261 –"Heaven Sent" | |||
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Doctor Who episode | |||
Cast | |||
Others | |||
Production | |||
Directed by | Rachel Talalay | ||
Written by | Steven Moffat | ||
Script editor | Nick Lambon | ||
Produced by | Peter Bennett | ||
Executive producer(s) | Steven Moffat Brian Minchin | ||
Music by | Murray Gold | ||
Series | Series 9 | ||
Running time | 54 minutes | ||
First broadcast | 28 November 2015 | ||
Chronology | |||
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"Heaven Sent" is the eleventh and penultimate episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . It was first broadcast on BBC One on 28 November 2015. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay.
In the episode, the alien time traveller the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) is imprisoned in a waterlocked castle by his people, the Time Lords. A shrouded creature (Jami Reid-Quarrell) pursues the Doctor in an attempt to interrogate truths from him. The episode is a bottle episode that primarily features the Doctor without a companion or any guest speaking characters. It was watched by 6.19 million viewers in the United Kingdom.
"Heaven Sent" received universal acclaim, with praise for Capaldi's performance, Moffat's script, and Talalay's direction. Many labelled the episode the strongest of the ninth series and one of the strongest of the show overall. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form). In 2023 the episode was voted the best Doctor Who story ever by readers of Doctor Who Magazine .
The Twelfth Doctor is teleported into a glass chamber within an empty castle in the sea. He is pursued by a cloaked veiled figure, [N 1] which evokes the Doctor's childhood fears. When the figure corners the Doctor, he admits he is afraid to die. The figure halts and the castle reconfigures itself. The Doctor jumps out of a window into the sea, finding many skulls under the water. The Doctor concludes that the castle is a torture chamber. He takes advantage of the figure's slow reaction time to explore the castle, finding several strange remnants of his predecessors, such as dry replacement clothes, a skull connected to the transportation chamber, and the word "bird" written in dust. The Doctor investigates clues left in the castle, directing him to find Room 12. He delays the figure by alleging knowledge of the Hybrid; the movement of the reconfiguring castle causes the skull to fall into the sea.
Inside Room 12, the Doctor discovers a wall of Azbantium, a mineral harder than diamond, behind which he theorises the TARDIS to be. He realises that "bird" refers to "The Shepherd Boy", a fairytale by the Brothers Grimm in which a shepherd's boy says to an Emperor that a second of eternity will have passed when a bird chisels a diamond mountain down to nothing with its beak. The Doctor temporarily despairs following an epiphany: the prison was made solely for him, and thus the skulls were his own and he has been in the castle for 7000 years. Revitalised by a vision of his dead companion, Clara, the Doctor punches the wall while reciting the fable. The figure mortally injures the Doctor, disabling his regeneration. He crawls back to the teleportation chamber, and burns his body as a catalyst to restart the teleport, aware that due to the resetting rooms, a copy of himself is inside. He then falls to the ground, writes "bird" in the dust, and disintegrates, reduced to the skull which the Doctor had seen earlier. A new Doctor appears, starting the cycle anew.
After many more cycles, [N 2] the Doctor finally breaks through the wall. He finds himself outside the Capitol on Gallifrey; the castle was in his confession dial. [N 3] The Doctor tells a young boy to tell the Time Lords that he is on his way and that he knows what they did. He then proclaims the Hybrid prophesied by the Time Lords is "Me". [1] [N 4]
As he walks down the corridor, the Doctor says to his unseen adversary "the Doctor will see you now". The Eleventh Doctor shouts this same line to the Atraxi in "The Eleventh Hour" (2010). [2]
The Doctor tells himself "Assume you're going to survive. Always assume that." This is what Clara says of the Doctor in "The Witch's Familiar": "he always assumes he's going to win. He always knows there's a way to survive". [3]
The Doctor confesses that he ran from Gallifrey because he was scared, and that the pretense of being bored was a lie. Originally, in The War Games (1969), the Second Doctor admitted to his companions that "Well, I was bored". [3]
Once he arrives on Gallifrey, the Doctor tells the young boy to announce that he "came the long way around", finally finishing the objective set by the Eleventh Doctor in "The Day of the Doctor" (2013) saying that he was going "home, the long way around". [3] [4]
This episode primarily features the Doctor, with the non-speaking Veil portrayed by movement artist Jami Reid-Quarrell (who also appeared as Colony Sarff in "The Magician's Apprentice" / "The Witch's Familiar" earlier in the series). Former companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) and an uncredited Gallifreyan child also make brief appearances.
