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May 18th, 2013 373 comments

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What Did You Think of The Name of The Doctor?

What Did You Think of The Name of The Doctor?

Clara receives a letter summoning her to a mysterious meeting, where she is given a message for the Doctor.

The meaning is uncertain, but when an enemy strikes the Time Lord is left with no choice but to travel to the one place in time and space he should never go – into a deadly trap that threatens to unravel his past, present and future.

Now that the final episode of series 7b has aired in the UK what did you think? Was it the best episode ever or just average.





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373 comments

  • Me

    May 20th, 2013 - 5:03pm

    Ok I am fairly new to all this but, could someone tell me what River meant by saying “she made him” when talking to Clara

    Reply
    • jamie x

      May 20th, 2013 - 5:46pm

      it means just what it says “she made the docter”

    • Anonymous

      May 20th, 2013 - 6:06pm

      How

    • Anonymous

      May 20th, 2013 - 6:09pm

      Does it mean she made him in reference to when she killed him in Berlin then brought him back to life by using up all her regenerations ?

    • Dalek: the Supreme

      May 23rd, 2013 - 10:02pm

      I believe she meant she shaped who he is today

  • Skaroman

    May 20th, 2013 - 4:29pm

    What if there was an incarnation of the doctor before William Hartnell’s doctor?

    If he broke the secret, then the doctor would not want to remember him. Not a ‘true doctor’, and would not deserve to be one of his incarnations.

    Just a theory that might work…

    Reply
    • ROCKSTAR

      May 21st, 2013 - 8:24pm

      It can t be a incarnation before William Hartnell because ever since the show s revival everyone is talking about the time war

  • eveyns

    May 20th, 2013 - 3:28pm

    Don’t worry Karl,I think we have been had for mugs by the BBC advertising board. I’m not sure they told us his name; unless he is actually called John Heard which I find
    extremely hard to believe – or would they?

    Reply
  • karl

    May 20th, 2013 - 2:02pm

    i feel like i’ve been sold the kings-new-clothes. the whole idea for the entire 50 years has been – Doctor Who? to be given an entire series and the 50th aniversary episode on the subject of who is dr who, when they cannot answer that question. seems to have missed the point of dr who. dr who is not about who he is, as, what he does. take away the “what he does” and chase after “who is dr who” is navel gazzzing… when i would have liked a sci-fi adventure for the 50th. not asking the same question that’s been asked for 50 years in a soap opera style pretend sci-fi. and as for rplacing the docs sonic screwdriver with a “magic green wand” is a joke. not really sci-fi for me these days – is more like a time travelling wizard and zero science – fiction or otherwise…
    rant over, sad really… i miss the sci-fi adventures, we’ve been lumbered with timey wimey wizardy…

    Reply
    • The Moffat Paradox

      May 20th, 2013 - 2:41pm

      And with what can be done with special effects now cost effectively with CGI there just isn’t an excuse. We want to see something on an epic scale that doesn’t try to get too clever and blows us away.

      Why do writers who claim to be “fans” of these things seem to have a talent for wasting them once they get their “creative” hands on it compared to the people who did it originally ?

    • MaxP

      May 28th, 2013 - 1:01am

      Just realised how much he is like a wizard with the screwdriver used like a magic wand! – my problem is it’s not really a screwdriver anymore as it does so much more now, so to keep calling it that is not right. Also, I agree – the show has far too much wobbly timey-wimeyness. It’s trying too hard to be clever for it’s own sake, and it’s too much. (And a shame as everything else in the show – casting, effects, production values, music, acting – is all top notch these days)

    • CindyM

      May 29th, 2013 - 5:57am

      I totally agree with Karl. I’ve been very disappointed with the story line focusing on Dr. Who. The whole fun of the show was always the play on that name, and the mystery behind it. Why does a mystery have to be solved? The whole future of the show is ruined.

    • ellen

      June 5th, 2013 - 4:49am

      What would have ruined it in my mind is if they had actually divulged his name in that episode. SO happy they didn’t. Great episode and great season-ending cliffhanger, btw.

