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Doctor Who Rings in Spring with “The Bells of Saint John”

The “Doctor Who” 50th Anniversary season is finally here. The time-traveling alien time-lord is back for more action-packed fun and adventure in an epic blockbuster season.

If you are not a Whovian yet, this is definitely the season to become one according to the show’s lead writer, Steven Moffat. “Doctor Who” is the perfect show for anyone who loves adventure, crazy plotlines, some science fiction, and most importantly, time travel. While the season is mid way started, it’s not too late to catch up and join the fandom that continues to grow and captivate many.

While the one question the universe constantly asks continues to float around (“Doctor who?”), we are now confronted with a new mystery: who is Clara Oswald? The newest companion (Jenna Louise Coleman) of the Doctor’s (Matt Smith) is unlike any we have had in quite some time.

After her first appearance in the season premiere, “Asylum of the Daleks,” and her return in the Victorian Era in the Christmas special, “Attack of the Snowmen,” the newest sidekick has everyone on the edge of their seats and scratching their heads along with the Doctor.

Last Saturday, “Doctor Who” returned kicking off the second half of the season with an all-new episode, “The Bells of Saint John.” The Doctor is waiting in the year 1207 at a monastery as he contemplates the “impossible girl,” Clara Oswald.

She has so far appeared twice in the Doctor’s timeline, once on another planet and once in the Earth’s Victorian Era (3 times if you include the special prequel where he runs into her as a little girl, unbeknownst to the Doctor). In both episodes we watched her die, but somehow, she continues to keep reappearing throughout time and space, giving the Doctor the same message, “Run, you clever boy, run.”

Now, in present day London, Clara Oswald winds up calling the Doctor looking for some assistance with her Wi-Fi. The Doctor is quick to respond to her call to further explore the mystery surrounding her.

Meanwhile in present day London, an unknown Wi-Fi link traps Internet users into a cloud-based data storage system once users access the link. It’s up to the Doctor and Clara to hack the system and try to save the human race before they are all uploaded and trapped in the cloud.

It seems that this newest episode is a social commentary on our dependence on the Internet and technology. Frequently, the show references popular social media such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. The Doctor tries to explain to Clara what is happening to the people in the Wi-Fi, “Human souls trapped like flies in the World Wide Web, stuck forever crying out for help.”

“Isn’t that basically Twitter?” Clara replies.

The idea of the controllers behind the Wi-Fi network easily getting into people’s brains and pretty much controlling them like puppets makes you wonder if this is so different from reality? Aren’t we all just mindlessly passing time away in front of our computer screens downloading information and believing whatever we come across? The storyline for this episode was really interesting and I personally found the connection to modern day society to enhance the episode. In a way, it made the whole story more realistic.

The newest episode of “Doctor Who” is both fun and exciting as we get to witness the Doctor pick up yet another companion. It is always a treat to fans to watch how the Doctor will impress or entice his newest companions into an unforgettable life of adventure, danger, fun and excitement.

Clara is instantly lovable and will most likely be a fan favorite, as her character seems to be the perfect match for the Doctor. She is always on her feet, ready for adventure, and most importantly she’s clever. It is clear that there is some good chemistry between actors Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman as we have seen them in three episodes together so far. And it will be interesting to see how the relationship between the Doctor and Clara develops over the course of this season.

I very much enjoyed the newest episode and was not disappointed in the least, other than I have to wait a whole week for the next episode. It was a fun and entertaining hour filled with typical “Doctor Who” humor that is sure to make everyone laugh here and there. The conclusion will also have you on the edge of your seat and in great anticipation of next week’s episode.

The new season of “Doctor Who” will be exploring the mystery of the Doctor’s newest companion, but that’s not all we have to look forward to! According to the BBC website, former Doctor, David Tennant and companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) will reprise their roles for the 50th Anniversary season. In addition to some familiar faces, the anniversary special will be featured in 3D.

“Doctor Who” airs on Saturdays at 8:00 pm on BBC America.

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