I am not a fan of spoilers. I think it eliminates the element of surprise that is so crucial in many sci-fi shows. I started spoiler-hunting during season 5 of LOST, until I saw a new episode that wasn’t really new to me, because I knew all of the major plot points. It was like I had opened and carefully rewrapped every single Christmas present a week early, and then was surprised that everything I opened Christmas morning was already known to me. Never. Again.
When you spend your days looking for sci-fi tv news, however, there is no avoiding spoilers, and yesterday was no exception. It was impossible to avoid a major spoiler about Doctor Who season 7. It didn’t help that it was spoiled, on purpose, by the showrunner, and then by everyone else, including the official Doctor Who Twitter feed. I really wish he hadn’t done that, but oh well, it’s too late now.
Because the news came from Steven Moffat, however, and because we know you count on us for the important sci-fi news, we’re going to tell you that spoiler, AFTER this lovely photo. LAST WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD.
It’s sad news indeed for Amy and Rory fans. Yesterday, at the advance screening of the upcoming Christmas special Doctor Who: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe in London, current Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat announced that, while there will be plenty of Amy and Rory in next year’s season 7, “their story is going to come to a heartbreaking end,” and the Doctor will be getting a new “friend, but I’m not going to tell you anything about he, she… or it.”
We’ll give you a moment.
Matt Smith, the current Doctor, said the couple and the actors who play them “brilliantly” (Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill) will be missed, “but the great thing about Doctor Who is its ability to change,” which is clear given that he is the 11th Doctor.
And in case you’re wondering, Moffat also said that he expects River Song will return to Doctor Who. But that’s it. Which means it might not even be Alex Kingston, or it might be a cameo… we’ll just have to wait UNTIL NEXT FALL to find out, as Moffat also is on record as not wanting to have the show return during the summer.
A close friend and diehard Whovian reminded me that the Doctor has always been surrounded by death, but I’m hoping for a nice little retirement for the Ponds, as Moffat referred to them, like we saw in “Amy’s Choice” only without the nasty aliens. What do you think?
The Christmas special Doctor Who: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe premieres December 25 at 9/8c on BBC America.
