Sing a song of River Song, now her story has unfurled. The lady with the attitude, and that head of flowing curls. Sing a song of Amy Pond, who waited patiently. The mother of a little one, she's called her Melody. Sing a song of Rory too, he's got Amelia's back. Returned as a Centurion, after falling through a crack. Sing of Madam Vastra, she's summoned up her legions. Risen from below the earth, its subterranean regions. Sing a song of Jenny, Madame Vastra's confidante. An acrobatic battler, and formidable combatant. Sing a song of Strax, confused Sontaran clone. Occasionally a nurse, waging war is why they're grown. Sing about the Doctor, all these allies who have come. To help a good man go to war, and watch the demons run.
27 Reviews
Superb mid-season finale!!
dkiliane24 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"A Good Man Goes To War" has everything one could want from a Moffat penned episode. The excitement and thrills come fast and frequent, punctuated by wonderful humor.
In this episode the Doctor pulls out all the stops to get Amy and her baby back from "The Silence" and so does Steven Moffat. Classic misdirection at its finest - - an episode we presume to be about the rescue of Amy Pond turns out to be the origin story of River Song. And also we are treated to not only the Doctor's seemingly amazing victory over the Silence but in fact we are shown how the Silence actually outwit the Doctor, showcasing both his amazing power and shortcomings. And Matt Smith plays the part with both amazing rage and cheerfulness when called for, the whole gamut of the Doctor's personality and totally convincingly.
I absolutely love the linguistic cleverness of this episode. Not only does it have snappy and even at times rather dark dialogue from the Doctor but the ending scene with River was fantastically done (with some interesting insight into the TARDIS' translation matrix) regarding the Galifrean baby bed and the cloth made for Amy's baby melody. "The only body of water in the forest is the river." The revelation that Melody Pond IS River Song was probably the series best and at the very least the season highlight. Not only due to the revelation itself but how the scene was written.
I also love Rory's continued character development. He has really come into his own, and the callback to his "Last Centurion" days is our reminder of that. From Amy's point of view it's not the Doctor who is rescuing her, but her husband Rory. The Doctor is just the means her husband is using to rescue her.
With that said, I was a bit disappointed that Amy was basically relegated to damsel in distress status again. I feel like the Amy from season five would be working out her own escape but alas, perhaps it was too much to shove into a single episode...and it is indeed jam packed full of action, great characters, wit, twists, and humor. 10/10
In this episode the Doctor pulls out all the stops to get Amy and her baby back from "The Silence" and so does Steven Moffat. Classic misdirection at its finest - - an episode we presume to be about the rescue of Amy Pond turns out to be the origin story of River Song. And also we are treated to not only the Doctor's seemingly amazing victory over the Silence but in fact we are shown how the Silence actually outwit the Doctor, showcasing both his amazing power and shortcomings. And Matt Smith plays the part with both amazing rage and cheerfulness when called for, the whole gamut of the Doctor's personality and totally convincingly.
I absolutely love the linguistic cleverness of this episode. Not only does it have snappy and even at times rather dark dialogue from the Doctor but the ending scene with River was fantastically done (with some interesting insight into the TARDIS' translation matrix) regarding the Galifrean baby bed and the cloth made for Amy's baby melody. "The only body of water in the forest is the river." The revelation that Melody Pond IS River Song was probably the series best and at the very least the season highlight. Not only due to the revelation itself but how the scene was written.
I also love Rory's continued character development. He has really come into his own, and the callback to his "Last Centurion" days is our reminder of that. From Amy's point of view it's not the Doctor who is rescuing her, but her husband Rory. The Doctor is just the means her husband is using to rescue her.
With that said, I was a bit disappointed that Amy was basically relegated to damsel in distress status again. I feel like the Amy from season five would be working out her own escape but alas, perhaps it was too much to shove into a single episode...and it is indeed jam packed full of action, great characters, wit, twists, and humor. 10/10
Don't Make Me Angry. You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry
boblipton11 June 2011
Reginald Heber was a Church of England bishop in 19th Century India. He is best remembered for his hymns, notably "From Greenland's Icy Mountains". So well-known was his work that Rudyard Kipling quoted them in his poetry.
Another of Heber's hymn's was "The Son of God Goes Forth to War" and that, despite some backstory here, is the source of the title of this episode. Its reference speaks of a constant problem of writing for Doctor Who. With his powers and abilities far beyond mortal man's, he often appears godlike.... but you can't really say that directly in a children's sf TV show, so we have substitutions, like young Amelia Pond praying for help only to have the Doctor show up. She prays to Santa Claus, a secularized image. However, that hidden reference to divinity is still there.
