Doctor Who (TV Series) Silence in the Library (2008) User Reviews

Frighteningly good

[LaFeeChartreuse · 10/10 · 26 July 2008]

I suppose comparisons between this episode (and its follow up, Forest of the Dead - it's hard to review them separately, so most of my comments here apply to the two as a combined story) and Blink are inevitable given that they're both written by Steven Moffatt, both excellent, and both scary as hell. Even the beginning fragmentary warning "If you want to live, count the shadows" is a bit reminiscent of Blink's "Don't blink, or you're dead".

However, given that Blink tends to be pretty widely regarded as the best Doctor Who episode ever, there are far less promising ways to start a new one than evoking it. And overall, Silence/Forest doesn't come across as derivative at all. Both of them are very fast-paced and alternately terrifying, tragic, touching and funny, but beyond that the themes are very different. This story is a lot more complex and thought-provoking, packing in enough really interesting ideas and twists that even spread across two episodes, it keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat and never drags at all. It also includes some really top-notch performances from some of the cast, particularly in Forest of the Dead.

All in all, one of the best episodes (or pairs thereof) yet, and good reason to look forward to Moffatt taking over the series in 2010.

who's afraid of the dark, I am now!!!

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 26 August 2015]

There's not much to say other then this episode is perfect, just that perfect.

The Doctor and Donna land in a library, The Doctor is alarmed that nobody else is there, but life signs are in their millions. They hear a message left which worries them 'run, for god sake run, no where's safe, count the shadows.' A later message warns them that 'Others are coming,' and soon after the shadows start moving. A crew burst through the walls, and we meet the rather fabulous Professor River Song. Members of her crew start to die, and we meet the cause, the Vashda Nerada, the Piranhas of the sky. To save Donna he transports her back to the TARDIS, but something goes wrong she's not there.

I loved how River Song knew the Doctor, it was obvious she was to return in the future, she made a big impact. Her scenes with Tennant were fabulous, big love for River.

So much intrigue with the little girl, who is she? and what's she to do with the Library?

It looks fabulous, the library is particularly wonderful, nice to see Swansea's library used, it adds to the quality and authenticity. The acting is glorious, the story is one of the best, the Tennant/Tate combination continues to impress.

A very definite advert for why I love Catherine Tate's Donna so much, she's totally in character again, very sweet with Miss Evangelista, and very tender when she dies. Donna can do no wrong.

The Vashda Nerada are a fantastic creation, I imagine they gave a few nightmares, especially when he suggested they were on earth and in the shadows.

Silence in the Library is totally fabulous, arguably one of the best episodes in the Shows history. It has one of my all time favourite lines, 'Almost every species universe has an irrational fear of the dark, but they're wrong, it's not irrational, it's Vashda Nerada.' A stunning cliffhanger that leaves you desperate for the conclusion. It's glorious 10/10

Layer after intricate layer of complex, high-class storytelling

[jrarichards · 10/10 · 13 May 2016]

Another of the great David Tennant two-parters, but this time with the first and second instalments forming very much of a matching pair (as opposed to an intro episode leading into a qualitatively different second, as happened with several of the recent greats).

And, more than perhaps at any previous stage, this looks firmly like fare for adults, and that's not just because of the walking skeletons and the all-embracing (and all-consuming!) shadow-creatures. No, here we've got a mindblowingly intricate multi-level plot, almost boundless imagination at work, quite a lot of real creepiness as well as a great deal of laugh-out-loud wit from both the Doctor and Donna (notwithstanding the many serious themes), but also some remarkably touching stuff about how people clutch at straws to stay alive, and to hold on to fragments of their sanity, and also about love and parental devotion. We also have a dumb beauty (ignored by most, or else noticed for the wrong reasons) who becomes a disfigured genius, people who don't want to let go of life but just have to, a new level of love interest for the Doctor (which he's not even aware of) - thanks to the sassy River Song - played by Alex Kingston, ostensibly hard-edged characters who mellow into heartwarming empathy and kindness, and quite a bit about (the very relevant contemporary theme of) what electronics may keep of us once we've gone. It's an extremely heady cocktail, with a large amount of creative tension on display; and it's also very spoiler-resistant because one simply can't put it all into words. Or at least, if one did, it would take almost as long as the two episodes, given the huge amount of content and subtlety and depth! Under the circumstances, there's no choice left but to watch ... and (certainly) enjoy!

