"Who?!"

It's the question everyone seems to be asking. "Matt Smith? Eh? Say that again? Matt.... Smith? Never heard of him. Are you sure that's right? Give it here... Matt. Smith. WHO?"

Well, exactly. Who. As in Doctor. As in the Eleventh. Does no one else see how deliciously appropriate it is to cast someone who is relatively unknown to the general public in the role of a character who is supposed to be relatively unknown to the general public? No? Okay, just me then.

Personally, I think it's a fantastic decision. Good on Steven Moffat for refusing to bow to any external pressure to cast a familiar face or a 'popular vote'. I have every confidence in his decision... not least because the man is one of the most talented writers currently active in the industry. His Doctor Who scripts have been amongst the best (if not the actual best) in the four years it's been back on the air, so I am wearing my nails down in anticipation of what he can do for the series when at the helm. And if he was blown away by young Mr. Smith, then I am certain that I will be.

There seems to be rather a lot of whining going on about the poor man's age. "He's only 26, the BBC have cast a toddler, he doesn't have the acting experience to be able to convey a character like the Doctor." Tish pshaw and nonsense. Such ageism is completely unwarranted. There is no reason why an actor of any age could not play a character as 'complex' as the Doctor; if they have the talent, the longevity of their time on this Earth, or indeed in the acting business, shouldn't matter. I don't doubt there are people walking down the street who have never even contemplated acting as a career in their lives who could do it, hands down. The Doctor doesn't need to be an older man; he doesn't need to be anything. That's the beauty of the part. With each regeneration, he can look like anyone. He can be anyone. And in 2010, he'll be Matt Smith. The Eleventh Doctor. And the best darn looking one at that.

Oh, and this press release photo really whets my appetite even more. If that's how Matt's Doctor will look, then sign me up for a date with my cable TV box on Saturday nights at 7pm. And it isn't just his garb that gets the Whovian (pah, hate that term) inside me all giddy: just look at the framing of the image, the lighting, the colours, the locale. It's grim. Really, truly grim. And bloody fantastic.