TARDISWATCH: DOCTOR WHO FEATURE REVIEWS- EPISODE EIGHT!
EPISODE 8: SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY
An independent, unofficial series of Doctor Who reviews and analysis from a lifelong fan of the show
Guest stars in Doctor Who can be a bit hit and miss over the course of a series, but for the most part they are excellent, and this week the BBC have excelled themselves and given us Alex Kingston and Steve Pemberton. It would be easy to dismiss them as unsuitable for science fiction, but if you take a look at some of their previous work, it has set them up perfectly. Alex Kingston was, amongst many other things, a part of the cast of ER, which has pout her in good stead to play the archaeologist she portrays in this two part Doctor Who story. Steve Pemberton is an incredibly versatile performer, known to UK audiences as one part of the team that brought us The League of Gentlemen. In that show he regularly played something in the region of eight characters per episode, and the dark, surreal humour he is known for must have come in as a great tool for working on Doctor Who. The Doctor Who team could get pretty much anybody they want for roles in the show now it is so massive, but it is a constant reminder of how seriously they take their casting that they always get the right people for the job. This week is no exception.
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Hot on the heels of the news that he is to take over from Russell T Davies, we are treated to the first part of this year’s Steven Moffat scripted adventure. Set on a library planet and featuring guest stars Alex Kingston and Steve Pemberton, we are treated to an incredible episode that more than makes up for the shortcomings of last week’s Agatha Christie romp. The first thing that is very much apparent in this episode is that it had cash thrown at it from all angles. This is quite possibly the most beautiful looking 45 minutes of Doctor Who we’ve ever had. The sheer scale of the effects and the sets and the cleverly used interior locations makes for something that feels truly epic. This isn’t just eye candy though, not by a long way. Moffatt’s script is fantastic, and dare I say, even cinematic at many points. The various plotlines are all given ample room, and the mystery of the present day little girl and how she fits into everything is extremely interesting, and the scene in which her psychiatrist tells her the library world of her dreams is real is wonderfully creepy. The idea of the shadows literally eating the skin from people’s bodies is chilling, and how the deaths of characters are dealt with- including the ‘Ghosting’ of their personalities through their suit communicators, is a stroke of genius. This is Doctor Who on a grand scale, reminiscent of many classic era stories. This is how those much loved stories would look today- sumptuous, fascinating and utterly believable. The obligatory chase through the library aisles is gripping thanks to the superb use of lighting and pacing, and the episode as a whole is incredibly strong. Those final moments are thrilling, and leave the viewer wondering what the hell is going to happen next time. What actually happened to Donna? Whats the story behind the Doctor’s involvement with Alex Kingston’s character? How will the group escape the swarm? This is how two parters should start. Magnificent.
9.5/10
The televised Britain’s Got Talent ecent this weekend caused Doctor Who’s ratings to slip to their lowest since the show came back. Over 5 million people tuned in to watch this week’s incredible episode, but that is a good four million fewer than usual. Hopefully this is a one off occurrence and down to families bickering. Needless to say, fans that missed it can catch up with SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY via the BBC’s iPlayer service!