Doctor Who: Matt Smith reveals the origin of his most iconic line

Former Doctor Who star Matt Smith just unpacked the genesis of the Eleventh Doctor’s most well-remembered line of dialogue.

Smith first appeared as the Eleventh Doctor in 2010 special “The End of Time (Part 2).” He then headlined Doctor Who for four years before exiting the series in 2013 special “The Time of the Doctor.”

During Smith’s run, he continued the tradition of each new Doctor having their own catchphrase. Whereas the Ninth and Tenth Doctors preferred “fantastic” and “allons-y,” respectively,” the Eleventh Doctor favored “Geronimo.”

Smith’s Doctor also had a penchant for referring to off-trend items as cool, starting with bow ties in his debut episode, “The Eleventh Hour.”

Matt Smith reveals the origin of his most iconic Doctor Who line

Smith recently shared the real-life story behind this running gag at Los Angeles Comic Con (via Popverse). According to the star, he unwittingly coined the “bow ties are cool” line himself, during his initial Doctor Who costume fittings.

During one of these sessions, Smith requested bowtie options – a fashion accessory then-showrunner Steven Moffat hadn’t envisioned for the character. When Moffat objected, Smith replied “Bowties are cool,” and this response ultimately wound up in “The Eleventh Hour.”

The Eleventh Doctor would sport a bowtie across all his appearances, becoming the Time Lord’s signature piece of clothing. Indeed, the moment the Doctor finally removes his bowtie before regenerating in “The Time of the Doctor” is so momentous that it receives its own close-up shot.

Other items the Eleventh Doctor would later label cool in Smith’s stint on Doctor Who include black-rimmed glasses, stetsons, and fezzes. The last of these was subsequently referenced by one of the actor’s successors, Jodie Whittaker, during her time as the Thirteenth Doctor.

Is Matt Smith in Doctor Who: The Giggle?

Doctor Who has also referenced Smith’s tenure in the TARDIS in many other ways since his departure. Most recently, the fates of the Eleventh Doctor’s companions, Amy Pond and Clara Oswald, featured prominently in the franchise’s final 60th anniversary special, “The Giggle.”

Smith himself doesn’t appear in “The Giggle,” although many fans are convinced his likeness appears on a playing card in the villainous Toymaker’s (Neil Patrick Harris) deck. Other fans dispute this, however, insisting the card depicts Harris, instead.

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