In this episode, the Doctor goes Old Testament, calling in favors from across the Universe to rescue his chosen friend. In a series of anecdotes that show off Steven Moffat's hairpin turns between humor and thrills, we see this being, who destroyed his own people, rush through the millennia and the universe to recruit help. Lorna Bucket, a child of the Gamma Forests who met the Doctor and left, because he was the only interesting thing that ever happened there; Dorium Maldovar (the fat blue guy who swapped River Song her vortex manipulator); Commander Strax, a Sontaran who has been degraded into being a nurse; and a horde of good guys and bad guys, all of whom get a few seconds to shine -- there are no small parts, only short one.
Only Alex Kingston as River Song is a bit underwritten. Her role this time is to carry a big part of the plot and she executes, as usual, wonderfully, including her answer, finally, to the question first raised three years ago: who is she? As usual, since he has taken over as producer, Steven Moffat stuffs an enormous amount of story and character and humor into this episode. All the vignettes, all the jokes, all the characters make the viewer think the plot is going one way, until suddenly it goes another. A fine ending to the spring season, with a fine cliffhanger ending to keep me coming back.
As a final note, let me express my admiration for the growth of Rory Williams as a character. When first seen, he was a stammering, nerdy nurse in a hospital -- a role usually filled by women -- being hectored by a woman doctor. After disappearing for half a season, he showed up again, and seemed to spend his time being henpecked by Amy Pond and being killed in alternate episodes.
However, I have come to the conclusion that Rory is the key character for this series. Since the Doctor's return in 2005, his companions have been women. We are meant to see the Doctor through their eyes and they serve as a surrogate for the audience. However, Rory keeps growing in stature and ability. I begin to suspect that it is Rory I want to be when I grow up.
The seven episodes that have made up the spring season of Doctor Who this year -- there will be another six in the fall -- have been well integrated. We have seen the issues that make up the arc of those seven episodes raised constantly, making this clearly more of a mini-series than a series of connected stories. The three episodes by Moffat have been fast, well paced and full of his usual good humor and terror, and the episode by Neil Gaiman, "The Doctor's Wife" is among the best in the history of the franchise. The other stories have had their faults, there is no doubt, but they have made decent change-of-pace intervals. With the core of excellent actors, an enthusiastic team of behind-the-camera talents and an enthusiastic fan base, I look forward to many more seasons of the Man from Gallifrey.
Another of Heber's hymn's was "The Son of God Goes Forth to War" and that, despite some backstory here, is the source of the title of this episode. Its reference speaks of a constant problem of writing for Doctor Who. With his powers and abilities far beyond mortal man's, he often appears godlike.... but you can't really say that directly in a children's sf TV show, so we have substitutions, like young Amelia Pond praying for help only to have the Doctor show up. She prays to Santa Claus, a secularized image. However, that hidden reference to divinity is still there.
In this episode, the Doctor goes Old Testament, calling in favors from across the Universe to rescue his chosen friend. In a series of anecdotes that show off Steven Moffat's hairpin turns between humor and thrills, we see this being, who destroyed his own people, rush through the millennia and the universe to recruit help. Lorna Bucket, a child of the Gamma Forests who met the Doctor and left, because he was the only interesting thing that ever happened there; Dorium Maldovar (the fat blue guy who swapped River Song her vortex manipulator); Commander Strax, a Sontaran who has been degraded into being a nurse; and a horde of good guys and bad guys, all of whom get a few seconds to shine -- there are no small parts, only short one.
Only Alex Kingston as River Song is a bit underwritten. Her role this time is to carry a big part of the plot and she executes, as usual, wonderfully, including her answer, finally, to the question first raised three years ago: who is she? As usual, since he has taken over as producer, Steven Moffat stuffs an enormous amount of story and character and humor into this episode. All the vignettes, all the jokes, all the characters make the viewer think the plot is going one way, until suddenly it goes another. A fine ending to the spring season, with a fine cliffhanger ending to keep me coming back.
As a final note, let me express my admiration for the growth of Rory Williams as a character. When first seen, he was a stammering, nerdy nurse in a hospital -- a role usually filled by women -- being hectored by a woman doctor. After disappearing for half a season, he showed up again, and seemed to spend his time being henpecked by Amy Pond and being killed in alternate episodes.
However, I have come to the conclusion that Rory is the key character for this series. Since the Doctor's return in 2005, his companions have been women. We are meant to see the Doctor through their eyes and they serve as a surrogate for the audience. However, Rory keeps growing in stature and ability. I begin to suspect that it is Rory I want to be when I grow up.
