Episode #219 : The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang

"The universe is big, it's vast and complicated, and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles. And that's the theory. Nine hundred years, never seen one yet, but this would do me."

Episode #219:      The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              19th to 26th June 2010.

A Van Gogh painting ferried across thousands of years offering a terrifying prophecy, a message on the oldest cliff-face in the universe and a love that lasts a thousand years: in 102 AD England, Romans receive a surprise visit from Cleopatra. Nearby, Stonehenge hides a legendary prison-box. As it slowly unlocks from the inside, terrible forces gather in the heavens. The fates are closing around the TARDIS. The Pandorica, which contains the most dangerous threat in the Universe, is opening. Only one thing is certain: "The Pandorica will open... Silence will fall".

The season ends with a fantastic culmination. We learn that everything we have experienced since the start of this season has been orchestrated by an alien coalition who fear the Doctor and blame him for the destruction of the universe. The full explanation won't become apparent for some time though. This two parter is a complete edge of your seat type entertainment with surprises and enough cool moments to be hugely memorable.

We have the unexpected return of Rory William although at this stage as a plastic Auton facsimile of a Roman soldier. He somehow manages to retain his personality even as the other Auton's revert to their "evil" selves. Rory always struck me as a bit of an odd character but has grown on me as his time on the show went along. Strange how that happens.

The first half of the story focuses on the Doctor's discovery and investigation of Stonehenge and the Pandorica. Once entrapped and the universe changes we have our companions struggling in a shrinking universe to reset things, hence the title The Big Bang. Now is this new big bang the thing that alters history to erase events such as the giant Cyber King?

The end of the adventure is rather cool as well. The Doctor slides back along his own timeline through his adventures with Amy before he ceases to exist, and we see certain scenes from previous stories this season which now make more sense. A well written and ingenuous plot element. The final scene of Amy and Rory's wedding where Amy restores the Doctor's existence sends a chill up my spin.

All in all a fantastic piece of Doctor Who in the modern era.

Episode #218 : The Lodger.

Craig: Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?
The Doctor: They never really stop.

Episode #218:      The Lodger.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor and Amy Pond.
Air Date:              12th June 2010.

A mysterious force blocks the TARDIS — with Amy inside it — from landing, keeping it stuck in a materialisation loop. It's up to the Eleventh Doctor to work out what that force is, lest Amy be lost forever along with his home. As he investigates, he learns of a house on Aickman Road, with a staircase which people walk up but never come back down. To solve this mystery, the Doctor must pass himself off as a normal human and share a flat with Craig Owens.

The Lodger is a fantastic story, not because of some cool science fiction or big battles, but because it is just funny. This adventure is companion lite as Amy is trapped aboard the TARDIS and the Doctor does all the hard work. The Doctor having to live as a normal everyday human just makes for some classic laugh out loud moments. Sometimes it just has to be as simple as that to make a good episode.

Ultimately though this is just another filler episode before the big end of season story. The only real element of this one that fits the rest of the story arc is that the source of the mystery appears to have a dead body that resembles a Silence from the next season. Coincidence or setting up? Who knows.

There isn't much more to this one so just enjoy this story for the comedy value and for James Corden in the role of Craig Owens.

Episode #217 : Vincent and the Doctor

"The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa the bad things don’t always spoil the good things or make them unimportant."

Episode #217:      Vincent and the Doctor.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor and Amy Pond.
Air Date:              5th June 2010.

While taking Amy to several peaceful locations, the Eleventh Doctor's trip to a museum takes turn for the worse: his interest is caught by a painting of a church by Vincent van Gogh. What troubles the Doctor is that there's a face in the church's window; it's not a nice face, it's a curious, shadowed, creepy face with a beak and nasty eyes. The Doctor knows evil when he sees it and this face is definitely evil; it may pose a threat to the one who painted this face into the church. Only one thing will calm the Doctor's nerves: a trip in the TARDIS to 1890 so the Doctor can find out from the artist himself.

Vincent and the Doctor is a very unusual story. At first glance it is both science fiction and a good historical story. In that regard is reminds me of the old historical adventures designed to teach the younger viewers. Although some elements of this story are slightly different than the real world truth we have an episode that gives us some insight into one of history's more loved classical artists. However, the science fiction story of an invisible space alien monster running around doesn't actually do much to further the story.

The true strength of this story to me comes at the very end when the Doctor takes Vincent to the modern day and shows him his works on display for all to enjoy. The curator speaks volumes about Vincent's impact and how he will always be remembered. I'm no art expert or fan but this speech does tend to bring a tear to the eye.

Episode #216 : The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood

"Bringing things to order, the first meeting of the representatives of the human race and homo reptilia is now in session. Never said that before. That's fab."

Episode #216:      The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              22nd to 29th May 2010.

It’s 2020, and the most ambitious drilling project in history has reached deeper beneath the Earth's crust than man has ever gone before — but now the ground itself is fighting back. The Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory arrive in a tiny mining village, and find themselves plunged into a battle against a deadly danger from a bygone age.

