If “The Impossible Astronaut” was all set-up, then “Day of the Moon” should have been mostly pay-off. And, for the most part, it was. Except for the fact that watching this two part opener to series six, I couldn’t shake the feeling I used to get during Lost and The X-Files–namely that we were answering one question only to replace it with six or eight more.
At this point, I still have faith in Steven Moffat to deliver the answers. But I still have a bad feeling no matter what answer we get to the puzzle that is River Song, it won’t be nearly as satisfying or as interesting as many of us have speculated and dreamed up on our own. (Or worse yet, it won’t jive with what we’ve dreamed up and we’ll take it out on the show in a backlash).
But, for now, I’m mostly satisfied.
“Day of the Moon” was a less frantic episode than we saw last week. Last week was all atmosphere and exposition. This week was trying to be about resolution, but it still seemed to be missing some of the atmosphere that we had last week.
That’s not to say it was terrible. It just wasn’t quite what I expected.
The Doctor discovers that the Silence aren’t invading Earth, but they’ve been here the entire time. They’ve been out there, manipulating human history…but for what reason? We find out they want and need a space suit and send humanity to the moon, but we don’t really see why. Was it somehow the Doctor manipulating them into doing this so he could expose them? Or are the Silence trying to expand their empire across time and space?
And has the Doctor made some kind of new, profound enemy that will haunt him across the season? It certainly seems like we aren’t done with the Silence.
I did like the way in which Moffat pulled in pieces from the past to show the Silence have been with the show all during the Matt Smith era. We had the blatant foreshadowing from “The Eleventh Hour” referenced, but we also saw how the word Silence has been mentioned. Add in that last year’s “The Lodger” saw a Silence control console in the upper room and it’s clear that the Doctor has been a thorn in the side of the Silence for some time now–he probably just wasn’t aware of who or what he was battling.
We’re still left with a lot of pieces that don’t quite fit yet. Again, back to my X-Files comparison, it’s frustrating to have an episode that sets up some potentially long-term, game-changing threads for the series only to have the show try and go back to some jolly adventure next week. If you watched The X-Files as it unfolded, you may recall that some of the most frustrating episodes were those right after the mythology stories. But, given how we saw the series has been putting building blocks into place since Smith took over, I’m willing to give the show the benefit of the doubt that even the standalone stories won’t be too standalone in the grand scheme of things.
I also have to wonder if somehow history has been changed for various characters. I refer specifically to the River’s kiss of the Doctor and her statements following it and the question of whether or not Amy is really pregnant. It feels like we have two realities unfolding here and that we could create some kind of time paradox. I have a feeling this is more the case with River and it makes me wonder if the terrible day she refers to in the future is part of her memories and the Doctor’s memories coming together and not meshing. It they’re passing at different points in their timeline, then at some point there has to be a middle..and I have a feeling that middle or crossroads will be the dark day River has referenced several times.
When it all comes down to it, I was hoping for more definitive answers than we got. And while I’m sure that Moffat has a plan for this season and beyond, I hope it does’t take too long to get to those answers.
A couple of quick, random points.
- Kind of implied that the Doctor creates the Watergate tapes. Nice nod.
- I’m willing to accept that the TARDIS can jaunt all over and reach specific points in time and space as needed because River was there. Using it to shuttle Nixon around was nicely done.
- Anyone think the Doctor was being shut inside another Pandorica as Canton was building the box? And whose idea was it? Surely the Doctor must have given it to him since I can’t imagine Canton would know the type of material to use to shut out the universe.
- Back to last week’s story. In 1969, was Star Trek a big enough show or in the public mind enough for the doomed woman to reference it on seeing the Silence?
- Hopefully we can bury the Rory jealousy thread for good.
- Moffat is good at creating monsters that are like waking nightmares. However, at times the Silence felt a bit like a combination of greatest hits of various other monsters he’s used in previous scripts.
- I did like how the Silence were defeated by exposing them via the moon landing broadcast. That just seems Doctor-like.
I did wonder how the Silence got into the TARDIS and if it might still be there. I’m assuming it’s not but it could be a thread and threat for later this season.I forgot it was a hologram!
When did the Silence get in to the Tardis? The doctor projected an image of one based off the one from Amy’s cellphone picture. Other than that, I don’t remember one being in there (no pun intended).
To the last question, the Silent (Silence?) in the TARDIS was a hologram. Unless there was another one that I missed?
