DOCTOR WHO: THE ANGELS TAKE MANHATTAN REVIEW

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7: EPISODE 5 - THE ANGELS TAKE MANHATTAN

Air Date: Saturday 29 September **
Channel: BBC One (UK), BBC America (US)
Starring: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston, Mike McShane, Rob David

Reviewed by Helen Henderson

Amy and Rory are ready to bid farewell to the Doctor, but is he ready for their last goodbye?

With the departure of the Pond’s being in Steven Moffat’s own hands, all eyes were on the showrunner to bring the story of Rory and Amy to a beautiful and powerful conclusion, and in that respect he did not disappoint. Set against the backdrop of the Big Apple, New York, the city that never sleeps, it was possible that the Manhattan skyline was about to drown out the little story of a man and woman so much in love that they would do anything to be together, that the spectacle would pull focus from the heart. Regardless of the magnitude of the city, tonight it stood in hushed reverence to a hard hitting story that will have had even the hardest Doctor Who fan fighting back the tears. Rory and Amelia Williams bowed out in what can only be described as a heartbreaking finale. Even when it appeared that perhaps the story would be clear cut, Steven Moffat had surprises up his sleeve to ensure that the viewers would snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

DOCTOR WHO: THE POWER OF THREE REVIEW

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7: EPISODE 4 - THE POWER OF THREE

Air Date: Saturday 22 September **
Channel: BBC One (UK), BBC America (US)
Starring: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Mark Williams, Jemma Redgrave, Steven Berkoff

Reviewed by Helen Henderson

The Ponds have a big decision to make amidst a very unusual invasion.

From the pen of Dinosaurs on a Spaceship episode author Chris Chibnall, comes the underwhelming The Power of Three. A nod to the Russell T. Davies era that came before it, this episode was a tale focused on ‘normal’ life as opposed to the hectic knockabout way of things when travelling with the Doctor. With a distinct nod to the old James lyrics “If I hadn’t seen such riches, I could live with being poor”, the Ponds are attempting to live their lives in normality while deciding whether the constant travelling is really for them anymore. It shines an interesting light on a concept not yet seen in Who - can companions live a double life of travelling with the doctor whilst carrying on their normal everyday happenings? With the ability for the Doctor to hypothetically return companions to the moment he picked them up it is surprising this intriguing idea hasn’t been explore before. It is lended extra relevance being widely known as the Ponds’ penultimate episode – and further lends to the ambiguity of their eventual fate - will their final scenes be fatal or a final decision to end their travels?

DOCTOR WHO: A TOWN CALLED MERCY - TV REVIEW

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7: EPISODE 3 - A TOWN CALLED MERCY

Air Date: Saturday 15 September **

Channel: BBC One (UK), BBC America (US)

Starring: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Andrew Brooke, Adrian Scarborough, Ben Browder

Reviewed by Helen Henderson

The Doctor is faced with the ramifications of his own past in this tale of Wild West mayhem.

After last weeks’ tepid outing for the Doctor, A Town Called Mercy finally brought drama that packed a powerful punch back to our screens this Saturday. Written by Toby Whithouse, responsible for previous episodes including The God Complex, Vampires of Venice and School Reunion, this fantastic morality tale not only presented a compelling storyline but also boasted great performances from all involved and a tale where the line between good and evil are considerably blurred. It was a fresh spin on both the Sci-Fi and Western genres, and added further pathos and dimension to the series by showing that the consequences of the Doctor’s travels and interventions are not always beneficial to all.

The episode opened intriguingly with a man desperately (but fruitlessly) scrambling away from an unknown assailant who towered above him, instructing him to make peace with his Gods, name dropping The Doctor as curiously the ‘only one left’ and then sending the unfortunate man to his maker. It was a fittingly ‘Western’ opening to the episode, made further so by touches such as the shows title logo being displayed as made of wood, and a suitably accented opening narration.

DOCTOR WHO: DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP - TV REVIEW

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7: EPISODE 2 - DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP

Air Date: Saturday 8 September **

Channel: BBC One (UK), BBC America (US)

Starring: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Rupert Graves, David Bradley, Mark Williams, Riann Steele

Reviewed by Helen Henderson

The Doctor has six hours to save a spaceship but what terrifying truths lie within?

The second outing of this latest run of Nu-Who is crammed with many things that are likely to raise spirits and rekindle the more joyous and upbeat tone of the series, with the episode title alone instantly hinting as such. But don't be fooled by this apparent lightness of touch and the simplicity of the title; for despite this being a somewhat lighter affair than last weeks series opener, Asylum of the Daleks, the complicated, hurried nature of the plot means that the episode may thrill momentarily but ultimately leaves the viewer feeling a little unsatisfied and longing for what could have been. Yes, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship is a rip roaring adventure with plenty of action but with little true drama and a plot with various issues and omissions it could end up feeling a little disjointed and out of place in the narrative of the series and ultimately a throwaway episode with a few admittedly impressive or notable elements.

DOCTOR WHO: ASYLUM OF THE DALEKS - TV REVIEW

DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7: EPISODE 1 - ASYLUM OF THE DALEKS

Air Date: Saturday 1 September **
Channel: BBC One (UK), BBC America (US)
Starring: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill

Reviewed by Helen Henderson

The Doctor, Amy and Rory are surrounded by Daleks but is everything what it seems?

With the previous Doctor Who episode, Christmas special The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, coming off as a tad disappointing, all eyes were on Steven Moffat and the team to bring something epic to the table for the start of this new series of Who. Thankfully with season opener Asylum of the Daleks they have done exactly that. With the recent release of movie-style posters for each of the episodes by the BBC it seems clear the mantra behind this series is to be big, bold, Hollywood-esque. Asylum was a sprawling tale that was concise without coming across as rushed, featuring the Doctor’s greatest and most prolific foes, Daleks, and the reintroduction of the Ponds for whom this is the beginning of the end – and not just because the episode began by introducing us to their getting divorced.