Out now! Black Archive #44: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang by Philip Bates

Is there a crack in your wall? Are you a secret believer in stars? Are you constantly being dazzled by the light of an exploding TARDIS when you’re trying to run from a stone Dalek? And how do we make sense of all these problems?!

Fortunately, the Black Archive has come to our rescue once again with a brand new book from Philip Bates and Obverse Books. Focusing on the Series Five episodes ‘The Pandorica Opens’ and ‘The Big Bang,’ this latest release is about time. Literally. In Black Archive #44, Philip explores the timey-wimey nature of the Series Five finale, and, indeed, the Whoniverse as a whole. (Keen-eyed readers of the blog may remember his earlier piece on the subject: Doctor Who episode guide: 10 great time loop stories.)

In addition, Philip examines the use of paradoxes and anomalies in Doctor Who, and even looks at what the beginning and end of the universe might actually look like.

In Philip’s own words…

10 years since it was first broadcast, I still get goosepimples when the “hello Stonehenge” speech begins; I still get emotional when “The Life and Death of Amy Pond” kicks in; and I still feel a burst of excitement as the Doctor, Amy, and Rory disappear into time and space, ready for more adventures. That’s why I love The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang. It’s a summation of everything good about Series Five, and about Doctor Who.

Philip Bates, author of Black Archive #44: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang

And if you’re in the mood for more head-scratching goodness, Philip also addresses the question of what caused the TARDIS to blow up anyway, which I for one am very grateful for. It’s bothered me since 2010! I want to know who that eerie, disembodied voice belonged to… You know, the one that cackled “silence will fall…!” as River Song frantically wrestled with the TARDIS controls. (If it’s not an evil William Hartnell from a parallel universe, I will be slightly disappointed. No pressure, Philip.)

So be sure to order your copy of Black Archive #44: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang today, and drop by The Doctor Who Companion where Philip is a regular contributor (and, indeed, co-founder!)

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