Series 5 (2010)
Episode title: The Hungry EarthFeaturing: Eleventh Doctor
Companions: Amy Pond, Rory Williams
First shown: 22nd May 2010
Related articles: Silurians
Guide: The TARDIS lands in the village of Cwmtaff, Wales in the year 2020, although its real destination had been Rio de Janeiro. The Doctor and Amy go onwards to investigate while Rory stays behind to investigate bodies disappearing from graves in the local graveyard with Ambrose and Elliot. At a mining operation nearby, the Doctor and Amy have a look around when an Earth tremor causes the ground to open up that Amy and Tony fall into. Tony is saved by Amy is not so lucky and is sucked into the ground. The Doctor surmises that the drilling has activated a bio-reactive defense system from the ground. The group then realise that three life forms are rising from 21 kilometers below the Earth and they go to the Church for refuge.
The life forms turn out to be reptilian humanoids, who capture Elliot in a scuffle and infect Tony with a venomous forked tongue. The Doctor and Rory are able to subdue and capture one of the creatures themselves. The Doctor realises that the life forms are new beings of the Silurians, which have relented in their attack on the humans because both sides hold hostages. The Silurian the Doctor captured identifies herself as Alaya, a member of the Silurian war caste woken by the intrusion of the drilling. The Silurians believe that the Earth still belongs to them, and Alaya says they will defeat humanity. The Doctor takes the TARDIS down to the Silurians to organise a truce.
Amy awakens to find herself strapped to a medical table awaiting vivisection. The episode ends on a cliffhanger with the Doctor stating he does not expect to meet too many Silurians, just before he overlooks a civilisation spanning for miles under the Earth.
This episode was the first part of a two parter. You can find the episode guide to the second part by clicking here.