Who Review 002 - Day of the Moon

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Doctor Who, Series Six started with an Impossible Astronaut and it continued with the Day of the Moon. The episode was, in my opinion, a complete success. It was filled with action, humour and character relations grew. And, of course, the Silence was forgotten again. From Greystark Hall to Area 51, Day of the Moon had great settings and layouts. The sets were very impressive and with a limited budget, it seems even more brilliant. The episode gave us: Amy and Rory being shot,River jumping off a giant building, the perfect prison, Madam Kovarian's first appearance and a showdown in the Lodger TARDIS. To start off, here's the official synopsis:

The Doctor is locked in the perfect prison while Amy, Rory and River Song are being hunted down across America by the FBI, as the time-travelling adventure series continues.  

With the help of new friend and FBI-insider Canton Everett Delaware the Third, our heroes are reunited to share their discoveries, if not their memories. The world is occupied by an alien force that controls humanity through post-hypnotic suggestion, and no one can be trusted.

Aided by President Nixon and Neil Armstrong's foot, the Doctor must mount a revolution to drive out the enemy and rescue the missing little girl. No one knows why they took her. Or why they have kidnapped Amy Pond...

The episode starts with Amy running across the Utah Desert from black cars and men in suits. As she does so, some beautiful shots of the landscape are taken and this is what makes Doctor Who unique. If they want to do something and go somewhere, they do that. Anyway, Amy runs across the Desert as the cars gain on her. Suddenly, the ground falls steeply and she stops. The cars crowd around her. Canton Everett Delaware the Third gets out and walks towards her. Amy tries to convince him to change his perspective but he doesn't listen. Then, a flashback of the warehouse is shown. In the flashback, Rory and River escape from the Silence, Canton wakes up and they run away from the Astronaut. Canton then forgets that the Silence is attacking them and the flashback ends. The thing I would like to know is how did Canton become unconscious and why did Canton not remember what happened in the warehouse? After it ends, Canton raises his gun. From a distance, we see that Amy is shot. The scene changes to Area 51. We see the Doctor chained up to a chair in a straight jacket. Canton comes along and informs him that they found Amy Pond. He also says that she had strange markings on his arm and he asks why they were there. The Doctor does not tell him and Canton walks away.

The scene changes again to a building in New York where we see River in a party dress walking on the roof. Two Silents come to her and she draws on her arm with a pen. Then, Canton calls out her name. She turns and forgets the Silence. She is noticed by Canton and she runs away to the roof edge. Canton and the other black-suited men crowd around her. She tells them that America has been invaded. Then, after some dialogue, she falls backwards off of the building. The men walk away. Back in Area 51, Canton comes back to the Doctor and tells him that River jumped off of a building. Black blocks are forming around the Doctor, sealing him off. Canton explains that he will be cut off from the rest of the universe. The Doctor says it still won't be enough.

The scene changes yet again to Rory running out of a building and sprinting across a dam. He is then surrounded by Canton's men and he stops. After talking, Canton shoots him too. Back at Area 51, two body bags are dragged into the block prison and the Doctor seems very sad. After the door closes, Amy and Rory break out of the body bags and the Doctor takes off the chains. They all go into the TARDIS as the Doctor says to Amy and Rory to open all the doors to the swimming pool. River falls right through and lands safely in the water. They all discuss what they found out which is practically nothing. They then land next to a giant shuttle. River asks if they would be using Apollo 11 as a secret weapon and the Doctor says that that was a silly idea. He then says that they would be using Neil Armstrong's foot.

(Three paragraphs for six minutes of fast-paced excitement - I did say it was action-packed!)

Outside Greystark Hall, a black car parks in the grounds.Inside is Canton and Amy, dressed formally like inspectors. A flashback of the TARDIS begins. Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor and Amy talk about her announcing her pregnancy. She says that she was wrong and that she isn't pregnant. When Rory tries to ask what's going on, she says that there's nothing. Canton moves the subject on and says that they have all seen the Silence. River points out that he has as well but he forgot what happened. They have seen hundreds of them across America but they can't even remember what they look like. Rory then says that they edit themselves out of your memory as soon as you look away. Amy then confirms that the tally marks were to count how many Silents they had seen. They have spent three months trying to figure out what they are doing and how long they had been on Earth. The Doctor then says that they're not fighting an alien invasion. They're actually leading a revolution against the Silence. The Doctor injects things into each of his companions' hands. He explains that they are nano-recorders. If you see a flashing light, you have recorded a message for yourself when you have seen a Silent and forgotten it.