  • Japhet

    May 20th, 2013 - 1:08pm

    Has all the past doctors went by, are there was no David Tennant or did I just not spot him? :s

    Reply
    • Doctor Who

      May 21st, 2013 - 9:51pm

      He didn’t run past Clara when she was in inside his time stream crying but you could see Clara standing behind David Tennant over looking the library (which is strange they chose to show that scene because people thought Clara was CAL) when she first jumps into it and shows the edited clips of past Doctors

    • Dalek: the Supreme

      May 23rd, 2013 - 10:04pm

      I’m actually considering the Clara that was behind the Tenth Doctor to be Oswin Oswald sometime before she was a Dalek, since she’s wearing the same dress she wore in her dream in Asylum of the Daleks.

  • daryl

    May 20th, 2013 - 12:17pm

    The Doctor:

    Doctor- mean healer or wise man. The man who saves lives.

    The Doctor is all of this as we know but what if Hurt’s Doctor was not this?

    Reply
  • Kovarian

    May 20th, 2013 - 11:10am

    I meant 2014 – 2017

    Reply
  • Kovarian

    May 20th, 2013 - 11:09am

    My theory: in the 50th special, Matt dies and somehow he has not enough power to regenerate.
    But John Hurt will survive and turns to the “good side” and he plays the doctor for 2 or 3 seasons 2014!!!

    Reply
  • hxcmike

    May 20th, 2013 - 3:37am

    I was kinda bummed that He’s supposed to be the 9th. I really wanted him to be the Valeyard. I did love that he got an honorable mention that also secured the canon that Valeyard is a future form (sort of) of the Doctor. it would be nice to see the return of previous dark versions of the doctor such as the Valeyard, or the Dream Master, and now we have the Cyber Planner and a new dark 9th doctor to boot!

    Reply
    • The TARDIS

      May 26th, 2013 - 7:14pm

      We don’t know he’s going to be the 9th Doctor. It’s just a theory. And he may yet be the Valeyard – he is the Doctor but he decided not to go by that name.

  • Harold Saxon

    May 20th, 2013 - 2:27am

    EXCEPTIONAL,IT WAS GREAT,a tense and dramatic end to the season,lots of exciting bits,some very clever bits with former doctors,all good fun.

    Reply
  • Doctor Stu

    May 19th, 2013 - 10:10pm

    Just watched this Episode fully and it was amazing. One of the best I’ve seen in years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  • Srishti

    May 19th, 2013 - 9:34pm

    Absolutely loved the episode…especially the scene between River and the Doctor…Is this goodbye for River ?? I love her and their chemistry.

    Reply
    • Bendik Risting

      May 19th, 2013 - 10:48pm

      Actually maybe not, since the Doctor can meet River before this happened, you know, Wibbley Wobbley spacey wamey…..

  • Bella Whovian

    May 19th, 2013 - 9:15pm

    Okay so what I think is up with John Hurt:
    John Hurt is the suppressed form of the ninth Doctor. Hear me out xD! He was the one which fought in the Time War and he did such terrible things that the Doctor chose to forget this regeneration. His secret. Also, I think this is who he saw in his room in the God Complex!
    What do people think of my theory? :3 It’s a long-shot but just an idea!

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      May 19th, 2013 - 10:56pm

      Wow… good catch. Hadn’t thought of that.

    • Obsie

      May 20th, 2013 - 12:49am

      Well spotted ,I’d forgotten about that. It would explain a lot of things, facing his destiny or fears, so he decides to try and blank them out; until now. Let’s see what November brings.

    • MaxP

      May 20th, 2013 - 3:04am

      Sounds excellent. I love the idea of dark deeds being done, so dark they’re not mentioned ever. Very promising potential for stories. Also I can’t help but think, Man, John Hurt would have been such a great Doctor back in the old days. (that is as a more ‘normal’ doctor, not a bad one). He’d have been fantastic!