Count the Shadows

[farleyflavors10 · 10/10 · 2 June 2008]

I'll save my full blown review when the story is complete but as usual Moffat and Doctor Who never disappoints especially with this chiller of an episode providing us with a slew of iconic imagery to go with the already bursting array of memorable moments which this show is notorious for providing.

The first part provides so much beautiful setup for what could be an incredibly striking second part.

We're just gonna have to get used to this when Moffat takes over in 2010.

Bring on Forest of the Dead

Bibliotech Noir...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 9 December 2021]

Books full of knowledge and power, with shadows uninvitingly dour, if you enter the larder, of the Vashta Nerada, you're the menu and they will devour.

I'm not sure if there were any Silence in this 51st century library but you would never recall if they were, even if you've not yet come across them, it is still alive with malevolence though, and you're just as unlikely to catch it creeping up on you, but at least your final moments will be recalled.

Steven Moffat does it again!

[fortean2 · 10/10 · 24 June 2008]

Yes, another excellent story from the ever-inventive brain of Steven Moffat - Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead proves that you can have intelligent science fiction that appeals to the whole family AND which makes you think. No dumbing down required, just a great story, great script and some characters who you really care about. What more could you ask for? My only slight disappointment was with the direction - Euros Lyn is a very fine director but I don't feel that his style suited this kind of story - I would have chosen someone like Hettie MacDonald (director of the excellent 'Blink'), Alice Troughton or perhaps Charles Palmer as they all have the ability to direct 'dark and creepy' stories. Okay, so Euros directed the successful 'The Unquiet Dead' series 1 story, but he was helped a lot by it being set in the rather dark and moody Victorian times.

Anyhow, an excellent two parter nonetheless. Here's hoping that we see more like this in series 5 when Steven Moffat takes over as the show runner.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?!?"

[identitystaysamystery · 10/10 · 26 September 2012]

This episode never ceases to amaze me! I could watch it over and over again and still get goosebumps. For those who have not seen this episode...DO IT! You won't regret. Not only is all the acting beautiful, but the scenes are terrificly frightening, like Dr.Who should be! Catherine Tate, whose acting is so-so, has brought comedy to this show, but in this episode and the one that follows she really brings drama in to the episode. She really deserves awards for the scene with her children in the 2nd episode. Alex Kingston is wonderful and witty as River Song. I don't appreciate her now as much as I did when this episode came out. So go watch it! NOW! NOW!!!

Moffat steers the series back on track with a corking first parter

[DVD_Connoisseur · 9/10 · 31 May 2008]

Just as my interest in this latest series was starting to wain, writer-extraordinaire and future saviour of "Who" Steve Moffat delivers the goods with the two-part "Silence in the Library".

Moffat does creepy very well and although I'd encountered the most terrifying element of this first parter in similar form in an early copy of "Hellblazer", the shocks are original and chilling.

The cast includes the delightful Alex Kingston as the mysterious future-friend of The Doctor and Colin Salmon as the Earth-bound psychologist.

A complex, intriguing episode, I'm waiting with baited breath to see how things conclude next week.

9 out of 10.

Daring and inventive

[ametaphysicalshark · 31 May 2008]

Shadows that melt the flesh? Data Ghosts? Nightmares that are real? Reality that's fake? Steven Moffat has written yet another brilliant script in this memorable, exciting, inventive, and daring opening part to his two-part contribution to the fourth series of Doctor Who. This script is complex and intelligent but never, ever overbearingly so.

The concept is extremely, extremely frightening. Far more unsettling than even the Weeping Angels from last season's "Blink". Just picture it: shadows lurking in the darkness that melt your flesh almost instantly and make mumbling skeletal ghosts out of you? It's genius!

No point in writing all that much about this particular episode because it's only half the story and I'm sure there's a lot to see that will complete the story in the second half so I'll wait to write a longer comment then.

Very intriguing and frankly genius. The future is in safe hands!

10/10

The best episode of the series so far...

[wjfitzpatrick · 9/10 · 31 May 2008]

I think this series so far has been a bit of a let down. It feels as though nothing big has happened so far and I've been watching, waiting for the real excitement that the last few series have offered.

