August 23. The most important bit of information we get in the teaser is the start date of the 8th “series”. August 23. That’s the only question the teaser really answers, leaving us mostly with more questions. The teaser itself is only 16 seconds long, similar in length, I think, the BBC one teaser. But the America teaser is better. Let me include them both here, for comparison’s sake.
First, the BBC One teaser:
Now, the BBC America Teaser:
Both are short, and both serve to just let us know that the 8th series is coming. But we get a little more from the BBC America teaser. If you are just getting to the end of Matt Smith’s run as the Doctor, I should warn you, this will get a little spoilerish, so…don’t read on if you don’t want spoilers.
At the end of the “Time of the Doctor”, we see Matt Smith regenerate, as a result of what we can only assume is a new regeneration cycle from the Time Lords. We know he is at the end of his regeneration cycle because they reference this in the episode, so he shouldn’t be able to regenerate. He should die on Trenzalore. But, thanks to Clara, the Time Lords decide to help him, and send him the ability to regenerate. Not sure all the technical science about it, but there it is.
As a result of this being a new cycle, we get the feeling that this might be a different regeneration, including Matt Smith reverting in age right before the actual transformation. Once the regeneration is complete, we get our first view of the 12th Doctor, and his first words (something about the color of his kidneys), and then the TARDIS is crashing. He asks Clara if she knows how to fly it, making it seem like he doesn’t. Now, when the Doctor regenerates, it is not uncommon for there to be a time of transition, discombobulation, and confusion. But, they easy he asked her if she know how to fly the TARDIS, made me wonder if this was going to part of this new regeneration, that he won’t fully remember everything. I felt like this might be a possibility because 11 goes on and on about how important it is to remember all the faces he had seen. It made me think: “He is going to lose his memory when he regenerates”
Flash forward to now and this new teaser, and it would seem, at least from the BBC America teaser that he does, in fact, have questions about who he is, and whether he was a good man. Clara says she is not sure she knows who the Doctor is anymore. Other companions (Rose for example) have had a hard time recognizing the new Doctor when he regenerates, but this is Clara. She is the only companion that knows all the Doctors. She has seen and met all of his regenerations, including the War Doctor (she was the only one that met that version). It is a bit more significant for her to say that she doesn’t know who the Doctor is anymore.
Most importantly, the teaser made me excited. I think 12 is going to be a very different Doctor than what we have seen thus far in the “new” series. He is older, seems a bit more stern. I am excited to see how it plays out with Clara and with Moffat at the helm. It is exciting, and now I can’t wait for August 23.
