Pandorica’s Box

Doctor Who: The Pandorica Opens

Airdate: June 19th 2010. UK. BBC1

That’s three good ones in a row! Nice one Mr. Moffett. Even though I’d been told certain things about this episode and kinda guessed other bits (through a less than subtle process of elimination) I was still pleasantly surprised at some of the little things... and perhaps less surprised by others (of course the great and mystical message was going to say “Hello Sweetie!” Seriously... what else could it say that would make any dramatic sense within the context of the current season).

Rory putting in an appearance as a roman soldier had me foxed for a while... even though I knew the Autons were going to be turning up. Amy’s “death” was something I wasn’t expecting to happen until next week... which means she’ll be back and will remember Rory (even though she will have lost him again for good is my guess). The Doctor was imprisoned and I’m now convinced he’s the “original” Prisoner Zero... who has escaped of course... and I think things will get a lot more frantic and crazier next week. They’ve given themselves a tad more time to get through the next episode and my guess is they’re really going to need it to sew up all that they can. It’s going to be an interesting one methinks.

I think River Song was a little less likable this time around though. I don’t know why that is but perhaps she’s going to do something really awful in the next episode... providing she gets out of the exploding TARDIS. Note for Stephen Moffet... if you get rid of the police box for good then I’m never going to forgive you!

Loved the way Murray Gold used and belaboured the Cyberman leitmotif whenever there was a cyber body part on screen. Love all his main themes but think the music's been a little less interesting this season. Really like the new subtheme choral variation for the new Doctor but it seems to turn up at different tempos and in different guises in almost every episode... which is a bit of a departure to the previous series. Never mind... I’ll buy the CD if and when it arrives. I wish they’d get a CD for last years specials out there... there was some pretty good stuff in those. Maybe the next one will be a double album. Here’s hoping.

The only really unfortunate bit about the whole episode was they’ve brought those stupid, rubbishy new plush Daleks back. For goodness sakes... they’re way too big and unwieldy to be in any way menacing. We want the - pick any other era from Doctor Who apart from the last 9 weeks of the programme and insert here - ones back... they were much more frightening.

Okay, that’s me done for this time around. Pretty good episode but so far nothing to match Eccleston or Tennant at their finest. But I’m sure it’s coming. If not this season then soon. Yetis are rumoured for the Christmas special so... who knows? Fingers crossed!