By, Heather Maloney
As the 49th year of “Doctor Who” is coming to a close, it is time to look back on the top five news items in 2012.
5. America goes crazy for “Doctor Who”
While many American Whovians have been lifelong fans of the show, 2012 marked the year of the Who Invasion of America. Where it was once almost impossible to find anything “Doctor Who”, merchandise began appearing everywhere. Actors of the show started making appearances on Talk Shows other than “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”. Earlier this fall, Karen Gillan was a guest on “Conan”. Sitcoms such as “The Big Bang Theory” began making blatant references to “Doctor Who” in a sign that the lore was becoming more main stream. In 2012, “Doctor Who” appeared for the first time on the cover of “Entertainment Weekly” and “TV Guide”. It will be exciting to see how the American fan base will continue to grow in 2013. Already the Gallifrey One convention in Los Angeles has reached its attendance cap of 3200 attendees for the February event. This is higher than any other previous year’s attendance and proves how popular the show is becoming on this side of the pond.
4. BBC Confirms the 50th Anniversary Special
Rumors have been swirling about the 50th Anniversary Special for some time. However it was not until December that the BBC officially announced that there would indeed be a special. As reported by Den of Geek, the BBC press release stated, “Drama on BBC One takes another big leap in 2013 in the shape of some major event dramas, including The Village, Ripper Street, Luther, The White Queen and the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special. These shows will bring a rich range of tones and worlds to BBC One’s fiction.”
In August it was also announced that Mark Gatiss will be writing a docudrama about the creation of “Doctor Who”. This program will be aired around the 50th anniversary. Gatiss announced on Twitter, “’One day, I shall come back’. Thrilled to announce I’m writing a long-cherished drama about the creation of Doctor Who!” It will be exciting to see the early years come to life with amazing real life characters such as Verity Lambert.
3. The Pond’s Departure
In the beginning of 2012 fans learned that Amy and Rory Pond would be leaving the show in the fall. The only information given was that they would meet a heartbreaking end. After months of more rumors, viewers finally were able to experience the departure in the episode “Angels Take Manhattan”. Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill travelled with the Doctor for over two seasons and became a cornerstone of the show. While fans around the world were saddened by the news, it also brought excitement as to where the story would go next.
2. A New Companion
March brought some exciting news to the world of “Doctor Who”; Jenna Louise Coleman was announced as the new companion. Besides her name, the only other bit of information released at the time was that her first adventure with the Doctor would be in the Christmas Special. Even this information proved to be inaccurate when fans were surprised to see Clara Oswin Oswald in the Series 7 opener “The Asylum of the Daleks”. In “The Snowmen” Coleman put any doubters at ease with her amazing performance and jaw dropping tenacity. It will be intriguing to see where Clara’s character will go in 2012.
1. TARDIS sound in the Olympics
Whovians around the world were watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies hoping that “Doctor Who” will be included. Held in London, the 2012 Summer Olympics have been eagerly awaited. Many British pop culture icons were included such as Benedict Cumberbatch, JK Rowling, Rowan Atkinson and even Mary Poppins. Fans were exuberant when, during the musical montage, there was distinctively the TARDIS sound included. In addition, Matt Smith was chosen as a torchbearer in May 2012. He carried the torch from Cardiff, the modern home of “Doctor Who”, on its way to the coastal city of Swansea.
It has been an exciting year for “Doctor Who”. Since 2013 is the 50th Anniversary of the program, more excitement is sure to take place so “Don’t Blink!”
The Geek Port 