I try not to think about Doctor Who when it’s between seasons because it just makes me miss it that much more. The wait is now over as the newest series began in the US on BBC America this weekend and it did not disappoint. The Impossible Astronaut introduced a complex story that looks as if it might play out over the entire upcoming season (and may have even started before anyone realized). We’ve seen a lot of wild preview images for this year including a bearded straightjacketed Doctor that suggest a lot twists and turns coming up. Seeing them unfold one week at a time should be delightfully agonizing.

I’m sure I will spoil things moving forward.

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Before the opening credits rolled, it became clear that everything that’s happened this season has been for a reason and nothing was left out. It’s a testament to Steven Moffat’s talents that he’s taken his new creations and made them such a compelling part of the series, while at the same time acknowledging the show’s history. With all the changes that came this season (a new Doctor, new companions and a new head writer) it’s obvious the show is in good hands.

Spoilers next.

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Flesh and Stone, the second part of what is quickly becoming one of my favorite Doctor Who stories of all time, aired this Saturday on BBC America. The follow up to The Time of Angels was fantastic. 

Spoilers to follow.

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I find Doctor Who most enjoyable when it’s mysterious, full of accidental occurrences, and designed to frighten children (and you can include Angie in that). The Time of Angels has all of this going for it along with the added bonus that it’s part one of a two-part story. Spoilers to follow.

The action centers around one of the most fascinating of the recent additions to The Doctor’s rogues gallery, the Weeping Angels. First introduced in the episode Blink a few years ago, it seemed like it would be difficult to top some of the madness the Angels bring, but the inclusion of the mysterious River Song set the stage for a fantastic episode. From the dynamic and cleverly constructed opening to the seemingly inescapable conclusion, this is the type of episode that should make anyone love this show.

The mystery of River Song deepens as we see that she and The Doctor keep meeting in the “wrong order,” which is especially tragic as viewers saw her demise during her first appearance in the episodes Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. While she was known as Professor River Song at that time, this River Song is actually a criminal trying to earn a pardon and is thrilled to know she’ll one day receive such a prestigious title.

We learn a great deal about the Weeping Angels from an ancient book about the creatures that is the only writing of its kind. Any image of an Angel becomes an Angel because of their unique nature in the timestream, and this threat includes any mental image. It’s also made clear that staring into the eyes of an Angel can give it influence over the mind of the observer. If the Angels weren’t creepy enough, these concepts add a whole new level of scary.

The inclusion of the military squadron of “clerics” as River’s escort while on work release made for a great dynamic and makes for a great commentary on the future of organized religion. There is a fun twist about the nature of the crash that brought everyone to the planet leaving them all in the gravest of danger.

The return of two of the most intriguing concepts from producer Steven Moffat required an exceptionally strong story and this one does not disappoint. It’s clear that there’s a larger story framework in place that is being masterfully revealed over the course of several seasons. Can’t wait to see what’s in store next week.

More on Doctor Who 2010:
Victory of the Daleks / Flesh and Stone

It’s been a long time, but the new season of Doctor Who came to BBCAmerica last week. The show opens right where the last episode left off, with the TARDIS crashing and the new Doctor holding on for dear life while everything burns, before going to new opening credits complete with a new logo. I’m probably going to spoil some things here, but not everything.

The Doctor finally crashes seemingly in response to young Amelia Pond’s prayers to Santa help with a crack in her wall. After the two meet, we get a great scene with a regeneration crisis revolving entirely around the taste of food in a new mouth that begins with apples and is finally satisfied only by fish sticks and custard.

The scene sets up the new Doctor and Amelia’s whole relationship brilliantly. We get to see Matt Smith really establish himself as The Doctor along with Amy, but without having to compete for attention with Karen Gillan who plays Amy as an adult. We also learn that Amy is very observant, not afraid to ask questions, not afraid of anything really except the crack in her wall. So it must be a scary crack…

After determining the crack is in fact a crack in space and time and closing it, we learn that something called “Prisoner Zero” has escaped through it to Earth. Before he can investigate further, the Doctor is forced to run back to the TARDIS after sensing a greater emergency. He tells Amelia he’ll be back in five minutes, and even though you know what’s going to happen, it’s still heartbreaking when she packs her suitcase and waits for the Doctor to return and the five minutes becomes 12 years.

Upon returning to find the adult Amy, we learn that Prisoner Zero is a creepy shape shifter that’s been deceptively hiding in Amy’s house all this time. Also during the twelve year gap, Amy has been through 4 psychiatrists trying to cope with meeting her “imaginary friend.” As the adventure continues, we see that everyone in Amy’s life (her aunt, her cousin Jeff, her “boyfriend” Roy) recognizes The Doctor from Amy’s cartoons and can’t believe that he’s real.

One of the greatest aspects of this episode is that even though all of the Doctor’s usual gadgets like the TARDIS, psychic paper, and the sonic screwdriver are present, they were taken off the table giving The Doctor only has 20 minutes to save the world from the Atraxi who have come to Earth to recapture Prisoner Zero. There are also some great twists like the references to “the human residence” and the way Prisoner Zero takes advantage of the years it’s had to bond to Amy.

The dialogue is brilliant throughout, but I particularly enjoyed the Doctor’s credentials when convincing the world leadership to listen to him: “the real proof to Fermat’s theorem,” “why electrons have mass,” and “faster than light travel with two diagrams and a joke;” and the ominous words Prisoner Zero leaves the Doctor with: “The universe is cracked. The pandorica will open. Silence will fall.” The threats made to the Atraxi were also great, and the video reel of the Doctor’s history on Earth sent chills down my spine. I love this show.

All in all, this was a great first episode for all involved setting up the new players and threats. I am always a concerned that I’m not going to like the new Doctor whenever he regenerates, but each time that goes away pretty quickly. Matt Smith is fine and may even turn out to be great. This was certainly a good start. I already love Amy Pond. It’s interesting that the Doctor is traveling with an other redhead whose wedding he’s delaying. I also remember noticing the music and liking it quite a bit.

The commercial breaks on BBCAmerica featured inside looks on the new season of the show with interviews of Executive Producer Steven Moffat and the cast (thanks, BMW). This show is in great hands and we even get a glimpse of how things might come together as the season plays out when Amy asks why The Doctor why he wants her to come with him. The Doctor passes it off as loneliness but we see a prominent crack on a screen inside the TARDIS and the music gets ominous. I’ll save my wild speculations for another post though.

The next episode of Doctor Who airs tonight at 9PM on BBCAmerica.

More on Doctor Who 2010:
2010 Season Preview / The Beast Below