Tonight's episode though, I thought was absolutely fantastic! Steven Moffat manages to create such brilliant episodes ('Blink', 'The Girl in the Fireplace'...) which rivals some of the original Doctor Who story lines, in terms of depth and imagination.

Finally, we have mystery. Russel T. Davies' opening episode was of great disappointment - as were some of the following episodes. Moffat's script doesn't fail to intrigue. TV worth watching.

Moffat is definitely the best writer - Moffat to take over from Davies...

Brilliant, just brilliant... (might contain spoilers)

[dfguy18 · 10/10 · 3 June 2008]

Just when you thought Steven Moffat couldn't top his previous high score... Guess what he goes and does? Tops his previous high score. I loved Blink, loved every minute it but I have to say Silence in the Library is... dare I say it? Better than Blink. This episode sucked my face into the television (yes, exactly like in The Idiot's Lantern) and it creates so many questions. Who is River Song? What's Cal? Why are there a swarm of millions of Vashta Nerada? Where is Donna? Well, I've heard some users complaining it was too confusing. Well, this is the first parter! It's supposed to be confusing and bring up many questions for the second part to answer! This episode it terrifying and Dave's death was shocking. Sure, no blood but it was the most vicious death in New Who! Vashta Nerada has a lot of potential as a monster and Steven Moffat has used it brilliantly. The acting is good, the atmosphere is brilliant and it was great to see Alex Kingston and Colin Salmon! Now, let's see where Moffat takes this with next weeks Forest of the Dead.

Jumping at shadows

[owlaurence · 10/10 · 12 March 2013]

10+ actually. If I had to keep only a handful of episodes out of this whole series (possibly if I could only keep one) this would be it. I know that Blink is usually hailed as THE Dr Who episode not to miss, but it works as a standalone in a rather bland season. Silence in the Library, on the other hand, is pivotal to the show as a whole.

Not only that, it is unbelievably rich. It starts with the Doctor receiving a mysterious summons to a futuristic Library: this would already make a lovely setting for any story, even if the place was not currently swarming with a bunch of *really* nasty critters. In terms of creepiness, the Vashta Nerada take second place only to the Angels as it taps into our innate fear of the dark; soon, the plot *literally* has everybody jumping at shadows (not a difficult proposition in a library). But I like how the monsters are only part of the eerie atmosphere. The Nodes and the neural transmitters only make it worse, and somehow explaining them does not make them less horrific. But even as the characters desperately try to survive, we realise that the Library, along with its unwilling guests, might be a figment of a little girl's imagination. So beyond the monster-of-the-week episode, you start to wonder how real the Doctor's current plight is.

Now, on any other day, this would be enough mystery for a good episode... Then, in strides River Song, taking the drama, humour and mystery to a whole new level. Immediately, you can feel that she is a keeper. For someone making a first appearance, and not even as a companion, she feels amazingly real and fleshed-out. Whereas most characters tend to take several episodes to become familiar and acquire backgrounds and personalities, River drops in as a full-grown character: she already has a rich background, a few really arresting props and some funny quirks and habits. She clearly can hold her own with the Doctor, even feels like him at times. Donna has to step back a bit to make room for her, but I doubt anyone will mind. I remember watching this episode for the first time and being amused, saddened and fascinated by this amazing woman. Now, in retrospect, her look when the Doctor kindly asks "Who are you?" simply breaks my heart.

This is what makes this episode outstanding: it gets better every time you watch it. So you first-time viewers, know that in a few seasons you will watch this again, grin at "Hello sweetie", gasp at the astronaut suit (I swear I did), and actually understand some of those entries in River's diary. And despite a few complaints voiced here, there is no plot hole. How River managed to recognise the Tenth Doctor immediately is quite simple actually. Watch on. In true Timelord fashion, this episode never gets old.

Silence in the Library

[studioAT · 7/10 · 19 September 2021]

The Agatha Christie one aside this episode sees a bit of a return to form for the 4th series of the show, being genuinely engaging.

This is the version of River Song I liked, before Moffatt made her ridiculously over the top and seemingly crucial to everything during the Matt Smith era.

Well played and performed, this was good.