Before series 8 began, Moffat promised a cliffhanger for series 9, [5] [6] and teased in Doctor Who Magazine Issue 475, "I've figured out the cliffhanger to the penultimate episode of series 9. And it's a whopper. Ohh, I don't think you'll see this coming!" [7]
The read through took place on 18 June 2015 and filming began on 24 June 2015. [8] Filming for the castle interior scenes took place in Cardiff Castle and Caerphilly Castle, in addition to constructed sets. [9]
The episode was watched by 4.51 million viewers in the UK overnight, a 20.7% audience share; the consolidated figures were 6.19 million viewers with a 24.9% share. [10] [11] It received an Appreciation Index score of 80. [12]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score) | 9.81 [13] |
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer) | 89% [13] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
The A.V. Club | A [14] |
Paste Magazine | 10.0 [15] |
SFX Magazine | [16] |
TV Fanatic | [17] |
IndieWire | A+ [18] |
IGN | 9.5 [19] |
PopMatters | 9/10 [20] |
New York Magazine | [21] |
Radio Times | [22] |
"Heaven Sent" received critical acclaim, with the majority of critics declaring it the greatest episode of the ninth series, and possibly one of the greatest episodes in the show's run. Many instances of extremely high praise were aimed towards Steven Moffat's script, Rachel Talalay's direction, and Peter Capaldi's performance. [23] [24] [25] The episode has a score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 9.8, the highest average score of the series on the website. The site's consensus reads "Peter Capaldi turns in a one-man command performance in this episode's exploration of grief, and a surprise turn of events sets up an explosive season finale". [26]
Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times awarded the episode a perfect five star rating, saying that "Peter Capaldi's one-man show is an instant classic". He continued "This is Peter Capaldi's hour and he has earned it...but this brilliant, bold, extended episode is a one-man show – a tour de force from the magnificent Capaldi. This year he has made the role his own" and said that the episode's structure "works perfectly without ever seeming contrived". He further stated that "[Steven Moffat] has structured the narrative with his trademark intricacy. Capaldi plays it to perfection – in the moment, every moment. Rachel Talalay steeps the production in atmosphere and sustains the momentum right until the final revelations". [24] Calling the episode a "mind-bending masterpiece", Morgan Jeffery of Digital Spy stated that it was also "one of the most surreal episodes to date". He further stated "Writer Steven Moffat cleverly subverts the expectation that this'll be a low-budget escapade, with a surplus of Capaldi awkwardly expressing his inner thoughts aloud. There's plenty of the Doctor 'talking to himself', true enough, but there's always a reason", before closing his review by saying "'Heaven Sent' is brilliant, but it's also about as far from big, broad, family-friendly entertainment as you can get. The show's been obtuse and a little odd before, but nothing quite like this, and its rejection of the standard Doctor Who trappings might be too much for some. But if you're willing to see past that and embrace the weirdness, then you'll end up captivated. Because this is demanding and intelligent science-fiction, the likes of which BBC One should be commended for airing". [27]
Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode an 'A', for the fifth time this season, writing "This season has been a remarkable achievement for the show, and, pending next week's finale, it's got a real chance to go down as the best season of the revival, topping even Matt Smith's debut in season five. And hey, maybe "Hell Bent" will be the perfect capper to this season, or maybe it won't. But the genius of the construction of this season's endgame is that "Hell Bent" could be an unmitigated disaster and it still wouldn't really undo the genius of "Heaven Sent" or "Face The Raven" before it." [14] Mark Rozeman of Paste Magazine also awarded the episode a perfect score (10.0), labeling it "a masterpiece of the highest order", whilst Ian Berriman of SFX Magazine also awarded full marks, saying "Heaven Sent stands as the best episode of the season so far: madly surreal, ingeniously baffling, immensely creepy and downright gruelling in its latter stages, with a tremendously impactful payoff". [15] [16]
Awarding the episode a score of 9.5, deemed "amazing" and the highest of the series, Scott Collura of IGN particularly praised the episode's conclusion by saying "It's a thrilling, brilliant twist to this episode that sends the whole affair cascading into a barrage of images and sounds that won't soon be forgotten. The realization that the sea of skulls is actually a sea of Doctor skulls while the gentle guitar-driven score picks up and broadens beautifully is amazing". He further praised the "hybrid reveal" as well as Capaldi's performance, and closed his review by saying "A great episode of Doctor Who that serves to bring this mostly excellent season towards its finale, "Heaven Sent" features a breathtaking one-man show from Peter Capaldi and a twist-ending that makes this one of the best episodes of the modern series' run". [28] Referring to it as "an epic one man show", Tim Liew of Metro also acclaimed the episode, saying that he "loved it". He particularly praised Steven Moffat and Peter Capaldi, saying "Steven Moffat takes a bold step by stripping his story back to its bare bones and putting the burden squarely on Peter Capaldi's shoulders. And Capaldi delivers 100%, carrying every scene and showing every facet of his Doctor. It's a beautifully textured performance, underpinned by a superb new musical score from series composer Murray Gold. Many fans, myself included, had initial doubts over whether Capaldi could succeed as the Doctor. If there were any remaining concerns, this episode surely puts them to rest". He also praised the episode's structure, saying "As a story, the episode builds slowly, making a virtue of the Veil's slow-moving gait with a knowing wink about all those enemies who the Doctor is always outrunning. But it's only in the closing minutes that the pieces of the puzzle fall into place and the episode's epic scale is finally revealed". [23]
In 2016 "Heaven Sent" received a nomination for Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form). [29] "Heaven Sent" is also the first episode of Doctor Who to be submitted for nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award, due to BBC America being one of the series' co-producers. The episode was submitted to support Capaldi for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Moffat for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, and Talalay for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, in addition to several other Creative Arts Emmys. [30] [31] [32]
In 2023, a Doctor Who Magazine fan poll voted Heaven Sent as the best Doctor Who story of all time. [33] The Daily Telegraph ranked the episode the 16th best of the entire programme in 2023. [34]
Selected pieces of score from this episode, as composed by Murray Gold, comprise the entire third disc of the ninth series' 4-CD soundtrack, which was released on 27 April 2018 by Silva Screen Records. [35] [36]
The Twelfth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi in three series as well as four specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.
