The Bells of Saint John (TV story): Difference between revisions

|season number        = Series 7 (Doctor Who)

'''''The Bells of Saint John''''' was the sixth episode and mid-series premiere of [[Series 7 (Doctor Who)|series 7]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.

As the first story broadcast in 2013, its marketing had a similar feel to that of a "series opener", but the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] firmly maintained that it was merely the beginning of the second part of series 7, even threatening legal action against some sources that falsely claimed otherwise. The episode also introduced the concept of "[[Missy|the woman in the shop]]" who was a mysterious person somehow keeping the Doctor and Clara together. This arc would be carried on well into [[Series 8 (Doctor Who)|Series 8]] and would be touched upon in the Series 8 finale ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]''.

In [[Cumbria]] in [[1207]], a [[monk]] named [[Paul (The Bells of Saint John)|Paul]] pounds on the doors to an abbey, calling to wake the [[Abbot (The Bells of Saint John)|Abbot]] because "the bells of Saint John are ringing". As they head into a cave, Paul asks the Abbot why they call the Doctor "[[The Doctor's aliases|the Mad Monk]]". The Abbot informs him that they should not, as the man is hardly a monk. They give their message to the [[Eleventh Doctor]], who asks for a [[horse]]. As he goes to prepare, the monks discuss [[Painting (The Bells of Saint John)|the painting in his room]] of "[[Clara Oswald|the woman twice dead]]", and her last message: "Run you clever boy, and remember." The Abbot observes that if the Doctor is mad, this is his madness.

Back in 1207, the Doctor and the monks arrive to find the [[TARDIS telephone|TARDIS police box telephone]], next to the St John's ambulance sticker, ringing. A very confused Doctor picks up the [[phone]], to be told that the caller can't find the Internet. The Doctor slowly realises that the caller is in modern-day London. Clara was given his number by a {{Gomez|n="woman in the shop"}} and was told that it was the best in the [[universe]]. The Doctor starts to explain he's not actually a help line, but gives up and asks if she's tried clicking on the Wi-Fi button. She first tries the Maitland_Family link but needs the [[password]] from Angie, who gives her a mnemonic to remember it. She mutters the phrase aloud on the phone as she enters it. "Run you clever boy and remember." The Doctor recognises her voice and the phrase, and shouts, spoiling her concentration. She puts in the wrong password. She goes back to the screen this time choosing the open network with the strange symbols. Other lines of symbols appear on her computer, and, elsewhere, Clara's room appears on a bank of small video screens showing people. Clara runs off-screen to answer her frantically ringing the doorbell. The Doctor, outside [[30 Oak Street|the house]] and still in his Monk's robes, greets her in excitement. "[[Clara Oswin Oswald]]?"

 

*Clara received the Doctor's phone number for Wi-Fi support from the 'woman in the shop'. {{Gomez}} later revealed herself to be this woman. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]'')