Great, but Part 2 is better

[ScreenReviews · 8/10 · 11 April 2021]

Silence in the Library seems to be a favourite story amongst fans. It introduced the endlessly likeable, enigmatic River Song, featured the terrifying Vatsha Nerada, and sets up future plot-points explored more in the Moffat era as showrunner.

Now, this episode is really, really good - I was heavily tempted to give it a 9, but I feel it pales in comparison to part 2, which fully fleshs out and explores the interesting concepts which part 1 just sets-up. River Song became more interesting in part 2, and the Vatsha Nerada became more of an active threat, but here, we're mostly building up to the ending cliffhanger, which is amazing, but it's part 2 that gets into the really meat of the story.

That said, this is still great. Catherine Tate and Alex Kingston steal the show, and, as mentioned, the cliffhanger is built up so well, and delivers such a punch in the gut, that it makes some of the more meandering sections feel worth it. And the Vatsha Nerada are legitimately really creepy, and it boasts some unexpectedly touching Donna momments.

This is a really good episode, but Part 1 is a little overrated, with part 2 over-shadowing it so much that it looses some of its original magic. Some other two-parters - like the Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit, The Stolen Earth / Journey's End, The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances, or even the far less great Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel - have both parts on an equal level of quality, but here, one is great, while the other is fantastic.

I'll say it again, this is great, but not my absolute favourite. 8/10.

Hey! Who turned out the lights?

[wetmars · 10/10 · 29 August 2020]

The Tenth Doctor takes Donna Noble to a planet-sized library in the 51st century. They find it empty of human life, with countless other living beings. An information kiosk warns them to "count the shadows". An archaeological expedition arrives, lead by the mysterious Professor River Song, who brings the cryptic last message sent from the library: "4022 saved, No survivors".

WARNING: SUPER HEAVY MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT THE FUTURE SERIES OF DOCTOR WHO IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THEM!

This story is a superior masterpiece, everything worked, great acting, we got River Song who is a archaeologist who "will" be the Doctor's wife, too bad she didn't met her own Doctor due to wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff, it just makes me sad when River knew that she was too early in the Doctor's timeline to the point where the Doctor is a far younger "version" who neither knew nor trusted her. Some glorious, "Hello sweetie!" and "Spoilers!" lines we got in this episode.

The Vashta Nerada has to be the most scariest Doctor Who monster ever. (( Sorry, Weeping Angels, I would prefer to live in the past than today. )) The music was just phenomenal, had a perfect cliffhanger, it's gonna be sad to see River Song sacrifice herself. =^[

10/10

"Dewey know each other?"

[southdavid · 8/10 · 3 March 2022]

Ooo... I knew that this back run on season four was good and so it proves here with another double episode story, one that introduces a seminal Nu-Who character and is more of the chilling horror that Steven Moffat has become synonymous with during his writing only days.

Responding to a message that appears on his physic paper, the Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna (Catherine Tate) head to the largest library in history, a whole planet dedicated to the preservation of books. Though eerily uninhabited, the Doctor discovers a security camera that seems linked to a little girl (Eve Newton) apparently living in 21st century Britain. Then they meet an archaeological team led by the enigmatic River Song (Alex Kingston) who appears to know the Doctor already, though he doesn't know her.

Moffat's penchant for horror comes out again here with the Vashta Nerada, microscopic creatures that will strip the flesh from a person in seconds. But there's also the more esoteric horror of the concept of echoes of dead people being trapped in their mental communicators - already dead, but still trying to make sense of their experience as the signal degrades. The image of the animated space suit, with only a skull inside the helmet repeating "who turned out the lights" as he chases down the others is a memorable one.

The cast of this episode is really strong, even down to tiny cameos from Sarah Niles and Josh Dallas. The archaeological team consists of several recognisable faces, from O-T Fagbenle, Talulah Riley, Harry 'Ray Bloody Purchase' Peacock and, completing the League of Gentlemen collection, Steve Pemberton. It's the first appearance of Alex Kingston's River Song though, that is the key one, as she would feature regularly from here on out during Moffat's time as show runner - which was announced just as this episode was going to air.

Two-part episodes can only really be judged at the conclusion of the second episode, but this is such an inventive start, jam packed with ideas, that it stands as one of Nu-Who's best episodes so far.

