impossible astronaut impossible astronaut episode sixth series british science fiction television series doctor written runner directed episode broadcast april united_kingdom united_states canada aired australia april episode features alien time traveller doctor companions story concluded day moon episode river song summoned utah united_states eleventh doctor killed mysterious figure space suit dead doctor revealed older self younger version returns try understand future doctor said sent washington team deals silence race aliens ability people forget encounter look away silence created compete past aliens terms including angels episode partially filmed location utah time doctor principal photography took place united_states broadcast fan leaked plot episode following press screening episode seen million viewers united_kingdom received generally positive reviews critics impossible astronaut gained appreciation index considered excellent episode dedicated known playing companion died cancer april plot prequel march short scene serving prequel episode released programme website prequel nixon receives phone little girl keeps calling episode begs president look asks got number told tells monsters replies young lady monsters oval office hangs stands focus silent synopsis month break travels doctor companions husband receive tardis blue envelope providing time date set coordinates leading utah arrive meet received envelope doctor years old years older saw takes picnic nearby lake telling taking trip space amy catches glimpse mysterious figure distance appears immediately forget looks away later figure american astronaut suit emerges lake doctor approaches warns companions interfere astronaut shoots doctor causing begin companions horrified witness astronaut shoot killing fully met received envelope instructed bring gasoline group uses doctor viking style funeral amy river sent shocked doctor walking years younger reveals given envelope know sent reluctantly companions decide tell doctor death future self search delaware space tardis travels april ends oval office president richard_nixon younger delaware series phone calls received young girl asking help doctor quickly gains delaware trust convincing nixon minutes locate girl doctor works amy sees mysterious figure figure member species known silence waits kills innocent woman despite amy pleas realising alien memory encounters amy takes picture alien leaves encounter doctor found girl location building near florida intersection streets named hamilton doctor companions leave tardis followed closely curious delaware arrival find pieces space suit alien technology river explore vast network tunnels apparently spread planet centuries unnoticed human population find control room design similar seen unaware surrounded silence delaware hears little girl screaming gives chase amy doctor follow amy tells pregnant find delaware unconscious figure astronaut suit appears quickly amy picks delaware gun shoots suit realises late helmet opened reveal little girl continuity episode ties series story arc phrase silence fall phrase series premiere eleventh hour repeated series left unresolved series ending carried series river song tells doctor travelling time opposite directions comments day coming look man eyes doctor won idea think going kill series episodes silence library forest dead tenth doctor meets river time perspective conclusion story river killed saving people trapped inside library core consciousness saved preserved core tardis previously turned invisible damage visual second doctor story invasion leaves tardis doctor remarks brave heart reference fifth doctor statement companion brave heart amy asks younger doctor trust asks swear matters thought says fish fingers referring events eleventh hour amy meets doctor little girl production writing episode written took charge wanted season start story attempt begin gravity wider scope plot wanting episodes darker ones series impossible astronaut day moon episode open series sixth doctor story attack doctor confidential episode following broadcast impossible astronaut stated view darker episodes series maintained level humour inclusion doctor death felt like series producers actually kick writing death scene older version doctor wanted acknowledge audience invincible die permanently killed regeneration creating silence alien antagonists episode wanted challenge past monsters terms felt creatures bigger deal aliens design partially inspired figure painting scream casting october announced appeared past science fiction series including supernatural warehouse guest appearance doctor described playing dream job said wished appear works including english actor appearance british television scene depicting older delaware producers originally planned appear older makeup effects suggested instead father play role suggestion accepted american actor cast president nixon said found exciting having played presidents past including prosthetic pieces applied nose ears resemble nixon possible practiced nixon speak initially found difficult wear fake teeth previously appeared animated tenth doctor special voice colonel stark played previously appeared seventh doctor audio drama played filming effects pair episodes marks time doctor filmed principal photography footage united_states american produced movie filmed canada second unit establishing shots new_york statue liberty filmed episode manhattan cast episode involved shoot filming took place state utah opening shot location director wanted epic audience recognise episode set scenes roadway filmed route miles east coordinates listed doctor crew wanted add american icons shots including hat 1950s yellow school bus having enjoyed writing episodes featuring wanted impressive entrance block sunlight camera angle blow smoke revolver scenes involving picnic future doctor dying took place shore suit worn future doctor killer fabricated replica apollo space suit filming death scene filming crew noticed genuinely upset acting heart filming viking funeral scene wished film sunset sun set desert instead filmed sunrise sun rose water kingston genuinely times scene difficult fake kingston recalled takes smith got red grew frustrated having sequence set constructed production crew access pictures plans real office able replicate detail main problem building set crew normally plaster wall time normal rooms round entire set american style scene companions reunite doctor episode actually located laurel hardy film doctor smith dancing broadcast reception pre broadcast leak point broadcast episode day moon released press screening number fans invited attend production team present asked away following screening fan gave away entire plot episodes internet forum news angered interview stated despite added majority doctor fans refused online broadcast ratings impossible astronaut broadcast bbc united_kingdom april began tribute actress died cancer april previously appeared series companion character spin series broadcast impossible astronaut received preliminary overnight figures million viewers final consolidated ratings episode increased million cent audience share episode second highest rated programme day britain episode watched bbc sixth overall entire week ending april additional viewed episode days original broadcast received appreciation index higher scores weekend united_states episode aired day released united_kingdom case canada space million viewers saw impossible astronaut making highest rated telecast history channel reportedly eleventh hour live day ratings added total rose million canada episode seen making watched episode channel watched telecast shown australia april viewed capital cities matching ratings christmas carol boxing day audience measurement service reported impossible astronaut recorded television event time analysis data revealed million people recorded viewed programme week broadcast accounting episode total viewers total million requests placed month april placing number month critical reception episode met generally positive reviews television critics guardian reacted positively episode believing cast performed better previous fifth series stated thrown away rule book doctor imagine pictured life killing doctor leaves shape series mapped raises bar safe sees amy river facing terrible dilemma martin liked amy horror ramps things series finale level intensity switches comedy manners gothic horror finally ground cinematic cliffhanger positive american setting eccentric british believing series raised game regards silence martin believed standard psychological trick refined date martin later rated second best episode series finale included list digital spy called episode fantastic launch sixth series adding doctor team location shooting certainly paid lending early scenes grand scale series scarcely expected achieve let commenting future doctor death said seven minutes nation collective jaw dropped doctor lead plot twist simply stunning difficult imagine casual viewers sitting pay attention point believed series regulars form adding aspects personality toned year responds best sympathetic performance date lives recent promotion time companion comic timing simply superb episode darker moments rated episode stars daily_telegraph believed cracking start series shocking ending amy seemingly shooting girl making keen wait conclusion week resolves enjoying concept silence mtv believed doctor crew offer great episode said big cliffhanger likely cause fans heads explode addition marshall believed alien antagonists angels run money scare factor den geek thought episode triumphant return doctor bubbling confidence throwing story strands hint series liked performance delaware increasing presence complimented work united_states saying improvement manhattan featured british actors attempting play american accents metro said setting beautifully enjoyed silence phillips felt episode bit hard new viewers sullivan negative episode stating impossible understand strictly sci adding smith remains derivative doctor brings new party
The Impossible Astronaut