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"Cold Blood" is the ninth episode in the fifth series of British
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on 29 May 2010 on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's Flagship (broadcasting), flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News ...
. It was written by
Chris Chibnall Christopher Antony Chibnall (born 21 March 1970) is an English television writer and producer, best known as the creator and writer of the award-winning ITV mystery-crime drama ''Broadchurch'' and as a showrunner of the long-running BBC sci-f ...
and directed by Ashley Way. It is the second episode of a two-part story, the first episode being "
The Hungry Earth "The Hungry Earth" is the eighth episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on 22 May 2010 on BBC One. It was written by Chris Chibnall, who had previously written fo ...
", which features the return of the
reptilian humanoid Reptilian humanoids, or anthropomorphic reptiles, are fictional creatures that appear in folklore, fiction, and conspiracy theories. In folklore In South Asian and Southeast Asian mythology, the Nāga are semi-divine creatures which are hal ...
Silurians. Continuing from the previous episode, alien time traveller the Doctor (
Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Daemon Targaryen in the HBO series ''House of the Drago ...
) and geologist Nasreen Chaudhry (
Meera Syal Meera Syal FRSL (born Feroza Syal; 27 June 1961) is a English comedian, writer, playwright, singer, journalist and actress. She rose to prominence as one of the team that created '' Goodness Gracious Me'' and portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, ...
) have taken the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior ...
deep below the ground to the Silurian city where the Doctor's
companion Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
Amy Pond Amelia "Amy" Pond is a fictional character portrayed by Karen Gillan in the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Amy is a companion of the series protagonist the Doctor, in his eleventh incarnation, played by ...
(
Karen Gillan Karen Sheila Gillan (; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction ser ...
), a local man named Mo (Alun Raglan), and Mo's son, Elliot (Samuel Davies), are being held hostage. Meanwhile, above ground, Amy's fiancé,
Rory Rory is a given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the ga, Ruairí/''Ruaidhrí'' and gd, Ruairidh and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. for the given name "Rory". The meaning of the name is "red king", ...
(
Arthur Darvill Thomas Arthur Darvill (born 17 June 1982) is an English actor. He is known for portraying Rory Williams, a companion of the Eleventh Doctor in the television series '' Doctor Who'' (2010–2012), as well as Rip Hunter in ''Legends of Tomorrow'' ...
); Mo's wife, Ambrose ( Nia Roberts); and Ambrose's father, Tony (
Robert Pugh Robert Pugh (born 11 October 1950) is a Welsh actor, known for his many television appearances, including the role of Craster in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones''. Life and career Pugh was born in the Tynte, Mountain Ash and grew up in Cilfy ...
), keep watch over Alaya (
Neve McIntosh Neve McIntosh (born Carol McIntosh; 9 April 1972) is a Scottish actress. Early life Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, McIntosh grew up in Edinburgh, where she attended Boroughmuir High School. She was a member of Edinburgh Youth Theatre in the ...
), a captured Silurian who is the key to freeing the hostages. While the Doctor leaves Amy and Nasreen to negotiate sharing the planet with the Silurians, to help Mo find his son Eliot, it is revealed that Restac's sister Alaya has been killed by Ambrose on the surface. Chibnall was selected by executive producers
Steven Moffat Steven William Moffat (; born 18 November 1961) is a Scottish television writer, television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as showrunner, writer and executive producer of the science fiction television series '' Doc ...
and
Piers Wenger Piers Wenger is a British television executive who serves as controller of BBC drama commissioning. Early life Wenger was born Piers John Wenger in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England on 29 June 1972. Career Wenger was appointed as control ...
to write a two-part episode about the return of the Silurians. Chibnall wanted "Cold Blood" in particular to be about the mistakes people make under pressure, and conflict that could come out of protecting a family. The episode is also connected to the series' story arc, as the crack in the universe returns at the end of the episode. "The Hungry Earth" and "Cold Blood" were filmed in October and November 2009, with scenes in "Cold Blood" shot in
Llanwynno Llanwonno ( cy, Llanwynno) is a hamlet high up in the hills between the historic mining valleys of the Rhondda and the Cynon in Rhondda Cynon Taf, deep in the heart of the South Wales Valleys. Llanwonno consists of St Gwynno's Church and an inn ...
, Wales,
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
's Temple of Peace,
Plantasia Plantasia is a large public hothouse, located in the Parc Tawe retail park, Swansea, Wales that opened in 1990. Information Plantasia exhibits a wide range of tropical plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and fish. There is ...
, and an array of locations and sets for parts of the Silurian city, which the production team did not want to look like a cave. The episode was watched by 7.49 million viewers in the United Kingdom and received mixed reviews from critics. Some reviewers were disappointed by the plot and characteristics of the Silurians, but the emotional ending was widely praised.


Plot

Deep under the Earth, Amy and Mo escape from
Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozoi ...
doctor Malohkeh's experimentation and Mo discovers his son, Elliot, sedated in a chamber and under observation. The leader of the Silurian warrior caste, Restac, insists both the
Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as fi ...
and geologist Nasreen Chaudhry be executed and escorts them to a Silurian court; though Amy and Mo interrupt the trial with stolen weapons, they too are captured. Eldane, Restac's superior, is called in by Malohkeh and demands a halt to the hostilities. The Doctor makes contact with
Rory Rory is a given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the ga, Ruairí/''Ruaidhrí'' and gd, Ruairidh and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. for the given name "Rory". The meaning of the name is "red king", ...
; Mo's wife, Ambrose; and Ambrose's father, Tony, reminding them to keep their captive Silurian, Restac's sister Alaya, alive. They are unaware that Ambrose has already killed Alaya because she would not help Tony, whom she had infected with Silurian venom. The Doctor arranges a conference between Eldane, Amy, and Nasreen; the three discuss how humans and Silurians can co-exist on the surface. Ambrose and Tony, worried about the Silurian reaction when they discover Alaya's death, set Nasreen and Tony's drill to burrow into the oxygen pockets of the Silurians' underground city fifteen minutes after they depart, which would destroy it. Meanwhile, Restac has killed Malohkeh for his betrayal and awakened other members of the warrior caste, intending to stage a coup against Eldane. The Doctor escapes with the humans and channels an energy pulse to the base of the drill before it impacts the city. Eldane returns the warriors to hibernation by initiating a "toxic fumigation"; the humans escape, and Eldane hopes that in a thousand years, peace between humans and Silurians can occur. Tony, still affected by Silurian venom, opts to stay behind to be cured, and Nasreen stays with Tony. The Doctor, Amy and Rory find a crack in the cavern wall similar to those they have seen before. The Doctor surmises that the crack was caused by an explosion in time, which might have left shrapnel behind. He reaches in and pulls out an object which he wraps in a handkerchief. Restac, dying from the toxic exposure, crawls around the corner and fires at the Doctor, but Rory pushes him out of the way and takes the shot, dying in Amy's arms. The crack absorbs Rory's body, erasing him from existence and causing Amy to lose her memory of him. Returning to the surface, the Doctor takes out the object he pulled from the crack—a burned piece of the
TARDIS The TARDIS (; acronym for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space") is a fictional hybrid of the time machine and spacecraft that appears in the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and its various spin-offs. Its exterior ...
's sign.


Production

Writer
Chris Chibnall Christopher Antony Chibnall (born 21 March 1970) is an English television writer and producer, best known as the creator and writer of the award-winning ITV mystery-crime drama ''Broadchurch'' and as a showrunner of the long-running BBC sci-f ...
was contracted by executive producers
Steven Moffat Steven William Moffat (; born 18 November 1961) is a Scottish television writer, television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as showrunner, writer and executive producer of the science fiction television series '' Doc ...
and
Piers Wenger Piers Wenger is a British television executive who serves as controller of BBC drama commissioning. Early life Wenger was born Piers John Wenger in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England on 29 June 1972. Career Wenger was appointed as control ...
to write a two-part ''Doctor Who'' episode about Silurians and a drill. Chibnall had previously written the ''Doctor Who'' episode " 42" as well as episodes of the spin-off series ''
Torchwood ''Torchwood'' is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of '' Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growin ...
''. "Cold Blood" is the second part of the story which began with "
The Hungry Earth "The Hungry Earth" is the eighth episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on 22 May 2010 on BBC One. It was written by Chris Chibnall, who had previously written fo ...
"; the latter built up the tension while "Cold Blood" was designed to get into the action. "Cold Blood" is also set in the bigger setting of the Silurian city, while "The Hungry Earth" was set in a small Welsh village. Chibnall wanted the Silurian city to contrast with the village. Chibnall wanted it to be a "story about people making mistakes under massive pressure" and the accidental conflict that came out of protecting a family; as such, he always intended for Alaya to die. He considered "Cold Blood" especially to be "so clearly about the Silurians and what the Silurians want". Moffat's plan "from the outset", to tie the episode into the overarching story arc of the series, was that Rory not just die but be erased from history in the crack in the universe. Moffat would later bring Rory back in "
The Pandorica Opens "The Pandorica Opens" is the twelfth episode of the fifth series of British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who'', first broadcast on 19 June 2010 on BBC One. It is the first in a two-part finale; the second part, " The Big Bang ...
", though the episode reveals his consciousness was placed in a Roman centurion
Auton The Autons are an artificial life form from the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and adversaries of the Doctor. They were originally created by scriptwriter Robert Holmes for Jon Pertwee's first serial as the Doctor, ...
as part of a trap for the Doctor to save the universe from the cracks. Moffat also thought it was appropriate as, the trio having had fun, now it was time for a casualty. Rory's death is also connected with Chibnall's theme of making mistakes; it was the Doctor's fault as he stopped to look at the crack. Gillan called the scene "incredibly challenging" for her to perform and tried to make it "truthful and believable". "The Hungry Earth" and "Cold Blood" made up the fourth production block of the series and were filmed in late October and November 2009 in the
Upper Boat Studios Upper Boat Studios was a television studio complex leased to the BBC in mid-2006, and formerly operated by BBC Wales. It is located in Upper Boat, a village on the outskirts of Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, near Cardiff in Wales. The studi ...
and
Llanwynno Llanwonno ( cy, Llanwynno) is a hamlet high up in the hills between the historic mining valleys of the Rhondda and the Cynon in Rhondda Cynon Taf, deep in the heart of the South Wales Valleys. Llanwonno consists of St Gwynno's Church and an inn ...
, Wales. "Cold Blood" utilised many different locations and unusual sets to portray the Silurian city, as the production team did not want simply a "cave feel". They believed that the Silurians were also sophisticated and were able to use materials found underground, such as
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies und ...
and
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorpho ...
. Many of the sets were given an orange glow from beneath to portray the "ambient glow" from the centre of the earth. The jungle walkway leading to the Silurian city was filmed in the
Plantasia Plantasia is a large public hothouse, located in the Parc Tawe retail park, Swansea, Wales that opened in 1990. Information Plantasia exhibits a wide range of tropical plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and fish. There is ...
botanical garden in Swansea on 13 November 2009. The set gave a sense of things growing, as these were necessary for the Silurians to survive. Set designers were able to rearrange the plants, though they had to be careful not to show the window leading to the
car park A parking lot (American English) or car park ( British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surfac ...
or other modern amenities. The hall where the Doctor is brought for execution was filmed at the Temple of Peace in
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
, and little dressing was done to the set.


Broadcast and reception

"Cold Blood" was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's Flagship (broadcasting), flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News ...
and simulcast on
BBC HD BBC HD was a 24-hour high-definition television channel provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007 before its discontinuation on 26 March 2013. It broadcast ...
on 29 May 2010. Initial overnight ratings showed that the episode was watched by 5.7 million viewers, a million more than the previous week. Final consolidated ratings rose to 7.49 million (7.04 million on BBC One and 0.45 million on BBC HD), ranking the show fourth for the week ending 30 May 2010 on the channel and the highest rated show on BBC One for the day. The episode received an
Appreciation Index The Audience Appreciation Index (AI) is an indicator measured from 0 to 100 of the public's appreciation for a television or radio programme, or broadcast service, in the United Kingdom. Until 2002, the AI of a programme was calculated by the B ...
of 85, considered "excellent". "Cold Blood" was released in Region 2 on DVD and Blu-ray on 2 August 2010 with the episodes " Amy's Choice" and "
The Hungry Earth "The Hungry Earth" is the eighth episode of the fifth series of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast on 22 May 2010 on BBC One. It was written by Chris Chibnall, who had previously written fo ...
". It was then re-released as part of the Complete Fifth Series boxset on 8 November 2010.


Critical reception

The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Dan Martin, writing for ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'', said that the episode was similar to previous Silurian stories in ''Doctor Who'', though he said he loved the "tense, mad and thoughtful story". He expressed "delight" at Amy and Nasreen negotiating for the humans, though he thought the diplomacy scenes were "broadly drawn". Overall, he considered the strength of the episode was "giving you something big and moral to chew over, in a way that nothing else this series has yet". Gavin Fuller of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' also compared "Cold Blood"'s concept and ideas to the original 1970 Silurians story but considered this story made "less of an impact" due to a "black and white depiction" and the one-dimensional Restac. He was also critical of Matt Smith's Doctor, whose portrayal "lacked gravitas and conviction and was altogether too light-hearted". However, he praised both Smith and Gillan's "strong" performances in the final scene where Rory is killed. ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
s Keith Phipps gave the episode a B+, noting that Rory's death had been spoiled for him by commenters on the site and thus he did not enjoy the episode as much as he might have. He called it a "satisfying, if not extraordinary" conclusion and "another pretty solid entry in the series". He further praised Gillan and Amy's character for " ontinuingto impress" as well as the depths given to the supporting characters by both Chibnall and Way, and the allegories that could be derived from the conflict between the humans and the Silurians and the aftermath of Rory's demise.
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa dist ...
's Matt Wales rated the episode 8 out of 10, and thought that "even less actually happened" than the previous episode, though he enjoyed the "atmospheric build-up and more thoughtful tone". While he considered it predictable, he said that it "still offered plenty in the way of entertainment with its brisk pace, beautifully-realised underground world and a convincing cast of rounded characters". He praised Smith and Gillan's performances in the ending, but thought it was "a surprisingly downbeat denouement". Ian Berriman of ''
SFX magazine ''SFX'' is a British magazine covering the topics of science fiction and fantasy. Its name is a reference to the abbreviated form of "special effects". Description ''SFX'' magazine is published every four weeks by Future plc and was founded in 1 ...
'' gave "Cold Blood" four and a half out of five stars, positively comparing the emotional ending to episodes from the
Russell T Davies Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include ''Queer as Folk'', ''The Second Coming'', '' Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scien ...
era. He also had some "nitpicks" about the episode, such as the abrupt character change of Malohkeh.


References


External links

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