The Pandorica Opens (TV story)

The Pandorica Opens
Doctor:	[[doctor::Eleventh Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Amy Pond River Song (guest)
Main enemy:	Daleks Cybermen Sontarans Judoon Slitheen Autons Silurians Weevils Sycorax Roboform Nestene Consciousness Atraxi Chelonians Drahvins Terileptils Uvodni Zygons Draconians Blowfish Roman Soldiers
Main setting:	Stonehenge, Earth 102 AD Leadworth, Earth, June 26th 2010 Earth, 1996
Key crew
Writer:	Steven Moffat
Director:	Toby Haynes
Producer:	Peter Bennett
Release details
Story number:	212a
Release number:	Series 5
Premiere broadcast:	19th June 2010
Format:	1 x 50 minute episode
Production code:	1.12

The Pandorica Opens will be the twelfth episode, and first in a dramatic two-part finale of Series 5.

Synopsis

A van Gogh painting ferried across thousands of years, communicating a disturbing prophecy to the Doctor, a message on the oldest cliff-face in the universe and a love that lasts a thousand years. In 102 AD England, Romans receive a surprise visit from Cleopatra. Nearby, Stonehenge conceals the Pandorica, a prison-box of legend. As it slowly unlocks from the inside, terrible forces gather in the heavens above. The fates are drawing close around the TARDIS. United, the Doctor's friends send him a warning, he deals with a message on a cliff, a mysterious box and a love story which spans over millennia. The Pandorica, which contains the most dangerous threat in the Universe, is opening. Only one thing is certain: "The Pandorica will open... silence will fall".

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Matt Smith
• Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
• River Song - Alex Kingston
• Rory Williams - Arthur Darvill
• Dr. Gachet - Howard Lee
• Guard - Joe Jacobs
• Dorium - Simon Fisher Becker
• Claudio - Marcus O'Donovan
• Commander - Clive Wood
• Commander Strak - Christopher Ryan
• Marcellus - David Fynn
• Dalek Operator - Barnaby Edwards
• Cyber-Leader - Ruari Mears
• Dalek/Cybermen/Judoon (voice) - Nicholas Briggs
• Vincent van Gogh - Tony Curran
• Bracewell - Bill Paterson
• Winston Churchill - Ian McNeice
• Liz 10 - Sophie Okonedo

Production Crew

to be added

References

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Continuity

to be added

Story Notes

• This episode was incorrectly entitled Silver Sentence.
• Almost every major enemy since the beginning of the new Doctor Who series is mentioned in the trailers, and will possibly appear. The list of enemies include the Daleks, the Cybus Cybermen, the Sontarans, the Judoon, the Slitheen, the Hoix, the Weevils, the Uvodni, the Sycorax, the Silurians, the Autons, the Roboform, the Blowfish, the Nestene, the Chelonians, the Drahvins, the Atraxi, the Zygons, the Terileptils, and the Draconians.
  • As seen on the trailers and spoiler pictures, the Daleks, the Cybus Cybermen, the Sontarans, the Silurians, the Weevils, the Judoon and the Sycorax are definitely appearing, and are not merely mentioned.
• Characters from throughout Series 5 who return in the finale include Vincent van Gogh, Winston Churchill, Liz 10, and River Song, according to an interview with Karen Gillan.
• Karen also said in a separate interview with TV times that "It starts with the Doctor saying he's going to take Amy to the very first planet in existence, but when they arrive there they find a message from River Song, the message rings alarm bells for the Doctor - and then they find River dressed as Cleopatra."
• Almost a week before the episode's airing, concept art revealed what is believed to be the contents of the Pandorica. The artwork can be seen here.

Ratings

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Rumours

• Many fans believe Omega will return.
• The Doctor himself is inside the Pandorica. River did say she killed the best man she ever knew. (DW: Flesh and Stone)
• It is rumoured that either the Timoreen, the Ha'rik, or the Skarkish will appear – primarily because these were all listed as "new aliens" to appear in Series 5 and have not appeared yet.
• According to the Radio Times, the Vincent van Gogh painting will be in Churchill's war bunker.
• If the Doctor's "Friends who unite to send him a terrible warning" are some characters seen through the series then it's possible that they are the following:

1. Amy Pond (Who will appear)
2. Rory Williams (Has been seen in trailers and pictures wearing a Roman uniform).
3. Jeff and Mrs. Angelo
4. Liz 10 (Who will appear in part 1 or 2, according to an interview with Karen Gillan)
5. Winston Churchill (Who will appear in part 1 or 2, according to an interview with Karen Gillan)
6. River Song (Who will appear)
7. Father Octavian and the Clerics (Since they got absorbed by the Cracks)
8. Eldane (Since he knows that the Doctor has greater losses to come)
9. Tony, Nasreen, Mo, Elliot and Ambrose
10. Vincent van Gogh (Who will appear, according to an interview with Karen Gillan)
11. Craig Owens and Sophie.

• It is believed that the enemies will form an alliance; this is supported by the screen-shots depicting many of the Doctor's enemies together but not fighting.

Filming locations

• Stonehenge, England

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Production errors

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Continuity

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Home video releases

BBC Video - Doctor Who Series Five - Volume Four will feature The Lodger, The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang. It will be released on Monday 6th September 2010 (UK Only) on DVD and Blu-ray.

See also

to be added

External links

to be added

Gallery

• Pandorica-Spoilers-1.jpg

  The Sycorax

• Pandorica-Spoilers-2.jpg

  A Judoon (far left) and the Cybus Cybermen

• Pandorica-Spoilers-3.jpg

  The Silurians and the Weevils

• Pandorica-Spoilers-4.jpg

  The Drone, Supreme and the Eternal Daleks

• Pandorica-Spoilers-5.jpg

  A stone Dalek

• Amy capute 2.jpg

  A Cyberman head attacking Amy

• Ep121.jpg

  River Song, Amy and the Doctor

• Pandorica.png

  The Pandorica

• Cybermen.jpg

  Cybermen

• Doctor Who The Pandorica Opens ships.jpg

  Star ships surrounding Stonehenge

• RW 5.png

  Rory holding a lifeless Amy

• AmeliaAndThePandorica.PNG

  Young Amelia Pond and the Pandorica

• Riversongfinale.jpg

  River Song

• The Doctor and roman soilders.jpg

  The Doctor looking shocked while surronded by Roman Soldiers

• The Doctor and young Amy.jpg

  The Doctor and young Amy Pond

• The Doctor being electricuted.jpg

  The Doctor being electricuted