Doctor Who: The Impossible Astronaut

Well after an agonising wait, Doctor Who retured to our screens tonight. But was it worth it? After all this build-up and hype is this really the mother of all season openers? I can't exactly tell you yet, seen as this is the first part of a Series wide arc that Mr. Moffat has been planning in his head since Series Five. But judging from the first Episode alone I think we're in for a real treat. There were relevations and twists aplenty, from Amy being pregnant to a future version of the Doctor properly dying. AND it was set in America! FOR REAL THIS TIME! Were the Silence really that scary? No, but then again I haven't been really scared by Doctor Who since Series Three (I think I grew up) but they are undoubtably unnerving and really creepy looking. I take it I wasn't the only one who got a 'Alien' vibe when they were in the sewers sorrounded by gunky walls and a 'beeping' electronic device? 

Talk about over-kill! He blew the SH*T out of that woman!

The idea behind the (now revered) monsters is really top notch, the scene when they're inside the 'Lodger' Tardis when Rory looks outside only to see a horde of these horrible creatures after them (though not attacking...for some reason?) and then just looks away forgetting he ever saw them was creeepy. Then there was that scene in the bathroom, where that woman with the big teeth gets literally blown up into shreds (most graphic 'Who' death since the Toclafane eradicating President Winters anyone?) in the toilets right before Amy! They didn't really do alot apart from looking creepy in the tunnels and killing that woman though did they? And what's their big plan that set in motion the events of Series Five? I suppose that was because the majority of the screen time was lent to setting things up than rather bringing out the big guns straight away. Which I think is the main problem for this Episode: (and all two parters for that matter!) it went a bit slow at times and was merely setting things up for the next installment/whole Series. 

I'm sure I wasn't the only one screaming 'HOLY CRAP!' at this moment?

And now lets move into the main twist of this Episode, the Doctor 'dying'. Properly. I'm sure not many of you saw this coming! And killed by an Astronaut coming coming out of a lake (God this show can get weird sometimes, but thats exactly why we love it)! The first fifteen minutes were by FAR the best out of the whole show. PERIOD. The cremation of the 'future' Doctor, down to the appearance of the 'younger' Doctor and that menacing scene in the Tardis was quite powerful. So how are they going to get out of this one? I have my theory that the Doctor we saw die was a clone/replicant of the real Doctor sent back in time to kickstart the events of this Series. Or I am most probably barking up an entirely different tree! Oh, and I don't think that the person killing him was that Girl in the suit either. They didn't show a face did they? Hmm...very suspicious. Speaking about that girl, we still don't know what any of that is about do we? Why is she in an Astronauts suit? Who is she? Why are the Silence interested/connected to her? I suppose we're going to find out, but a big thing/relevation in the next Episode (which will apparently 'Explode' the Internet according to reports) will be tied to her. Which makes it all the more interesting...So coupled with the fact that the Doctor will die in the future and a mysterious girl (trapped?) in an Astronaut suit we also have the big reveal that Amy is pregnant (despite being as thin as a stick may I add), and I think she hasn't said anything to Rory yet either! There could definately be something more to this baby, but even being just a 'plain' old baby will cause many problems for the Tardis crew. Mainly, why the heck doesn't Amy just stay in the Tardis because she's clearly putting her unborn kid in danger EVERY SINGLE MINUTE she's with the Doctor! And talk about dark/adult. For a program aimed at a family audience and being shown at 6pm their were an alarming amount of sexual references, not to mention the fact that a pregnant woman grabbed a gun and SHOT a frigging kid! Jesus Christ, and one image of the Silence alone is enough to send any kid to the mental institution! But having said that, it all makes for really good drama doesn't it! The Cliffhanger could have had a bit more zasaz though, tame compared to most of them during the RTD tenure.

Best moment out of the whole Episode.

Then there was the whole 'WE'RE GOING TO AMERICA!' bit that has been the main selling point for this Episode. Although its addition at the start of the Ep was awesome the rest of the 'America' parts was either in the Oval office set or the Silence's lair. Here's hoping we get to see more of this beautiful location in the conclusion to this two-parter. President Nixon seemed spot on (judging from what I know about him) and not to cartoony like the Futurama version that was really over the top. Its nice to see that under Moffat's Who reign we get to see realistic impressions of famous people in History (Vincent Van Gogh, Churchill, Nixon...). Canton Everett Delaware the III was a great addition to the cast aswell, and it was nice to see authentic American accents and not just parodies of them ala 'Daleks In Manhatten' and 'Evolution Of The Daleks'. The bit with River and Rory was also really neat, showing the true tragidy of their relationship. The last time he will meet her is the first time she will have met him and vice versa...Its quite the poetic tale apparently. But we still don't know who she is, and I still hold my theory that she's really evil as hell and just being really clever about it. Cos' that would be awesome if ot was true! But then again she could just be Rory and Amy's kid all grown up....or the Rani....or the Doctors Wife....or a future version of the Doctor....or the girl in the Astronaut Spacesuit...or a clone...or a Timelord...you know what the fan speculation is endless now!

Are the Silence capable of Time Travel?

So all in all I think that it was a 'good' Episode with some fantastic moments but kinda dull in a few parts and faustratingly teasing. Also its mere existence was so it could set up what looks to be a fantastically and enthralling Series. And I am eating up the Silence aswell, being great additions to the DW rogues gallery. Why does this have to be the opening Episode though? The Series should start in a blaze of action and drama and it was quite lacking in the 'loads of SH*T happens department'. Next Week will more than fill in that gap from what I've seen of it so far though. We jump in time by three months where they're all fugitives out on the run from the FBI (for some reason) and leading a revolution against the Silence invasion. There's Area 51 (with a bearded Doctor!) the Apollo landing take off and a showdown with the Silence in the Lodger Tardis! So really all the hype should have been focused on next Week rather than this Week then...

Has Silence really fallen yet?