The seven episodes that have made up the spring season of Doctor Who this year -- there will be another six in the fall -- have been well integrated. We have seen the issues that make up the arc of those seven episodes raised constantly, making this clearly more of a mini-series than a series of connected stories. The three episodes by Moffat have been fast, well paced and full of his usual good humor and terror, and the episode by Neil Gaiman, "The Doctor's Wife" is among the best in the history of the franchise. The other stories have had their faults, there is no doubt, but they have made decent change-of-pace intervals. With the core of excellent actors, an enthusiastic team of behind-the-camera talents and an enthusiastic fan base, I look forward to many more seasons of the Man from Gallifrey.
A dark fantastical mini-epic masterpiece
The-Last-Prydonian7 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Steven Moffat is a man with indeed a formidable imagination and with last week's jaw-dropping reveal, he was going to have his work cut out to match it. After the hype surrounding "A Good Man Goes to War" and the much-vaunted revelation as to who River Song really is it could so easily blow up in his face. Generally though aside from a few minor flaws and a slightly underwhelming "shock" conclusion Moffat pretty much overall delivers on his promise. AGMGTW for me personally has to rate the best episode of the sixth series so far and I don't care how many people love "The Doctor's Wife", "The Impossible Astronaut" and "The Day of the Moon", for me this is the writer/executive producer at his very near best.
Given the dark epic nature of the trailer and Its assertion of impending doom, the episode itself is a credit to Moffat and director Peter Hoar that It's always felt. Opening with the Doctor and Rory gathering comrades across the universe to assist them in going to war against the people who have kidnapped a pregnant Amy. Its stylish flourishes with a cracking quick pace that really suck you into the story. And while the appearance of the Cybermen as witnessed in the thirty-second trailer is disappointingly short-lived. It still never the less marks a bombastic, crowd-pleasing, testosterone-filled spectacle that will have you practically jumping out of your chair and cheering. Some may find it strange that the Doctor calls in favors from adversaries rather than former companions, but it does pose an interesting twist to circumstances and It's exploited deftly. The inclusion though however of a Lesbian human and Silurian doesn't entirely sit well with me as It's really a bit too ridiculous. That being said Madame Vastra and Jenny do make an intriguing and cohesive team pairing. A shame that Mr. Moffat seemed to have to add a sexual relationship between a human and a lizard into the equation.
What marks it in Its brilliance is much of the human drama and the moral ethics and dilemmas that permeate the story. Moffat knows how to press all the right buttons of our emotions and Hoar transfers all this with care and ease. The themes of religion and blind faith have never seemed to feel more relevant. While the eerie Order of the Headless Monks might resemble rejects from "The Lord of the Rings" they epitomize the dark hideous nature of fanatical devotion. Not forgetting the reveal of their headless visage is on par with classic Who's most terrifying moments as a policeman being revealed to be an Auton sent children cowering behind the living room couch. But parallel this with the Doctor and his personal war. Moffat clearly understands the character arguably better than a lot of other writers. Is he any better than those who he is fighting against?
A man on a mission to rescue his friend and her child while aided by another who wants to save his wife and daughter, you can't really ask for anything more dramatic than that. The moral ambiguity of the Doctor is really brought to the fore once again as a peace-loving man is forced to become a warrior no matter how he may deny the fact. And in this battle, he's prepared to use warriors to fight for him. The Doctor's own methods may not necessarily be the orthodox approach to fighting. But fight he does. With a grim afterthought before the eventual conclusion, questions are never vocally asked but they are silently raised. A skill that the executive producer's most recent predecessor lacked. To my mind this allows Matt Smith to never be better and more convincing than he has ever been before. We see a multi-faceted portrayal of the Time Lord. His fortitude, anguish, melancholy, and a range of other emotions are displayed for all to see and the actor bridges the transition between each effortlessly. He is also at his most threatening and downright frightening, something I never thought I would witness. Rory in arguably his most well-rounded depiction is finally cemented as coming out of his wife Amy's shadow. Arthur Darvill with the exception of Matt Smith steals every scene and is most likely my favorite companion of the new series to date. Amy too here is at her most vulnerable but simultaneously resilient and brave and Karen Gillan in a revelatory piece of acting manages to cope with conveying both emotions admirably. The supporting cast is also first rate with actress Frances Barber making an instant impression as the latest villain Madame Kovarian. Although the antagonist is given little to do Barber's portrayal makes her a chillingly memorable presence. And It's great to see the return of actor Simon Fisher-Becker, reprising his role of lovable, camp rogue Dorium Maldovar who we only caught briefly in last year's "The Big Bang".