  • Dr.WHO Forever

    May 19th, 2013 - 9:13pm

    And thats why he choose the name “The Doctor” and has been running all his life ever since. Even in his childhood. Due to the actions of The Other(hurt) and that is why hurt is a forgotten Doctor. Thats why the first question must never been answered. As the Other(hurt) is evil, and will try to destroy the unisevre once more.

    Reply
  • Dr.WHO Forever

    May 19th, 2013 - 9:06pm

    Here,s my theory on the john hurt version of the doctor. He is who the doctor really is. Even before the first doctor hartnell. Hurt is a different incarnation of the timelord(like the other) and this who the Doctor was in his former life, before he was born again in his current life as the Doctor. The hurt Doctor(as smith states) didnt use the title of “The Doctor” and wasnt known as The Doctor even though they are the same person. The name of the hurt incarnation of the timelord, was the Doctor,s real name which makes sense now, seeing as he didnt have the title The Doctor. The hurt incarnation is who the Doctor was become he became the Doctor, and he is who the Doctor really is and thats why he is the Doctor,s biggest secret. A secret that not even rasslion or the other time lords knew about.

    The hurt incarnation was a pioneer among the time lords with rasslion and omega in the early days of galifery. He started off as a good guy, but then turned to evil and done some terrible things. Somehow he was destroyed and his name(The Doctor,s Real Name) was hidden in the stars of the Medusa Cascade and locked away forever and banished from the history books of the time lords, due to his betrayal and bringing shame to the time lords. They refused to accept him as one of thier own. Even in death. Seeing as the hurt incarnation,s name(The Doctor,s Real Name) was lost to time in the time lords history he was simply referred to as just the other due to his shameful actions. A select group of timelords in secret, decide to recreate the hurt incarnation and have him reborn. And in his second incarnation he would become the timelord known one day, as “The Doctor”. This incarnation would become the greatest of the time lords race and the saviour of galifrey. Thats why the “Doctor” was born. After been born, The Doctor was told his real name and the major threat it causes from his former life as the other by his parents. He is told in no uncertain terms that he must never reveal his real name. Ever. By doing that it would open the doors to his tomb in trezonlore where his past, present and future of his life are revealed( as seen in “The Name Of The Doctor”) and the revaluation of his name would once again unravel his greatest secret on the universe: his former self “The Other” the hurt incarnation.

    Reply
    • Madeline

      May 19th, 2013 - 10:11pm

      I like it! Something like that would be fascinating. I really hope Moffat is going in that direction.

    • THE NEW 12th is Benedict Cumberbatch

      May 20th, 2013 - 6:34pm

      I believe that the doctor should have regenerated into someone else. Like, Benedict Cumberbatch for instance. My personal favorite doctor was David Tennant, but with him gone, I now expect better people to replace him like Matt Smith did. At the end of the episode, “The Name of the Doctor,” I was confused with John Hurt. Normally, when the doctor turns into someone new he will regenerate into someone else. But in this episode, he did not regenerate into someone else, but if he does, he should be Benedict Cumberbatch. With him as the 12th doctor, people will like him more because Cumberbatch has been in Star Trek: Into Darkness, which I saw yesterday, and he was oustanding in that movie. Which could also mean he can be brilliant as the new doctor!

      Benedict Cumberbatch must be the 12th

    • ellen

      June 5th, 2013 - 5:11am

      I also think Benedict could make an excellent Dr Who if he played him.

  • Anonymous

    May 19th, 2013 - 8:35pm

    I know it’s probably for a practical reason rather than a story related one, but why does Clara only see the first 11 Doctors? If the Doctor’s timestream was ‘up to date’ when he died, why is there only 11 Doctors, or did the Doctor die in his 11th body? Just a thought.

    Reply
    • MaxP

      May 20th, 2013 - 3:44am

      yes good question. There’ll be lots of holes like this if you poke too much. Or maybe Matt Smith is destined to be the last doctor. It’s his Tardis that’s there at Trenzalore after all.

    • Dalek: the Supreme

      May 23rd, 2013 - 1:35pm

      That’s because she was up to the point in time when he went into Trenzalore. If she had gone any further into the future, she would’ve crossed her own timestream, which cannot happen (Unless time has already been destroyed).

    • DrWhoFan

      May 23rd, 2013 - 9:29pm

      Actually there are a total of 13 possible regeneration and we are on the 10th of 13. So the shows producers probably just didn’t want to risk tying in another 3 actors who might not be around for regenerations 11-13. Just practical.

  • the astronaut of death

    May 19th, 2013 - 8:26pm

    what’s next for doctor who?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/Doctor-Who-A-New-Series-and-More

    Reply
  • arlene1999

    May 19th, 2013 - 8:18pm

    I thought it was SM best episode since taking over DW. The whisper men, I thought were lame. And Clara was great and I thought it was brilliant to have her splitered all through the Doctor;s history to help him. Now John Hart, I think is a regeration between 8&9 or older 8 but that does not mean that the Doctor has only one life left. Remember John Simms Master stated he had been resurected and given a new life cycle by the time lords to fight in the time war – well wouldn;t the Doctor have been given more life cycles for leading the battle in the time war. Also whatever the bad thing happen was not the time war because the GI said about the planet that trazalore is on was distroyed by the Doctor with 10mil people, not as big as the time war but bloodier, and the blood of those people are on the Doctor’s hands.

    Reply
    • Bella Whovian

      May 19th, 2013 - 9:18pm

      I agree with the theory, but I don’t think that he’s been given a new life cycle. The Doctor ended the Time War by trapping the Time Lords, they would not want him to go on living and definitely wouldn’t give him a new life cycle…

    • Anonymous

      May 19th, 2013 - 11:08pm

      Interestingly…
      In the Sarah Jane Adventures, The Doctor (the 11th) says he can regenerate 507 times

    • jamie x

      May 20th, 2013 - 5:48pm

      in the magazine it says 12 though

    • Dalek: the Supreme

      May 23rd, 2013 - 1:55pm

      The problem with the “granted more regenerations” theory is that the Master had used up all of his and had to steal bodies to survive. The Doctor had only used a little over half, and RTD himself admitted the 507 regenerations was a joke.

    • Anonymous

      May 31st, 2013 - 5:18pm

      The doctor can actually regenerate and infinite amount of times… It’s just that 13 was a time lord law

  • The Flying Shark

    May 19th, 2013 - 8:09pm

    The Daily Mirror’s TV critic liked this episode, even though he compared Trenzalore to Cornish fields.

    Reply
  • the astronaut of death

    May 19th, 2013 - 7:45pm

    this is my theory

    I think a long time ago the doctor was told that his name is a dangerous name it is a name that destroys worlds so the dr made a promise to gallifrey to never say it so he needed to choose a new name so he chose the name the doctor and he would live on as the doctor and never reveal his name.

    but when the john hurts dr was fighting in the time war he realised the time lords were going to loose and the daleks were going to escape gallifrey and destroy more worlds as they lived on. but the dr needed to change that so he chose he was going to sacrifice the time lords and kill both the time lords and the daleks by revealing his name witch would destroy gallifrey and kill the daleks so the doctor said his name and gallifrey and the daleks died and the dr escaped.

    after the time war john hurts dr realised what he had done and was ashamed in himself and he realised this current incretion dose not deserve the name the doctor because he broke the promise so the doctor killed him self so he could live on and start a new life and forget about the evil dr who destroyed gallifrey….and broke the promise

    please reply and tell me what you think

    Reply
    • Anonymous

      May 19th, 2013 - 7:56pm

      Thats a very good theory

    • Cyberking281

      May 19th, 2013 - 8:03pm

      Sorry, forgot my name

    • TheDoctorGallifrey

      May 19th, 2013 - 8:07pm

      That is a very possible theory! But does that mean all the Doctors move up a number then?

