DOCTOR WHO: Escape From Trenzalore

As wonderful as the last stand of the 11^th Doctor was, there are still some DOCTOR WHO fans who insist on being confused by the details of “The Time of the Doctor,” including that whole “the Doctor’s tomb is on Trenzalore” business, rather than simply accepting the message of virtually Matt Smith’s entire run: “Time can be rewritten.” So that’s what he did.

No, these folks insist on some explicit timey-wimey explanation for the Doctor visiting his own grave/not grave. Fortunately, executive producer Steven Moffat has devoted a column in the current issue of Doctor Who Magazine to addressing the issue of whether “The Time of the Doctor” contradicts “The Name of the Doctor.”

Matt Smith Filmed Multiple Takes of His Regeneration

Matt Smith, the erstwhile 11^th Doctor, revealed during a panel at the recent New Orleans Comic Con that he filmed multiple takes of his final scene as the star of DOCTOR WHO in “The Time of the Doctor.”

Smith told fans that he didn’t know which version would ultimately air on Christmas Day:

“I thought that one the real moments — I was really pleased when Amy Pond came back into it; I thought that was really nice.

“But for me, as an actor, being really honest with you, I did loads of really different takes. So I was quite surprised to see that was the take they used, ’cause I didn’t think — I thought that they might use something else, because we did a lot of different takes and we did a lot of different versions of that ending — and a lot of them were really troubling — and I quite liked them.”

Famous Last (and First!) Words — DOCTOR WHO Edition

The clever folks over at ComicBookMovie.com have put together a splendid infographic that depicts the first and last lines of every incarnation of the Doctor, from William Hartnell to Peter Capaldi — and yes, even the War Doctor.

While I do have a soft spot for David Tennant’s “I don’t want to go,” I have to say my favorite farewell is Matt Smith’s, because I feel the same way he does: I don’t want to forget a moment of the time when he was the Doctor.

Which are your favorites? Have you seen every regeneration?

Jenna Coleman on the Doctor’s Regeneration: It was ‘So Brutal’

Jenna Coleman, who plays “The Impossible Girl,” Clara Oswald, said exactly what most of us fans were thinking about Matt Smith passing the torch to the new star of DOCTOR WHO, Peter Capaldi, calling the emotional transition “brutal.”

It’s easy to imagine that Clara’s fraught face and teary eyes involved no acting whatsoever, and, indeed, if you watch the making-of video I posted yesterday, she had trouble getting through the first table-read of “The Time of the Doctor,” during which Matt actually broke down. Here’s how Jenna described shooting the actual scene:

“I knew it was going to be sad, but it was really traumatic. It was very emotional and overwhelming. It’s a strange thing [but] it’s the nature of the show. Matt leaves, Peter arrives in [Matt’s] costume and the scene carries on. You just keep going — that’s the show.”

I am very interested to learn how her relationship with Capaldi develops when they get into filming series eight — which could begin as soon as next week!

Behind the Scenes: ‘The Time of the Doctor’

Curious to know even more about “The Time of the Doctor” — specifically, how much work went into creating Matt Smith’s memorable Christmas swansong as the 11^th Doctor? Check out this official BBC video!

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! While showing us how the episode was made, significant plot reveals are revealed and spoilers are spoiled, so if you haven’t actually seen “The Time of the Doctor,” well — it’s time for you to see a Doctor! Also, major feels ahead, including sobbing from brokenhearted cast members. Grab some tissues before clicking!

Brave heart, Tegan…

The wait for the 12^th Doctor will be excruciating!

A Look Back: Matt Smith’s Doctor Regenerates

I know this happened just a few days ago, but I am still sad to see Matt Smith leave the title role in DOCTOR WHO, and so I find myself watching his regeneration scene over and over.

Let’s share our grief — and hopes for the future with the next Doctor, Peter Capaldi — with this clip of the 11^th Doctor’s final moments from “The Time of the Doctor.” Oh, the feels…

Capaldi’s first story as the Doctor is not expected to air until August or September, so settle in for a long wait…

A Final Preview of ‘The Time of the Doctor’

Tomorrow is the big day: Matt Smith’s last adventure as the star of DOCTOR WHO. During tomorrow’s Christmas special, “The Time of the Doctor,” the 11^th Doctor will cede the show to the 12^th incarnation of the Time Lord, to be played by Peter Capaldi.

So, just in case you need a little more convincing, here are the big guns of the series — Smith, executive producer Steven Moffat, and co-star Jenna Coleman — with some hints of what to expect from the story, which just happens to be the 800^th episode in the history of the series.

Nobody Likes to Regenerate, But…

With Matt Smith’s Doctor about to regenerate in a matter of days in the Christmas special “The Time of the Doctor,” DOCTOR WHO honcho Steven Moffat describes how he approached the important sequence for the Time Lord he created — no matter which number he is/was.

Moffat told SFX magazine:

“I was trying to think about it from the point of view of what it would be like if someone told you, ‘When you wake up tomorrow morning, you’ll still be alive, but you won’t be the same. You will like different things, you will sound different, you will look different, and have a different temperament.’ That would be utterly terrifying… I think that’s what contemplating regeneration must be like for the Doctor. So there’s an element of that, but because it was played that way the last time [with David Tennant] we wouldn’t play it the same way this time — that would just be wrong.

“There’s a lot of humor in this one, because Matt’s Doctor has been a funny Doctor, and if you’re going to make people miss him then just remind them how funny he is… He should be as he was, and what you will miss is not him crying — I think the danger is if you cry the audience don’t. It’s about ‘This is the last hurrah. These days will not come again.’”

Sounds like this is going to be a very Matt Smith-like changeover — part sad, part funny — and all together fantastic!

When Is the ‘Time of the Doctor’?

What would Christmas be without a visit from the Doctor? Well, it certainly wouldn’t feel like the most wonderful time of the year. Luckily, we don’t have to contemplate such a nightmare scenario, because the Doctor will be paying a visit to favorite planet for the holiday.

BBC America has finally confirmed an airtime for the DOCTOR WHO Christmas special, “The Time of the Doctor”: Dec. 25 at 9 p.m. ET.

TTotD will be Matt Smith’s final adventure as the 11^th Doctor and introduce Peter Capaldi as the 12^th incarnation of the venerable Time Lord.

Moffat Warns the Doctor Is Out of Regenerations

War Doctor

Run, you clever boy! Show-runner Steven Moffat has found a new way to delight torture DOCTOR WHO fandom: by playing with the Doctor’s regenerations. He knows there’s enough wiggle room to fuel all sides of an argument until the end of the world, so he’s taking the hot potato and running with it!

In the wake of the events of the 50^th anniversary story, “The Day of the Doctor,” the question of exactly how many regenerations the Doctor has left is wide open — meaning Moffat doesn’t have to work very hard to send Whovians into paroxysms of despair and joy.