The new ‘Doctor Who’ arrives in U.S. on April 17

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BBC America has circled April 17 as the U.S. air date for the new season of ‘Doctor Who,’ which will star young Matt Smith, shown above with Karen Gillan, who plays Amy Pond, the latest passenger aboard the TARDIS.

Like so many fans, I will give Smith a chance, but it will be very difficult to see anyone else in the role after David Tennant’s defining stint as the Time Lord. The show does have strong creative leadership, though, with the talented Steven Moffat as head writer, and as a lifelong ‘Who’ fan himself, there’s no doubt he will handle the legacy with care.

Here’s a trailer that suggests the series will be pumping up the adrenaline . . .

Can Smith make everyone forget about Tennant? Time will tell.

-- Geoff Boucher

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ELSEWHERE: The BBC’s official ‘Doctor Who’ site