What's In A Name, Anyway? An Overview Of Doctor Who Series 7

Just how important is a name? Important, but missing the point!

BBC1's "Doctor Who" has finally finished Series Seven as his path takes him to the one planet he must never visit: Trenzalore. It turns out that his name is not the big reveal, but it's the place where his future self is buried! This series' main villian, The Great Intelligence, lures the last of the Time Lords there by kidnapping his friends, Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax, knowing he would follow.

The Great Intelligence uses the gravesite to go back into The Doctor's timeline trying to eradicate him from time and space. Yet The Doctor has a secret weapon: his companion Clara, the impossible girl. Clara follows The Great Intelligence into this time stream to save The Doctor over and over, while he returns the favor and saves her. Showrunner Steven Moffat finally let us in on how The Doctor has met different versions of Clara in different places and times.

Moffat wanted each episode in this series to have a big movie feel, and for the most part succeeds. There were old villains (Daleks, Cybermen, Ice Warriors and The Great Intelligence) and new villains (Mr Sweet, Mr Solomon, Mrs Gillyflower and The Whisper Men), yet the core premise of the show remains. "Doctor Who" still revolves around a madman in a blue box traveling around with a pretty companion having adventures!

Jenna-Louise Coleman's surprisingly fun protrayal of Clara lets her be sweet, sassy, and scared, while Matt Smith gives his usual impressive performance as The Doctor. The BBC is impressed too, as they have picked up Smith's option for another series, which means he will be in the role longer than his predecessor! Moffat-written episodes are always enjoyable, but my favorite episode this time around was written by Mark Gatiss, The Crimson Horror.



Despite all this, the internet has been critical of Series Seven. Since I'm not the harshest critic of my favorite television show, all I can say is that most primetime television shows are written for adults, whereas "Doctor Who" is written for children in the hope that adults will watch.

It looks like The Doctor will be facing off with his evil future self for the 50th anniversary special later this year. The Doctor is going to need extra help -- and he'll get it in the form of his former selves. It would be fun to see former actors (especially David Tennant and Tom Baker) take up the role of The Doctor once again!

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