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So is the first apperance of the Silence?

Had to watch it with the sound off, but interesting that she doesn't look away, or look that shocked really.

Part of me wouldn't be surprised, one has to assume Moffat knew who/what the silence were back then, but by the same token wasn't the Tardis supposed to belong to Meglos in the original idea for the episode?
 
Actually, I've been waiting for someone to bring up a little fact that appears to have missed a lot of people's attention. Like me - I didn't twig to it till last night.

Anyone remember the title of the Moffat episode in which River Song made her first appearance? A title that people back in the day were kind of wondering about?

SILENCE in the Library?

Food for thought...

However, the point about the Lodger is a valid one. I think she was seeing something off screen. And of course she wouldn't remember, now would she. I think it's another "jacket on, jacket off" moment.

Either that or the scene was very poorly directed and performed - below the standard established by the series.

Alex
 
But she doesn't look away!!

Also, and this may just be me, but there seems to be a big difference between last season when it was "Silence will fall." and this year when it seems to be more "The Silence will fall..."

I like to hope Moffat had it all planned (though not back as far as the library 2 parter, he didn't even know he was going to get the job back then.)
 
Someone made a video of all the times in Season 5 its possible the silence showed up and they were iffy at best.

Personally I don't think Moffat had a clue what they were at that point.
 
Starkers said:
I like to hope Moffat had it all planned (though not back as far as the library 2 parter, he didn't even know he was going to get the job back then.)
Click to expand...

Be he did know. According to RTD's book The Writer's Tale, Moffat was invited to become showrunner in mid-July 2007 and accepted in late September; Silence in the Library wasn't broadcast until the spring of 2008. And in 2008 Moffat mentioned at I think San Diego ComicCon that he'd begun writing his first Eleventh Doctor episode as early as January 2008 (I need to check the websites, but I remember there being discussion about the fact he'd already started work so far in advance). So there's plenty of room here for Moffat to have sowed seeds, and remember the BBC doesn't even finalize titles until a few weeks in advance (in fact, wasn't another title given to this episode in advance publicity? I might be blowing smoke on that, though.)

(And if Neil Gaiman is to be believed, Moffat knew even earlier as Gaiman wrote in DWM a few months ago that Moffat invited him to write an episode - the one that will be The Doctor's Wife - in March 2007.)

Such advance planning isn't unheard of - Phil Collinson was quoted only a week or so ago that as early as 2008 they were already sketching out possible plans for the 50th anniversary broadcast.

Alex
 
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He definitely knew, he pointed out a bit a back that he started writing/drafting scripts early on for season 5 with david tennant in mind which is why matt smith was more tennant than he is now.

But I don't think he had a clue about what the silence was or were.
 
Silence in the Library might have been broadcast in Spring 08, but what that actually means is that it was probably filmed 9 months previously, which likely also means Moffat must have started writing it before he was offered the gig, and definitely before he accepted the job, and he's also said he definitely didn't write River imagining she'd become a recurring character...
 
I remember an interview where Moffat said his primary motivation for creating River Song in Silence in the Library was the story's need for a character who would instantly trust The Doctor and follow his lead. It wasn't because he had future plans for her.
 
Phily B said:
Someone made a video of all the times in Season 5 its possible the silence showed up and they were iffy at best.

Personally I don't think Moffat had a clue what they were at that point.
Click to expand...
Can you post a link?
 
Funny that Starkers brought up "Silence in the Library" because I've been thinking about the Silence going all the way back that episode.
 
Actually it was 23Skidoo who mentioned it initially :)

Personally I think it's just Moffat riffing on his own tropes rather than a concrete plan going back years...
 
Getting back to The Lodger, remember that it was a 'pull forward', presumably commissioned for the 2011 season, but produced for that slot in the 2010 run when the episode that was going to go there had to be held back till 2011 because there wasn't the budget to do it.
The episode that got dropped back from 2010 to 2011? Neil Gaiman's one, that goes out next week...
 
The Silence have been in pretty much every episode of Doctor Who that takes place on Earth. Their first appearance in the show, as far as I can reacall -- And I cite my flashing hand recorder as a source* -- was in a classroom scene in the very first episode.



*("Oh God, they're just watching. What do they want!? God, Susan, Run --")
 
Newspaper Taxi said:
The Silence have been in pretty much every episode of Doctor Who that takes place on Earth. Their first appearance in the show, as far as I can reacall -- And I cite my flashing hand recorder as a source* -- was in a classroom scene in the very first episode.



*("Oh God, they're just watching. What do they want!? God, Susan, Run --")
Click to expand...


Yes very astute observation.
 
Starkers said:
Actually it was 23Skidoo who mentioned it initially :)

Personally I think it's just Moffat riffing on his own tropes rather than a concrete plan going back years...
Click to expand...

Actually, I did mention a possible connection with Silence in the Library when TIA was broadcast. ;-). No one listens to me. ;-)

Whether Moffat had it mind or not back then is kind of irrelevant. He could choose to retcon it in if he wanted, and I would be happy with that if done well.

However, I doubt this will happen, as it would likely be confusing to more casual viewers to flashback to a scene from a 2008 episode with a different Doctor. Having said that, Star Trek has done it successfully on a number of occassions, but I can't see it happening in DW.
 
I did see a list somewhere of all the alleged appearances of the Silence in series 5. One was in The Eleventh Hour when Amy first goes into the Tardis, but watching it, it seemed to just be some boggle-eyed bad acting on Gillan's part (she's certainly been a lot better this year - she emotes correctly and everything). Then I got depressed at seeing how good Matt Smith was at that point, only to become the 8 year old idiot he's been this year.

I also watched Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. That really is brilliant.

But anyway, all possible Silence appearances in series 5 that I've checked haven't added up for me. Though this one looks more likely than most, I think it's more likely to be a poor bit of direction.
 
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