Ever since the words “Let’s Kill Hitler” appeared at the end of the Doctor Who mid-season finale, fans of the show have conjectured about how this episode would play out. But it wasn’t until the fall season trailer that was shown at Comic Con, did they ever conceive that the Doctor would do the opposite and actually save him!
The big controversy began when Hitler, played by Albert Welling, was shown talking to the Doctor and his companions and saying, “Thank you, I think you just saved my life.” Apparently, this short scene seemed to anger and offend some fans at Comic-Con prompting one person to say, “The thought of Doctor Who helping Hitler in any positive way is terrible and unthinkable.” (You can view the trailer here.)
At the Television Critics Award Press Tour yesterday, Steven Moffat addressed the controversial uproar alongside former producer Peirs Wenger, and actors Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. “We are against Hitler,” Moffat said emphatically. “I’m glad he’s gone. Don’t worry; we’re not really going to save Hitler. He’s dead already, so we can’t.” What Moffat did promise is that this episode “will be epic.” It will be an episode in which everything changes.
The official synopsis of ‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ states, “In the desperate search for Melody Pond, the TARDIS crash lands in 1930s Berlin, bringing the Doctor face to face with the greatest war criminal in the Universe. And Hitler. The Doctor must teach his adversaries that time travel has responsibilities – and in so doing, learns a harsh lesson in the cruellest warfare of all.” Ever since Moffat has taken over the helm as executive producer of ‘Doctor Who’, he has continued to stretch the show’s boundaries by bringing storylines that suspend, surprise and amaze its fans. And since this episode was written by Moffat himself, fans of the show already know that the most obvious conclusion from what is shown is not necessarily the most accurate one.
The fall season premiere of ‘Doctor Who’ kicks off with the episode ‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ and will air Saturday, Aug 27 on BBC America, BBC One and Space.