    • the astronaut of death

      May 19th, 2013 - 8:09pm

      I suppose but the dr dose not consider that incretion as the doctor

    • MasterDoctor

      May 19th, 2013 - 9:09pm

      I think hurt is definitely the 8th doctor, his name is dangerous and may have destroyed both galifrey and the daleks. But what if the doctor in his final regen becomes the master? I’ve always had my suspicions that the doctor and the master are one and the same!

    • ROCKSTAR

      May 19th, 2013 - 9:26pm

      It all makes sense dude

  • DoctorClara

    May 19th, 2013 - 7:39pm

    Love how Clara was born to save the Doctor! Definitely my favourite companion yet!

    Reply
  • Cyberking281

    May 19th, 2013 - 7:05pm

    THE BEST EPISODE OF THIS SERIES!. Strax has got to be the funniest person (well alien) in Doctor Who ever 🙂

    Reply
    • Cyberking281

      May 19th, 2013 - 7:58pm

      Sorry, forgot to put my name

    • Cyberking281

      May 19th, 2013 - 7:59pm

      Sorry, replied on the wrong comment

  • Chance

    May 19th, 2013 - 5:14pm

    I can only say that I enjoyed the episode with all of its twists, surprises and moffatortures. I can see him reading these posts, rubbing his hands and giggling with malicious glee. For yes he has once again succeeded, … always leaves us wanting more.

    Reply
  • WesleyR

    May 19th, 2013 - 5:09pm

    If I heard it correctly, the names of the “secret” were listed and one of those names was “Valyard.” Master states in ‘Trial’ series “The Valeyard, Doctor, is your penultimate reincarnation… Somewhere between your twelfth and thirteenth regeneration”.

    Reply
    • MaxP

      May 20th, 2013 - 3:45am

      wasn’t it 9th & 10th? Have to check

  • lepter

    May 19th, 2013 - 5:03pm

    Did I miss something? One minute the doctor was INSIDE the tardis with clara having gained entrance via the secret door, then he was suddennly outside talking to the great intelegence. Is this another wibbly wobbly timy wimy moment like in series 5?

    I know people like it (good) but I do think doctor who has gone down hill. Its still good but losing its way. I loved all the previous doctors in the episode, clever. BUT I do still feel anoyed with the plot threads unresolved. I dont think we will EVER find out who blew up the tardis. I thought it may have been the great intelegence but he is gone now so it cant be. What was the silence? who built the silence time machine? How did clara save ALL the previous doctors? Just by shouting his name? How did she stop the great inteligence in his time steam? Why didnt vastra forget like strax and jenny? Why is the inside tardis in its current form as a grave? Does that mean that thats it for the tardis?
    So many questions….no apparent answers.

    Reply
    • B anonymous

      May 19th, 2013 - 7:47pm

      I agree it dr who has gone downhill, I really don’t like what Moffat has done with it I’m not even sure I even like doctor who anymore he’s just ruined the whole atmosphere of it where is Russell t Davies when we need him!!! It’s like a new show! (A cheap knockoff!) ???????!!!!!!!???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Anonymous

      May 19th, 2013 - 8:44pm

      I disagree…Ive watched DW since the late 70s and in my opinion the SM era is by far the most exciting, imaginative and best written. He’s not perfect and there have been some duff episodes…but not as many as there were in the 70s and 80s…believe me. As for RTD…he will always be credited with bringing DW back in a way that I feel it can be here to stay…but he had so many weak epsidoes (infact pretty much all of series 2 was weak in my opion along with the specials). He out stayed his welcome by about 2 years.

      That said, I do think SM should move on after series 8…but not becuase I want him to, but becuase I think the show needs change to stay fresh.

      At the end of the day, DW fans are (in)famous for never being happy with the show…its almost a joke amongst other sci-fi fans becuase the ironic thing is that fans of the most famous time travelling show in the world almost always live in the past and want things the way it used to be. Funny when you think about it.