Just finished watching part 2. Thought it was great. It was a great solution to the problem and still left a LOT in the air. I really look forward to the rest of the season.
“I did wonder how the Silence got into the TARDIS and if it might still be there. I’m assuming it’s not but it could be a thread and threat for later this season.”
This was explained by the Doctor. He said afterwards, it was a projection based on an image extrapolated from Amy’s phone. 🙂
This show terrifies me like no other, and makes me laugh with abandon as well. It’s a neat trick. After how well last season’s over-arching plot was handled, I feel entirely comfortable (so far) trusting that this season’s plots will go just as well.
Two things … 1 – The Silent didn’t get in. It was a hologram, programmed from their almost-memories, and the picture Amy took with her cell phone.
2 – Who the heck is the little girl? She’s regenerating? Is she Jennie’s daughter?
I seriously doubt we’ll see another series being kicked off with a two-parter for as long as Moffat has the reigns. It was an interesting experiment and I loved the two episodes to bits, but it was such an arc-heavy way to kick off S6 that fans have a bit of a bad taste in their mouths and new viewers were more than likely lost. In the future, I can imagine Moffat sticking to what he and RTD did in the previous years: open with a continuity-light episode with glimmers of the myth arc, then a few adventures, and THEN the big kick into the story arc proper.
Didn’t like the episode as well as I had hoped. While I thought that banter between River and the Doctor was excellent (hopefully more to come) and who the little girl may be was interesting I thought the episode itself was confusing at times. And it started at the opening…with Amy running 3 months later…the jumping around time(without the Tardis in this case) may work for Lost or the The Event but it didn’t really fly here. Kinda agree with Bronzethumb that it may actually help to lose the new viewers.
Also the “Silence”…while I get that this is a carry over from last season I can’t help but feel that it was still something that was left hanging…I didn’t get the clarity I got when “Bad Wolf” was explained by Rose or the meaning of the crack when it was revealed last season…I know…probably more to come but for now it just seemed weak.
Also kind of got the feeling that we were meant to believe that perhaps the little girl was Amy and the Doctor’s offspring (which isn’t far fetched since the creatures could implant suggestions)…and if looks like Amy might have been at the orphanage for longer than we think with the number of marks she had on her…but I still think that it’s interesting that people supposedly felt sick after looking at the creatures but we only see Amy and River actually feeling sick. Perhaps both were pregnant and there were two births…one…Amy and Rory’s baby…the other River and the Doctor’s…kinda interesting that they wanted the doctor to know Amy was pregnant (or at least think she was)…sounds like some sort of manipulation.
I’m telling you TV doesn’t get much better than this. I forgot I was watching a TV program because this and Part 1 felt more like a major motion picture. Superb, absolutely stellar writing, directing and acting.
My guesses:
1. The child is Amy’s and Rory’s. The Tardis has influenced the development. (Hinted by Amy at end of episode.)
2. The child can regenerate. Does not make her a Timelord though.
3. The child’s birth is in flux, possibly an alternate timeline. (Remembering Tom Baker and his diary of history that changed.)
4. The child is River Song. River’s hair like Amy’s (and Rory’s), being aware at end of last season to get the Doctor back, etc. River is either at end of last regeneration or the doctor can go back the Library, rescue the body and instant River regeneration.
Actually think most answers about River will be in episode 4 of this season (“The Doctor’s Wife”). According to the after special most all the pay off will be in the last 2 episodes.
I was kind of under the impression that the dark day River is referring to is the one we’ve already seen in Silence in the library/forest of the dead where the doctor didn’t know River. I.e the first time we saw her. But I could be wrong. Makes sense though as they are traveling in mostly oposite directions..
One interesting thing I took from this is that the Doctor who “died” was 200 years older than the Doctor is now. 200 years worth of adventure without undergoing a regeneration. So does this mean that Matt Smith will continue to play the Doctor as long as BBC wants to run the series?
I was thinking the child was Amy’s and Rory’s and the TARDIS made it all timelordy somehow. Although the child being River is intriguing.
The dark day River was referring to, I think, was the moment at the end of the episode. The turning point in her relationship with the Doctor. The Doctor’s first kiss was her last. From here on (from her point of view) she has to watch the Doctor become more distant until he doesn’t know her at all.
I think I’ll have to re watch some of the old River episodes now.
I do not think that the child will grow up to be River, but I do think that it is Amy’s and Rory’s kid. But there is not enough to go on at the moment to prove it one way or another.
But I’m sure that we will see the Silence again.
