It’s hard to believe it’s nearly been a year since Matt Smith kissed his knee and entered our homes as the Eleventh Doctor. And I have a confession to make. He had me worried.

Not that I didn’t think he’d make a good Doctor. He had me won over with “I’m a girl!” But there’s a whole different element to being the Doctor, beyond the TV screens. David Tennant certainly embraced the image during his time on the show. Granted, he didn’t go around to book signings wearing his trainers and overcoat (unlike Tom Baker, who was often spotted be-scarfed at special events in the 1970s), but this was a guy who loved the show, and put his enthusiasm on display virtually wherever he went. Would Matt Smith and that redheaded Scottish chick I’d never heard of before be up to the challenge?

I’m happy to say a year later - oh, yeah! I’ve been a fan for years, and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a pairing of Doctor Who stars who have been so open and enthusiastic, and just plain having fun. And I can’t even say it’s because they’re still in “honeymoon territory” - I’m seeing this as they’re in the midst of filming their second season. And with the addition of Arthur Darvill, who I also wasn’t too sure about at the start, we’ve got a trio who really know how to sell a show and have fun at it. And they’re not afraid to be a bit goofy at times. We saw that in the video diaries on the DVD/Blu-ray set (though Karen’s belly bump dance falls into the “what’s seen cannot be unseen” category). The result is a group of actors who seem to have really connected with fans of all ages, and have really made the show their own. Which is as it should be with every new Doctor, but it just feels so right somehow this time around.

And we get to see these guys having fun again in one of the funniest clips I think I’ve ever seen related to the series.

What do you get when you have a star channelling his inner Crispin Glover, a co-star weaned on sketch comedy TV who once delivered a bang-on impersonation of Katy Perry and has an excellent singing voice in her own right, and another co-star who, when he isn’t playing Mr. Pond, is actually a talented composer and musician? You get a wonderfully anarchic rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, posted to YouTube by the BBC as a preview of the Christmas edition of Doctor Who Confidential. All I can say is - this had better not be removed from the “Cutdown” version when it hits DVD/Blu-ray later! This is priceless!