Clara has left the TARDIS…well at least she’s going to.
With Series 8 of Doctor Who just around the corner, this past weekend news leaked that Jenna Coleman will be leaving the Doctor. Coleman made her debut as the Impossible Girl in Series 7’s premiere and became the Doctor’s full-time companion halfway through the series. Apparently it’s time for Coleman to move on, though. It’s rumored that she will be making her exit during the Christmas special.
I’ve really enjoyed Coleman’s portrayal of Clara Oswald. Clara is a bit punchy and as a companion kept Matt Smith’s Doctor on his toes. I’m really looking forward to her interactions with the new Doctor, as Clara’s spunk goes head-to-head with Capaldi’s Doctor’s intensity.
I will be sad to see Clara go. At this point she’s only been in a few episodes and will only be in a few more. For a show that has spanned 50 years, though, transitions like this are commonplace. New Doctors and new companions are a must as change gives the opportunity for new ideas and fresh characters.
Transitions can be difficult, though, in our favorite nerdclinations and in real life.
This has been a year of transitions at our church. We’ve had a number of staff people transition off of staff. They’ve all left for various reasons like new jobs, new opportunities and even retirement. No one has left angry or embittered, but it’s still difficult to deal with the transitions.
I don’t like change and I don’t like people leaving, whether it’s a character from a TV show or a coworker at church.
Change and transition are necessary parts of life. If the Doctor had never regenerated, Doctor Who would have ended in 1975 with William Hartnell’s death. If we don’t open ourselves up to change, then the opportunities and possibilities God has for us could end up dying as well.
I’m grateful for the time I got to spend with my coworkers and I’m excited for the opportunities God has for them through their transitions. Even though change is hard, I know that it is good. That may not make it any easier, but it may keep us from rioting every time our favorite companion leaves the TARDIS.
How do you respond to changes and transitions?
Short answer? Not well. They scare me and make me anxious. But no quo can stay status forever; I try to remember that, and I pray and try to trust God. Easier said than done, sometimes.
Companion and Doctor transitions I can handle. 🙂 But this was a great nerd hook on which to hang your thoughts. I will keep you and your congregation's staff in thoughts and prayer as you continue to deal with your transitions.
(Incidentally, "Doctor Who" would have ended well before 1975 if they hadn't brought Patrick Troughton into the role. Hartnell was, by all accounts, fading fast, even though, as you point out, he lived for a while after leaving the show. Have you seen last year's BBC docudrama about the creation of the show? It's called "An Adventure in Space and Time" and I highly, highly recommend it!)