Doctor Who Season 7 Finale 'The Name of The Doctor' Recap (SPOILERS) Series 8, 50th Anniversary Special Rumors [VIDEO]
Series 7 of Doctor Who ended last night with the season finale episode "The Name of The Doctor." Clearly just the title would excite Whovians of all sorts, but the epsidoe really gave us an insight into the latest season's biggest question: Who is Clara Oswald? Great performances from Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman and some special guests made last night's show one for the record books. It also set us up for the next season, series 8, and the 50th Anniversary special! (SPOILERS to follow)
Here is a statement from Doctor Who's official BBC blog:
We're delighted to confirm a new series of Doctor Who has been commissioned and the show's lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, has revealed he's already plotting a brand new run of adventures for the Doctor.
And here is a video of the 11th Doctor and the 10th Doctor (Matt Smith and David Tennant) discussing the 50th Anniversary special:
So what happened in "The Name of The Doctor" last night?
As the episode opens, we are transported to Gallifrey, the home of the Time Lords, a very long time ago. We learn that Clara was there and that she warned the Doctor about taking the TARDIS. The opening segment ends with: "I'm Clara Oswald. I'm the impossible girl. I was born to save the Doctor."
Oh boy! Is Clara a Time Lord?
We next see the return of Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax! They organize a dream-state conference call and get Clara into the mix. Plus we get to witness the glorious return of the Doctor's wife, River Song!
Unfortunately some mysterious men have interrupted this conference call in the real world and have apparently murdered Jenny. We find out that The Doctor can never go to a place called Trenzalore, but a familiar foe, Dr. Simeon, is forcing him to go there by capturing his friends with these creepy men. Clara wakes up to The Doctor's voice.
After Clara catches him up on the situation, The Doctor explains he is actually buried on Trenzalore, though he cannot go there due to time traveling paradox laws. Of course to save everyone, he decides to go on this adventure.
Along the course of this episode Jenny is brought back to life, River (who is a backep up file in a library if you recall a few seasons ago) is mentally linked to Clara to help out and Clara remembers what time had previously erased. Woops. Trenzalore is a dark, foggy graveyard planet that makes for an incredible season finale setting.
Simeon threatens everyone's lives in order to open The Doctor's tomb. River's projection speaks his name, unheard to all (including us!) so nobody dies. After discovering that there is no body in the tomb (the dead TARDIS) but really an "open wound" or "tear" in the fabric of time that The Doctor had created, Simeon (the Great Intelligence) enters it in hopes of "destroying" The Doctor.
As time is being re-written, Clara realizes exactly who she is and how she kept turning up in The Doctor's timeline. Before she steps into the "open wound" she tells The Doctor: "Run. Run you clever boy. And remember me."
Talk about full circle! We know everything about "The Impossible Girl" now.
So after an amazing interaction between River and Eleven, The Doctor steps into his timeline to save Clara. He succeeds, but he meets someone else there.
The episode ends with actor John Hurt revealing himself, with the screen explaining that he is also The Doctor.
Wow. How excited are you for Novemeber?