A practical masterpiece and I don't say that lightly this is near the best you might see from a talented writer. I'm looking forward to seeing how the whole story arc involving River Song and the dynamic it presents will pan out. And with the heralding of the upcoming "Let's Kill Hitler" to follow in the Autumn coupled with an ominous post-credits image I can't help but remain excited about what's to come. Roll on September!
Given the dark epic nature of the trailer and Its assertion of impending doom, the episode itself is a credit to Moffat and director Peter Hoar that It's always felt. Opening with the Doctor and Rory gathering comrades across the universe to assist them in going to war against the people who have kidnapped a pregnant Amy. Its stylish flourishes with a cracking quick pace that really suck you into the story. And while the appearance of the Cybermen as witnessed in the thirty-second trailer is disappointingly short-lived. It still never the less marks a bombastic, crowd-pleasing, testosterone-filled spectacle that will have you practically jumping out of your chair and cheering. Some may find it strange that the Doctor calls in favors from adversaries rather than former companions, but it does pose an interesting twist to circumstances and It's exploited deftly. The inclusion though however of a Lesbian human and Silurian doesn't entirely sit well with me as It's really a bit too ridiculous. That being said Madame Vastra and Jenny do make an intriguing and cohesive team pairing. A shame that Mr. Moffat seemed to have to add a sexual relationship between a human and a lizard into the equation.
What marks it in Its brilliance is much of the human drama and the moral ethics and dilemmas that permeate the story. Moffat knows how to press all the right buttons of our emotions and Hoar transfers all this with care and ease. The themes of religion and blind faith have never seemed to feel more relevant. While the eerie Order of the Headless Monks might resemble rejects from "The Lord of the Rings" they epitomize the dark hideous nature of fanatical devotion. Not forgetting the reveal of their headless visage is on par with classic Who's most terrifying moments as a policeman being revealed to be an Auton sent children cowering behind the living room couch. But parallel this with the Doctor and his personal war. Moffat clearly understands the character arguably better than a lot of other writers. Is he any better than those who he is fighting against?
A man on a mission to rescue his friend and her child while aided by another who wants to save his wife and daughter, you can't really ask for anything more dramatic than that. The moral ambiguity of the Doctor is really brought to the fore once again as a peace-loving man is forced to become a warrior no matter how he may deny the fact. And in this battle, he's prepared to use warriors to fight for him. The Doctor's own methods may not necessarily be the orthodox approach to fighting. But fight he does. With a grim afterthought before the eventual conclusion, questions are never vocally asked but they are silently raised. A skill that the executive producer's most recent predecessor lacked. To my mind this allows Matt Smith to never be better and more convincing than he has ever been before. We see a multi-faceted portrayal of the Time Lord. His fortitude, anguish, melancholy, and a range of other emotions are displayed for all to see and the actor bridges the transition between each effortlessly. He is also at his most threatening and downright frightening, something I never thought I would witness. Rory in arguably his most well-rounded depiction is finally cemented as coming out of his wife Amy's shadow. Arthur Darvill with the exception of Matt Smith steals every scene and is most likely my favorite companion of the new series to date. Amy too here is at her most vulnerable but simultaneously resilient and brave and Karen Gillan in a revelatory piece of acting manages to cope with conveying both emotions admirably. The supporting cast is also first rate with actress Frances Barber making an instant impression as the latest villain Madame Kovarian. Although the antagonist is given little to do Barber's portrayal makes her a chillingly memorable presence. And It's great to see the return of actor Simon Fisher-Becker, reprising his role of lovable, camp rogue Dorium Maldovar who we only caught briefly in last year's "The Big Bang".
A practical masterpiece and I don't say that lightly this is near the best you might see from a talented writer. I'm looking forward to seeing how the whole story arc involving River Song and the dynamic it presents will pan out. And with the heralding of the upcoming "Let's Kill Hitler" to follow in the Autumn coupled with an ominous post-credits image I can't help but remain excited about what's to come. Roll on September!
Grand Moff strikes again
Tin33Man4 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The brains behind the show, Steven Moffat, does seem to polarise people. Like Marmite, he's either loved or hated. What cannot be denied is the man's imagination, intelligence and natural ability in writing dialogue. I've watched all the series so far, seen all the preview clips for this episode, and still I had no idea what he was going to do with the situation he set up.