    • TeddyChester

      May 19th, 2013 - 11:32pm

      … some good points, agree with the confusion about how did Clara stop the great intelligence in the time stream… if someone could answer that, that would be great. This series has been head and shoulders better than the last, Cold War, my favourite. Looking forward to the 50th Special and the next series.

  • Paul from Cambridge

    May 19th, 2013 - 4:21pm

    Did anyone notice the blooper near the start of this episode. When we see the flashback to Gallifrey we hear a voice saying that a Tardis has been stolen. Well hold on a just a moment – the name Tardis was invented by the Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan. So the people who owned the machine before then wouldn’t have given it that name! She thought of it later. And also in the original Hartnell series, his granddaughter is called Susan Foreman. And her teachers Ian & Barbara called him Doctor Foreman when they first meet him. So is that his real name?

    Quite a good episode, but am I the only one who gets tired of whoever is his current companion shouting ‘Doctorrrrrrr’ whenever there is some crisis at hand!

    all the best

    Paul in Sunny Cambridge, UK (yes I was 7 when the original series started – they showed episode 1 twice due to massive demand, the following week!)

    Reply
    • Justjeulin

      May 19th, 2013 - 6:06pm

      They named themselves Foreman cause that was the name of the junkyard they lived in.

    • david

      May 19th, 2013 - 7:42pm

      Correct about the origin of the TARDIS name – but that’s been “retconned” to be the generic name for the Time/Space craft for many years now.

  • The TARDIS

    May 19th, 2013 - 4:18pm

    I know this isn’t a very popular opinion but… I really didn’t like it. The story was ineffectual, the twists were predictable and it all felt way too contrived. I liked the Whispermen, but they played very little part in the episode. The pre-titles sequence was great, but other than that, I found it just… boring. We also haven’t had a chance to get to know Clara yet, so her whole sacrifice story had very little impact. And anyway, it was wiped out seconds later. Just like the death of Jenny! Moments which could be emotional are wiped away.
    Overall, series 7: My least favourite 2000s series. The Name of the Doctor: My least favourite finale.
    Ready to be attacked by Moffat fans…

    Reply
    • Toni

      May 25th, 2013 - 10:26pm

      Thank you!!! I think the writing for this series has seriously gone downhill since the Amy and Rory days. Even those days weren’t a patch on Russell T. Davis’ brilliant writing!!! For me Davis understood the character of the Dr. and part of that was keeping some things unexplained. River Song being the Dr.’s wife was bad enough but the idea that Clara has been helping the Dr.’s all along ruins Dr. Who’s character in my opinion. He is supposed to be a ‘superhero’ with a mysterious background and a complex personality. We are not supposed to understand him!! I am one disappointed Whovian!

  • Anonymous

    May 19th, 2013 - 3:41pm

    so who from the shop gave the modern clara the doctor’s phone number?

    Reply
    • TheDoctorGallifrey

      May 19th, 2013 - 4:00pm

      Probably River

    • R.L.Klaus

      May 27th, 2013 - 4:39pm

      Sally Sparrow.

  • CELIA

    May 19th, 2013 - 2:04pm

    I wasn’t looking forward to this episode, I didn’t want to know the Dr’s name. I didn’t want Clara to be River or his daughter or anything like that, wished the Ponds were back!BUT I LOVED it – I cried when he kissed River. I love the two of them together. Best episode of this series. Can;t wait to download it on my ipod

    Reply
    • anastasia

      May 19th, 2013 - 2:14pm

      I wish I could meet everybody from doctor who

    • CELIA

      May 19th, 2013 - 3:07pm

      Anastasia – I’m 71 and have watched it since I was 21 – it gets better and better. Dr Who – live long and prosper!!!:)

  • Whovian11

    May 19th, 2013 - 1:35pm

    I cant wait 6 months 😮

    Reply
    • anastasia

      May 19th, 2013 - 2:10pm

      When I watched it, I cried (god knows why) I watched doctor who since I was four know I’m ten

      I love it, I will watch it probably till I’m um lets say 20 or even be in it.

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