Perhaps, but they aren’t an iconic villain like the Darleks, Cybermen or even the Ice Warriors of Mars. Maybe Moffat will try and make it so, but I didn’t find them particularly effective or menacing after the Doctor nerfed their one advantage.
With regards to Se 6 Ep 2 – it was a bit of a let down. It did not satisfy me the way I think it should have.
I think I can narrow it down to how rapidly the threat of the Silents got wrapped up. The moon landing bit was nice. I liked that, but somehow I think I’m supposed to be feeling a strong dread of the upcoming season, and all I’m getting is “meh”. I’m sure this will change as the season goes on.
As for the little girl, there’s some sort of paradox going on. The indication of Amy being pregnant and not pregnant at the same time is the big Schroedinger’s cat in the corner. We won’t know for sure until we cut Amy open, I guess.
However, here’s my take.
1.) As the Doctor is killed in ep. 1 we know that he knows who is in the suit.
2.) We know that River Song is in jail for killing someone, and she won’t say who.
3.) The little girl can regenerate… this leaves a question of her genetic origin, not a question of “does traveling in the TARDIS effect the progress of an infant during pregnancy”
4.) We still haven’t got a fez. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
So, from what we supposedly know, here’s what I conclude.
1.) River Song is in the Space Suit when the doctor is killed (I suppose it could be Amy for the irony, but I’m sticking with River)
2.) River is in prison for killing the Doctor
3.) The 1103 year old Doctor is not the Doctor we know and love. Nor is it a clone.
4.) Assuming that somehow Timelord DNA got introduced into the little girl at some point, it is necessary to remember that female Timelords can choose the shape of their next body after a regeneration (eg Romana regenerating into the shape of Princess Astra in the 4th Doctor’s run) — It is likely then, that the 1103 year old Doctor is actually the little girl after a later regeneration “Playing” a game.
Just my $0.02
Love how the season is ramping up and can’t wait till next episode. However there are two questions I have that maybe some of the more seasoned Doctor Who fans can help me answer (my first doctor was Chris Eccleson).
1. So by airing the Silence’s message on the moon landing to “kill them on sight”, the Doctor is effectively sanctioning murder on a sentient species, something he’s gone out of his way to avoid doing in the past, even with more violent and cruel enemies, such as the Daleks.
2. Could the little girl actually be River and the Doctor’s baby, or maybe a return of the Doctor’s Daughter from the David Tennant run?
“I couldn’t shake the feeling I used to get during Lost and The X-Files–namely that we were answering one question only to replace it with six or eight more.”
Um…it’s called a TV Series Story Arc.
That having been said, I’m so SO looking forward to this season.
I think these 2 episodes were a great kickoff.
At the end of the episode, I wondered how the hell the Brits pull off making such a sophisticated TV series that’s actually intended for *kids*?!
Oh, I know: You get a writer/showrunner like Stephen Moffat, and you surround him with a brilliant team of actors/directors/writers/artists, et.al. and you have a network that, apparently, steps aside and Lets.You.Do.Your.Thing.
Bravo. Bra-fracking-vo.
Oh, and “*He’s* Black.”?
I screamed. Out loud. By myself, in the solitude of my own living room.
Brilliant.
Loved the episode! Can’t wait for more!
Bit concerned about the wrap up though. Seems like it would have caused mass panic and destruction. Did the aliens leave? Were they beaten with baseball bats? Can’t any past companions remember any of these events? Lots of questions.
I actually *like* getting more questions than answers.
This, for me was a very good opening 2-parter.
No new theories of who the space-suited killer or the little girl.
One can only speculate.
I have great faith in Moffat’s story telling after having seen his Dr. Who, as well as the Jekyll and “Sherlock” series
Question to all how can Amy and Rory have a kid – he’s a droid right?
I don’t think the River stuff is meant to be that much of a puzzle. She’s explained they’re travelling through the relationship in opposite directions – from her point of view, every time they meet, he knows her less.
The terrible day is, as she says, the day he doesn’t know her at all, which is a pretty clear call to the Library episode (especially with the “I think it’s going to kill me” line).
She was heartbroken that he’d never kissed her before because it meant, for her, he’d never kiss her again – another part of the relationship for her has become “unborn”.
It will be interesting to see how Moffat handles that for the audience – logically, we have to see a River who hasn’t experienced the Silence next time, but that might be quite hard for an audience to keep track of (they’re already tracking so much) and it’ll be doubly hard to do any meaningful character development in reverse.