Yes, he threw everything AND the kitchen sink in: Cybermen, Sontarans, Silurians, the space flight enabled Spitfires, and the eternally wonderful Ms Kingston as River Song. He also created memorable new characters (the previous reviewer highlighted the marvellous Christina Chong, but Strax and Maldavar also deserve praise). As for Madame Vastra (welcome back the magnificent Neve McIntosh) and Jenny, there is a spin-off series in waiting for them if anyone has the smarts to commission it---the late, great Robert Holmes would have approved.
With regard the regulars, the series so far has belonged to Arthur Darvill who has taken Rory from comic relief to being the heart and soul of the programme. I'm sure Noel Clarke wishes he could have been so fortunate.
Well done to all involved in A Good Man Goes To War. It was wonderfully epic, and head, shoulders and 30-foot ladder above most of what is produced on television.
If the title of the next episode doesn't bring you back in the autumn, nothing will.
Yes, he threw everything AND the kitchen sink in: Cybermen, Sontarans, Silurians, the space flight enabled Spitfires, and the eternally wonderful Ms Kingston as River Song. He also created memorable new characters (the previous reviewer highlighted the marvellous Christina Chong, but Strax and Maldavar also deserve praise). As for Madame Vastra (welcome back the magnificent Neve McIntosh) and Jenny, there is a spin-off series in waiting for them if anyone has the smarts to commission it---the late, great Robert Holmes would have approved.
With regard the regulars, the series so far has belonged to Arthur Darvill who has taken Rory from comic relief to being the heart and soul of the programme. I'm sure Noel Clarke wishes he could have been so fortunate.
Well done to all involved in A Good Man Goes To War. It was wonderfully epic, and head, shoulders and 30-foot ladder above most of what is produced on television.
If the title of the next episode doesn't bring you back in the autumn, nothing will.
Hell Yeah!
AleksandrBelenko4 September 2019
Finally, River Song reveals herself. Though her identity was obvious pretty long time ago.
The episode itself was messy. How TARDIS team assembled those people to fight for Amy´s child? But who cares, if the action is great? You just do not ask the questions as you are driven by excitement. Like, who is Dorium? He was presented before, but here he is shown as if we have to know him as any other character.....
Othervise it is a 10/10 episode
The mystery of River Song is solved
Tweekums4 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
As Matt Smith's second series as The Doctor reaches its mid-series break some long-standing questions will be answered and one or two others will be raised. When the previous episode ended we learnt that the Amy Pond who had been accompanying The Doctor and Rory for the whole of this series was in fact just a doppelgänger, the real Amy was imprisoned on an asteroid known as Demon's Run. When The Doctor destroyed the copy, the real Amy awoke just as she was about to give birth. This episode starts shortly after as Amy tells her baby daughter that a man is coming to rescue them; a man who will cross time and space for them; that man is her father; that man is The Last Centurion! While Amy's captors await the Doctor's arrival he is busy raising an army that will include plenty of familiar faces. His opponents are mostly human but also a strange group known as the headless monks.
This episode had some great moments; I thought the headless monks were suitably frightening adversaries; while not a total surprise the revealing of River Song's true identity was well handled and The Doctor's entrance was rather cool. On the downside it did feel as if the creators had shoehorned into the story as many characters from previous episodes as possible... we even had the pirates and Spitfire pilots making a brief appearance! The regular cast did a fine job especially towards the end when their epic victory turns out to be an utter defeat and they must come to terms with the fact that they have lost Amy's baby. Of the guest characters the stand out performance came from Christina Chong who played a young soldier who joined the army so that she could meet The Doctor once more having spent a few moments with him many years before when she was a child.
While this wasn't the best episode in the series so far it was still pretty good and set things up nicely for the second half of the series; it is just a pity that we will have to wait until the Autumn to see it.
This episode had some great moments; I thought the headless monks were suitably frightening adversaries; while not a total surprise the revealing of River Song's true identity was well handled and The Doctor's entrance was rather cool. On the downside it did feel as if the creators had shoehorned into the story as many characters from previous episodes as possible... we even had the pirates and Spitfire pilots making a brief appearance! The regular cast did a fine job especially towards the end when their epic victory turns out to be an utter defeat and they must come to terms with the fact that they have lost Amy's baby. Of the guest characters the stand out performance came from Christina Chong who played a young soldier who joined the army so that she could meet The Doctor once more having spent a few moments with him many years before when she was a child.
While this wasn't the best episode in the series so far it was still pretty good and set things up nicely for the second half of the series; it is just a pity that we will have to wait until the Autumn to see it.
