Nov 26 sees the release of the Blogtor Who audio commentaries for the 2005 two~parter, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. We are looking for your comments, thoughts and questions on the episode for inclusion on the podcast (read out after the commentary). Tweet us HERE, Facebook us HERE, leave a comment below or email us HERE.
PLEASE NOTE: The audio commentary has now been recorded.
We are also looking for your comments, thoughts and questions on the next story after that, Boom Town. You can Tweet us HERE, Facebook us HERE, leave a comment in the section below, or email us HERE.
RECENT POSTS
The Long Game audio commentary
Doctor Who Tees
Dalek and TARDIS Tree Decorations
Doctor Who movies on the way
Children in Need 2011 update
Elisabeth Sladen event at the Doctor Who Experience
Probably my favourite episode. They magnificently built up the terrifying atmosphere, steadily over the course of the two episodes, to finally release every ounce of it in glorious fashion at the episode's delightful conclusion. All that fear and seemingly formidable danger, and yet "Just this once, everybody lives!" Possibly Steven Moffat's mognum opus.
magnum*
World War II still probably darkly resonates for the people of Britain. To have it be backdrop for the middle of the Ninth Doctor's experience, especially in light of the joy in the ending, surely highlights the Doctor himself. What and who (no pun intended) he is. He stands in the dark, facing the terror, and challenges the danger, mocking it and himself for being the last, alone, born in blood and battle.
And even while the Ninth Doctor can so easily ensure the death of Cassandra, in The End of the World episode 2, and so easily later on bring "Margaret Slitheen" to her deserved final judgment (pre-her turning into an egg), the Doctor can also, in The Doctor Dances, easily, happily, delightedly rejoice in the simple fact that "just this once, Everybody lives!"
And it seems so very appropriate, in the complex life of the Doctor, particularly as we see Nine through Eleven, that the Battle Ambulance which can bred warriors can also heal so completely, restoring lost limbs, and bringing a child back to life.
The Doctor, old, lonely, angry, the last of his kind, who stopped the Time War and killed everyone, even the Time Lords–and he can still rejoice in life.
This story included things like: The Squareness gun, that Doctor likes bananas (a better foretelling of "bow-ties/fezzes are cool I don't know what might be; and I wonder if that line improved sales and consumption of bananas for a while!), and illustrating more closely just how helpful that sonic screwdriver is (a certain setting reattaches barbed wire!)
These episodes deserved their Hugos. And Cheers to Mr. Steven Moffat for his writing!