Yay! At last we have the long awaited return of the Silurians and they have had a 21st century make over. The episode explains it as a different species of Silurian (or Homo Reptilia as the Doctor annoyingly keeps referring to them). The re-imagining has them much more human looking and without the strange third eye in the foreheads. No reference to the Sea Devils unfortunately. Still, it is good to see them back.

The story itself is a little too similar to the original Silurian story from the time of the 3rd Doctor for my tastes. I'd have liked something more original but I guess this is a good way to introduce the Silurians to a new audience without having to do a lot of backwards explaining. The problem is that the story deals with human drilling awakening the Silurians and then a group being aggressive towards mankind for being intruding apes. A peace is started only to fall apart because of that self same aggression. All in all it is too much like the original story.

The Silurians for their anti-human stance are portrayed as highly civilized and yet mankind is once again shown to be uncompromising and aggressive in return. We humans have our issues but I don't think we are quite as bad as we are shown to be in the Doctor's eyes. Recent incarnations seem to see us in a negative light and it is a bit much.

This episode features the first proper death of Rory Williams. A running joke throughout the show now is how many times can Rory die? In this instance Rory is killed by a Silurian and his body and history erased by the mysterious crack in the skin of the universe. As part of that incident the Doctor discovers a shard of the TARDIS inside the crack indicating that at some point the TARDIS will be destroyed. All together it plays nicely into the overarching story for this season.

The Hungry Earth and the Cold Blood together make a good Doctor Who adventure if a little long and drawn out even for a two parter. The return of the Silurians is really good to see as is some expansion on their culture that we didn't have before. More classic monsters are definitely needed. Well worth a watch as a refresher or as an introduction to the Silurians.

Episode #215 : Amy's Choice

The Dream Lord: If you die in the dream, you wake up in reality. Healthy recovery in next to no time. Ask me what happens if you die in reality.
Rory: What happens?
The Dream Lord: You die, stupid. That's why it's called reality.

Episode #215:      Amy's Choice.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              15th May 2010.

It has been five years since Amy Pond last travelled with the Eleventh Doctor. However, when he arrives by accident and they have a reunion, Amy is left questioning what is real. Is she actually living with her husband Rory in Leadworth, 2015, or is she still travelling with Rory and the Doctor in the TARDIS? Which is real and which is fake? Dream or reality? Only one thing is clear: it's Amy's choice.

Amy's Choice is a filler episode that does nothing to further the season plot. There is no reference to the Silence nor is there a crack in the universe this time. The entire episode is totally self contained. Instead we have a confusing story about dream and reality which is somewhat mediocre.

The villain of this story is an entity calling itself the Dream Lord. The first time I watched this episode I was really hoping that he would be a previous villain, the Valeyard or the Celestial Toymaker. Instead we have a one use villain playing the role of the Doctor's darker side (hence the thought that he may be the Valeyard). Played by the wonderful Toby Jones, the Dream Lord is a fun villain with the perfect sarcastic responses to the Doctor.

I don't have much to really review this episode. It's fun if you take it the right way but I dislike filler episodes intensely.

Episode #214 : Vampires of Venice

"Tell me the whole plan! ... One day that'll work...  Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing... I'm thrilled! Oh, this is Christmas!"

Episode #214:      Vampires of Venice.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
Air Date:              8th May 2010.

The Eleventh Doctor takes Amy and Rory, soon to be married, on a romantic trip to Venice, 1580 to make Amy focus on her relationship with her fiancé. However, things there aren't quite what they seem. Warnings of the plague are spreading about despite having died out years before, and pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight are lurking around. Could it have something to do with the school run by the mysterious Rosanna Calvierri?

Vampires of Venice is a story that feels very much like the classic stories of old. I could imagine Tom Baker running around Venice investigating and hunting these alien vampires. As it is this isn't a bad story for the 11th Doctor. It fits what I expect from modern Doctor Who in both style and appearance, although some elements are a bit silly.

Rory joins the TRADIS crew as the Doctor tried to curtail Amy's amorous advances. Rory is a sort of anti-companion as he doesn't take to time travel the same way as everyone else. He's very unadventurous and it is a nice character trait. In this story he raises some good points that aren't normally covered and that we ignore when watching.

"You know what's dangerous about you? It's not that you make people take risks, it's that you make them want to impress you. You make it so they don't want to let you down. You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you're around."

That is a great quote and so very very true when you think about it. Companions always trust the Doctor and assume that he knows what he is doing and go that extra mile. We see it all the time and we just go along with it. A good example of script writing. We never saw anything like this in the old days and it is good to have an insight into our hero.

The vampires themselves are a little bit of a let down but only because with modern BBC special effects I feel they could have looked a lot better than just strange alien fish with big teeth. The premise behind them and their plans ties into the crack in the universe plot, complete with reference to "silence". I'd have preferred something closer to the Great Vampires myself but then the more classic references the better in my opinion.

Vampires of Venice is a fun story but it is the character interaction and Rory's reveal of who the Doctor is is what makes the episode.