Doctor Who: 5 Fantastic Moments Since “The Time of The Doctor”

Eight months have elapsed since Matt Smith’s Doctor regenerated into Peter Capaldi, and for mildly enthusiastic fans like myself, the wait has felt very, very long. However, Doctor Who‘s effective publicity machine rolled on, and between the BBC and people following the outdoor shooting schedule, the rest of us could at least have a few treats along the way. Mild spoilers await, Sweetie, but let’s take a look at some of my favorite moments since last Christmas.

Okay, here’s one last chance if you want absolutely zero spoilers for the upcoming episodes. Stare into these stern eyes while you ponder your decision…

1. “A plan?! I’ve not always got a plan, Clara, I’m not made of plans!”

(via)

Mark Gatiss is one of my favorite Doctor Who writers — it was his Ninth Doctor-era “The Unquiet Dead” that got me hooked on the show in the first place — and in the upcoming Season 8, he has an episode called “Robot of Sherwood.” Much like his other work on Sherlock and Big Finish versions of Doctor Who, just this little snippet of overheard dialogue suggests his delightful sass permeating a great love for a longstanding character.

2. “I hope that you think it would be OK for me to be the Doctor, too.”

When a 5-year-old girl with Autism expressed concern that the Doctor she knew (Matt Smith) would no longer be her imaginary friend, Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman took the time to reassure her that the new Doctor had the previous Doctor’s blessing, and now I’m Awwwwing all over the place.

3.  This Shirt

A button-down star constellation shirt used in a Doctor Who World Tour promo photo? It’s hilarious and charming, and yes of course I’d say that because I have the largest, most unyielding crush on Peter Capaldi and may or may not have used this post as a more official excuse to talk about him more, like some kind of goddamn teenager. Even if I did already mention this shirt in a Friday News Bites roundup, it’s worth looking at its magnificence again.

4. Peter on keeping his secret during while shooting The Musketeers:

I wandered around Prague singing the Doctor Who theme to myself with a great beard. which I had to shave off for the presentation of myself as Doctor Who. I had to explain why I’d shaved off the beard so I told them I was doing a pilot for a new show with Armando Iannucci. (Radio Times, 23-29 August 2014)

PS: The beard was pretty fly.

5. The London Underground gets in on the Doctor lovefest

If you want to know why I love this show, this image sums it up. It’s about the spirit of adventure, the quest for knowledge, and our humanity. And what does Peter Capaldi think the show is about?

Doctor Who has within it some of the cornerstones of the human psyche. The desire to be able to leave when the going gets tough, he always just disappears, he can walk away from everything — and also that he dies and is reborn. It’s a show that young people and children can watch in which they are confronted with death, but in a way that is not grief stricken. I think it is like a fairy tale. Although it’s a sci-fi show, to me there’s an aspect of Grimms fairy tales about it where the Doctor takes you deep into the forest where there are monsters but will return you to safety at the end. (SciFi Now, via)

Though I’ve been delighted by many more moments since last Christmas, I’ll turn it over to the rest of you who have been following the show during its hiatus. What are you looking forward to seeing this season? Do you love the new Doctor already? Am I a bit too preoccupied? (Maybe don’t answer that.) Give a shout in the comments.

Doctor Who‘s newest episode, “Deep Breath,” premieres around the world this Saturday, August 23rd. Click through to find your country’s specific showtime/channel.