Doctor Who old and new Blog

Midnight, the name of a distant world in a distant time. Where the light is deadly, it will vaporise you on contact and also not forgetting it there is no air outside either! Although this planet is made of precious gems, the majority of which are Diamonds, and a tourist company has built a tourist resort here.

This where Donna and the Doctor have gone, I assume as a well deserved pool holiday to recover from the Library.

At the start of the episode we see Donna sitting in a reclining chair at the beginning of the episode drinking a rather exotic looking drink next to a pool.

The Doctor, being an explorer of time and space just can’t sit there. He has to get out and absorb every moment. He is taking a transport to see a gemstone waterfall erupt all manner of delights. But, of course nothing goes according to planned.

The transport has an eclectic range of people, a family consisting of wife who not only wears the trousers but the overalls as well. A father forever struggling against the alpha (male) female to prove himself. A teenage son who has been forced to come along undoubtedly with the mandate that ‘you might just learn something’. In addition to them, there is a retired professor who has been on that very same trip for 14 times and believes he is the most impressive person in the world. His companion is a student/intern who admires him but has her confidence stiffened by his complete and utter disrespect for her intelligence. We have the hostess who is keen to please and create calm for her charges. Then we have, Sky Silvestry, who immediately feels like she should not be there or at least her intentions are not exactly in-line with anyone else. She reveals to The Doctor that she is recovering from a nasty break up and is trying to recover.

The scene is set and the transport, which has the appearance of a first class transcontinental cabin, sets off. The route has been planned by a computer and is guides by a pilot and co-pilot.

The journey is normal, long and uneventful until the event happens. The transport stops! For no reason. All the systems are ok.

With the help of psychic paper The Doctor is able to gain access to the cock pit, and they have a glimpse outside. An amazing crystal landscape lays before them. The co-pilot spots something moving, only he sees it and it is dismissed by everyone else.

Later, there is a banging from the outside. It is impossible, states the Professor, nothing can live there. Then a smash and the cockpit is ripped off, the pilot and crew are gone.

All is quiet. In the corner is Sky Silvestry huddled in a ball. She is quiet. Everyone asks her if she is ok. She starts repeating everything they say with pure accuracy. Panic grips the cabin, arguments are echoed by Sky Silvestry voice. The Doctor surmises that a being is trying to take control of them by stealing their voice and eventually it will be you who is repeating.

Then it is only The Doctors voice that is repeated, the sinister presence has detected The Doctors knowledge and power and has started a full assault.

The rest of the passengers turn on The Doctor and they are determined to throw him out into the deadly environment that even a Timelord cannot regenerate from.

The Doctors voice, stolen and controlled by the possessed Sky Silvestry, is recognised by the humble hostess who drags the distracted Sky Silvestry to an airlock and scarifies herself to save the passengers. The Doctor is released as the sinister presence is ejected.

Upon his return to the resort he is reunited with Donna to a hug and words of comfort.

Silence in the Library, another episode that is written by Steven Moffet, this means the best of the best! From the outset it feels like a great episode. Whether it is the set that actually looks like futuristic library would do or the plot twist of the little girl who is a security camera? Confused? you will be!

The library is empty and all Donna and The Doctor have to go on is a message warning them to count the shadows. But what is stranger than a deserted library plant, yes I said planet, than someone from the Doctor future appearing.. Yes, a women who is rather familiar to him is leading an expedition to the Library knows him, she knows all about him.

Donna, who has stated that she does not ‘fancy’ The Doctor appears to be upset, disturbed. Possibly even threatened as she is just getting to know The Doctor.

Oh, the villain of the piece is .. darkness. I am not going to say to much on this as it is brilliant. Although, this episode is the first of a two part story line which leaves The Doctor facing certain death - nothing unusual there then!

A brilliant episode!