Silence in the Library

Silence in the Library

Doctorwhobox
number = 199a
serial_name = Silence in the Library


caption = Whilst Donna and the Archaeologists stay out of the deadly shadows, Professor River Song questions the Doctor on where he is on their relationship timeline
show = DW
type = episode
doctor = David Tennant (Tenth Doctor)
companion = Catherine Tate (Donna Noble)
guests =
*Alex KingstonProfessor River Song
*Colin Salmon – Dr Moon
*Eve Newton – The Girl
*Mark Dexter – Dad
*Sarah Niles – Node 1
*Joshua Dallas – Node 2
*Steve Pemberton - Strackman Lux
*Talulah Riley – Miss Evangelista
*Jessika Williams – Anita
*O-T Fagbenle – Other Dave
*Harry Peacock – Proper Dave
writer = Steven Moffat
director = Euros Lyn
script_editor = Helen Raynor
producer = Phil Collinson
executive_producer = Russell T Davies Julie Gardner
production_code = 4.9
date = 31 May 2008
length = 1st of 2-part story, 45 minutes
preceding = "The Unicorn and the Wasp"
following = "Forest of the Dead"
imdb_id = 1208129
series = Series 4
series_link = Series 4 (2008)

"Silence in the Library" is the eighth episode of the fourth series of the revived British science fiction television series "Doctor Who", first broadcast on 31 May 2008.cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk23/sat.shtml|title=Programme Information, Network TV Week 23, Saturday 31 May 2008|first=|date=2008-05-15|publisher=BBC Press Office|accessdate=2008-05-15] It is the first of a two-part story, followed by "Forest of the Dead", and is the second two-parter Steven Moffat has contributed to the series after "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" in 2005. A few days before the episode aired, the BBC announced that Moffat will become Head Writer of the programme for the show's fifth series in 2010, replacing current Head Writer Russell T Davies, who has held the role since "Doctor Who" returned to television in 2005.

Plot

ynopsis

The Doctor and Donna arrive in the 51st century at a planet-sized book repository simply called "The Library", summoned by an anonymous request for help on the Doctor's psychic paper. However, they find it completely devoid of humanoid life, and the Library's computers even claim as such, though when the Doctor widens the search for non-humanoid life, the Library's computers claim over "a million million lifeforms" exist. A Node, an information drone which presents a donated human face to the user to facilitate communication, warns them to count the shadows, which appear despite the lack of objects to cast them. As they try to search for answers, they meet a team of explorers, led by archaeologist River Song, who have come to ascertain the meaning of the Library's final communication, which states "4022 saved, no survivors". River Song seems to know the Doctor, has a diary with a cover matching the Doctor's TARDIS, and even possesses a sonic screwdriver. She also later displays knowledge of the TARDIS's "emergency program one". She only admits that she will know the Doctor in his relative future, refusing to disclose more for fear of spoilers. Professor Song also recognises Donna's name, but avoids explaining why Donna was not present when she knew the Doctor.

The Doctor organises the team to make sure the area is well lit as he explains that they are surrounded by Vashta Nerada, microscopic carnivorous creatures that disguise themselves as shadows to hunt and latch onto their prey. He notes that they are usually nowhere near as aggressive or numerous as the ones here seem to be. Before he can fully explain, however, Miss Evangelista wanders off and is stripped to the bone in moments. The Doctor and Donna learn that the exploration team wears communication devices which link to their nervous systems for thought-based communication. As a side-effect, these devices tend to pick up an imprint of the user at the moment of death, creating a short-lived "Data Ghost" of that person's consciousness.

Curiously, the Library's operations seem to be tied to the imagination of a young girl; she sees the Doctor and Donna through the eyes of a security camera when they first break into the central room, the exploration team appears on her television when the Doctor attempts to hack the Library computers, and books fly from the shelves when she fiddles with the television's remote control. The girl is under the observation of Dr. Moon, a child psychologist, at the request of her dad, but Dr. Moon insists to the girl that what she imagines in her nightmares is in fact real, while the real world is a lie. He also states that there are people in her library who need to be saved.

The team's investigation is interrupted when a shadow of Vashta Nerada latches onto the pilot, Dave. Although the Doctor attempts to save him by sealing him inside his suit, the creatures manage to get inside, eat him alive, and then animate his suit in order to chase the other explorers. The Doctor attempts to teleport Donna back to the TARDIS while he leads the rest of the team to safety, but something goes wrong with the teleport and Donna fails to materialise properly. As the team races away from the possessed suit, the Doctor is horrified to find a Node with Donna's face on it, which claims that Donna has left the Library and has been saved. The show ends in a cliffhanger as the Doctor is forced to leave the Node behind, but is trapped by the approaching suit on one side and the Vashta Nerada shadows on the other.

