zwolanerd

So pretty soon we’re getting a Twelfth Doctor. There’s all kinds of speculation as to who it will be or should be and I won’t participate in that because I’ve discovered a weird thing: it doesn’t matter. Furthermore, “it doesn’t matter” is exactly what confuses me about this show.

Let me back up.  First off, I’m not quite done with season 7, so I’m not taking the last few episodes into consideration. Second, this is more about the recent seasons (starting in 2005) than the previous ones, because even though I got my Whovian start way back in the day, I don’t remember a whole lot about it. So with that said:

How do they do it?  More importantly, how do they keep doing it?

See, there’s this cycle. If the Doctor [should that be “The Doctor”? Probably.] gets really, really hurt to the point of death, he regenerates into a new form. It’s kind of brilliant, really. having problems with an actor? Need to infuse some new blood into the show? Bam, regenerate. It’s a big part of how the show will soon be able to celebrate 50 years.

Same goes with Companions.  I mean, they don’t regenerate, but it’s sorta the same deal. Once they’re out of the picture, they’re generally out for good (guest spots notwithstanding). Companions don’t tend to have training sessions with the new Companion, because the only reason there’s a new Companion is that something disastrously final has happened to the last one, and as we’ve learned, The Doctor [yeah, the capital T looks better] should not travel alone because it’s terrible for him, perspective-wise.

So you know change is coming. Change is always coming. It might be a season, a half-season, or four years, but change is going to happen. You can prepare for it or not, you can read spoilers or avoid them, but no matter how much you love Amy Pond (er… for example), she won’t be there forever. It is kind of the worst thing, unless you don’t happen to like Donna (er… again, for example), because then she won’t be there forever.

And I don’t even know which is worse, changing Doctors or changing Companions. The interaction between the two is the best part, so subtracting either part is weird and disorienting. Ultimately you have a show about a dude who fixes everything by either saying “I’m The Doctor, therefore you should back off/be afraid/be hopeful/change your behavior/whatever else” or by waving his sonic screwdriver at it.  Without the relationships that show gets kind of stale after a while, overarching Time Lord story or no.

But here is the thing: every time – and I mean every time – a Doctor or Companion leaves or arrives, it’s heartbreaking, frustrating, and exciting. Every time.

“Hey, 9th Doctor, how’s it going? It’s good to hang out and– oh, you’re leaving?  I was just getting to know you. Okay. Who’s this 10th Doctor?  Oh, sweet, he’s actually really awesome!  Man, he’s going to be awesome fore– ARGH!  This new guy seems weird. I don’t think I like him. In fact – wait, he’s leaving at the end of the year? I HATE EVERYTHING.”

And no matter how much I like the current Companion and I hate to see them go, two episodes later, I’m on board with the new one. Frankly, I feel bad about it.  Amy Pond has been my favorite ever, and it hasn’t been but two weeks (for me) since they ripped her violently away, but here I am all intrigued about Clara and what’s her deal and how is that happening and why does she — oh, they’ve done it again, the brilliant jerks.\

I mean, I know how stories work and I’ve been around TV long enough, right?  I should be able to figure out how they make me go through this exact journey every time, but I still can’t.  All I can do is wish that 10th Doctor would have had the chance to hang out with Amy Pond, because then when she left he would have been even more like this:

So I know change is coming, but I’ve given up trying to prepare for it because I know I’ll eventually be fine with it, even if I don’t understand why.

 

Bonus List, because I know you’re wondering:

1. Amy
2. (Clara) – in parenthesis because it remains to be seen but she’s off to a grand start
3. Martha
4. Rose
5. Donna

Tags: Doctor Who

Written by: Mark