Moffat to the rescue

[warlordartos · 9/10 · 14 March 2021]

Just when I was starting to lose hope in Doctor Who and call series 4 a failure, they give us the story from the writer that has given us the best in the past series of New Who.This definitely has the potential for 10/10 but it has unfortunately confused me a bit so I'm giving it a 9/10. I know I saw Donna on the TARDIS when The Doctor sent her there via teleport, then she sorta screams and vanishes so that's a little confusing.

The Best episode since Blink!

[dagget_says_hi · 10/10 · 24 August 2008]

Series four of Doctor Who has been, well let's face it; average. Partners in Crime and The Fires of Pompeii were average at best. Planet of the Ood was rather good, but the weak two-parter of The Sontaran Stratagem and The Poison Sky was a big let down. Followed by the terrible The Doctor's Daughter and the OK The Unicorn and the Wasp, the series has been up and down, up and down, up and down.

But now, we are back to the good stuff. Silence in the Library starts out brilliant. The Doctor and Donna find a library completely empty...but with over 1,000,000 lifeforms. Puzzled? I was too. The episode is very complex but enjoyable too. Obviously, there was too much information to squeeze into one episode, hence the story being told in two parts.

David Tennant is, as always, electric as The Doctor. Sadly, once again, Catherine Tate as Donna Noble is hollow. The character is just...bad. (Count how many times she has cried throughout the series =too much.) Brilliant performances are given by Alex Kingston as the enigmatic River Song and by Colin Salmon as Dr. Moon. Also, thumbs up to Eve Newton for a great first performance.

Steven Moffat is the best writer of the series, and Series Five, although a long way off, will be brilliant with Moffat as head writer. Silence in the Library has been the best episode of series four.

We'll have to wait and see if Forest of the Dead, the second part, can top it.

10/10

What????

[djdrinkell · 10/10 · 4 February 2009]

In this episode, River Song claims to have been travelling with the Doctor for a very long time. They have become intimately close, so much that she knows The Doctor's real name.

My problem with that is that we now know he will regenerate soon as he only has 4 stories left and the 11th Doctor has been cast. The fact that she was shocked that he didn't know her means that he must still be the 10th Doctor in this future. How has he got time to meet this woman and share all this time that she spoke of. I wonder if this will be explained in the upcoming episodes. She may be the main focus of the rest of the stories. She may appear in the next one and we may find they're having multiple adventures between episodes and passing the time she described.

I hope this is resolved as they've been quite good at explaining things so far.

Silence in the library is something to talk about

[dkiliane · 9/10 · 9 March 2019]

Steven Moffat is an artist when it comes to the eerie. Each scene is wonderfully crafted to keep the tension going. And the mystery of Professor Song just adds to it. The episode is layered with suspenseful details until the full danger of the Vashta Narati (I'll have to look up that spelling) is revealed.

The only flaw is how the Vashta Narati posess the spacesuits - I get it, a play on the zombie trope but they're so slow moving it removes some of the threat (but still menacingly creepy). Fantastic acting, writing, special effects were believable. A true masterpiece 9.5/10

River Deep

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 25 March 2019]

Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead

This is a two part story which is one of my all time top 10 Doctor Who TV stories. It is absolutely superb in every way. It also introduces a main character, River Song, who would go on to be very important in the whole Doctor Who universe.

Alex Kingston is an excellent actress who portrays River to perfection. The character is a strong, intelligent and interesting female character who adds a lot of quality. In this two parter she is completely mysterious and adds huge interest as a result.

River is a fantastic character for this story and when Steven Moffatt who wrote this wonderful two parter took over as Showrunner he went on to use River in repeated appearances which continued to be in a non-chronological order and maintained the mystery before finally revealing her back story. That back story is hugely problematic for me to be honest but that has no impact thankfully on this two parter and she is just a tremendous guest character here adding great mystery.

The rest of the guest characters are fun and interesting whilst Catherine Tate puts in an awesome performance with Donna at her peak of brilliance as a top companion.

Tennant is also at the peak of his excellence as the Doctor and the whole story with the little girl and the library is clever, entertaining and ultimately logical.

