Dr. Who Coverage: The Doctor vs. The Third Reich

Episode Commentary: “Let’s Kill Hitler”

Have you ever figured out something before anyone else in the room? You probably felt clever. However, all you would have to do is watch the latest episode of Doctor Who to erase that over-inflated ego. “Let’s Kill Hitler” the creation of Steven Moffat that simultaneously enlightens and confuses will further deflate your intellect – and make you like it.

The episode begins with a crop-field message to the Doctor, leading to inadvertently saving Hitler’s life. The show only gets more intriguing from there. “Let’s Kill Hitler” of course isn’t about the Third Reich or the oncoming of World War II. It’s about the events that unfolded in “The Impossible Astronaut” where the Doctor is “killed” by someone in a 1969 spacesuit. It seems he dies a lot and that’s the least of his worries. What’s more the audience finds out more of River Song’s convoluted history which leads to more questions than answers.

A human that can regenerate? It hasn’t been done because it can’t be, or can it? Since Moffat has taken over the reins of this sci-fi series, he’s turned the Doctor Who mythos on its head and has it make complete sense – not only to longtime fans of the series, but to the newcomer. It’s a herculean feat considering that he’s dealing with an alien who’s over 900 and can have a new face when he’s shot, stabbed, or run over. As long as the Doctor is given time he can start again, however what happens when his time runs out?

Apparently the Doctor’s death is not a fixed point in time. Although there is a definitive date he seems to sidestep it. Is he causing a paradox that leads to his enemies conspiring to cause his death? The eleventh doctor is doing everything possible to stick around, where the situations that occur make him out to be a surreal incarnation of Kenny from South Park, constantly dying then having the one who kills him bring him back to life. Paradoxical, perhaps but don’t you want to see how he does it?

Will the Doctor be permanently killed? And what do The Silence and the question with the unknown answer have to do with all this? Spoilers abound, yet knowing what comes next will only lead you to more queries, exciting, fantastical queries. In the meantime there will be “Night Terrors” to keep you warm.