A Good Man Goes to War
MrFilmAndTelevisionShow9 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This was one brilliant episode, all the Doctor's enemies, allies and everything in between (with few notable exceptions) come together to fight more the doctor and yet it is all for naught, he reaches the clouds and falls into the pits only to rise once more upon the reveal of a secret, one we've all been wondering for a very long while.
Season 6 (part 1): Constantly suggests it will be more than family-friendly Saturday telly, but never is (SPOILERS)
bob the moo6 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
After an enjoyable Christmas Special I was looking forward to this new season of Doctor Who even if it is split in the middle for some reason. I presume this is to do with breaking the US market because generally their shows disappear for months mid-season so I guess we're just matching that. Anyway, as another part of breaking the US market, this season starts with two episodes set in America, which features the death of a future version of the Doctor as well as setting up the season-long plot around Amy's pregnancy or not pregnancy.
The first thing for me to say is that I watch this as a piece of disposable kiddie-friendly entertainment and, as such, this show still works well. In all of the first seven episodes we have lots of running around, lots of good monsters, faux-twists and turns and generally a good sense of humour which produces the safe sort of entertainment you're after on a Saturday evening. In that regard, I'm fine with it all. Problem is that I do still hold out hope that the show can actually be good for all members of the family but in this half-season it generally seems to be failing the adult viewers – and to make it worse it quite often makes out like it won't (like someone reaching for a handshake just to pull away at the last minute and thumb their nose).
The deaths are part of this. When Rory died; sorry, need to be more specific; when Rory died the first time last season I thought it was tremendously well done and brave. So when they just decided that he wasn't it really soured the pot for me – so imagine how I feel with them doing it again this season with Rory and several other characters. So he "dies", a child "dies", The Doctor is "dead" (still to be resolved) and we all know they're going to be fine because there is no darkness, only the illusion of darkness. Even in the mid-season finale I was a little disappointed because I thought that the cliffhanger over the loss of the child would be a strong one and that the general sense of defeat had a good Empire Strikes Back feel to it; but of course even this little bit of darkness is watered down as the Doctor heads off happy knowing what to do.
This happens in other regards as well – a double episode about disposable clones of humans should have given older viewers real moral questions to work with but it didn't, instead it just had monsters and plot devices that ensure that no death is ever too serious or that the plot ever risks being thoughtful. The Doctor's Wife could have also been a great episode as it gave a voice to the silent character of the Tardis; sure it had its moments but again it blows it with running and a plot that doesn't make much sense and moves far too fast through the nonsense. Indeed the plots are generally a problem because none of them are free from plot holes or convenient devices. Whether it is bigger questions (like when did they replace Amy with Goo-Amy?) or just minor niggles (that kid managed to stow away for that long without getting found?), there are plenty of them and after a while it does grate how many there are.
The cast are solid enough. Smith is able to do the darker stuff (his "General Run Away" bit was great) but generally he doesn't get this for longer than a few lines before he is all "bowties are cool" or goofy dialogue again. Tennant had the same problem but it appears to be getting worse as the seasons go on. Gillan fails to live up to the suggestion of her being the best companion yet – she isn't; she is OK but no more than that here. Darvill is given the thankless role of Rory and I look forward to him not being here anymore or him being used well (whichever is easier for the writers). The supporting cast features a few famous faces – I'm still not a massive fan of Kingston in this but from a marketing point of view, casting sci-fi favourite Sheppard in a small role was good. Bonneville, Smart, Cassidy and a few others also turn up.
Despite the number of words saying otherwise, I thought this half season was "OK". It is noisy, colourful and slick enough to keep me amused on a "brain off on Saturday night" way. I don't like the way it keeps suggesting it is more than this though – alluding to intelligence and darkness that it never delivers (or if it does, then it retracts it before the end of the episode); it isn't either of these things and I wish it were – but it isn't. It wouldn't take much to make it this way and I will return to this season in the "fall" schedules with hope, but at the same time I'll settle for "brain off" noise too.
The first thing for me to say is that I watch this as a piece of disposable kiddie-friendly entertainment and, as such, this show still works well. In all of the first seven episodes we have lots of running around, lots of good monsters, faux-twists and turns and generally a good sense of humour which produces the safe sort of entertainment you're after on a Saturday evening. In that regard, I'm fine with it all. Problem is that I do still hold out hope that the show can actually be good for all members of the family but in this half-season it generally seems to be failing the adult viewers – and to make it worse it quite often makes out like it won't (like someone reaching for a handshake just to pull away at the last minute and thumb their nose).
