Talking about my regeneration

With stomachs full of turkey and heads adorned with novelty paper hats, Whovians the nation over sat down on Christmas Day to bid a fond farewell to Matt Smith, as his time as the Eleventh Doctor came to an end.

Unlike his predecessor David Tennant, whose final adventure was highly sentimentalised and nostalgic, Smith’s final episode barely gave viewers enough time to take it all in.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it did become clear after first viewing that an extra quarter hour or so would have offered welcome breathing space in which to tie up many of the loose ends.

As it was, answers were given with such rapid succession that it was like ticking items off a shopping list.

Unlike Tennant’s, Smith’s final episode barely gave viewers enough time to take it all in

The Doctor’s decision to stand as guardian for the little town of Christmas throughout so many centuries is a remarkably noble last act of kindness from the Eleventh incarnation, so it would have been nice to see him wrestle with the consequences of that decision just a little bit more. That being said, wanting more of a show is always a sign of success in television.

Contrary to what the viewer might have been expecting for this swansong, the first half of the episode is surprisingly light-hearted.

Humour is very aptly used throughout, with particular laughs coming from the Doctor bemoaning that the sonic screwdriver “doesn’t do turkey” as he tries to help Clara cook Christmas dinner for her family.

It is something of a tragedy that this episode showcases the Doctor and Clara at their best as a team in the full knowledge of what is soon to happen.

Jenna Coleman’s character brilliantly spars throughout with the Doctor, and his intense fascination with her endures right to the last.

After the inseparable bond of these two companions, it is going to be intriguing to see how writer Steven Moffatt interprets Clara’s relationship with new Doctor, Peter Capaldi.

Packed to the rafters with explosions and a carnival of iconic monsters, it would have been easy to mistake from the trailers that this episode was going to be a consortium of Doctor Who‘s greatest hits.

But it wasn’t – it was so much more.

Yes, the wooden Cybermen were pretty cool, and the snow-hidden Weeping Angels were as terrifying as you would expect.

However, it was the quiet, character-driven moments that made this episode truly shine.

“I will always remember when the Doctor was me” – Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor

One example is the sweet tale told by Clara’s grandmother whilst they sit around the table for dinner – a clear nod to the Russell T. Davies era, when the family of the companion seemed to bear huge narrative significance.

Likewise, Clara’s heartfelt appeal to the Time Lords had huge emotional resonance.

As for the final bow of the Doctor – magnificent.

Smith has always been skilled at conveying the old man behind that youthful façade, and to see the actual aged Doctor slowly decaying over his centuries of defending Trenzalore only externalises what Smith has shown us throughout his tenure.

Notably, his regeneration isn’t overly dramatic. It isn’t caused by a Dalek or an unhealthy dose of radiation.

Instead, it is simply, and rather poignantly, an outcome of old age – The Doctor has stayed as the hero for too long.

Steven Moffat has always been fond of the theme of waiting.

He gave us Amy, the girl who waited, and Rory, who stood as centurion for over two millennia. And finally, we have the Doctor himself – the old man who waited until the end of his life, driven by the knowledge he was saving people every day simply by staying as their guardian.

And what a way to go. Smith’s speech atop the bell tower is glorious. He shifts from utter despondency and defeat to sheer unadulterated joy as he welcomes a new beginning.

In a similar fashion to his famous Stonehenge speech, the music swells with triumph as Smith gets to let his Doctor relish in one final victory.

He delivers his ultimate line with honesty and sadness, and I am sure plenty cried into their third helping of Christmas pudding as he uttered those poignant words: “I will always remember when the Doctor was me.”

The episode finishes with the momentary return of Amy Pond, as she comes to wave her best friend off, before the much anticipated moment finally arrives…

The regeneration is quick and brutal – after all, most of life’s biggest moments can occur in the shortest space of time.

With that, the Twelfth Doctor had arrived, and Peter Capaldi was left with the unenviable task of following one of Doctor Who’s most loved actors.

Goodbye raggedy man. It’s been a true pleasure.