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Blink Format Reviewed: TV Review Blink is another story written by one of the most acclaimed new series writers, Steven Moffatt. His stories are generally very eagerly anticipated, and this was certainly no exception. This story also has the distinction of being similar to the most innovative story from the previous series, Love and Monsters, in that the Doctor only appears in the live action very briefly. Sally Sparrow enters an old derelict mansion, and finds a message from The Doctor under some peeling wallpaper telling her to duck. She does and then a rock flies through the window and passes where her head was. She returns home and discovers her housemate, Lucy Nightingale has her brother staying who is looking at DVD Easter Eggs on several screens. Sally then takes Lucy to the old house, where a man arrives and gives Sally a letter from Lucy explaining that she was taken from the next room and deposited in 1920 in Hull by the Weeping Angels. Sally then finds Lucy's brother to explain, and finds that he has found 17 DVD Easter Eggs on different films all with messages of one half of a conversation. He and an internet forum have eben trying to decipher the messages. Sally works out that the 17 DVD's comprise her complete film collection, and the conversations are meant for her. The conversations are then completed, with Larry transcribing the complete conversation. The enemy, the Weeping Angels, are an alien race who cannot move if they are being looked at, and therefore Sally and Larry can't look away or blink. Eventually, the weeping angels are trapped when Sally gets into the TARDIS and inserts a DVD. The Angels have encircled the TARDIS, which takes off and leaves Larry and Sally with the Angels all looking at each other, therefore perpetually frozen in statue form. Sally then meets the Doctor, before he has known about this adventure and hands him information regarding the conversations. Considering this is a story that stemmed from a cartoon written by Moffatt, and doesn't really star The Doctor, it is one that could really have gone either way. It could be brilliant, or a damp squib. What it in fact turned out to be was brilliant. Throughout, the atmnsphere is spooky and creepy, with the statueesque enemy really fitting with the gothic themed sets. Back in the 1970's, Doctor Who was famed for doing gothic horror really very well, and this is somewhat of a return to that style and it really works. The main cast here is not the recurring cast for the series. The lead role is taken by Carey Mulligan who plays Sally Sparrow, and she is supported by Lucy Gaskill and Finlay Robertson as Kathy and Larry Nightingale. Mulligan does really well to carry the show, and she is a delight throughout. Mulligan is ably supported by Gaskill and Robertson who also are great in their parts. The cameos from David Tennant, principally in the pre-recorded segments, and Freema Agyeman always bring the show back to the main point of the show, The Doctor. They do fine and the video segments are good and well thought out. There is not really anything I have to criticise this story about. The acting is good, the direction is sharp, and the story and dialogue is beautifully written. The atmosphere is also great, keeping the viewer on the edge of their seat. What we also find here is that the themes and plot points are very clever, and this shows that Moffatt is an excellent writer, but credit should also go here to Russel T Davies as I believe that his script and theme editing process will have helped this story to become what it is. Overall, Blink is a fantastic piece of television, not just a great Doctor Who story but in general a wonderful 45 minutes programming. From beginning to end, the viewer is completely engrossed in the story, trying to work out exactly how all the elemtns will be cleverly woven together in the plot. This story will stand out as one of the best in the new television adventures of Doctor Who, and also within the whole Doctor Who universe. Rating:  |