Clara Oswald is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. She was created by series producer Steven Moffat and portrayed by Jenna Coleman. Clara was introduced in the seventh series as a new travelling companion of the series protagonist, the Doctor, in his eleventh and twelfth incarnations.
The ninth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 19 September 2015 with "The Magician's Apprentice" and concluded on 5 December 2015 with "Hell Bent". The series was led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, alongside executive producer Brian Minchin. Nikki Wilson, Peter Bennett, and Derek Ritchie served as producers. The series is the ninth to air following the programme's revival in 2005, and is the thirty-fifth season overall.
"Listen" is the fourth episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One on 13 September 2014. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon.
"Deep Breath" is the first episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One and released in cinemas on 23 August 2014. It was written by showrunner and executive producer Steven Moffat and directed by Ben Wheatley.
"Dark Water" is the eleventh episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 1 November 2014. The episode was written by showrunner and head writer Steven Moffat and was directed by Rachel Talalay. It is the first of a two-part story; the concluding episode "Death in Heaven", the finale of the eighth series, aired on 8 November.
"Death in Heaven" is the twelfth and final episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 8 November 2014. The episode was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay. It is the second of a two-part story; the first episode "Dark Water" aired on 1 November.
"The Magician's Apprentice" is the first episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 19 September 2015. The episode was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Hettie MacDonald. It is the first of a two-part story; the second part, "The Witch's Familiar", aired on 26 September.
"The Girl Who Died" is the fifth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 17 October 2015, and was written by Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat and directed by Ed Bazalgette.
"The Woman Who Lived" is the sixth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 24 October 2015. It was written by Catherine Tregenna and directed by Ed Bazalgette.
"The Husbands of River Song" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. First broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2015, it is the eleventh Christmas special since the show's revival in 2005. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon. The episode marks the return of Alex Kingston as River Song, making her first appearance alongside Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, and her last on screen appearance to date. This also features the first appearance of Nardole, who would become a companion starting from the next episode.
"Under the Lake" is the third episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 3 October 2015. It is the first part of a two-part story, the second of which is "Before the Flood" on 10 October; both were written by Toby Whithouse and directed by Daniel O'Hara.
"The Zygon Invasion" is the seventh episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 31 October 2015, and written by Peter Harness and directed by Daniel Nettheim. The episode is the first episode of a two-part story, the second part being "The Zygon Inversion", which aired on 7 November.
"Face the Raven" is the tenth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 21 November 2015, and was written by Sarah Dollard and directed by Justin Molotnikov.
"Hell Bent" is the twelfth and final episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay and first broadcast on BBC One on 5 December 2015.
"Extremis" is the sixth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat and broadcast on 20 May 2017 on BBC One. "Extremis" received very positive reviews from television critics, with many praising Peter Capaldi's performance and Steven Moffat's script, though some commented on the complexity of the script.
"The Pilot" is the first episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat and broadcast on 15 April 2017 on BBC One. "The Pilot" received mostly positive reviews, with praise on the introduction of Pearl Mackie, and how the episode served both as a soft reboot and as a series premiere.
"World Enough and Time" is the eleventh and penultimate episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and was broadcast on 24 June 2017 on BBC One. The episode was the first part of a two-part story, concluding with "The Doctor Falls".
"The Doctor Falls" is the twelfth and final episode of the tenth series, and 843rd episode overall, of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and was broadcast on 1 July 2017 on BBC One. It is the second episode of a two-part story, the first part being "World Enough and Time".
"Twice Upon a Time" is a special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2017 as the programme's thirteenth Christmas special. The episode was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay. It features the final regular appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, the first official appearance of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, and also stars David Bradley as the First Doctor. Pearl Mackie stars as the Twelfth Doctor's former companion Bill Potts, while his other companions make guest appearances – Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald and Matt Lucas as Nardole. Mark Gatiss plays a First World War British army captain. The episode is a continuation of "The Doctor Falls", and takes place during the final serial of the First Doctor, The Tenth Planet (1966); footage from The Tenth Planet is used in the special. "Twice Upon a Time" is Capaldi's fourth and final Christmas special as the Twelfth Doctor, and at the time was the last Doctor Who story to be written and produced by Moffat, who served as the show's executive producer and chief writer since taking over from Russell T Davies in 2010. After the special's broadcast, Moffat was succeeded as executive producer and showrunner by Chris Chibnall.
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