S7E14: The Name of the Doctor (SPOILERS)

Rocco wrote:

For anyone who has a twitter, do not mention DW at all. There is a bot who is spoiling the finale for everyone. I learned to late and its already been spoiled for me :/ just a heads up.

I tried this last night, after spending a good amount of time LOOKING for spoilers yesterday... and nothing. I both mentioned Doctor Who and #DoctorWho

Calixar wrote:

Rocco wrote:

For anyone who has a twitter, do not mention DW at all. There is a bot who is spoiling the finale for everyone. I learned to late and its already been spoiled for me :/ just a heads up.

I tried this last night, after spending a good amount of time LOOKING for spoilers yesterday... and nothing. I both mentioned Doctor Who and #DoctorWho

They probably got shut down.

From the BBC release....yes,it is Bessie!

A couple more pictures: Gallifrey:


And Who is that behind Clara in the TARDIS?

So I'm going to post this, and I could be wrong. I believe (and there are others out there) that this whole 'leak' thing is a planned publicity stunt to drum up interest. If something actually got onto the Internet, it wouldn't matter how hard the BBC worked, they couldn't shut it all down.

All of these 'released' photos are actually done by the BBC to drum up interest. If you have been following the overnight ratings, all the episodes have been going down continually (except for the Gaiman episode), and this is a last ditch effort to get people to watch this sat (with the 'promise' of the David Tennant scene).

I could be wrong. In the next day or two, the episode may pop up online. However, if I'm right, and somehow it is found out that this was a hoax on the internet, I really hope someone gets fired for this. Claiming a 'leak' and drumming up interest that way is really pathetic and a last ditch effort.

Like I said, I may be wrong. However, if I"m right, the BBC and whoever thought this was a good idea is in the wrong. It would be beyond ridiculous if any other movie or tv show tried to do this to get attention.

A user on Tumblr shared photos and video (just the menu) of their Series 7b Blu-Ray. The accidental release of home video copies was real. I suppose it's too close to really do a recall.

And as these photos have been put on legitimate news sites, yes, of course their release was done to stir up publicity, just as they have been doing all along this series.

From what I have heard we will see clips of...

The first Dr. with Susan stealing the TARDIS
The 2nd Dr. Running (five doctors)
The 3rd Dr. In Bessie (Five Doctors)
The 4th Dr.?
The 5th Dr.?
The 6th. Dr.?
The 7th. Dr.?

bret_owen99 wrote:

So I'm going to post this, and I could be wrong. I believe (and there are others out there) that this whole 'leak' thing is a planned publicity stunt to drum up interest. If something actually got onto the Internet, it wouldn't matter how hard the BBC worked, they couldn't shut it all down.

All of these 'released' photos are actually done by the BBC to drum up interest. If you have been following the overnight ratings, all the episodes have been going down continually (except for the Gaiman episode), and this is a last ditch effort to get people to watch this sat (with the 'promise' of the David Tennant scene).

I could be wrong. In the next day or two, the episode may pop up online. However, if I'm right, and somehow it is found out that this was a hoax on the internet, I really hope someone gets fired for this. Claiming a 'leak' and drumming up interest that way is really pathetic and a last ditch effort.

Like I said, I may be wrong. However, if I"m right, the BBC and whoever thought this was a good idea is in the wrong. It would be beyond ridiculous if any other movie or tv show tried to do this to get attention.

I have read speculation to that effect else where. It is possible. I have also heard that the BBC has done very little to promote the series in the UK this spring. Is that true?

Here are my reasons why I think this is a fake promo stunt:

1. BBC America is 'responsible' for the leak. BBC, not other online retail stores, physical retail stores, or that jungle online store. It seems too 'neat' in my opinion that this was an 'in house' mistake.

2. No media online. They claim there is a leak, and that they are working hard to stop it from being out there, but am I to believe that the BBC can work harder to erase things off the Internet than: Sony, MGM, Dreamworks, Pixar, Disney, etc. All 'Major' studios have 'leaks' and cannot stop them.

3. This is usually a serious offense in America. The guy who leaked the Hulk (ang lee's film) got 5 years in prison. the BBC guy who leaked Rose (way back in 2005) got fired. Yet, we don't hear about any criminal prosecution, or firings. All we hear is "if people are good, we'll give you a treat".

