Doctor Who press launch announcement: the Ponds are leaving!

Quoting the BBC News article:

“The final days of the Ponds are coming,” Moffat said.

“I’m not telling you when or how, but that story is going to come to a heartbreaking end.”

He said the Doctor, played by Matt Smith, was going to meet “a new friend”. It is believed that role has not yet been cast.

Oh, dear. I will be sad, and excited at the same time, which really is the worst and yet best feeling that Doctor Who can give you. I will be sad to see Amy and Rory go—I’m just hoping that the Moff means heartbreaking in a good, in a happy way, because otherwise I shall be forced to pick up the pitchfork and chase him through Cardiff in his TARDIS pyjamas. Still, I’m excited that the Doctor will have new company next series, just because Matt Smith’s acting sizzles, and Eleven’s personality has so much more to offer; it will be an absolute treat seeing that bounce off someone else. Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan leave enormous shoes to be filled they have been at the top of their game for two years straight; and I’m sure that, with Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue, and Piers Wenger as casting geniuses, the actor or actress (I’m actually rooting for a guy to get the job, not because I’m a slash fangirl, that’s just a bonus, but because the pretty earth girl routine might be getting old; besides: Donna was his best mate, why not have a matey best mate around?) who is destined to do that will be tremendous. Whoever they are, I’m loving them already. Bring it on, Series 7!

Doctor Who Adventure Calendar 2011: Christmas episode prequel

The Doctor thinks he’s going to die, because he’s blowing up a spaceship while he’s still on it, with no chance of escape. Let me rephrase that: with no apparent chance of escape. He’s going to get out of it, it’s a prequel, dammit—but how? A consequence of River using up her regeneration cycle to save him in Let’s Kill Hitler, making him explosion-proof, justifying the line RTD (who, by the way, our hearts and wishes go out to in the light of his boyfriend’s illness) put in in The Sarah Jane Adventures: the Doctor stating that, oh, Time Lords can live forever? Or perhaps the TARDIS saves him, stubborn, sexy girl that she is. And, all questions aside, how does this connect to the Christmas Special itself, being set in England in 1941?

What’s your name, Doctor?—DW: The Wedding of River Song.

Previous episode: Closing Time.

I told you. He can’t possibly not have a plan.

This is how the universe does it, boys and girls. In another reality, London has changed a bit—it’s April 22, 2011. It’s the day the Doctor dies, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, and time’s so messed up that in a parallel universe, the War of the Roses is still going on, cars are up in the air, suspended by hot air balloons, and Charles Dickens (Simon Callow) is on the telly, giving clues about the next Christmas special, The Unquiet Dead, while there’s hot Roman soldiers outside, in carriages. Oh, and pterodactyls are the new doves. Oh, and Churchill is the New Roman Emperor, and Malokeh‘s his doctor. It’s nice to have so many people put in a guest appearance, but… Eh?

Forget your faith in me, Amy Williams.—Doctor Who: The God Complex.

Previous episode: The Girl Who Waited.

There’s a room here for everyone, Doctor. Even you.

I’m gonna pull time apart for you—Doctor Who: The Girl Who Waited.

Previous episode: Night Terrors.

Right. Get your mental split-screens, because this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Monsters are real—promise. Doctor Who: Night Terrors.

Previous episode: Let’s Kill Hitler.

Sometimes, when you just ask for help strongly enough, the Doctor makes a housecall.

The Making of River Song—Doctor Who: Let’s Kill Hitler.

Previous episode: A Good Man Goes to War.

Oh, dear. At the end of this episode, I am trying to find a sense of accomplishment, as I always do. Something to take with me, something that happened—in this case, there is a lot to take in, emotionally, but as for stuff happening: difficult. In the end, Hitler is still in the cupboard, the Doctor’s still alive, and Amy and Rory are still bewildered parents. Which is fine, basically setting the universe right again is what the Doctor does, it always reverts to a state of status quo, if you will, but this episode celebrates it. Or maybe the episode doesn’t have any other ideas?

‘My friend, you have never risen higher’—Doctor Who: A Good Man Goes to War.

Previous episode: The Almost People (2).

Right, this bit is (almost) all you’re gonna get, because I’ll go off quoting the entire episode. Because, oh, this script. These lines:

I wish I could tell you that you’ll be loved, that you’ll be safe and cared for and protected. But this isn’t a time for lies. What you are gonna be, Melody, is very, very brave.

But not as brave as they’ll have to be. Because there’s someone coming. I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing, but trust me, he’s on his way. There’s the man who’s never gonna let us down and not even an army can get in the way. He’s the last of his kind. He looks young but he’s lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. And wherever they take you, Melody, however scared you are, I promise you, you will never be alone because this man is your father. He has a name but the people of our world know him better as the Last Centurion.

Time Lord Weasley twins—Doctor Who: The Almost People (2).

Previous episode: The Rebel Flesh (1).

Oh, good God. This is shaping up to be breathtaking.

Trust me. I’m the Doctor—Doctor Who: The Rebel Flesh (1).

Previous episode: The Doctor’s Wife.

Can I just say: they were listening to Muse on the TARDIS. While Rory and Amy were playing darts. MUSE. ON THE TARDIS. Hipsters in space, hooray!

Well, this was… confusing. Basically, everyone was disoriented—including the plot.

I love you.—The Doctor’s Wife.

Previous episode: The Curse of the Black Spot.

This is the longest and most exciting elopement in the history of the universe. And it’s glorious.

Yohoho!—Doctor Who: The Curse of the Black Spot.

Previous episode: Day of the Moon.

Make no mistake, this is going to be a relatively short one.

Someone Built the Perfect Prison. Again—DW: Day of the Moon (2).

Previous episode: The Impossible Astronaut.

For the Doctor, tinkering around in the mechanics of a NASA command module is a bit like putting up an IKEA cabinet—”there’s always a bit left over, isn’t there?”

Oh, dear.

I Like Your Wheels—Doctor Who: The Impossible Astronaut (1).

Previous episode: A Christmas Carol.

IN MEMORY OF ELISABETH SLADEN. 1948-2011.

Ooh, this is good. This is extremely very good. Almost entirely too good, if I’m honest. Because the Doctor is dead. Of course, before he kicks the bucket, he spends nearly 200 years being deliberately ridiculous, as Amy calls it: he lets a lovely lady paint a portrait of him, almost-naked, hides under her voluminous skirt, completely naked, gets taken prisoner, escapes, and appears in a Hardy and Laurel movie; all to make sure he shows up in some history books that Amy and Rory end up reading. He even goes and does ‘Jim the Fish’ with River, knowing full well he’s going to die. That is cold, Doctor.

You know, this isn’t nearly as bad as it looks.

Polls closed!

The Impossible Astronaut is going to air tonight, so the polls questioning River’s identities and Amy’s relationship with the Doctor are, as of now, closed. These are the results: