This has such a great vibe to it. By this point, I feel the series has done a really good job at selling us on Rory and Amy. So now we get this fun little get together with the Doctor and everything has this cozy vibe to it. And sure enough, that nice feeling gets instantly turned upside down. We see the Doctor getting murdered, and sure, the pay-off of all that can be debated, but here it is one hell of a hook that leaves us absolutely invested in what comes next and curious about what Moffat is going to pull this season. Remember, we didn't know his patterns or tendencies yet, so I remember watching this originally and really having no idea what was going to happen this season.

And then I think the rest of the episode basically delivers on that promise of something big, because we go to the White House and meet Nixon, and then the Silence show up. It's cool as hell and I definitely think it is easy to overlook this and Day of the Moon, but the two episodes are strong as hell.

New Who Review #75

The Impossible Astronaut

I love this story so much. This is the start of my favourite series and it's so good. It follows the doctor as he goes to America for a lost little girl and an astronaut in a lake. The series arc this time is one of the darkest but best the show has ever done. The doctors death. I love the design of the silence they're so creepy. The idea of being able to remember something only as long as we can see it. Because what if there is a creature with us right now that we just saw but can't remember because you are reading this review...look up. Overall an amazing first part of this finale and a great opener for series 6. 10/10

Rewatched Apr 23rd 2025

Despite the fact that the episode begins by killing off beloved children's icon Doctor Who, this episode has always felt effortlessly cozy to me. Maybe it's that 11 / Amy / Rory / River companion dynamic which I always love, the effortlessly fun dialogue Stephen Moffat injects into every scene, or even the small mystery of figuring out exactly where the girl is calling from. No matter what, I can always come back to this episode (And its second part) and enjoy watching it just as much every time.

Wild start to S6, lots of character setup here

The Doctor is murdered by a mysterious astronaut but then a younger version meets them with no knowledge of what will happen

The TARDIS crew visit DC and have some hilarious interactions with Nixon and the government agents there

Best season opener of all New Who.