.. Cornered between the darkness and the space suit full of flesh eating hive like-minded creatures. The Doctor and the survivors of a scouting party seem doomed…this is where we were left in the previous episode of Doctor Who, Silence in the Library (Review)
But the mysterious ‘Vashta Nerada’ is to hand with the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver… And cuts a whole in the wall and they run.
This episode also sees Donna ’saved’ in what we now know to be a giant hard drive at the core of the planet, which also contains over 4000 survivors from over oo years ago when the Vashta Nerada first started to attack. The operating system is in fact the consciousness of a small girl, dead for 100 years, which we see get distressed more and more and eventually puts herself, and the entire planet, into self-destruct mode, even though she is protected by an anti-virus program called ‘Doctor Moon’ who is unable to help her calm down…. The only answer is to remove the people saved on her hard drive. While at the same time dealing with the vas..
Thank you Steven Moffat…you are a genius! Pure and utter!
The main two main elements of this episode are the developments of a life and family for Donna in a virtual world in a matter of minutes. This world is then torn apart by the appearance of Miss Evangelitser, the first victim of the ‘Vashta Nerada’ in the last episode, who reveals the truth of the illusion to Donna.
The other story line is the apparent relationship between the Doctor and River Song. This is summed up by the fact that she knows the Doctor’s real name!
It turns out the ‘Vashta Nerada’ did not come to the planet, they where brought there by the Library’s creators of in the books. They are forest dwelling creatures that have been transported and now have hatched in this new environment.. Hungry… The Doctor finds this out by communicating with one through the space suits interface that has a neural link – of course!
The Doctor threatens the ‘Vashta Nerada’ and says that he will destroy them of they do not let he rescue everyone. He states, I am The Doctor, look me up… After a pause, they agree to one day’s grace.
So, this episode introduces some wonderful ideas, one being that no one will die today. As at the end everyone is either restored to their normal selves or exists in the virtual world of the ‘hard drive’ operates by the child mind of cal.
Still scary but with a happy ending..
Spoilers – Read on.
So, with the doctor looking forward to his May and December relationship it seems that he can keep a copy of his lover on the hard drive to be downloaded whenever he feels ready to commit.
Talk about keeping a girl in every port!