Ah, the season finale. Moffat comes in to mess with all Whovian heads and run away gleefully giggling like the twisted madman that he is. That’s what makes Moffat’s Who fun over Davies’; one told well constructed sci-fi stories that beautifully stretched over a season before paying off fully, and Moffat justt likes messing with us.
So lets talk a bit about the season finale. Spoilers are involved, as it would be rather difficult to talk about certain aspects of the finale without getting into them. I’ll let you know when they’re coming, though, don’t worry.
1. Told You
As if they were going to tell you his real name.
2. Classic Moffat
If there is one thing that Moffat has made perfectly clear about his decisions on the show, it’s that he loves fucking with the audience. It’s been present in a lot of his work — Sherlock, Jekyll — but on Who in particular, his main modus operandi is to seed along a story throughout the season and then use it in someway to show off how very clever he is, hiding ideas right under the noses of the viewer that they never thought of before (“The First Question” being a particularly perfect example of this).
So when you get up to the last few moments of the episode you realize that, while a few questions are answered, the biggest questions will not be. In fact, this is only part one of a new thing, of a new idea being seeded along with past and future references that all essentially revolve around a singular bit of mind-fuckery. It’s a bit infuriating in the way that LOST season three was a moment to throw arms up in the air and shout, and yet it is in its own weird way endearing and entertaining.
I think there’s a lot to like about the finale. Moffat writes the show in the same way a fan would write it, obviously gearing this towards himself rather than the audience; this is very much what he wants to do, the Ultimate Who Fanboy, playing with the space-time continuum of his greatest passion. There’s something lovable about that, in a weird way, in which we enjoy the show simply because Moffat enjoys what he’s doing and the ride is fun. Plus, there’s so much to like in terms of dialogue and character that it’s very easy to get sucked into his twisty world of secrets, riddles and nonsense.
It’s very easy to get frustrated, though. Classic Moffat.
3. Spin-off Potential
If there’s one thing that is clear about this episode, it’s that Strax, Vastra and Jenny need a spin-off show. And if this blog from BBC is any indication, I would say a spin-off isn’t too far out of the question. After all, Torchwood is more Americanized than ever and Sarah Jane is no more. Perhaps it’s time for something to come back and balance out the gaps?
4. The Big Spoilers
So, now we know what Clara “is”: she’s just a girl, but one that has spread herself throughout the timeline via the Doctor’s own timestream, saving him in numerous occasions and influencing his decisions due to interference of the Great Intelligence. If you can read through that sentence without feeling like a big ol’ nerd, you should go back and try again.
The reveal itself, given that it’s the only true reveal we get, is obviously a central crux of this episode. Moffat, for better or for worse, focuses on the story that he’s telling rather than the characters; they are, more often than not, an after-thought to his process, because the idea is that you’ll fall so deep into the mysteries that you’ll just like the characters for being vehicles. It’s perhaps the biggest criticism one can give to Moffat’s run to the show over Davies’, which was character first and plot second. So when we learn who Clara is and how she exists in so many places at once, our appreciation of this is based on the seeds left throughout the various episodes instead of our inherent love of Clara, even if you are a fan who develops quick attachments to characters (as so many are wont to do).
Continued belowHowever, I think Coleman has done a great job of working herself up to the point of being an endearing companion. It’s been a slow build, but coming off the insane fan attachment we had with the Ponds, having someone like Coleman feels incredibly refreshing; someone who, while initially tentative in her role (character-wise, not actress-wise) has grown into someone strong enough to seek out her own destiny as opposed to allowing the Doctor to decide her fate. Sure, her actions reflect the Doctors insomuch as she decides she has to be the one to save him, but his actions reflect hers insomuch as Clara seems to bring out the best in Eleven. The Ponds were always in that weird place where they developed a relationship with the Doctor in a familial sense, but I’d wager that Clara’s relationship will be somewhere in between Rose and Martha, someone who loves him very much but admires and respects his role in the greater scheme of things — and all of this comes from Coleman’s smashing performance, adding a veritable sense of distinct character, wit and charm to her Impossible Girl.
Oh, and did I mention that the Doctor isn’t given a name? I mentioned that, right? Well, unless it is “Please.” Or “Sweetie.” Wouldn’t it be funny if his name was Doctor Sweetie?
5. The Valeyard and the Future
The finale mentions the Valeyard, which those of you with Google will by now know is the incarnation of the Doctor between his twelfth and final incarnations (Smith being Eleven). Not only that, but we meet John Hurt who — in what has to be the most poorly executed reveal of a serious twist in a non-goofy manner — is the Doctor… although not the Doctor because he was not allowed to take that name based on his actions. More of Moffat’s wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey… stuff.
The next episode of the show, which airs in November, is the big 50th anniversary special, in which you can expect Moffat to geek out every which way from Sunday. With this episode largely serving as something teeing up for that (and potentially the exiting of Smith, if rumors are true?), I’d almost wager that Moffat perhaps sees himself as the man who will be ending the series — if the show can ever truly end given the infinite potential of the franchise and the money that BBC assumedly makes from it (after all, the Doctor was previously to have 13 reincarnations, but in Sarah Jane‘s “Death of the Doctor” episode he gave off some large number I can’t even remember.) If we have the Valeyard and John Hurt as the last Doctor (is that what that was supposed to be?), then perhaps Moffat has plans in which to take the Doctor on his final journeys. He spends enough time alluding to them that the end is already cannon regardless; why not just go further with it?
We’ll see. While I can understand some frustration others have, I am infinitely anticipating the upcoming 50th anniversary special and all the inherent headaches it will assuredly bring.
