Editing Review: Doctor Who

Season 6 Episode 12: Closing Time [Screen Grabs taken from BBC iPlayer] In reference to the first few minutes of this episode. [0:00-3:21]

Edited By: Anthony Boys

The pacing though seemingly quite slow has a speedy effect on your nerves as you watch the juxtaposition of one happy situation with the impending doom of a person in another. The editing links the two by the simultaneous flickering lights in both situations. Reading the clips from Left to Right, the first picture shows the flickering of the lamp in the street which sets the tone for the rest of the episode in terms of foreshadowing impending doom.
This then leads to the second picture, as it directly follows it signifies that this is the source of danger. as the lights behind the two sales assistants, as well as all over the store flicker, showing that they are again in danger, as one of them leaves this implies that the one left behind will be in danger.
The third picture of a light flickering happens in a home as we flip to the parallel effects, as this flickers it is cut with the forth picture leading us back to the eerie department store and the lone shop assistant*. The fifth and sixth pictures show the parallel between the assistant paying attention to the flickering lights and the husband and wife thinking nothing of it. The term "Ignorance is Bliss" comes to mind as we feel that the shop assistant is stepping closer and closer to danger. The seventh picture with The Doctor doctor stops, though his back is to the light he knows that something is off showing he is in charge of the situation, whereas the assistant back is to the light, as if it is creeping up on her with its final steps. Lastly the eighth and ninth pictures are layered over one and other in time with a few flickers in a "horror" type aesthetic. The last picture is paralleled with the The Doctor in the house as he believes something alien is there, he rushes up the stairs and as he slowly opens the door and discovers nothing more than a baby named Stormaggedon, the shop assistant in the changing room opens a curtain that reveals a Cyberman and her predicted death.

The music is jovial in the house and we are left with silence in the shop, as though both the two situations are linked we associate The Doctor with safety, whereby any where he is not is in danger.

*Note that though both location have lights one, the department store is still darker giving again the impression of danger, whereby the house is flooded with light giving the impression of safety.