The deaths are part of this. When Rory died; sorry, need to be more specific; when Rory died the first time last season I thought it was tremendously well done and brave. So when they just decided that he wasn't it really soured the pot for me – so imagine how I feel with them doing it again this season with Rory and several other characters. So he "dies", a child "dies", The Doctor is "dead" (still to be resolved) and we all know they're going to be fine because there is no darkness, only the illusion of darkness. Even in the mid-season finale I was a little disappointed because I thought that the cliffhanger over the loss of the child would be a strong one and that the general sense of defeat had a good Empire Strikes Back feel to it; but of course even this little bit of darkness is watered down as the Doctor heads off happy knowing what to do.
This happens in other regards as well – a double episode about disposable clones of humans should have given older viewers real moral questions to work with but it didn't, instead it just had monsters and plot devices that ensure that no death is ever too serious or that the plot ever risks being thoughtful. The Doctor's Wife could have also been a great episode as it gave a voice to the silent character of the Tardis; sure it had its moments but again it blows it with running and a plot that doesn't make much sense and moves far too fast through the nonsense. Indeed the plots are generally a problem because none of them are free from plot holes or convenient devices. Whether it is bigger questions (like when did they replace Amy with Goo-Amy?) or just minor niggles (that kid managed to stow away for that long without getting found?), there are plenty of them and after a while it does grate how many there are.
The cast are solid enough. Smith is able to do the darker stuff (his "General Run Away" bit was great) but generally he doesn't get this for longer than a few lines before he is all "bowties are cool" or goofy dialogue again. Tennant had the same problem but it appears to be getting worse as the seasons go on. Gillan fails to live up to the suggestion of her being the best companion yet – she isn't; she is OK but no more than that here. Darvill is given the thankless role of Rory and I look forward to him not being here anymore or him being used well (whichever is easier for the writers). The supporting cast features a few famous faces – I'm still not a massive fan of Kingston in this but from a marketing point of view, casting sci-fi favourite Sheppard in a small role was good. Bonneville, Smart, Cassidy and a few others also turn up.
Despite the number of words saying otherwise, I thought this half season was "OK". It is noisy, colourful and slick enough to keep me amused on a "brain off on Saturday night" way. I don't like the way it keeps suggesting it is more than this though – alluding to intelligence and darkness that it never delivers (or if it does, then it retracts it before the end of the episode); it isn't either of these things and I wish it were – but it isn't. It wouldn't take much to make it this way and I will return to this season in the "fall" schedules with hope, but at the same time I'll settle for "brain off" noise too.
The definitive moment for the Eleventh (and best) Doctor.
zacpetch21 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is the episode in which we get to see the defining moment in the life of the best Doctor of them all. Truly, he has never risen higher. We also learn the truth about River Song. The episode had a lot to live up to after the tremendous cliffhanger to the previous episode but it delivers everything it needed to -- And a lot more besides!
Matt Smith shows us a great range of emotion here going from angry to happy to sceptic to excited to proud to just plain terrifying and then back to happy again but managing to display all of these things believably and convincingly as we see just how powerful the 11th Doctor has become. The scene where he reveals himself to the Silence, the scene where his army storms Demons Run, the scene where he learns about how Melody Pond is (for all effects and purposes) a Time Lord and the final moments when he learns who is River Song are among the best examples but there is nothing from his entire four year run that can possibly top or even come close to his confrontation with Colonel Runaway.
"Those words: Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Runaway, I want children laughing outside your door because they found the house of Colonel Runaway and when people come to you and ask if trying to get to me through people I love is in any way a good idea I want you to tell them your name. Oh, look. I'm angry. That's new."
Moffat's script is superb. He displays the true extent of how powerful the Doctor can be when he wants to be -- And does it without even showing the Last of the Time Lords for the first 20 minutes!!! He fills his script with incredibly dark moments (realised by the cast and crew to absolute perfection) and mixes in some funny bits too as the TARDIS trio is reunited on Demons Run for the first time. It's also the first appearance of the so-called Paternoster Gang and they are brilliant here, having not yet endured Series 7B and their resultant overuse allows for the novelty and originality of the characters to be displayed beautifully.
The monsters-of-the-week are among Moffat's finest creations (and remember this is the man behind Weeping Angels, River Song, the Ponds, Clara, Vashta Nerada, Captain Jack, Missy and Doctors 11, 12 & War). They are the Headless Monks. Truly terrifying creations that surely kept many children up all night with dread. The attack prayer is harrowing and echoes the threat of them, as do the off-screen deaths of The Fat One and Dorium Maldovar, it's a shame that we haven't seen them again since. I hope we get to see them go up against the (current) Twelfth Doctor some time!