Canton looks behind him and then straightens the Doctor's bowtie. The four others are staring at him oddly. River tels him to look at his hand. He does and it is flashing. He replays the message. It says:

"My God, how did it get in here!"

"Keep eye-contact with it and turn back when I tell you to. When you do, I want you to straighten my bowtie."

Canton turns back again. A Silent is in the TARDIS! But don't worry! It's only a projection from the picture Amy took of the Silent in the bathroom! As soon as the projection disappears, no one can remember what it looks like. They then realise that the Silence uses post-hypnotic suggestion instead of doing things themselves. The subject changes to where they got the little girl from. They discover that the little girl must have come from an orphanage somewhere in America. The flashback ends and the door to Greystark Hall opens, revealing Amy and Canton outside in the rain. A man is inside and seems peculiar. They are let inside. Greystark Hall is huge and has many flights of stairs. Writing in a liquid that looks suspiciously like blood stains the wall saying "GET OUT!" When the man tries to wash it off, we can see that it is written on his wrist and so it must have been him that wrote the messages, not any of the children. Greystark Hall appears to be abandoned as there are no children and the atmosphere is eerie. Canton says that Greystark Hall was meant to be closed in 1967 so they almost didn't come. The man says that that is the plan and he thinks it isn't. Something is clearly wrong with him. Amy decides to check upstairs whilst Canton goes to the man's office. And it's from here that things take a turn for the worse.

Upstairs, Amy goes into a room and looks around. The door swings shut behind her. When she tries to open the door, she has marks on her hand and her hand is flashing. She replays the message:

"I can see them but I think they're asleep. Get out. Just GET OUT!"

Amy seems more cautious and alert. She runs to the window and tries to open it. She notices more marks on her hand and suddenly she has lots on her face. Slowly, she looks up. Hundreds of Silents are on the ceiling! She gasps and slowly walks towards the door. She bangs into a metallic object and startles the dormant Silents. She reaches for her hand but before she presses it, the door swings open again. She forgets the whole incident and walks out. Little does she know that she is being watched by a Silent...

The scene changes to the Doctor at NASA. He has been caught as he was meddling with Apollo 11. Nixon comes in and gives a speech to the men about how they had been given a great responsibility and he manages to convince them to release him. Rory then breaks a bit off of a sculpture and walks off quickly. One of the episode's funny bits.

In the man's office, Canton and the man are talking. The man says that the child must be looked after as it is important. He says that 'they' told him to do it. When Canton asks who, the man cannot remember. Sounds familiar to anyone? The scene cuts to Amy walking down a dark corridor (which can only mean bad news). When she reaches a door, a hatch opens up and a head pops out - Madam Kovarian. Behind her is only white light. Amy tries to talk to her but Kovarian turns to another person in the room and says:

"No, I think she's just dreaming."

Very strange. The hatch closes and Amy opens the door. Inside, there is no white light and there is no hatch in the wall. The woman has disappeared too. Amy walks over to a bed-side table and looks at the photos that are there. They show a little girl when she is quite young. Then, behind some other pictures, she finds a photo of herself and a baby. She is shocked and can't believe it is her. After a while, heavy footsteps are heard. The astronaut walks into the room. The little girl lifts the visor and we can see that a bullet hole has shattered the glass but has not hit her.Amy says that she's sorry and she didn't mean to shoot her. She says that the little girl will kill the Doctor and she doesn't understand. The little girl cries for help. Two Silents come around Amy. She screams.

Back in the office, the door opens slightly. The man walks over and answers it. When Canton asks who it was, the man cannot remember. A Silent walks into the room. After confronting the Silent, we hear Amy screaming. Canton shoots the Silent and runs to Amy. Back in the Oval Office, the Doctor tells nixon to record evert message. The three of them travel in the TARDIS to get to Amy. Amy can't see. We then see the little girl and she has escaped from the suit. Amy is not in the room and her voice is still heard. Her nano-recorder is on the floor. The astronaut suit is empty. The Doctor finds out that the message is live and it is happening now. The man comes into the room and says someone has been shot but then he forgets what happened. The Doctor runs into the room and sees the Silent on the floor. The Doctor asks what it is and the Silent replies with its name. The Doctor is shocked and surprised. Back in Area 51, the prison opens and Canton walks out. He has 'been in there for days'. Canton asks for a doctor and Nixon walks out. President Nixon gives them a speech to convince them too. A TV shows that Apollo 11 is starting.

