Over on the Something Awful forums, there are a few people who are fed up with the Doctor's occasional self-aggrandising monologues (cf. "Hello, I'm the Doctor; basically, run", "Just remember who's standing in your way!", "I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the Universe; look me up", etc.). I posted the following message there in response; I'm interested to see what people think over here.

I don't find it confusing at all why people would dislike them if they're taken as face-value childish MY DOCTOR IS THE SCOURGE OF A BILLION ZILLION GALAXIES one-upmanship.

I think I've worked out why I like them, though: we know the Doctor (in his current form, at least) doesn't really live up to his reputation as a Destroyer of Worlds (except accidentally), and he doesn't even believe in himself as such a thing (cf. his surprise when the Stonehenge speech works, "that should keep them squabbling for half an hour"—also, incidentally, "the man who makes people better"). Speeches of great bravado are his last recourses, using his reputation to avoid unwinnable conflict. It's the sort of talk-your-enemy-to-death thing that McCoy would have loved, and it's the epitome of the trickster-hero, which this Doctor absolutely embodies—I feel like Smith is following the grand tradition of El-ahrairah or Br'er Rabbit, because he's trying to outwit his thousand enemies and just having the best time in the world while he's at it.

Sorry, that was poorly-written, but I think the gist is there.

So, the Doctor's oratory: does he mean it, or not, and is it good characterisation or just an excuse to insert a fist-pumping scene—and if the latter, is that good or bad? What are /r/doctorwho's thoughts?