Thursday, December 26, 2013

I Don't Want to Go! Review: The Time of the Doctor


Okay.  This was one amazing episode that brought me to tears.  My mom laughed at me for bawling like a baby, but much like David Tennant’s final line as the Doctor, “I don’t want to go.”

After 50 years on television, the Doctor continues to travel through space and time with his companions.   However, this particular episode marks the end of the 11th, fan-favorite Doctor and the beginning of the 12th Doctor. 

And now it's time for one last bow, like all your other selves. Eleven's hour is over now, the clock is striking Twelve's.” 

In 2010, Matt Smith made his debut as the eleventh Doctor, following David Tennant.  Since his regeneration, we have had amazing adventures and have met some amazing people, including Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song, and Clara Oswald.  We have seen many twists and turns in his lifeline.

This final episode is no different.  Audience members were thrown back in time to a memory of “The Pandorica Opens,” in which every known foe to the Doctor comes to see him defeated.  In “The Time of the Doctor,” Sontarans, Weeping Angels, Daleks, Cybermen, and the Silence are all featured.  Although most were fighting against him, one particular group worked with him to protect the town called Christmas.   In his final moments before regenerating, the Doctor recalls  his companions and Amy comes back for a few, quick seconds.

For information on the plot, we have some articles herehere, and here.

The benefit of this episode is that many previously unanswered questions were finally addressed, such as the crack in the wall, the Doctor’s name, regenerations, where Gallifrey is now (especially after the 50th Anniversary episode), etc.   And there was also some much needed time for closure in leaving this body behind.  Karen Gillan’s appearance as Amy brought joy into our hearts because we remembered our time with her and the Raggedy Man, as well as Clara and her Doctor.

Like many fans of the show, I can personally connect with the Doctor and his companions (and in my dreams, I can connect with the adventures). Steven Moffat, who wrote the episode, gave Matt a beautiful, last speech during the final moments.  “We all change. When you think about it, we're all different people all through our lives…And that's okay, that's good, as long as you keep moving, as long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this, not one day, I swear. I will always remember when the Doctor was me.”  This moment had me sobbing – I realized that Matt Smith was not just saying these lines for the Doctor; he was saying them for himself in regards to his time on the show.   These are lines that will go down in Whovian history as iconic to the eleventh Doctor.  However, they are so true to every individual because we do change as we grow older.  However, we always look fondly on the past because it has a huge effect on us. 

I want to share something with you as we prepare to move on to the next set of adventures with the new Doctor, Peter Capaldi:

“All eyes were on David Tennant, sombre on the TARDIS set. And David’s eyes were on the studio door, because about to step through it was a young man dressed as him…It never occurred to him [Matt] what it was like for David, standing in his TARDIS for the last time, about to give it all away….Pretty soon his [Peter’s] car will arrive and he’ll be whisked off to begin the trip of a lifetime, probably wondering what it will be like, where it will take him, and how long it will last. And about then, Matt Smith will be standing in his TARDIS for the very last time, with his eyes on the studio door — because about to step through it is a Scottish actor, dressed as him.”  - Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Magazine Issue 466.


For information regarding Doctor Who, check out these sites:

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