Except when you've got an immense episode of DOCTOR WHO to re~watch (again) and evaluate. Plus there's the season finale of LOST (more of that in another post) but I'll stick to STEVEN "How Come The Viewing Figures For His Stories Are Always So Flippin' Low?" MOFFAT and his latest creation, SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY. Not only do SPOILERS play a big part in the story itself but also in this review so, if you haven't seen this installment, I would strongly suggest you do not continue with this post. Though, if you were one of the 13 million or so watching BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT and not DW then frankly I don't want you here.


The opening was awe inspiring and possibly the best pre~titles sequence ever; truly intriguing with a good ole breaking down of a door, courtesy of CATHY T (more of her later). Top marks to THE MOFF all round for keeping the mystery and suspense ramped up - though, to be honest, I don't really give two hoots for the dark but then, I am quite old and live beside a graveyard. First up, though, what about the cast?


A gold star, and maybe even some special extra points, for the casting here. ALEX "Corr, I Remember 'Moll Flanders' You Know - Knockers!" KINGSTON purrs her way through the episode in an almost sexual manner. Easy to believe that she would have some kind of relationship with The Doctor (for the record, I am spoiler~free so I don't know the nature of it). It was nice to an 'idiot' on the show, namely MISS EVANGELISTA played superbly by TALULAH "Corr, I Remember 'St Trinians' You Know - S~Bag!" RILEY. Her death scene was tops and STEVEY M's concept of the DATA GHOST was pretty chilling. As well as being damn clever.


It's a credit to the rest of them that they pulled off their parts (stop it) so convincingly with such little screen time. COLIN SALMON oozed suave~ness and was very nearly acted off the screen by his co~star EVE NEWTON playing 'THE GIRL'. Some real good stuff between these two (particularly when he revealed her nightmares were real!) and I look forward to what the next part brings up. PROPER DAVE and OTHER DAVE were an amusing inclusion and the former one's death, like Miss Evangelista's, was well executed and meaningful. Though the character of ANITA didn't really have much to do.


As always, with this series, CATHY T and DAVEY T shine like big shiny things in their respective roles. Their opening scenes were most gigglesome and the chemistry is as strong as ever: Donna asks (in an almost meta~tv style), "Isn't Travelling With You One Big Spoiler?" and The Doc retorts, "I try to keep you away from major plot developments." Nice. DT's scenes with AK were terrific with both shooting full barrels (if you pardon the expression) on the ole acting front.


I've found the music this series a bit repetitive but MURRAY GOLD kicks bot~bot here. Lots of subtle moments and never over~powering - taking the 'silence' from the title literally. Particularly interesting was the bassy~synth sound that 'appeared' whenever VASHTA NERADA (isn't that the name of a folk singer?) was mentioned. Well done Muzza! Returning to the show was director EUROS LYN who always delivers in a groin~grabbingly masterful fashion. Great camera movement and framing.


The CG work depicting the planet was also expertly realised. And just how did they create that monster? [coughs] Of course, much of this episode's success is down to THE MOFF who has created a story of some wit, great scope and infernal intrigue. The NODES, like the previously mentioned DATA GHOST, were a simple, yet effective concept. Difficult, though, to judge the story completely - as Bon Jovi would say, we're only half~way there. Lots of unanswered questions (as it should be), like what's the deal with this book:


And is Donna really dead? (Surely not, we've seen her in the trailer for other episodes). 'The Girl' and 'Dr Moon' - are they real? When did/does THE DOCTOR actually meet RIVER SONG? How the flip did she get a Sonic? Et al. I will say that despite the episode's general great~ness, there are a couple of points that slightly concerned me. Only slightly though.


A number of themes and images were re~used by STEVEY M. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing as nobody else does 'time' stories like him (well, nobody that writes for WHO at least) and relationships are always integral - strong notions of lurve and loss etc... But, the Suit Creature was very similar to The Empty Child - a human that's been changed by alien forces; in a mask; and constantly repeating the same phrase. The use of a television for the Doctor to communicate with some outside his own space (and perhaps time, we don't know yet) was a big part of BLINK and plays a significant role here too.


We also get statues, of a sort, too. AND we get a woman who has met The Doc in his future. Still, these are minor points as SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY was pleasing in a trouser~tighteningly brain~popping fashion. One can only hope that part two to this terrific tale, FOREST OF THE DEAD, satisfyingly delivers. If you want to some footage from the next installment, then visit BLOGTOR WHO.



'Til the next time,
C.