The Best Doctor Who Moments of 2011!
It almost got to be too much for even me, Doctor Who was every where and it seemed like everyone was talking about it. It feels like 2011 was the year that everyone became a fan of the show and I’m still not sure how I feel about that. Regardless, I won’t complain too much because I’m genuinely happy that my favorite show is a success and as we move closer to the 50th anniversary I am hopeful that it can last for another 50 years.
With that said, here are in my opinion the 10 best things to have happened in the world of Doctor Who in 2011 in no particular order:
The Doctor Uses the Moon Landing to Defeat The Silence
You’ve got an alien that no one can remember if they’re not looking at them, but can also implant post hypnotic suggestions. How do you defeat them? You cut them into the biggest television broadcast in history signing their own death warrant. It was a fantastic end to a fantastic two part season opener.
“A billion people!”
Doctor Who Does Conventions
This one is not just because I got to interview Matt and Karen, but holy shit I got to interview Matt and Karen. It is because this was hands down Doctor Who’s biggest year of participation in the conventions. Sure we had the premier of “The Eleventh Hour” at WonderCon and we had screenings of Who and Torchwood attended by David Tennant and John Barrowman at SDCC, but this was a year for fans. The show was simply unavoidable at every turn at both WonderCon and SDCC and not just the PR machine. There were more Doctor Who costumes at both conventions than ever before. It was truly a Whovian lovefest.
Steven Moffat and Twitter
Steven Moffat takes to twitter to respond to David Yates’ comments that he is actively working on a Doctor Who movie without the participation of the team currently running the show and cements the reasons why we love him. Here’s what he said: “Announcing my personal moonshot, starting from scratch. No money, no plan, no help from NASA. But I know where the moon is – I’ve seen it.”
The Doctor Comes Face to Face with Hitler and They Put Him in a Cupboard
It’s an age old time travel trope; if you could go back in time and kill Hitler would you and would it be a good idea? I think fans actually expected this question to come up in the opening episode of the second half of series 6, but it was not to be. Just as quickly as Hitler and the Doctor meet Hitler is dispatched to a cupboard by Rory. Yes, the Tesselecta were there to kill Hitler, but it was so incredibly inconsequential to the plot of the episode that it’s safe to say the title was just a fun ruse on the part of Steven Moffat and I don’t mind a single bit.
“Is that? Yes it is.”
Amy and Rory’s Childhood Friend Mels Regenerates into River Song
The cliffhanger at the end of the 2 part season opener was a little girl regenerating. The reveal at the end of “A Good Man Goes to War” was that River was actually Rory and Amy’s daughter and that she might have a time head because she was conceived while the TARDIS was in flight in the vortex. So, it only made sense that when a heretofore unknown childhood friend of Rory and Amy’s called Mels showed up that she would somehow be connected to the whole mess. What we didn’t know though was that she would be accidentally be shot by Adolph Hitler and then regenerate into the Alex Kingston version of Melody Pond.
“Quiet. She’s concentrating on a dress size.”
River Song’s Entire Story is Finally Told…Kinda
This year pretty much showed us the complete River Song picture from her birth to the “murder” that landed her in Stormcage. On the Series 6 DVD set we even get to see the Doctor picking her up to take her to the Singing Towers which we know from “Silence in the Library” is the next to last adventure that the two have together in her timeline. I was pretty pleased with the way River’s story was wrapped up with her “wedding” to the Doctor as it leaves a lot of room for further adventures with the Doctor but also doesn’t ruin or alter her already tragic story. I for one would be satisfied wether or not we ever see the character again, but I do love River so I’d be quite happy for her to show up in the future.
“Now we know what a bit of what a traditional Gallifreyan wedding ceremony is like.”
Matt Smith and Karen Gillan Hand Out Burritos
Well, at least they did to the audience after taping their appearance on the Nerdist podcast live at San Diego Comic-Con. One of Doctor Who‘s most vocal fans, Chris Hardwick, had a pretty big year as well. The 2 Nerdist TV specials had Matt Smith and David Tennant as guests, but it was the live taping of the Nerdist Podcast at SDCC that was the highlight of the convention for many fans including myself. Matt Smith and Karen Gillan were both guests on the show along with Wil Wheaton and to make the shows catchphrase of “enjoy your burrito,” even more special Matt and Karen stepped out after the show and handed out tasty burritos to the crowd. The pair were incredibly sweet and accommodating, complementing fans on their costumes and shaking as many hands as they had time for.
James Corden Returns as Craig Owens
I think I’ve gone on record about my love for Series 5’s “The Lodger.” Sure there were issues with it, but the one thing that there definitely wasn’t an issue with was the chemistry between Craig and the Doctor. Craig is an everyman through and through and played pitch perfectly by James Cordon It made perfect sense that Moffat and writer Gareth Roberts would bring him back for another go round during the Doctor’s “farewell tour” before going off to his death. Here was a character that we could all relate to and he was considered by the Doctor one of his best mates. It was the icing on the cake that the Doctor would get his Stetson from Craig. I’m hoping for a threepeat in Series 7.
“Chemistry like Laurel and Hardy”
The Neil Gaiman Penned Episode Finally Airs
…and it is everything we hoped it would be: “The Doctor’s Wife” is without a doubt one brilliant fan’s love letter to a show he had watched since childhood. It was every bit worth the wait. To keep myself from gushing too much I’ll just say GO WATCH IT!
“The sexy TARDIS and the not so sexy TARDIS”
The Doctor Who Experience Opens at the London Olympia
There were a few Doctor Who exhibitions spattered across the UK giving fans a chance to get up close and personal with screen used costumes and props, but the BBC decided it was time to bring them all into a single location in London and create a fan’s dream. The experience features a mini-adventure that takes visitors into the TARDIS console room as well as some of the other key locations of the show. It also has a constantly updated museum of screen used costumes, props and artifacts, including the Chris Eccleston and David Tennant TARDIS Console. I’ve been and trust me it is a fan’s dream that only promises to get better when it moves to it’s permanent home at the Doctor Who studios in Cardiff, Wales next year.
“Your dear author in the TARDIS console room…”
Honorable Mentions
Rory says goodbye to the older Amy in “The Girl Who Waited”: I wasn’t a big fan of this episode mostly because I wasn’t a big fan of Amy and Rory in the second half of Season 6. I just didn’t understand how easily they accepted their daughter’s fate. “The Girl Who Waited” took it to the extreme with aAmy being on her own for nearly 40 years and never once mentioning her daughter. Still the performances of Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill in this episode were simply outstanding and their tearful goodbye through the TARDIS door was enough to warm even my cold heart.
“Not a dry eye in the house.”
The BBC announces the first official Doctor Who Convention: To be held in Cardiff next year. Guests announced so far are Arthur Darvill, Steven Moffat and Matt Smith. I can’t afford to go.
The Doctor gets a new coat and it is fantastic.
Personal moment:
My very first Gallifrey One Convention: Held every year at the LAX Marriot, Gallifrey One is the largest North American convention dedicated to Doctor Who and it is a blast. I made so many friends and had such a good time. I can’t wait to attend again in 2012.
