Even Incoherent Squealing Has Failed Me

[andraste]

So, the 50th Anniversary Mini-Episode, The Night of the Doctor has gone up a day early:

Watch on YouTube

Oh, God, the one thing I had never dared to hope we would see, and I just saw it. With no bracing time whatsoever, although as soon as I saw lovely Eight I knew this had to be the regeneration. It's just awful and perfect that he dies in that particular way and chooses what he does.

And I thought it could not get any better or more appropriate or more painful and then he said 'Charley, C'Rizz, Lucie, Tamsin, Molly' and that's when I started crying.



I guess it is too much to hope that the 'Moffat doesn't care about the Classic Series!' people on Gallifrey Base will watch this and eat their words, isn't it? (I mean, if Time Crash didn't clue them in, I'm not sure anything can help.)

I ... just ... It now does not matter to me if The Day of the Doctor is any good or not. I mean, it will be nice if it is, but that was really all I needed.

Comments

[selenak]

It's strange, before, I didn't want them to do the Time War on screen because I thought that like the name of the Doctor, it was best left to the imagination, but now: Eight! Big Finish Companions referred to on screen! My caution, it is thrown to the wind. Bring on the Hurt!

[andraste]

I suspect there will be Hurt in all sense of the word *g*.

My expectations of the 50th Anniversary are that a) it will be good fun to watch Tennant and Smith bounce off each other b) Hurt will be great, because he is great and c) things will explode. Anything beyond that will be gravy for me, especially after this unexpected joy.

I'm hoping Moffat is smart enough not to try and show us too much. I think the emphasis needs to be on the character of the War Doctor and how Ten and Eleven (I really don't think fandom is going to renumber) feel about their not-very-illustrious predecessor and what he did.

[kerithwyn]

Wow. I only started watching Who this year (now caught up on McGann through Smith, as least as far as the tv stuff goes), but that's enough to get the context of this, and it's fabulous. Can't wait for DotD!

[andraste]

This is certainly a good year to start watching! I'm so looking forward to ... well, whatever we get, really, since this has made me so happy. I really thought we'd never see Eight on screen again.

[jesuswasbatman]

Naah, they'll probably complain that he maliciously jossed all the fic abut Eight ending the Time War. But yes, that was great.

[andraste]

I have just see someone on there arguing that Night of the Doctor isn't canon because only full-length episodes count. Fortunately, I cannot reach through the screen and slap people.

(I was happy to see that someone had already brought up Episode Five of The Mind Robber by the time I got there ...)

[lynndyre]

EIGHT! YESSSSSS

'but probably not the one you expected' ....break the fourth wall more adorably, why don't you~~

I kinda like the idea that Eight just couldn't bring himself to be part of the war, that there are states of mind/personality that are alien to each individual doctor, making them more unique. (On the other hand, does 'War Doctor' count as a whole regeneration? If it retcons the whole numbering system from Nine on, that's going to get *really confusing*)

[andraste]

I may have spent quite a lot of today resisting the urge to punch the sky and yell 'EIGHT!' in public *g*.

'but probably not the one you expected' ....break the fourth wall more adorably, why don't you~~

That was just lovely. I squeaked as soon as he said "I'm a Doctor!" Yes, Paul McGann. Yes, you are.

I kinda like the idea that Eight just couldn't bring himself to be part of the war, that there are states of mind/personality that are alien to each individual doctor, making them more unique.

Yeah. I think individual Doctors have always done things that others wouldn't be capable of, but it seems that the War Doctor is going to take that to extremes.

(On the other hand, does 'War Doctor' count as a whole regeneration? If it retcons the whole numbering system from Nine on, that's going to get *really confusing*)

I don't think fandom is going to renumber - it's just too ingrained at this point. I think Moffat has given us a good out by having the War Doctor reject his name, so he's the ninth incarnation but Eccleston is still the ninth Doctor.

What's REALLY interesting is that means that Eleven to Twelve is actually going to be the Doctor's twelfth regeneration. I guess now might be a good time for the show to say something about that 'thirteen lives' thing ...

[lokisrose]

o_o You know what, Charley is the only one I've met, and I still got teary. Oh Doctor...

[andraste]

Eight: somehow still adorable while dying at the end of the universe covered in dirt o_o.

I love the idea that in some sense he's doing this for his companions, for a universe full of friends that he wants to save, and the one potential friend who wouldn't let him.