‘Dr. Who’ returns for much-anticipated seventh season

Okay, so I know there is a secret "Doctor Who" fanbase here at West Virginia University, because just the other day I saw the words "Bad Wolf" marked into the dust of someone’s car.

But why are we hiding?

Come on, fans – now is the time to take out your Sonic Screwdrivers, don your fezzes and outwardly proclaim your love of "Who."

I will try my best to keep this review somewhat spoiler-free, since I know a lot of people have probably just started, never seen or are still close to finishing the six-season show relaunch, but I’ll warn you now: If you are not caught up, there may be a few mild spoilers ahead.

However, I will be focusing more on information specifically related to the seventh season.

Season 7 (or series 7, as it is termed in the United Kingdom) features Matt Smith as the 11th doctor.

Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill return as Amy and Rory Pond, but after two seasons, this return marks the end of these characters.

According to Steven Moffat, head writer, show runner and executive producer of the series’ seventh season, the two will return only for the first five episodes of the season.

However, the BBC’s YouTube channel is currently running a five-episode mini-series featuring the Ponds, which serves as a prequel to the new series. The episodes are not necessary to the series, but I’m sure many fans will want to watch, anyway.

Regardless of the sadness the Ponds’ imminent departure brings, it will almost certainly be an epic one.

Show producer Marcus Wilson mentioned "some old fan favorite" monsters will return from the ’60s and ’70s series but will be rebooted to reflect modern technological and costuming advances.

The first episode, titled "Asylum of the Daleks," is written by Moffat and directed by Nick Hurran.

Show producer Caroline Skinner said the episode uses the largest set in the history of the show.

"We’ll have more physical Daleks in the room than ever before in the history of ‘Doctor Who,’" she said in the Doctor Who Magazine. "The running total is somewhere between 20 and 30 real ones."

The first half of the season, occurring before the December Christmas special, will consist of five episodes. The titles for the episodes are as follows: Episode 1, "Asylum of the Daleks;" Episode 2, "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship;" Episode 3, "A Town Called Mercy;" Episode 4, "The Power of Three;" and Episode 5, "The Angels Take Manhattan."

River Song, played by Alex Kingston, is set to return in the fifth episode. Also, Moffat revealed there will not be any two-part episodes this season.

The season premieres tomorrow at 9 p.m. on BBC America. The seventh season also includes the usual Christmas episode Dec. 25, which will introduce The Doctor’s newest companion.

Spring of 2013 will bring the final eight episodes of the seventh season.

For fans who are still catching up or who simply want to relive some old episode favorites, the entire first six seasons are available on Netflix, iTunes and Amazon.

The newest season will be available on iTunes and Amazon as the episodes air, and it is currently available for pre-order on iTunes.