Day 596: Enlightenment Part 1

It's sometimes really annoying to know things. I've lost count of the amount of films that I've accidentally spoiled by reading one article that will casually mention surprise plot developments in the final act, which I feel kind of ruin nice surprises. An example that comes to mind, for me, is Enlightenment.

It's a Doctor Who story that appears to be set on an Edwardian sailing ship. The sets are all accurate, as one would expect from a BBC period drama, and the sailors below decks all seem to be straight from the period, joking about as they continue on some race that they're meant to be on. But slowly, things appear to be rather odd. The men in charge all of an air of otherworldliness about them, in particular one who stares at Tegan in a slightly uncomfortable way. As the end of the episode is reached, the strangeness intensifies, with sailors screaming as they go above decks, anachronistic wetsuits are spotted and eventually we see an electronic terminal in the wheelhouse. We look outside and see that this ship, along with many others, is a sailing ship in space, a wonderful image and a great shock to the audience.

But not for me. I've already read a brief synopsis of the story which reveals the twist. If I'd missed out on that, I could have found a similar synopsis in the DVD sleeve notes, or from the DVD menu screen which plays out highlights from the story. It's annoying, as this is clearly meant to be a genuine surprise, and whilst I can still appreciate it, I can't really experience it. Still, I've found that surprises come in other forms for me with this blog, as I encounter unexpected classics throughout this fantastic voyage.