Silence in the Library

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.

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...

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.

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

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.