Being born and raised in New York City, my first exposure to the Weeping Angels in the incredibly popular Doctor Who episode “Blink,” scared me to my core. The Weeping Angels, once voted #3 of All-Time Scariest TV Characters by Aol TV (now Huffpost TV), are “a group of statue-like creatures that ‘kill’ their victims by sending them backwards through time to live out their lives before their birth.” It may seem like a merciful way to go – at least you live, right? – but I promise, once you have been introduced to the Weeping Angels, you will never trust another statue as long as you live. As a New Yorker, this makes hanging out around town a bit nerve-wracking. However, one could always make a silly little safety leap in their mind by saying things like, “Maybe the Weeping Angels can only blend in among the really old statues in Europe. Perhaps our ‘new world’ designs and architecture will keep us safe…”
That is, of course, until Steven Moffat decides it would be great fun to start filming some Doctor Who for the new season on location in New York. Fraser McAlpine from BBC America asked Moffat in an interview earlier this month if he could tell him anything about what happens in New York; Moffat replied with the devious laugh of a creator set to scare the pants off American Whovians everywhere when he said, “O! Tragedy! There will be Weeping Angels there,” and he ended it with a smile. Fraser McAlpine’s gasp barely mirrored my own.
On the one hand, I am ecstatic my Doctor is coming to New York. On the other, I am on pins and needles thinking of the horrible images that will be brought to life in my hometown. Moffat ensured Alpine that he will make full use of the iconic images and architecture of this well-known city, and, with that, there is one lady I have largely on my mind:
Will Moffat make my Lady Liberty into a Weeping Angel? That is one thing I have always feared!
Just one more thing for us to think about while we wait for this epic 50th Anniversary season of Doctor Who. I suddenly feel inspired to go take a stroll in Central Park, find a bench, and theorize… Maybe I’ll find a Doctor there who can help me work this out!
What are your theories about where the Weeping Angels will show up in NYC?
Is there one particular TV or movie monster you’d rather not see show up in your hometown?
About Nicole Rivera
After 12 years of teaching high school math, Nicole put down her calculator and embraced her MacBook. She's finally accepted that her owl from Hogwarts will never show, but checks every night to see if the Doctor in his big blue box has come to whisk her away. While she waits she reads whatever she can get her hands on, works on her novel and watches more movies and TV than is probably healthy. You can always find Nicole on her blog, Rivera Runs Through It.
oh god…. in order, if there are monsters i dont want in my home town it’s
1- weeping angels
2- daleks
3- cybermen
4- any other monster
that is also the order of scary, in my opinion. i loved blink when i saw it but i havent been able to watch it again.
weeping angels are scary. enough said.
ps, great article! well written!
pps. if the statue of liberty is some sort of angel, the city should just be evacuated and abandoned. actually, with the number of people it should stay frozen, until every one collapese with exhaustion
Andrew, your list is pretty spot-on. I do have to admit, though, I kind-of have this love/hate thing going with the Daleks. In the episode “Victory of the Daleks” (series 5, episode 3) part of me really wanted to believe the daleks were somehow human-friendly!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your list! And you are right – there is probably ALWAYS someone looking at our lovely Lady Liberty, maybe she will never move at all!