4. While I have read episode synopsis, I have yet to find the actual episode online, or more than the photos that have been released 'officially'. While there are pictures of the DVD set (which could have been taken by BBC officials and posted online) there is no actual proof other than people saying "I have seen it, and wow, it's great".

Like I said, I could be wrong, but it just seems to 'neat and tidy' of a leak to me, not to mention that there has been more attention paid to this than to pretty much the whole series (which as I have pointed out, has had dragging numbers compared to last year).

Rocco wrote:

For anyone who has a twitter, do not mention DW at all. There is a bot who is spoiling the finale for everyone. I learned to late and its already been spoiled for me :/ just a heads up.

Can you send me the spoilers?

SPOILER

Spoiler:

If true, then Boo on the first one.

Spoiler:

THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Solid episode! Really liked it!

Absolutely NO need for the pointless scooby gang - is there honestly ever any need for them??!!!

Desperately want to see the 50th episode now....NOW!!!!

That was an AMAZING episode, absolutely fantastic! Best one of the series for me!!

PERFECT! Fantastic episode!!!! That was so awesome!

I don't know what else to say, to be honest. I loved it. It was just an awesome concept. I love the idea of the Doctor being vulnerable like that.

The Great Intelligence was awesome. I'm intrigued to see what his specific motivation actually is though.

Strax was bloomin' hilarious once again. I love him. He's so awesome. I hope he doesn't stay dead; I doubt he will, in all fairness - same with Jenny.

Loved seeing River again. I sincerely hope this isn't the end of her character. She's the one story-arc I don't mind. I really enjoy her character. It would be sad to see her go - I know she has to at some point but... But...

The part I enjoyed the most was seeing all the Classic Doctors!!! I know they were very short clips but I just loved it! And seeing the Doctor steal the TARDIS was AWESOME! Gallifrey looked great, too!

The big reveal though... John Hurt. I was hoping that his character wouldn't be the rumoured 'secret incarnation'... It looks like that's the case though. I'm really not a fan of the idea - it will completely mess up the last 8 years of continuity. However, I'm curious to see how this unfolds though and I eagerly await the 50th anniversary!

My only other complaint would be, and this is very petty really, that the continued repetition of Clara falling through the orange light saying those same lines - "I'm the impossible girl! I was born to save the Doctor!" - over and over and over again (about 3 or 4 times, I think) got boring quickly. However, I can look past that. The rest of the episode was awesome.

I think the best part about this finale and this storyline is that you actually don't really need to have followed the whole story-arc about the Silence, Trenzalore, the Doctor's name, etc, to enjoy this story. Although it obviously helps a great deal to do so and makes this episode more enjoyable, I feel that this episode could actually be a good stand-alone story as well as the denouement of the latest story-arc.

So all in all, a fantastic episode and a fantastic story! Hardly any complaints at all! It's the perfect Doctor Who story and could indeed contest for one of the best Doctor Who stories ever!

10/10

Fantastic!! But.....why was there no 8? That has to be something to do with The Hurt Doctor? Even though Clara said she all 11 faces. Did I miss him?

And now we now what a TARDIS looks like in it natural state!

So what to say about The Name of the Doctor...aka Part One of the 50th Anniversary?

The Great Intelligence continued to delight as an adversary. He makes no lick of sense - him and his whisper men - but overall he's got a presence I hope they aren't finished using him yet. He's a good stand in for the Master until they get around dragging that character from Gallifrey. Indeed, it's a shame Richard E. Grant is being used as the GI, because he'd make a wonderful Master to Smith's Doctor.

The Victorian Crew...pointless additions. Really getting tired of them, but since learning Series Seven was supposed to be set in Victorian London with Victorian Clara...I'll let them slide.

River Song...if this is her swan song, then it is done beautifully. An amazing crescendo to Forest of the Dead and a heartfelt, amazing goodbye. She and Smith had amazing chemistry together, and that goodbye...broke my heart and made me smile all the same. "The only way I'll accept it...is if you say it like you're coming back."

Clara - the Impossible Girl. Liked her contribution here. Nothing changes, she just foils the Great Intelligence's schemes with the Doctor. I find it really amusing that they used the clip from Dragonfire because that's a clever addition - namely I never did figure out why the Doctor went down that cliff face to begin with. A nice way to tie an old adventure into the modern narrative.

