The Pandorica Opens (TV story)

The Pandorica Opens will be the twelfth episode, and first in a dramatic two-part finale of Series 5.

Synopsis
A Van Gogh painting ferried across thousands of years, communicating a disturbing prophecy to the Doctor, a message on the oldest cliff-face in the universe and a love that lasts a thousand years. In 102 AD England, Romans receive a surprise visit from Cleopatra. Nearby, Stonehenge conceals the Pandorica, a prison-box of legend. As it slowly unlocks from the inside, terrible forces gather in the heavens above. The fates are drawing close around the TARDIS. United, the Doctor's friends send him a warning, he deals with a message on a cliff, a mysterious box and a love story which spans over millennia. The Pandorica, which contains the most dangerous threat in the Universe, is opening. Only one thing is certain: "The Pandorica will open...silence will fall".

Plot
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Cast

 * The Doctor - Matt Smith
 * Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
 * River Song - Alex Kingston
 * Rory Williams - Arthur Darvill
 * Dr. Gachet - Howard Lee
 * Guard - Joe Jacobs
 * Dorium - Simon Fisher Becker
 * Claudio - Marcus O'Donovan
 * Commander - Clive Wood
 * Commander Strak - Christopher Ryan
 * Marcellus - David Fynn
 * Dalek Operator - Barnaby Edwards
 * Cyber-Leader - Ruari Mears
 * Dalek/Cybermen/Judoon (voice) - Nicholas Briggs
 * Vincent van Gogh - Tony Curran
 * Bracewell - Bill Paterson
 * Winston Churchill - Ian McNeice
 * Liz 10 - Sophie Okonedo

Production Crew
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Continuity
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Story Notes

 * This episode was incorrectly entitled Silver Sentence.
 * Almost every major enemy since the beginning of the new Doctor Who series is set to appear, but whether they play an enemy part in this episode is still to be confirmed. The list of enemies include the Daleks, the Cybus Cybermen, the Sontarans, the Judoon, the Slitheen, the Hoix, the Weevils, the Uvodni, the Sycorax, the Silurians, the Autons, the Roboform, the Blowfish, the Nestene, the Chelonians, the Drahvins, the Atraxi, the Zygons, the Terileptils, and the Draconians.
 * Characters from throughout Series 5 who return in the finale include Vincent van Gogh, Winston Churchill, Liz 10, and River Song, according to an interview with Karen Gillan.
 * Karen also said in a separate interview with TV times that "It starts with the Doctor saying he's going to take Amy to the very first planet in existence, but when they arrive there they find a message from River Song,The message rings alarm bells for the Doctor - and then they find River dressed as Cleopatra."
 * An episode quote found by completing a puzzle on the BBC Doctor Who website is:


 * "Yes, okay, okay, okay, okay. Dalek fleet, minimum twelve thousand battleships, armed to the teeth. Ahhhh, but we've got surprise on our side! They'll never expect three people to attack twelve thousand Dalek battleships, because we'd be killed instantly, so it would be a fairly short surprise. Forget Surprise."
 * The puzzle itself features River Song holding a Cyberman head.


 * Almost a week before the episode's airing, concept art revealed what is believed to be the contents of the Pandorica. The artwork can be seen here.

Ratings
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Rumours

 * The Original Cybermen will return.
 * Many fans believe Omega will return.
 * The Doctor himself is inside the Pandorica. River did say she killed the best man she ever knew. (DW: Flesh and Stone)
 * It is rumoured that either the Timoreen, the Ha'rik, or the Skarkish will appear – primarily because these were all listed as "new aliens" to appear in Series 5 and have not appeared yet.
 * According to the Radio Times, the Vincent van Gogh painting will be in Churchill's war bunker.
 * If the Doctor's "Friends who unite to send him a terrible warning" are some characters seen through the series then it's possible that they are the following:
 * 1) Amy Pond (Who will appear)
 * 2) Rory Williams (Has been seen in trailers and pictures wearing a Roman uniform).
 * 3) Jeff and Mrs. Angelo
 * 4) Liz 10 (Who will appear in part 1 or 2, according to an interview with Karen Gillan)
 * 5) Winston Churchill (Who will appear in part 1 or 2, according to an interview with Karen Gillan)
 * 6) River Song (Who will appear)
 * 7) Father Octavian and the Clerics (Since they got absorbed by the Cracks)
 * 8) Eldane (Since he knows that the Doctor has greater losses to come)
 * 9) Tony, Nasreen, Mo, Elliot and Ambrose
 * 10) Vincent van Gogh (Who will appear, according to an interview with Karen Gillan)
 * 11) Craig Owens and Sophie.

Filming locations

 * Stonehenge, England

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Production errors
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Continuity
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Home video releases
BBC Video - Doctor Who Series Five - Volume Four will feature The Lodger, The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang. It will be released on Monday 6th September 2010 (UK Only) on DVD and Blu-ray.