regeneration  means the show gets to reinvent itself from almost scratch. Try watching the old Eccelson episodes and it's almost like watching an entirely different show. It will be interesting to see what direction it goes in next.

[awakening]

I agree Dave. I am introducing my girlfriend to Doctor Who, comprehensively, and we started with Matt Smith. Now that she's seen Seasons 5-7 we're going back to Eccleston. Her family is enjoying his portrayal too, but we all agree it certainly is a different show

[waheela]

the writing has gotten almost incomprehensible. The pacing has increased to the point where it's difficult to process what is going on. Or maybe I'm just getting old.

I absolutely agree. It's one of the reasons I've had trouble catching up with the last season over the past year or so. I did really like Matt Smith though, and it is sad to see him go.

I agree that a woman Doctor might change the energy of the show, but I can't say I'd be upset if it happened. (I doubt it will though.) Why not a black Doctor? I think that would be a pretty fresh idea, and there were rumors a-buzzing about this before Matt Smith was chosen as well, from what I remember.