The Doctor has found Easter. On April 23, 2011 the new season of Doctor Who premiered on BBC America, delighting fans with the latest adventures of their favorite time traveling alien whom they last saw in the Christmas Special aptly titled “A Christmas Carol.”
The series Doctor Who is about an alien from the planet Gallifry who travels through time and space in a little blue police box called a TARDIS. Along the way he picks up and recruits different humans who accompany him on his journey. It was with great sadness that fans said goodbye to one of those companions this week. Despite his absence, Doctor Who has frequently been in the news, and not just in anticipation of the new season.
Elisabeth Sladen, who played companion Sarah Jane Smith on the series as a regular from 1973 to 1976, passed away from cancer at the age of 65 after suffering from cancer for several months. Her death came as a shock to fans who adored Sarah Jane. Sladen was the only companion to stay with The Doctor for decades, reprising her role on the series several times, including Season 4’s two part finale “The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End” in 2008 and her own spin-off of the series The Sarah Jane Adventures.
The new season of Doctor Who premiered the following Saturday with a picture and dedication to the beloved companion. After the episode concluded, a tribute to the deceased cast member followed called My Sarah Jane: A Tribute to Elisabeth Sladen.
Ironically the new season of Doctor Who begins on a sad note. The first episode of the new season, called “The Impossible Astronaut,” begins with a letter. The doctor has been out of touch with his recent companions, Rory Williams and Amy Pond for two months when they get a letter that appears to be an invitation with a date, map reference, and time. Little do they know, it is for the Doctor’s funeral.
Rory Williams, Amy Pond, and River Song travel to America, specifically San Juan, New Mexico, where they reunite with The Doctor. Their reunion, however, is short lived when an Apollo astronaut appears out of the lake and kills the doctor. Apparently The Doctor’s future self has orchestrated the meeting of four trusted friends to take care of his body and prevent ‘something’ in the future.
The first episode ends with a cliffhanger to be resolved next week, but brings up one very important unanswered question this week. With this episode viewers were introduced to a new alien credited as “The Silent.” Followers of Doctor Who will know that the last season of Doctor Who centered around cracks in space in time that were caused in some way by “The Silence,” as Rosanna Calvierri (Helen McCrory) put it in “The Vampires of Venice.”
So my question for you Doctor Who viewers reading this: Is it possible that we misheard Rosanna last season and “The Silence” was really supposed to be “The Silents?”
About Lauren
Lauren Busser is a Whedonite, Potterhead, Whovian, Browncoat, and Colonial Officer. She is also a junior who studies writing and gothic literature and is currently proposing her senior thesis on female friendships in the Gothic novel. She writes for the schools biweekly paper The Phoenix as a staff writer and for fun she knits various things that she gives geeky names on her Ravelry.com account.