There are exciting thrills, moving scenes of touching drama as well as intelligent dialogue and witty humour. The scenes in Forest of the Dead where Donna faces up to reality and the loss of her 'children' is heartbreaking. This is top notch Doctor Who.

The Vashta Nerada are a fantastically menacing alien threat and the skeletons in space suits are a cool aspect.

Overall this is basically as good as it gets. Russell T. Davies in charge brings the best out of Steven Moffatt. As showrunner I felt Moffatt often let his ideas and enthusiasm go a bit over the top but when assigned a writing job by RTD with boundaries nobody is better than Moffatt.

Euros Lyn directs perfectly and both episodes are utterly iconic Doctor Who classics. Incredibly this amazing standard would continue right through the rest of Series 4, lifting it to be my favourite series of the modern era of the show.

My Rating for both episodes: 10/10.

Hey A Decent Black Actor In The Show ! I'm Nostalgic Already

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 30 December 2008]

As I write this there's a continuing rumour that Paterson Joseph will be the first black doctor . I can't help being very edgy by this news since there's no way he's the best actor for the role . In fact there's no way he's even the best black actor for the eponymous role . In the highly unlikely event of Eamon Walker being offered then there's surely only one other contender and that is Colin Salmon who plays the role of the paediatric psychiatrist here and as an actor he possess range , presence and a intriguing alien quality . Now imagine the director had cast Joseph in Salmon's role ? It wouldn't have been an improvement at all

As for the rest of the episode it's Moffat scripted which means it's a very acquired taste . Like much of his previous work on the show there's not much much happening plot wise , there's a catch phrase ( In this case " Who put the lights out ? " ) and being a two part story he has managed to write a fairly good cliffhanger as he did with The Empty Child . However when all is said and done he's no genius and one can't help thinking he has his own very different vision for the show from Russell T Davies . Say what you like about RTD but he's a populist writer and producer where as Moffat is much more esoteric . One wonders if this is where the phenomenal success of Nu-Who started to end ?

QUIET!

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 2 April 2021]

I loved The Doctor's Daughter and the previous Agatha Christie episode, and I loved this one, but why is this episode almost a full 2.0 points above the others? Is it because the first one results in a happy ending? The second being a like bit on a silly childish side? And this one is a more serious episode where Donna seemingly dies? Perhaps, probably, and maybe, also probably, I am missing something, or multiple somethings. This episode I agree was a great, but so were the previous two, and the ones before that also.

Great episode, but one issue

[vargasf-80924 · 8/10 · 19 May 2022]

This episode scared the PANTS off me when I was a child. The Vashta Nerada were a beautifully terrifying new species that brought a whole new level of fear.

The only issue I have is the treatment of the character Miss Evangelista. The entire expedition treated her like a nuisance.

Sci-Fi-Horror Masterpiece

[hwiltshire-06889 · 10/10 · 5 April 2024]

Silence in the Library, the first half of a thrilling two-parter, is a Doctor Who episode that transcends mere entertainment and enters the realm of true brilliance. It delivers suspense, scares, and heartbreaking emotion, earning a perfect 10 out of 10.

From the opening moments, the episode establishes a chilling tone. The vast, seemingly empty library is the perfect setting for a slow-burning horror story. The introduction of the Vashta Nerada, shadows that devour, is pure nightmare fuel - an instantly iconic threat.

This episode introduces the unforgettable River Song, whose mysterious connection to the Doctor immediately captivates. Her flirtatious confidence, sharp intelligence, and hints of tragedy make her a compelling enigma from the start.

David Tennant is at his best, balancing the Doctor's usual energy with a hint of unease. The episode delves into themes of knowledge and loss, adding layers beneath the surface thrills. The poignant introduction of Donna's virtual world is an emotional gut-punch that sets the stakes for the rest of the story.

It's not just horror - there's humor, a thrilling mystery, and moments of pure heroism. Director Euros Lyn expertly balances tension with bursts of action, creating an edge-of-your-seat experience. Steven Moffat's script is a marvel, full of memorable dialogue and heartbreaking twists.

Silence in the Library is a near-perfect episode of Doctor Who. It's terrifying, emotionally resonant, and introduces one of the show's most beloved characters. This story showcases how Doctor Who can expertly blend genres and deliver an experience that stays with you long past the final credits.