The Pandorica Opens (TV story)

The Pandorica Opens is 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
 * Marcellus - David Fynn
 * Dalek Operator - Barnaby Edwards
 * Cyber-Leader - Ruari Mears
 * Commander Strak - Christopher Ryan
 * 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 mentioned in the trailers, and will possibly appear. The list of enemies include the Daleks, the Cybus Cybermen, the Sontarans, the Judoon, 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.They all formed an aliance.
 * 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."
 * 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.The Doctor was placed inside the Pandorica.

Ratings
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Rumours

 * Many fans believe Omega will return. This was proven false.
 * Many fans believe Original Cybermen will return. They have not appeared yet.
 * The Doctor himself is inside the Pandorica. At the climax of the episode, the Doctor is placed inside the Pandorica (although he was not in it originally).
 * 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 meaning one of them could be inside the Pandorica. This was proven false.
 * According to the Radio Times, the Vincent van Gogh painting will be in Churchill's war bunker. This was proven true.
 * 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
 * 2) Rory Williams (He thinks that he was sent back to Roman times when he died, but is actually an Auton).
 * 3) Jeff and Mrs. Angelo
 * 4) Liz 10 (appeared in part 1, River was stealing a Van Gogh painting from her)
 * 5) Winston Churchill (appeared in part 1)
 * 6) River Song
 * 7) Father Octavian and the Clerics (This was proved false.)


 * 1) Eldane (Since he knows that the Doctor has greater losses to come)
 * 2) Tony, Nasreen, Mo, Elliot and Ambrose
 * 3) Vincent van Gogh (appeared in part 1)
 * 4) Craig Owens and Sophie. (This has been proved false.)
 * It is believed that the enemies will form an alliance; this is supported by the screen-shots depicting many of the Doctor's enemies together but not fighting. This was proved true

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.