River realises that the astronaut suit was an exo-skeleton and it was a life support. She realises what has happened and tells the Doctor. The Doctor tries to figure out what has happened with the envelope but he can't. The Doctor asks if the girl is still alive and they try to figure out where Any is. River realises that the little girl forced her way out of the suit. Then, the Doctor discovers that the Silence are parasites and he finds out that the Silence influenced the Moon landing because they needed a space suit. Inside the prison, a doctor is trying to help the Silent but he turns away and forgets it all. The Silent says that Canton tended to his wounds. The Silent then makes a terrible mistake and says:

"You should kill us all on sight."

Canton recorded the message and the Doctor receives it. Amy is still scared and frightened. The suit is fixing itself and it is possible to move on its own. River points out that the girl had said that the spaceman had come to eat her and maybe that's exactly what happened. Amy starts to talk directly to someone. She says that she loves them and so we think it's Rory and he starts to look hopeful but then Amy says that 'you fell out of the sky' and so he thinks that she is talking about the Doctor. He becomes sadder. The Doctor comes over and they talk. Rory tries to convince him to save her but he shows why he can't. Rory says that he can remember the 2000 years of waiting for Amy but he doesn't always remember. The Doctor stands up and walks away.

The next scene shows Americans across the country including the Oval Office and a bar turning on televisions to watch the Moon landing.

A dark room. Bright lights. A room full of Silents. Amy Pond kidnapped. Amy is chained to a chair as the Silents walk around their TARDIS. A Silent is staring at her and is leaning over her. The Silent tells her that they honour her and that she will bring the Silence (not exactly a great thing to say to someone who's already scared and chained up). It then says that her part will soon be over and that she has been there for many days. Amy doesn't believe this and tries to argue with the Silent. It tells her to sleep... sleep... sleep and she tries to resist but it's difficult. Suddenly, the TARDIS appears and the Doctor, River and Rory come out. The Doctor recgonises the

TARDIS from The Lodger and makes a reference to it. He brigns a TV out of the TARDIS and turns it on. It shows the Apollo 11 Moon landing. At the worst time possible, the Doctor and River start to flirt. The Time Lord tries to convince the Silence to leave but he's lying and he says that he won't let them leave that easily. The Doctor tries to ask the Silence questions but they don't respond. He tells them that half a billion people are watching it. He then says that everyone in the world will look back and remember that moment. The Doctor then phones Canton and the former FBI agent puts the video phone on which he recorded the Silent against a piece of machinery. As Neil Armstrong says:

"It's on small step for man-"

A Silent appears on the screen and it says:

"You should kill us all on sight."

Everyone watching it remembers the Silent saying it and so they have built an army against themselves. The Silence become angry and attack. A great showdown begins! River shoots the Silence and the Doctor zaps them with the sonic screwdriver. Rory tries to help amy escape and he realises that Amy was talking about him when she had been talking. The Doctor manages to free Amy and they climb into the TARDIS. River continues to shoot the Silence and they all die. The Doctor helps and zaps some of them. Luckily, all of the Silents die. River and the Doctor climb into the TARDIS. 

They all escape the Silence, drop Canton off and say goodbye to President Nixon. They go into the TARDIS and drop River off at Stormcage. As the Doctor is leaving, she kisses him for a good 12 seconds! The Doctor says there's a first time for everything and River also says that there's a last time too. Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor tells Rory to go and get some things for him. The Doctor and Amy talk about what happened. She says she can't remember much. They discuss the matter of her being pregnant and then not pregnant. Rory is listening in using the nano-recorder so he can hear everything. Amy then shouts to Rory and he knows he's been caught. He walks up and Amy is sorry. The Doctor scans They fly away for another adventure.

Six months later, in America, the little girl is roaming the streets. She is dying. She meets another poor person and says that she can't live any longer. She knows how to sort it out though. The little girl begins to regenerate...

Day of the Moon was extremly good and complicated (as you can see - I just wrote 15 paragraphs for 45 minutes!) The action was incredible and I loved it. It was much better than the Impossible Astronaut and it had more excitement, action and brilliance. The little girl's regeneration was very surprising; I couldn't believe it was happening and I only got to grips with it a few weeks later. The character relations grew and, of course, the showdown at the end was classic Who. I loved it all, definitely a 5/5 rating for me.

Finally (I've bored you long enough) there has to be some credit given to: the writer and the director. The episode was the best that Steven Moffat has written and, in my opinion, the best episode of revived Doctor Who. Also, the shots taken in the desert, at the dam and all shots in general were magnificent. I loved the whole episode and it left us with even more mysteries before...