From the very first episode of this series of Doctor Who, the Time Lord’s death has cast a dark shadow over proceedings as his friends saw him being shot in his future by someone in a space suit. The series bows out on Saturday with an explosive finale in which the Doctor prepares to meet his death in Utah as he knows it is the only way to keep the universe safe after time starts to behave in a very strange manner. Last week’s episode implied that River Song would be his killer, and with the finale entitled The Wedding of River Song, will she really pull the trigger and just who will she be marrying? As the Doctor meets up with Amy and Rory again for another encounter with the sinister Silence, can he prevent the end of the world? TV&Satellite Week asked Arthur Darvill, who plays Rory, to give us the lowdown... What can you reveal about the finale? "It’s an epic episode. A lot of things have been thrown up over the series and those questions are answered. I think viewers will be both surprised and satisfied with the outcome." The Doctor has been told the date of his death. Does he survive? "The Doctor’s death is preying on his mind and he is determined to find out what is happening. Stephen Moffat is brilliant at throwing curve balls and always has a lot of fun finishing those storylines in the most interesting way. This one is no exception." River Song plays an important part in the finale. How did you feel when you discovered she was Rory and Amy’s daughter? "We had all been speculating about River Song and coming up with lots of different theories. By the time we got the script we were all really surprised and pleased with it." Rory has died a few times. Does he make it through to the end of the episode? "Rory dying has become a running joke for Stephen and the writers, but I’m glad that has stopped happening recently. I can’t wait to find out what could possibly happen to Rory and Amy in the future." Do you enjoy the action scenes? "I actually find it more satisfying filming the scenes that touch on emotions. It is all about a balance. You can have all the epic sci-fi stuff in it, but that only works if you have something real at the heart of it." What’s been your highlight from the series? "The pirate episode was great fun, and I loved The Girl Who Waited, which featured the older Amy. That was the most satisfying. It really developed Rory and Amy’s relationship and gave us some real meat that we could get our teeth into." How do you cope with attention from fans? "It’s not hellish. Most people who come up to me are quite nice. I’ve been recognised a lot more by Americans recently. The show’s popularity is growing in the States and it’s considered a really cool programme." Do you ever think the show is too scary? "Not at all. A lot of kids come up to me with a massive smile on their face and say how terrified they were watching it. But I did watch an episode with my Nan once and she couldn’t deal with it." What will you do now that filming has finished? "I am weighing up my options at the moment, but hopefully something completely different. I am thinking of starting a band and I’ve been writing songs. There will be quite a big sound with lots of brass." Are you friends with the other members of the cast? "Karen, Matt and I are very close and we see each other quite a bit off set. We have helped each other through a lot over the past couple of years and that will continue." What is your favourite sci-fi drama or movie? "It’s got to be Barbarella. It’s one of my favourite ever films." SUBSCRIBE to TV Times magazine NOW and you could save up to 29%