Continuity

As shown on the BBC "Doctor Who" website, there are a number of books in the library either written by former "Doctor Who" writers or featured in previous episodes. Among those seen are the operating manual for the TARDIS, "Origins of the Universe" ("Destiny of the Daleks"), "The French Revolution" ("An Unearthly Child"), the "Journal of Impossible Things" ("Human Nature"/"The Family of Blood"), "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" (written by Douglas Adams, former "Doctor Who" writer and script editor), "Everest in Easy Stages" ("The Creature from the Pit") and "Black Orchid" (a book first seen in the Fifth Doctor serial of the same name).

The Doctor mentions that "emergency program one" will send Donna home should she be left alone in the TARDIS for five hours. In "The Parting of the Ways", this program was activated by the Ninth Doctor to send Rose Tyler home.

According to Steven Moffat, the squareness gun used by Professor River Song to help the party escape from the impending Vashta Nerada is intended to be the same sonic blaster that was used by Jack Harkness in the episode "The Doctor Dances". Moffat suggests that it was left in the TARDIS after "The Parting of the Ways", and taken by River Song in the Doctor's future. The name "squareness gun" was coined by Rose in the earlier episode.cite serial | title = River Runs Deep | series = Doctor Who Confidential| network = BBC | station = BBC Three | city = Cardiff | began = 2008-06-07 | ended = 2008-06-07]

The psychic paper has previously summoned the Doctor to a location in "New Earth", where the Face of Boe called the Doctor to his supposed deathbed.

The Doctor also mentions that he loves "a little shop", a sentiment previously expressed in the episodes "New Earth" and "Smith and Jones".

The Doctor says, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," to Dave once he realises the Vashta Nerada have latched onto him. This has been a recurring phrase throughout the new series.

Broadcast and reception

"Silence in the Library" was scheduled against the final of ITV's talent contest "Britain's Got Talent" and suffered in the ratings as a result. BARB's final figures recorded an audience 6.27 million when adjusted for time shifting. "Britain's Got Talent" was viewed by 11.52 million in comparison.cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?report=weeklyterrestrial&requesttimeout=500|date=2008-06-11|accessdate=2008-06-11|publisher=BARB|title=Weekly Viewing Summary w/e 01/06/2008] This was the first time since the series' revival in 2005 that "Doctor Who" did not have the largest audience share in its timeslot.

However, the episode did receive an Appreciation Index score of 89 (considered "Excellent")cite web|url=http://www.gallifreyone.com/news.php#newsitemEkEkupVAZApvgITuej|title=Silence in the Library - AI and Digital Ratings|first=Marcus|date=2008-06-02|publisher=Outpost Gallifrey|accessdate=2008-06-02] , the joint highest figure the new series had received to date, alongside "The Parting of the Ways", "Doomsday" and the following episode "Forest of the Dead". BBC Three's repeat of the episode was watched by 1.35 million viewers, almost double the figures for the equivalent repeat of the previous episode, "The Unicorn and the Wasp".

Production

Casting

For the role of River Song, whom producer Russell T Davies describes as "sort of the Doctor's wife", the production sought to cast Kate Winslet.cite news |first=Russell T |last=Davies |authorlink=Russell T Davies |coauthors=Benjamin Cook |title=The Next Doctor |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article4768289.ece |work=The Times |date=2008-09-17 |accessdate=2008-09-17 ] One of Winslet's first acting roles was in the BBC teen drama "Dark Season", written by Davies. The role of River Song eventually went to Alex Kingston, about whom Davies said, "I bloody love her!"

The role of Strackman Lux went to Steve Pemberton, who is best known for his work as a member of "The League of Gentlemen". Pemberton's fellow League member Mark Gatiss wrote the "Doctor Who" episodes "The Unquiet Dead" and "The Idiot's Lantern", and appeared in the episode "The Lazarus Experiment".

Locations

Certain scenes were filmed at the Old Swansea Central Library [ BBC Doctor Who Confidential - Shadow Play 4x08 ] and the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea, Wales.

References

External links

*BBCDWnew | year=2008 | id=S4_08 | title=Silence in the Library
*MP3link| [http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/bbc7/doctorwho/doctorwho_20080531-1840.mp3 "Silence in the Library"] Episode commentary from producer Phil Collinson and director Euros Lyn
*Brief|id=2008hi|title=Silence in the Library" / "Forest of the Dead|quotes=y
*Doctor Who RG|id=who_tv39|title=Silence in the Library" / "Forest of the Dead|quotes=y


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