Doctor Who #806: Music of the Spheres

"Everyone's got a song in them."
TECHNICAL SPECS: First aired as part of the Proms  on BBC Radio Jul.27 2008, then on the web, circulating in various cuts. It is available on The Next Doctor DVD release within the Proms performance as it aired on televison Jan.1 2009.

IN THIS ONE... The Doctor composes a piece of music and has the orchestra at the Proms play it.

REVIEW: This piece of fluff is so short, it probably takes too many shortcuts for its own good. Its reuse of the Graske in yet another paradigm - as mildly annoying imp who brings the Doctor a warning before threatening musicians with a water pistol - is, on a continuity level, baffling, as is the Doctor's dismissal of a whole in space inside the TARDIS as "harmless". But is all that any sillier than a lot of the RTD material that surrounds it? For what it is, Music of the Spheres is a fun interactive adventure that includes the audience and orchestra in Albert Hall as part of its narrative, a thrill for the kids there, and well executed theatrically. The Doctor explaining how the universe vibrates and makes it own music, and how we're all part of that music, is one of those great Doc10 speeches, finding wonder in the ordinary. A couple of jokes in there for good measure, and the Doctor showing dubious musical ability round out the experience.

Is it canon? Only if you forget the Proms are playing Doctor Who music and film clips and are hosted by Doctor Who actors. Mostly harmless.

VERSIONS: Versions with opening and closing credits (using the original theme tune), and where you never cut back to Albert Hall or audience reactions have been circulated on the Internet, but that doesn't really work does it? You end up with the Doctor sounding like he dialed a wrong number, cuz your living room sure isn't Albert Hall.

REWATCHABILITY: Medium
- There's a nice piece of writing in the middle of it, and as part of Proms, it's a nice moment overall. Shame it couldn't also make a little more sense.

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