Matt Smith chats 'Doctor Who' season return

Smith and his fez are ready for a return to cool.
Courtesy BBC America
Having run down corridors from every monster imaginable, Matt Smith returns as the Doctor to face old and new foes. But he’s not alone. Along for the ride in his brand new TARDIS is the Doctor’s latest companion, Clara Oswald. In a recent interview, Smith spoke about what he is looking forward to from the epic new season of Doctor Who, which returns to BBC America on March 30 at 8 p.m. ET

"I think it is very exciting to introduce Clara to the world and Steven has hit a real vein of form," explained Smith as he chats enthusiastically about the new series.


Along with a new costume this series, the Doctor has a new TARDIS to travel through space and time.

"Walking on to the new TARDIS was like the first day at school," explained Matt. "I actually found it quite difficult as I had got so used to the rhythm of acting on the old one, where I used to slide about on the glass floor, but Michael Pickwoad has done a fabulous job."

"This one is more like a machine."

Having lost his first companions (in his current incarnation), the Ponds, at the hands of the Weeping Angels in New York last year, and after a period of mourning, the Doctor is joined by a new companion this series, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman.

"She’s done brilliantly well," said Smith. "She’s kind, charming, thoroughly prepared and very brave as an actress. And most importantly of all we get on, which is vital on a show like this. I’m so proud of what she has achieved in the last year."

So what do fans have to look forward to this series? An urban thriller, The Bells of Saint John, brings the series back with a bang as the Doctor’s search for Clara Oswald takes him to modern day London, where Wi-Fi is everywhere. But something dangerous is lurking in the signals, picking off minds and imprisoning them. Filming for this James Bond-esque thriller took Smith to Westminster Bridge, the Southbank and St Paul's.

"Amazing, I loved shooting in London," said Smith. "There is something so brilliant about having the locations there rather than just adding them in."

Following on from this the second episode, The Rings of Akhaten, take the Doctor and Clara away from Earth and on their first proper adventure ... in outer space.

Featuring an alien market Matt remarked, "It was very 'Whoey.'"

"We had between 50 to 60 prosthetic aliens, which is something that only really this show can offer," he continued, "making it a very unique experience as an actor."

As well as introducing some new monsters, the new series brings back a couple of old monsters in the form of the Ice Warriors and Cybermen.

"I think it’s good to pay homage to the classic series," said Smith, “especially for the fans. This series we have modernized some of the monsters for a whole new generation."

"Soggy, like drowned rats," Matt explained the shooting experience for the third episode Cold War, written by Mark Gatiss. Set on a Russian submarine spiraling out of control in 1983 an alien creature is loose on board, having escaped from a block of Arctic ice.

"They built a submarine and the five-year old in me was like 'Yeah it's a submarine!'" said Smith. "I loved getting sprayed down at the beginning of the shoot ... and it wasn’t a chore as it does so much of the acting for you, making it really authentic. Mark Gatiss has delivered one of the best episodes of the series."