Wow. Well that’s one way to start a season.
And were you as surprised as we were?
Feel free to sound off in the comments section below. We’ll have a TARDIS file (for both this and last Christmas’ special) as a labour day special soon!
Posted by Graeme on Saturday, September 1 at 9:02 pm
The Snowmen Cometh (Christmas Special Reviewed!) : The 2012 Christmas special gets a look-over! Plus…
It has been announced that the final eight episodes of Series Seven of Doctor Who will be airing on BBC1, SPACE and BBC America starting on Saturday March 30th, 2013.
Archaeology Tomorrow (Season Reviews and Benny’s 20th!) : The 2012 season review issue, and the importance of being Bernice Surprise Summerfield! Plus…
The seventh series of Doctor Who comes to our screens on September 1 at 9 pm on SPACE!
As you’re all no doubt aware, Enlightenment is written, edited and designed as a non-profit venture by a band of loyal fans. Unfortunately, due to the pressures of our volunteers’ day jobs, it’s proven impossible to keep to a bimonthly publication schedule. Read more
13 Comments...
I think Moffat has actually achieved the impossible. I mean, it’s one thing to successfully keep secret a 10-second appearance by Catherine Tate in Doomsday, and a quick cameo by Billie Piper in Partners in Crime. But to keep this one secret- despite several previews - was nothing short of remarkable. I’m definitely looking forward to Christmas!
Posted by Alex on 09/01 at 10:47 PM
Just wanted to let you all know that we nominated you for the one lovely blog award.
Posted by tmastgrave on 09/02 at 12:34 AM
Wow indeed. The Daleks are made creepy and scary all over again.
And the multiple sucker-punches! 1. Jenna Loiuse-Coleman 2. The much better fonts in the opening titles 3. Amy and Rory divorcing. 4. The reason for the divorce (Amy’s self-hatred because she is sterile and can’t bear children) 5. Oswin is a Dalek!
In an Internet-saturated world where nothing is secret anymore, the BBC really did an amazing job in hiding the spoilers.
I wasn’t too keen on all the Daleks at the end saying “Doctor Who?” and then the Doctor saying it too. Over and over. Enough with the navel-gazing!
But otherwise a pretty good start to the season. Ut was worth the wait.
Posted by steve on 09/02 at 10:56 AM
I had managed to (other than the released promos, trailers and ‘Pond Life’), stay relatively spoiler-free. But wow I can’t believe they managed to keep this basically a secret, especially with the 3 advance screenings.
So there I was last night, jabbing excitedly in the direction of the telly, saying “but, but, but it’s HER! OMG!! Already!!!”.
Which of course now opens up a whole new can of worms for the future episodes and the changes down the line. Love it!
Really enjoyed this episode on first viewing. Will watch it again and come up with a few nitpicks I’m sure lol, but it left me wanting more more more more!!! And that’s what it’s all about. :D
Posted by Julie on 09/02 at 12:33 PM
Apparently Americans with subscriptions to iTunes and Amazon Instant were able to view a 2 1/2 minute prequel which sets up why the Doctor is on Skaro. Needless to say it’s already on YouTube but as it’s one of those things that probably will be taken down then put back up and taken down and put back up there’s no point posting a link. But it’s worth searching out. It’s simply the best prequel they’ve ever made.
Posted by Alex on 09/02 at 09:02 PM
“I wasn’t too keen on all the Daleks at the end saying “Doctor Who?” and then the Doctor saying it too. Over and over. Enough with the navel-gazing!”
SILENCE WILL FALL, as in the doctor’s silence, WHEN THE QUESTION IS ASKED! as in doctor who? SO basically the daleks are asking the question and now the doctor’s name has been silenced because the daleks don’t know him anymore! WOW mindblown.
Also, i’m fascinated over this Egg Stir Min Ate thing, I though maybe Egg Stir Minute, or Egg Stir Min 8? Does it mean something, It would be amazing if it did!
Posted by Rosalynd on 09/03 at 02:02 PM
@Rosalynd - it could explain why her souffles never turned out…
Posted by Alex on 09/03 at 03:24 PM
@ Rosalynd
Regardless of the question and whatever the Silence said:
Its way too much fan-wank…and even fans don’t like it when things get like that. I mean really: try watching the Peter Gushing movies - how wrong it feels when he says “- am Doctor Who and this is my grandaughter Susan”.
The Doctor introduces himself as “the Doctor” and everyone calls him that. Period.
If it gets any more self-referential, we’ll end up like John Malkovich when he physically enters the portal to his own brain in “Being John Malkovich”: everyone he meets in his brain can only say “Makovich!” “Malkovich malkovich malkovich!”. “Malkovich?” “Malkovich!”
I mean, why bother scrpting anything at all? Every character in Doctor Who should only say “Doctor Who!”. “Doctor Who?” “Oh yes, Doctor Who”. “Oh but Doctor Who!”. “Oh we should Doctor Who the Doctor Who”. “Doctor Who???” ” Doctor Who Doctor Who. Doctor Doctor Doctor Who?” “Yes. Doctor Who.”
Posted by steve on 09/03 at 09:10 PM
This is the first episode since the Time War in which the Doctor has met the Daleks in a place where he expects to find them, unless you count the ones that helped to build the Pandorica. He is no longer mopping up the remnant that was left behind.
The Intensive Care Daleks met the Doctor in the adventures that preceded (for the Doctor, at least) the Time Lords’ interference in their timeline that revealed Davros. Coincidence? However, they are clearly not living in their original casings, and other than the appearance by the Special Weapons Dalek there is not much variety. If you want us to believe these Daleks are crazy, there are several distinctive casings that could have been used that would have shown that they’re “different”.
Amy visualizes the Daleks as men and women in evening dress. Is this the way the Daleks hallucinate each other? How Cylon.
Darla von Karlsen (if that’s her real name) looks a bit like a Thal. This is the first time the Daleks have used humanoid replicas in a long time.
Jenna-Louise Coleman’s scenes were clearly recorded after the primary unit was done shooting, that’s why we never see the Doctor see her face.
Are you sure there is a connection between Oswin and Clara (the companion role JLC is set to assume at Christmas?) Consider past Dr. Who actors who’ve played secondary roles before assuming primary ones: Karen Gillan, Freema Agyeman (via retcon), Bernard Cribbins (via rewrite), Eve Myles (via never-explained retcon), David Tennant, Colin Baker, John Leeson (in reverse), Ian Marter, Nicholas Courtney, Peter Purves to name a few.
Posted by Eric on 09/03 at 10:02 PM
For a complete recap of the episode..please see this:
Youtube /watch?v=9QhliTHMDcY
Posted by Jim on 09/03 at 11:54 PM
I am sure there will be a connection between the 2 characters played by JLC. Its something that might have went un-noticed in the 1960’s & 70’s but these days I highly doubt they would have the same actor play 2 different parts in the same season unless one of the parts was under a mask or something. And for the record, for those who don’t know this, one time they had an actor play 2 different characters in the SAME story and the 2nd character became a companion. That was Peter Purves in “The Chase”. Something that just wouldn’t fly today unless there was some sort of explanation in the plot.
Posted by Doug Grandy on 09/05 at 01:01 PM
Too bad there doesn’t seem to be any activity on this blog. Is everything OK with DWIN? I’m missing the insight of Canadian fans. Please come back.
Posted by Andrew B on 09/17 at 08:04 PM
Another reviewer picked up on a clue that appears early on that all is not as it seems with Oswin. Hint: never mind the milk for the souffles, where did the red rose come from and where did it disappear to?
Posted by Alex on 09/24 at 11:28 AM
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