Doctor Who: 7 Things You Need To Know About The Doctor's Meditation Prequel
Here's a scene-by-scene run-down of what you missed.
For those who went to cinemas on the 15th of September 2015 to see the 3-D showings of the two-part Series 8 finale, Dark Water and Death in Heaven, there was a six and a half minute treat at the end. After being exhorted to remove their 3-D glasses, fans were treated to the much-anticipated Series 9 Prequel, The Doctor's Meditation.
This short film was directed by Ed Bazalgette and written by Steven Moffat, and it acted as a prequel leading into the first episode of the new series, "The Magician's Apprentice". The prequel was shown in Russian, Canadian, Danish and US cinemas, but nowhere else - including the UK! So, as it turned out, very few Doctor Who fans got to see it!
So, what's the Prequel like? Well, don't read any further if you dislike spoilers! But, if you want to know what happens and can't wait for the Prequel to come out officially, here's a full run-down with all of the dialogue and analysis of what it all means.
It won't come as a surprise to fans that there's very little in the way of actual meditating going on in this Prequel; the Twelfth Doctor is too beset by worry right now to sit still for long. Really, it's an excuse for a lot of very funny jokes and a serious moment at the end. Featuring only Peter Capaldi's Doctor and his friend Bors (played by Daniel Hoffmann-Gill), the Prequel is set in a medieval castle. For a blow-by-blow account, read on!
7. It Begins With The Doctor Meditating... Badly
The camera swoops across a lake, and a castle quickly comes into view on its shoreline. The caption "The Meditation Begins..." flashes up. We then see inside the castle, in a darkened chapel; the Twelfth Doctor is kneeling, eyes closed, lit only by a flickering candle.
He hears Bors entering, and turns to talk to him. The Doctor bids Bors enter and asks him, "How many days have I been here?" The Time Lord has, in the depths of his meditative trance, lost all track of the passing days.
Bors replies, "Three hours," earning a big laugh from the audience. As the viewers' chuckles fade away, we hear the Doctor remarking that Clara was right about saying he must suffer from ADHD. However, his attention is so poor, he can't even finish saying the name of the complaint. Taking a drink from the infamous "grail" cup (the same prop used during Paul McGann's regeneration scene), the Doctor pulls a face.
Bors asks, "What is your journey?" The Doctor replies, "You can't come with me, Bors."