Skip to content

Doctor Who Specials • Christmas Special

The Husbands of River Song

4.25/ 5 557 votes

Quotes

RIVER: You don't look much like your pictures.

DOCTOR: Well, that's an ongoing problem for me.

The Husbands of River Song
River Song, her face covered, talking to The Doctor. Nardole is in the background.

RIVER: How do you know me?

DOCTOR: Well, it's a tiny bit complicated. People usually need a flowchart.

The Husbands of River Song
River Song, smiling. Nardole in the background.

DOCTOR: It's my back.

RIVER: Your back?

DOCTOR: Yeah, my back's playing up. It simply refuses to carry the weight of an entirely pointless stratum of society who contribute nothing of worth to the world and crush the hopes and dreams of working people.

The Husbands of River Song
The Twelfth Doctor, crossing his arms

“An archaeologist is just a thief. With patience.”

— River Song, The Husbands of River Song
River Song

DOCTOR: My entire understanding of physical space has been transformed! Three-dimensional Euclidean geometry has been torn up, thrown in the air and snogged to death! My grasp of the universal constants of physical reality has been changed forever!

DOCTOR: Sorry. I've always wanted to see that done properly.

The Husbands of River Song
Vertical shot looking down on the Doctor in the TARDIS as he gesticulates

RIVER: Does sarcasm help?

DOCTOR: Wouldn't it be a great universe if it did?

The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor in the TARDIS, holding the King's head

RIVER: The man who gave me this was the sort of man who'd know exactly how long a diary you were going to need.

DOCTOR: He sounds awful.

RIVER: I suppose he is. I've never really thought about it.

The Husbands of River Song

“When you love the Doctor, it's like loving the stars themselves. You don't expect a sunset to admire you back. And if I happen to find myself in danger, let me tell you, the Doctor is not stupid enough, or sentimental enough, and he is certainly not in love enough to find himself standing in it with me!”

— River Song, The Husbands of River Song
River Song

RIVER: I'm an archaeologist from the future. I dug you up.

RIVER: I had this book. History's Finest Exploding Restaurants. The best food for free. Skip the coffee.

The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor and River, falling and hugging

DOCTOR: You look, er, amazing.

RIVER: Doctor, you have no idea whether I look amazing or not.

DOCTOR: Well, you've moved your hair about, haven't you?

RIVER: Well done. It's very sweet of you to try.

The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor and River in the restaurant

DOCTOR: Times end, River, because they have to. Because there's no such thing as happy ever after. It's just a lie we tell ourselves because the truth is so hard.

RIVER: No, Doctor, you're wrong. Happy ever after doesn't mean forever. It just means time. A little time. But that's not the sort of thing you could ever understand, is it?

The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor and River Song

RIVER: So, assuming tonight is all we have left.

DOCTOR: I didn't say that.

RIVER: How long is a night on Darillium?

DOCTOR: Twenty four years.

RIVER: I hate you.

DOCTOR: No, you don't.

The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor and River, looking into each others eyes

DOCTOR: Get back in the TARDIS, this is my job!

RIVER: This is my job!

DOCTOR: I've been doing it for longer!

RIVER: And I do it better!

DOCTOR: River, not one person on this ship, not one living thing is worth you!

RIVER: Or you!

The Husbands of River Song

Ratings are from TARDIS Guide members only.

Related Stories: