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Doctor Who
S6.E10
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  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
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IMDbPro

The Girl Who Waited

  • Episode aired Sep 10, 2011
  • TV-PG
  • 47m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
7.8K
YOUR RATING
Karen Gillan in Doctor Who (2005)
AdventureDramaSci-Fi

Amy is trapped in a quarantine facility where time moves faster than in reality, while the Doctor is confined to the TARDIS. Can Rory save his wife in time?Amy is trapped in a quarantine facility where time moves faster than in reality, while the Doctor is confined to the TARDIS. Can Rory save his wife in time?Amy is trapped in a quarantine facility where time moves faster than in reality, while the Doctor is confined to the TARDIS. Can Rory save his wife in time?

  • Director
    • Nick Hurran
  • Writers
    • Tom MacRae
    • Steven Moffat
    • Sydney Newman
  • Stars
    • Matt Smith
    • Karen Gillan
    • Arthur Darvill
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    7.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Nick Hurran
    • Writers
      • Tom MacRae
      • Steven Moffat
      • Sydney Newman
    • Stars
      • Matt Smith
      • Karen Gillan
      • Arthur Darvill
    • 21User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos20

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    Top cast8

    Edit
    Matt Smith
    Matt Smith
    • The Doctor
    Karen Gillan
    Karen Gillan
    • Amy Pond
    Arthur Darvill
    Arthur Darvill
    • Rory
    Josie Taylor
    • Check-In Girl
    Imelda Staunton
    Imelda Staunton
    • Interface
    • (voice)
    Louise Bowen
    • Handbot
    • (uncredited)
    Nathalie Cuzner
    Nathalie Cuzner
    • Handbot
    • (uncredited)
    Barbara Fadden
    • Handbot
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Nick Hurran
    • Writers
      • Tom MacRae
      • Steven Moffat
      • Sydney Newman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    8.47.7K
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    Featured reviews

    7laura-bonaventura1

    Where good and bad acting makes the difference

    I really loved the script, and it might be the first time in season 6, but Karen Gillan didn't keep the episode at the emotional level where it belongs. Talking about new doctor who, I'm a big fan of Donna Noble / Catherine Tate, I was surprised by Billie Piper and in the end I really enjoyed Martha Jones / Freema Agyeman. Karen Gillan is a beautiful woman, with the kind of beauty that makes you like her and think she's a funny mate: she's some material to work with, but she doesn't. As simple as it is. She didn't had many good scripts, this was one of that and she missed it, especially on the second part. Too bad.

    I must say something about how the season is going on, because there's something Moffat (whom I adored as many of us with "Blink" and "The girl in the fireplace") needs to understand, or to remember. Science fiction is not science. In science fiction you can travel through the time line, in the real world probably not, for a long long time. And this is perfectly fine, but when you write science fiction you need to state some rules (your own rules of course) and respect them no matter what. Asimov stated the robot laws and there isn't a single robot in Asimov's literary universe who isn't bound to those rules. The Doctor of Moffat's era makes people see and speak with the older or younger versions of themselves, not mentioning the awful season 5 finale, where the Doctor goes back and forth and speaks to himself. When this kind of thing happens more than once I call it rubbish.
    10Sleepin_Dragon

    Two Amy's for the price of one.

    The Doctor takes Amy and Rory Appalapachia for a well earned rest. A short holiday becomes an eternity for Amy, who has to wait, and wait.

    As of 2020, this is still one of the best.

    Best bit has to be the scenes with the two Amy's, and I disagree with the comments about Karen not giving enough emotion in her performance, rubbish, she's really good, and as those that have read my reviews will realise i'm not Amy's greatest fan. The look on older Amy's face when Rory rescues her younger self is devastating.

    Without a doubt this is one of my all time favourite new who episodes, it is truly original. I really liked the creation of the handbots, they're very different. The gardens of Appalapachia are so beautiful, they truly look incredible, almost fairy tale esque. The prosthetics used on Amy are brilliant, she really does look older, a bit of grey hair would have been good. The best performance from Karen Gillan for a good while, again I find it mainly because she's better written for. The story is a hugely interesting one, how would she feel about being left behind, how Rory would feel about meeting an older Amy, and the decision the Doctor had to make when two Amy's existed. This is brilliant.
    8getitdrunk

    A decent episode with one annoyance

    "Gillan also wore a padding which affected her movement and she spent hours in makeup" yet no-one considered she might have different hair? Hacked off for practicality which would have been in keeping with the character? Gone grey? No exactly the same hair, it's silly distraction in what was otherwise a pretty decent episode.
    10josephthedoctorcaleb

    Brilliant

    Series six of Doctor Who is perhaps one of my favourites and after the whole River Song business halfway through and the disappointment of 'Night Terrors', this simple stand alone episode of Doctor Who is definitely worth watching. It really shows how much Amy and Rory care about each other and the lengths that they are prepared to go to in order to save each other. The Doctor although absent from most of the physical stuff is certainly well used and it's also good to see how he watches on and is emotional to see how he has to lie and make bad choices that will allow good things to happen. For me, this is the most emotional episode of Series six and will always be one of the best episode in its history.

    Though I am still wondering how Amy mastered Gallifreyan technology and made her own sonic probe.
    10diroffers

    brilliant

    "The Girl Who waited" is one of my favorite episodes involving the eleventh doctor. The writing in this one is a perfect example of why so many people love this show. This was a rather self-contained episode that is very Amy-centric. It does not really appear to contribute to the ongoing story line, but it doesn't need to as it is quite brilliant and provides some insight into one of the main characters.

    Karen Gillan made an excellent and compelling performance, and it was a joy to see a different side to her character.

    This is one of the few episodes I actually went back and watched a second time. Some parts were a bit slow on the second go around, but the end more than makes up for it.

    Related interests

    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally an older actress was going to play Older Amy, but Karen Gillan insisted on playing Older Amy with the aid of prosthetics and it was decided Karen Gillan playing both characters would be more believable. Gillan developed different body-language, vocal range and attitude for the new individual, whose character has changed after being left behind and in danger. To achieve this, Gillan studied with a voice coach and movement coach. Gillan also wore a padding which affected her movement and she spent hours in makeup.
    • Goofs
      When Rory hits the handbot over the head with the Mona Lisa it tears like canvas. This is obviously a fake because the Mona Lisa is painted on wood, a white Lombardy poplar panel.
    • Quotes

      Old Amy Pond: All those boys chasing me, but it was only ever Rory. Why was that?

      Amy Pond: You know when sometimes you meet someone so beautiful, and then you actually talk to them and five minutes later, they're as dull as a brick. Then there's other people and you meet them and you think, "Not bad, they're okay." And then you get to know them and... and they're face just sort of... becomes them, like their personality is written all over it. And they just... they turn into something so beautiful.

      Old Amy Pond: [Together] Rory's the most beautiful man I've ever met.

    • Connections
      Featured in Being a Girl (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Doctor Who Theme
      (uncredited)

      Written by Ron Grainer

      Arranged by Murray Gold

      Performed by BBC National Orchestra of Wales

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 10, 2011 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (United Kingdom)
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Uskmouth Power Station, Newport, Wales, UK(Engine room areas)
    • Production company
      • BBC Cymru Wales
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 47m
    • Color
      • Color

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