The Impossible Astronaut
- Episode aired Apr 23, 2011
- TV-PG
- 44m
IMDb RATING
8.8/10
8.3K
YOUR RATING
The Doctor, Amy, Rory and River Song are reunited in the Utah desert.The Doctor, Amy, Rory and River Song are reunited in the Utah desert.The Doctor, Amy, Rory and River Song are reunited in the Utah desert.
Chukwudi Iwuji
- Carl
- (as Chuk Iwuji)
Hermeilio Miguel Aquino
- Busboy
- (as Emilio Aquino)
Jamie Hill
- Silent
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOriginally Mark Sheppard was to wear old age makeup in order to play the 2011 version of his 1969 character. Instead, at Mark's suggestion, William Morgan Sheppard (Mark's father) was cast for the part. The pair had also played two versions of the same character about a year earlier in NCIS (2003).
- GoofsWhile the street names are in Cape Canaveral, all the presidential streets run parallel and do not intersect.
- Quotes
The Doctor: I am being extremely clever up here and there's no one to stand around looking impressed. What's the point in having you all?
- Crazy creditsFollowing the death of former companion Elisabeth Sladen, The Impossible Astronaut opened with a dedication in her name.
- Alternate versionsA scene which River Song appears naked and winks at an unknown man was filmed, but cut because Steven Moffat felt it was too naughty and the deleted scene can be glimpsed in the Series 6 trailer.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Breakfast: Episode dated 23 April 2011 (2011)
- SoundtracksDoctor Who Theme
(uncredited)
Written by Ron Grainer
Arranged by Murray Gold
Performed by BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Featured review
An underwhelming start to the sixth series
After the hype surrounding the commencement of the sixth series of NuWho, I like so many other waited with baited breath for the first episode to hit our screens which would herald the first two part story to actually open the series. "The Impossible Astronaut" written by current executive producer Steven Moffat, a gifted writer with a formidable imagination has had the odd story which to be fair I have found a bit underwhelming and sadly although not a bad opening episode I felt a bit cheated overall.
It's premise is intriguing with current Doctor Matt Smith leaving messages for companions Amy and Rory as well as River Song to meet him in the Utah Dessert for some unbeknown reason. After they all meet something unexpected occurs involving what appears to be an Apollo mission Astronaut which further leads to the Doctor, Amy Rory and River Song to travel to the Whitehouse in 1969 where they meet Richard Nixon who is being plagued by mysterious phone calls from what sounds like a little girl. I can't give any more away than that as to say more would be to reveal too much and for considering this is a story that is is about It's surprises there are several of those.
I'll start with saying that there are some things to credit the TIA with in that the production values as with the series in the past several years is very high with excellent recreations of the oval office and 1969 USA to the interior of as run-down alien spacecraft. The stories premise is interesting given what unfolds as events play out and for the most part the performances by all are first rate, with only Karen Gillan as Amy failing to convince slightly in one early scene. There is some great interplay with the characters and some of the usual banter before things shift in to darker territory. The problem however is that Moffat reveals too much too soon which means as the story progresses the pace is forced to wind down too soon leading to too many padded out scenes. Everything has been stretched out a little too thinly. One particular scene in the oval office involving one of President Nixon's Bodyguards itself feels a bit stilted. Add to this the whole conceit of the Doctor leaving his past self and his companions messages and messing around with the whole non-chronological nature of time travel, a all too convenient and over used plot device that was utilised back in 1989's "Battlefield" and further exploited by Moffat at first with fabulous ingenuity has now become a bit laboured and tiresome. Too much of a good thing can become a bad thing and It's beginning to show.
The alien menace without giving too much away are genuinely menacing and although much has been left unanswered so for I am fascinated with what they are and what there purpose within the context of the story will revealed to be. While there powers when displayed hint at a ominous and imposing threat everything culminates in a cliffhanger ended which while appropriately baffling seems a bit anti-climatic.
All in all TIA is a case of being filled with promising ideas but so-so execution but with a wonderfully played scene with Rory and River Song where the latter tells how every time she meets the Doctor he gradually knows her less and less due to their unusual non-chronological relationship to help bolster what is another wise mediocre script It just feels like something that could have been so much more than it actually is.
It's premise is intriguing with current Doctor Matt Smith leaving messages for companions Amy and Rory as well as River Song to meet him in the Utah Dessert for some unbeknown reason. After they all meet something unexpected occurs involving what appears to be an Apollo mission Astronaut which further leads to the Doctor, Amy Rory and River Song to travel to the Whitehouse in 1969 where they meet Richard Nixon who is being plagued by mysterious phone calls from what sounds like a little girl. I can't give any more away than that as to say more would be to reveal too much and for considering this is a story that is is about It's surprises there are several of those.
I'll start with saying that there are some things to credit the TIA with in that the production values as with the series in the past several years is very high with excellent recreations of the oval office and 1969 USA to the interior of as run-down alien spacecraft. The stories premise is interesting given what unfolds as events play out and for the most part the performances by all are first rate, with only Karen Gillan as Amy failing to convince slightly in one early scene. There is some great interplay with the characters and some of the usual banter before things shift in to darker territory. The problem however is that Moffat reveals too much too soon which means as the story progresses the pace is forced to wind down too soon leading to too many padded out scenes. Everything has been stretched out a little too thinly. One particular scene in the oval office involving one of President Nixon's Bodyguards itself feels a bit stilted. Add to this the whole conceit of the Doctor leaving his past self and his companions messages and messing around with the whole non-chronological nature of time travel, a all too convenient and over used plot device that was utilised back in 1989's "Battlefield" and further exploited by Moffat at first with fabulous ingenuity has now become a bit laboured and tiresome. Too much of a good thing can become a bad thing and It's beginning to show.
The alien menace without giving too much away are genuinely menacing and although much has been left unanswered so for I am fascinated with what they are and what there purpose within the context of the story will revealed to be. While there powers when displayed hint at a ominous and imposing threat everything culminates in a cliffhanger ended which while appropriately baffling seems a bit anti-climatic.
All in all TIA is a case of being filled with promising ideas but so-so execution but with a wonderfully played scene with Rory and River Song where the latter tells how every time she meets the Doctor he gradually knows her less and less due to their unusual non-chronological relationship to help bolster what is another wise mediocre script It just feels like something that could have been so much more than it actually is.
helpful•1543
- The-Last-Prydonian
- Apr 23, 2011
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Filming locations
- Monument Valley, Utah, USA(The Doctor, Amy, Rory and River reunite)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD
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