Monday 28 October 2013

Fifty Years in Time and Space 8 - The Name of the Doctor

This was the final episode of Matt Smith's final full season - written by show runner Steven Moffat it is actually a prequel to the forthcoming 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.

This could have been a baffling storyline to follow, but thanks to some excellent writing this darkest of dark stories makes perfect sense, and is compelling viewing. Doctor Who at its best then.


The story takes us to Trenzalore which is apparently the Doctor's tomb and where the episode teases that we are likely to learn the Doctor's name. This was a risky move for Moffat since with this one story and the forthcoming special he seems to be rewriting everything we thought we knew about the Doctor.

In this one episode Moffat rewrites the entire history of the show while remaining incredibly faithful to the basis of Doctor Who/ He also gives us John Hurt as another of the Doctor's incarnations, though the one who did something that makes him unfit the carry the name of the Doctor. It might all sound confusing but it works so well in the context of the episode.

It was nice to see the previous Doctors - old footage tied in seamlessly with the new to give the illusion that Clara, the Doctor's new companion, actually being the only companion to have ever interacted with all of the Doctors

Of course we know where all this is leading and the cat is now out of the bag that this story will ultimately lead to Matt Smith's regeneration as he leaves the role behind.

Doctor Who will return in The Day of the Doctor and after this episode I can't wait to see how this all resolves itself.



1 comment:

David Cranmer said...

I just finished the first full season of David Tennant and now jumping back to Eccleston. All out of order but enjoying the hell out of them. Even watching some old Baker.

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