While
taking photographs at an old, abandoned house on the outskirts
of London, Sally Sparrow notices something under the wallpaper.
When she discovers that it is a message for her from someone
called the Doctor, she brings her friend Kathy Nightingale
to show her what is written but she disappears. This sets
off a chain of events that reveals her friend has been set
back in time to 1920s Hull and the message from the Doctor
is from 1969 but the most terrifying thing is that angel
statues that litter the grounds of the house are ancient
aliens living from on the potential life force of the people
they send back in time. The only way you can escape their
grasp is to look directly at them, so whatever Sally does
she can’t take her eyes off them and that means she
can’t even blink.
After
been pursued through time by the terrifying Family, the
new season of ‘Doctor Who’ turns up the fear
factor to the highest it has ever been and you will never
look at a statue the same again.
Since
the series returned in 2005, one writer has become synonymous
with providing genuine scares to the Whovian and he is Steven
Moffat. Better known for writing more light-hearted, comedy
shows such as hit series ‘Press Gang’ and ‘Coupling’,
Moffat has now turned his considerable talents in a much
darker direction. After bringing us the terrifying and very
original episodes ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’
and the two-part classic ‘The Doctor Dances/The Empty
Child’, his latest episode is his best yet and one
that will have you cowering behind the couch.
For
the second time since the series returned, the Doctor is
not the star of the show but unlike ‘Love and Monsters,’
this is a show were the Timelord isn’t sadly missed.
Seen through the eyes of Sally Sparrow, we discover that
her life is in danger and only messages from the past can
save her.
This
plot device only works because of the quality of the writing
and the performance of Carey Mulligan as Sally Sparrow (a
possible future companion?), making the lack of the Doctor
and Martha for most of the story not a big problem.
What makes
the episode so memorable are the Weeping Angels. You would
never have thought that statues could be so petrifying. These
ancient creatures from the start of the universe (there seems
to be a lot of these) can only move when you are not looking
at them, so you cannot even blink when looking at them. If
they touch you, you are sent back in time and they feed on
the potential life force that you had remaining. This might
not sound terrifying but you will be hiding your eyes every
time the Angels appear.
‘Blink’
is one of the best standalone episodes of ‘Doctor
Who’ since the series returned, if not the best. With
some genuine scares throughout and an excellent performance
from Carey Mulligan as Sally Sparrow, this only goes to
prove again that that a Steven Moffat episode is the highlight
of a season.
