DWO's Senior Art Editor and Editorial Team Member, Will Brooks has put together a rather nifty infographic explaining River Song's (rather complicated) time line. Click on the image below for a larger version.

DWO's Senior Art Editor and Editorial Team Member, Will Brooks has put together a rather nifty infographic explaining River Song's (rather complicated) time line. Click the image below for a larger version, or click HERE to open a super high-res copy.

The character of River Song (played by Alex Kingston) first appeared in the 2008 two-part story Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead, opposite David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. At the time, she was played as a somewhat mysterious character from the Doctor’s own future, with a battered diary styled to resemble the TARDIS. Following her first appearance, there was a great deal of speculation as to just who River Song may be. In his book The Writer’s Tale, then-current showrunner Russell T Davies even commented that;

“I’ve read [Silence in the Library], and it has a character in it who I’m just sure is the Doctor’s wife (!!!)...”

Since then, River has returned to Doctor Who on several occasions, opposite Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor. She’s faced off Weeping Angels (twice!), Daleks, the Silence, and even gets to take the credit for being ‘the woman who killed the Doctor’. Oh, and they get married, of course. 

While River Song’s story has been more closely tied to the most recent few seasons of the programme (and specifically to the Doctors former companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams), we’ve not always encountered her in the same order that she experiences events. 

The above timeline tracks her movements through the Doctor’s life, taking in all their adventures from her birth (in 2011’s A Good Man Goes to War) through to her death in the Library (during her very first appearance in the series). It charts all of her televised adventures with the Doctor, plus the 2012 video game story The Eternity Clock, and scenes made exclusively for the Series Six DVD/Blu-Ray release, plus several unseen adventures that River has recorded in her little blue book.

River’s timeline in relation to the Doctor’s may not be the most straightforward in the programme’s history, but it’s kept us guessing over and over again. The Name of the Doctor sees her finally being able to let go of the man she loves, but not before she promises him that there’s still a few more ‘spoilers’ to come... 

[Sources: DWO; Will Brooks]

If you’re looking for a great way to make sure that you haven’t missed a moment of the Doctor’s adventures, and want to go back and relive your favourite episodes over and over again, all without having to stray too far from Doctor Who Online, then you’re in luck.

LOVEFiLM have joined up with Doctor Who to provide dozens of old episodes which LOVEFiLM will kindly deliver straight to your door, visit the site now.

They have cut out the need for purchasing DVDs – or even the time usually associated with the old methods of renting – and brought the Doctor right to your doorstep, and all without the help of a TARDIS!

LOVEFiLM have a selection of DVD deals which are much cheaper and more convenient than having to go to a rental shop and will give you easy access to the most recent episodes – watch them at your leisure and then just pop them in the postbox and LOVEFiLM will send you the next episodes straight away! You can enjoy all of this alongside the rest of the LOVEFiLM catalogue, which is growing by the day, so there are plenty of other science fiction adventures you can catch up on too.

For us, the move comes at just the right time, as it’s been almost 6 months since the Doctor has been on our screens, and what better way to whet your appetite for the inevitably brilliant Christmas special than with a marathon session with all of Matt Smith’s run, perhaps you could even directly compare him to David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston’s efforts since the 2005 relaunch – only if you suspect that he stands up to them though.

But one of the extraordinary aspects of the past few series’ has been the depth of story that has rewarded repeat viewing, and Steven Moffat has well and truly picked up where Russell T. Davies left off, so you’ve got no excuse not to enjoy the Doctor at the click of a mouse button.

[Sources: Doctor Who Online; LOVEFILM]