John Hurt - the incarnation of the Doctor who was not the Doctor. "What I did, I did in the name of peace and sanity." A creature of the Time War most likely. The driving mystery leading into the 50th.

The Narrative...botched. Why were "The Silence" willing to kill the Doctor to prevent him from reaching Trenzalore? What were they hoping to prevent? What role did the Silents play in that plot, or for that matter Madam Kavarian? What does it mean "Silence Will Fall"? Who caused the TARDIS to self destruct back in Series 5?! Questions that likely will never be answered. A interlacing Storyline that has completely fallen apart under the weight of its own cleverness.

"Doctor Who?" "My name isn't important, the name I've chosen is The Doctor..." That's a major cop out given the build up and emphasis put on "Doctor WHO?" That was implied to be the whole point.


Ultimately, I give this episode a stamp of "Good". A nice way to wrap up the season and lead into the 50th Anniversary. It's just a shame that three years worth of build up to some grand mystery and event leads to...nothing. I'd compare it to the Carmell Master Plan, but that had nothing so overt as the TARDIS self-destructing via remote by parties unknown.

Well, that was a great finale all around. Made up for a series full of ups and downs.

Spoiler:

I voted good myself.

Just too bad the rest of the season wasn't as well written.

For a moment, I actually thought that they would kill off Jenny... give the finale some impact. Then I remembered this is Nu Who... no one dies

The anniversary is gonna be interesting. See if Moff can bring the payoff.

jonwes wrote:

I am still confused what this has to do with the whoever tried to destroy the TARDIS in Series 5 and said "Silence Will Fall" and what it has to do with the Silence. I feel like there's a lot that's been dangling too long. Maybe they'll wrap that up in the 50th?

Well, the Silence wanted to prevent the Doctor from getting to Trenzalore. So for some reason they were trying to stop 'the question' from being asked, and considering we now know that the question is about the Doctor's secret and hidden incarnation from the Time War, I wonder what the Silence have to do with that incarnation. I wonder if this means that the Silence had a part to play in the Time War but the Doctor can't remember them.

'Silence' still has to 'fall' though. It was said that when the question is asked, 'Silence will fall,' yet we didn't see Silence fall in this episode. Unless, of course, it means something cryptic - which I'm almost sure it probably does, since 'The Doctor's Name' actually meant what he stands for as opposed to literally what his birth name is, and also 'The Fall of the Eleventh' probably means that the Eleventh can no longer call himself that as his secret is revealed and he is now the 'Twelfth'. So, that considered, I wonder what 'Silence will fall' actually means.

Loved it.

Agreed with most of what Scary said.

Also "Fall of the Eleventh" is technically what this will be. He will no longer be the 11th and now he will be the 12th.

I think it would be cool if the exploding of the TARDIS was caused when this new incarnation was ending the time war. He was trying to destroy every last piece of timelord technology. I hope they solve that though /:

I still really don't like the idea of the 9th being the 10th, the 10th the 11th and the 11th the 12th, though. It's an interesting concept and a fantastic storyline, especially for the 50th anniversary, but I really, really hope that they somehow erase John Hurt's incarnation from existence or something and 'rewrite' time. I don't like the idea of the continuity being tampered with like this. Nonetheless, I'm curious to see how this goes and how the last three years of story-arc(s) is(are) tied up.

I would've preferred them to maybe make him a version of the 8th that was twisted in the time war rather then another incarnation. We will see though, i don't necessarily hate the idea it just has to be done right.

Wow... that was fantastic. Yeah, the Scooby gang is unnecessary, but I rather enjoy them being there. Strax is good comedic relief and this episode might have been too dreay without it.

The River/Doctor storyline comes to its logical conclusion, though I wouldn't discount one last appearance when Smith regenerates.

The insertions weren't stellar. It's a bit sad that they're not as strong as the "Trials and Tribble-ations" insertion in DS9 which was 16 years ago at this point, which appears to have been the inspiration for the flashbacks. However, given the poor quality of the source material, it's the best they could get. We do get a "wig and shoulder" of 8. Though I noticed we never did get a 10 encounter.

And what a reveal! Not expected at all.

My gut feeling is that 10 and 11 will combine to erase Doctor 8.5 from existence and Gallifrey will be restored (along with a whole bunch of Nasties that 11 has to put an end to.)

Also... doesn't this episode technically validate Scream of the Shalka!?