Doctor Who Exclusive DVD Scene 1

The first exclusive scene to be included as a special feature in the Series 5 boxset is now available to watch above, and sees the Doctor and Amy Pond having a discussion in the TARDIS between ‘The Eleventh Hour’ and ‘The Beast Below’. Thanks to PCJ for originally posting this video.

The Blink Review: The Beast Below

After a spectacular opening to the new era of Doctor Who, with Matt Smith making a fantastic debut as the eleventh Doctor, levels of expectation were raised to staggering new heights. Could the second episode of the series continue to show that Doctor Who is in safe hands, or would the programme come crashing down into the darkness below…

‘The Beast Below’ opens on an enormous spaceship hovering in space, with the union flag painted across the side of the vessel. The ship holds the future British empire, who are investigating the stars of countless other worlds. However, a sinister secret lurks in the shadows, and the truth behind this new world threatens to destroy their society.

Karen Gillan perfectly portrays her character of Amy Pond in this episode, who is experiencing her first trip in the TARDIS. Her enthusiasm in the role is clearly seen as she gazes onto the Starship UK below, and the funny dialogue between her and the Doctor establishes their quirky relationship, especially when he mimics her voice.

The main improvement in this episode was the quality of special effects, which were extremely convincing in the majority of the scenes, unlike the poorly computerised Prisoner Zero from the previous episode. The best example of the effects was the exterior shot of the ship at the start, which truly felt like it was gliding in space, with its beautifully detailed textures and lights.

Murray Gold’s music was also of its usual high standard, which was able to express so many varied emotions, including both the ominous atmosphere onboard the Starship UK, and the excitement of Amy Pond as she embarked on her first adventure. When listening to the spectacular score, especially the Doctor’s dramatic new theme, you get a really positive feeling, that only the best composers are able to achieve.

Like the previous episode of the series, ‘The Eleventh Hour’, this story featured many plot ideas from previous adventures, questioning the originality of ‘The Beast Below’. The idea of a society run by people voting on television broadcasts is identical to ‘Vengeance on Varos’, where the residents have to vote whether they allow their leaders to live or die, after watching them make a speech.

This story also showed some resemblance to the Torchwood episode ‘Meat’, which featured a similar alien creature known as the space whale, which humans abused for their own needs. Having fresh ideas for every episode is what makes Doctor Who such a great success, so having whole episodes which are heavily based on previous stories could ruin the uniqueness of the show.

Overall ‘The Beast Below’ was an enjoyable story, and ensures that the future of the programme is in the safe hands of Steven Moffat. The special effects were a vast improvement in this story, and complimented the fantastic action sequences, instead of making them seem unrealistic. The only factor that let down the episode was the use of too many previous plot ideas, where new and imaginative ideas should have been used.

Rating: 4/5 stars

You can also give your rating in the new poll, ‘Going Down…’

Going down...

The results of the poll for 'The Beast Below' showed that the average star rating was 4.1 stars, meaning that this episode was thought of as 'Good'.

Going down...

A new poll is now available on 'Blink', where you can give your star ratings for 'The Beast Below'.

Doctor Who Confidential: All About the Girl

The next Doctor Who Confidential includes the story of the Doctor's new companion, and brings you exclusive interviews with Karen Gillan.

Join her on set as she recalls stepping into the TARDIS for the first time, working with Matt Smith, and immersing herself in the incredible world of Doctor Who.

Confidential also looks at what makes the Smilers tick and exposes the secrets of Starship UK. The Oscar-nominated Sophie Okonedo chats about creating the enigmatic Masked Lady, and Matt Smith is on hand to give his insights into the Doctor's latest adventure.

Please comment and rate below.

Fact File: The Beast Below

A brand new page is now available to view on this blog, with a fact file for the upcoming episode 'The Beast Below'.

A new fact file for every episode will be uploaded weekly, after the transmission of the previous episode.

The Beast Below Synopsis

The BBC have confirmed that episode 2 of the new series, 'The Beast Below', will air on 10th April 2010. They also released a brief synopsis of the story:

"The Doctor takes Amy to the distant future, where she finds Britain in space. Starship UK houses the future of the British people, as they search the stars for a new home. But as Amy explores, she encounters the terrifying Smilers and learns a deadly truth inside the Voting Booth."

Are you excited yet?

The Story Never Ends: The Beast Below

PREDICTED BROADCAST: 10/04/2010

The second story of the new series was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Andrew Gunn. This was Gunn’s first work on Doctor Who, and he would go on to direct the following story Victory of the Daleks by Mark Gatiss.

The Beast Below was the third story to be filmed of Series 5, and would make up the first of two stories to be shot in Block 2. Not much is known about this story either at present, as the majority of the scenes were filmed inside studios at Upper Boat in Cardiff.

Sophie Okonedo, best known for her role of Tatiana in Hotel Rwanda, is confirmed to be featuring in this episode as the mysterious Masked Lady. The enemy in this story is said to be called a Smiler, and appears to be a sinister-looking robotic person, with gleaming red eyes and a panel in the back of its head.

Things to look out for:

• Amy Pond’s first trip with the Doctor in his newly designed TARDIS.
• Hooded monks with keys around their necks.
• Another sign showing ‘Magpie Electricals’.
• The Doctor and Amy screaming in a dark room, with red lights and smoke.
• A woman in a maroon cloak holding two guns.

Please comment and rate below.