| Show | Doctor Who / Series III / Episode 11 |
| First Broadcast | 2007/09/01 - 19:30 (Link: ABC Details) |
| Related Links | SynopsisRelated Annual |
| Previous Episode | The Family of Blood |
| Next Episode | Utopia |
A clever, innovative story that involves a young woman following clues left for her by the Doctor in the past, in order to rescue the Doctor and Martha, who have been trapped in 1969 by Weeping Angels. Well paced, good characters and plenty of tension - a fine episode, even though the Doctor, and especially Martha, hardly feature.
The protagonists in this episode are most ingenious. The Weeping Angels are as old as the universe and "creatures of the abstract" - a single touch from one sends its victim into the past to live out their lives before they were even born. The Angel then feeds on the "potential energy" of the life its victim would have lived in the present.
Their physiology is quantum-locked; they turn to stone when observed. They cover their eyes with their hands to prevent themselves looking at each other: giving the impression they are 'weeping'. This acts as a defense mechanism; they cannot be killed while petrified (though equally they cannot kill). They can move with great speed, hence you mustn't blink.
The Doctor also describes them as "the lonely assassins" and "the only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely", because their method of "killing" doesn't do anything of the sort.
The storyline (written by Steven Moffat, who also wrote The Girl in the Fireplace) is also ingenious and is built around a conversation between the Doctor and Sally Sparrow who are separated by 38 years in time. The Doctor has a copy of the transcript of the conversation and reads his bit into Easter eggs on DVDs that Sally owns. She does her bit in real time.
The Doctor needs Sally to return his TARDIS to him. He sends her a message via the DVDs and Billy, a policeman Sally meets who is subsequently trapped in 1969 with the Doctor, who lives on until 2007 to pass on his message.
The climax is brilliantly done. Sally and Larry track down the TARDIS in the cellar of Wester Drumlins. The Weeping Angels try to trap them, but our heroes manage not to blink. However a flickering light in the cellar means the angels can advance. Sally and Larry just make it into the TARDIS. One of the DVDs instructs the TARDIS to take off and return to the Doctor. Sally and Larry are left behind, but are safe as the angels have been tricked into looking at each other and are permanently petrified.
A year later, Sally is still mulling over her adventure, when she sees the Doctor and Martha pull up outside in a taxi. She rushes out to see him, but he doesn't recognise her. She realises that he hasn't encountered the Weeping Angels yet, gives him her folder ands warns him he'll need it one day.
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