View source for Big night for Dr Who fans as Timelord's companion makes her 'emotional departure'

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| publication = Western Mail
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| date = 2012-09-29 
| author = Kathryn Williams
| pages = 18
| language = English
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| categories = cast changes
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FANS of Doctor Who will be on the edge of their seats tonight as the "emotional" departure of one his most popular companions Amy Pond comes after two and a half years at the Timelord's side.

Viewers will see Karen Gillan leave Doctor Who in "flames of blazing glory" in the New York-set episode. 

The actress and her on-screen husband Rory, played by Arthur Darvill, have spent many months filming the BBC sci-fi series around Wales.

Series seven takes a mid-season break, leaving fans wondering how new companion Jenna-Louise Coleman will be reintroduced as Matt Smith's second female associate in the Tardis.

Gillan, in Alabama making horror film Oculus, will watch her last episode with the film's cast and crew in the US.

She said: "All I wanted was for her to go out in flames of blazing glory and she definitely does that. I couldn't have wished for a better way to go."

Gillan, who was "emotional for about two weeks" after filming finished, said she was able to pass on a few tips to her replacement Coleman before she left.

"I felt wise and mature, which has never happened to me before," Gillan said.

Editor of Doctor Who Magazine, Tom Spilsbury gave his seal of approval to the current series and promised an emotional ending for the Timelord's married friends.

He said: "I've loved it. And from the response we've had from readers it's been a successful run of episodes and when it comes to the Christmas special it'll be like we'll be starting afresh again, after the departure of Amy and Rory.

"People are sad that it's coming to an end with Amy as she's been the one companion with Matt Smith since he started, but they're loving the mystery surrounding Jenna-Louise Coleman since her appearance in the first episode of series six. We don't quite know how it's going to develop."

Although Mr Spilsbury has already seen tonight's episode, he is sworn to secrecy about the departure of Amy and Rory.

He added: "The hope is people will think it's a nice ending for the characters. It's emotional as it always is when people are written out."

It's the third series that Matt Smith has filmed and many argue it's the most consistent series to date. Author David Llewellyn, from Pontypool, who has written spin-off novels about the Doctor Who adventures and contributed to the Brilliant Book of Doctor Who, said: "I'm really, really loving this series, even though it's only been five episodes - so far it's probably my favourite of Matt's series so far.

"When David Tennant left in 2008 it wasn't just him, a lot of the team changed hands too. But even so, the series will always have a variety of episodes because there are always so many different writers, it will always be mixed.

"Although it could be the case some episodes are like Marmite, like the episode starring Peter Kay, I really didn't enjoy that but my partner loved it."

In comparison to series six of the modern Doctor Who where Matt Smith's Doctor was seen to die in the first episode with a continuing thread throughout the series, the current episodes are more stand-alone stories featuring adventures in the Wild West, dinosaurs and the Daleks.

Lifelong Doctor Who fan Mr Llewellyn, who wrote novels The Taking of Chelsea 426 and Night of the Human, added: "It depends on the viewer what type of episode they enjoy. Many said that series six was too complicated to follow, but I gave a talk to my godson's class, eight and nine-year-olds and they loved following the story right through, they were glued to it.

"It's more likely to be the adults who are getting up and down, making tea! But I'm definitely enjoying the stand-alone aspect of this series."

Gillan and Darvill's final episode, The Power of Three, will air tonight on BBC1 at 7.20pm.

GRAPHIC: ¦ Matt Smith as Doctor Who, who will wave goodbye to his current companions tonight

¦ Amy Pond and Rory Williams (played by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill) in their final Doctor Who episode, which airs tonight

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