214b – "Day of the Moon" | |||
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Doctor Who episode | |||
![]() Costumes and prop from Doctor Who, displayed at the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff. | |||
Cast | |||
Guest
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Production | |||
Directed by | Toby Haynes | ||
Written by | Steven Moffat | ||
Script editor | Caroline Henry | ||
Produced by | Marcus Wilson[1] | ||
Executive producer(s) |
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Music by | Murray Gold | ||
Production code | 2.2 | ||
Series | Series 6 | ||
Running time | 2nd of 2-part story, 45 minutes | ||
First broadcast | 30 April 2011 | ||
Chronology | |||
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"Day of the Moon" is the second episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by show runner Steven Moffat, and directed by Toby Haynes, the episode was first broadcast on 30 April 2011 on BBC One in the United Kingdom and on BBC America in the United States. The episode is the second of a two-part story that began with "The Impossible Astronaut" on 23 April.
In 1969 America, alien time traveller the Doctor (Matt Smith) along with his companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill), archaeologist River Song (Alex Kingston) and FBI agent Canton Everett Delaware III (Mark Sheppard), attempt to lead the human race into a revolution against the Silence, a religious order of aliens who cannot be remembered after they are encountered.
"The Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon" were designed to be a darker opener to the series and were partially filmed in the United States, a first for the programme. Moffat was keen on incorporating Area 51, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and President Richard Nixon (played by Stuart Milligan) into the plot. The episode received final viewing figures of 7.3 million in the UK. It received generally positive reviews from critics, though many worried about the number of questions that had been left unanswered.