This episode displays everything Matt Smith can do as an actor. He is supported by an exquisite supporting cast, perfect script, I haven't even mentioned Murray Gold's wonderful-as-ever soundtrack! I cannot flaw this episode. To give it 10/10 feels actually rather harsh!
Matt Smith shows us a great range of emotion here going from angry to happy to sceptic to excited to proud to just plain terrifying and then back to happy again but managing to display all of these things believably and convincingly as we see just how powerful the 11th Doctor has become. The scene where he reveals himself to the Silence, the scene where his army storms Demons Run, the scene where he learns about how Melody Pond is (for all effects and purposes) a Time Lord and the final moments when he learns who is River Song are among the best examples but there is nothing from his entire four year run that can possibly top or even come close to his confrontation with Colonel Runaway.
"Those words: Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Runaway, I want children laughing outside your door because they found the house of Colonel Runaway and when people come to you and ask if trying to get to me through people I love is in any way a good idea I want you to tell them your name. Oh, look. I'm angry. That's new."
Moffat's script is superb. He displays the true extent of how powerful the Doctor can be when he wants to be -- And does it without even showing the Last of the Time Lords for the first 20 minutes!!! He fills his script with incredibly dark moments (realised by the cast and crew to absolute perfection) and mixes in some funny bits too as the TARDIS trio is reunited on Demons Run for the first time. It's also the first appearance of the so-called Paternoster Gang and they are brilliant here, having not yet endured Series 7B and their resultant overuse allows for the novelty and originality of the characters to be displayed beautifully.
The monsters-of-the-week are among Moffat's finest creations (and remember this is the man behind Weeping Angels, River Song, the Ponds, Clara, Vashta Nerada, Captain Jack, Missy and Doctors 11, 12 & War). They are the Headless Monks. Truly terrifying creations that surely kept many children up all night with dread. The attack prayer is harrowing and echoes the threat of them, as do the off-screen deaths of The Fat One and Dorium Maldovar, it's a shame that we haven't seen them again since. I hope we get to see them go up against the (current) Twelfth Doctor some time!
This episode displays everything Matt Smith can do as an actor. He is supported by an exquisite supporting cast, perfect script, I haven't even mentioned Murray Gold's wonderful-as-ever soundtrack! I cannot flaw this episode. To give it 10/10 feels actually rather harsh!
Nice and dark
peter-graat5 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
OK not the level of "Blink", but I enjoyed this episode a lot. And the cliffhanger was a surprise to me. Only too bad we know now Amy's daughter will die in some strange library on a far away world. I liked all the bad guys from the past coming to pay their debt. Would have been nice if there was a Dalek screaming "exterminate" at the monks, but you can't have it all. I don't think the day will ever come that they will help the doctor anyways. I did like the dark setting of this episode, and the obvious anger in the doctor. And Amy caught be by surprise as I really thought she would think the doctor would save here, but no, Rory to the rescue! Well, now we'll have to wait till autumn again. I really hate it that they only make so few episodes in a row, but on the other hand, it gives me something to look out for :D
Very good, needed more then 45 minutes
Sleepin_Dragon4 September 2015
For the first time in Nu Who we get a mid series mini finale.
Amy has been exposed as a flesh ganger, whilst the real Amy has given birth on board a spaceship, seemingly run by eye patch lady. The Doctor must assemble a team to take on eye patch Lady Madame Kovarian, her guards and the headless monks, in order to get Amy and her baby back. More is learnt about River Song. Madame Kovarian gets the last laugh, and lays down a big marker against the Doctor.
I really didn't like this when it first went out, but now a few years on i've come to like it. I applaud it for the amount it tries to cram in, but to me it's also the weakness. The awful two parter which preceded was too slow and padded, and this felt rushed, how good to have made this the two parter instead. It is definitely saved by the rather brilliant ending. It's a big change for the show.
I absolutely love Madam Vastra and Jenny, they make such a good duo, hopefully there'll be more from them. My favourite character though has to be Madame Kovarian, she's a very sinister girl, Steven Moffat does love a good female villain doesn't he. A hugely better performance from Karen Gillan, Amy's given a much better role then in the last few episodes.
Do I spy the same tunnel set used as in the Doctor's wife?
The token gay couple served absolutely no purpose, did they need to be there, especially with Madam Vastra and Jenny.
A few really good bits, the realisation that a trick has been played for the second time, and River's confrontation with the Doctor.
Lots of surprises in store, it's big fun, it's just too messy to be a classic. Fabulously acted, particularly Frances Barber and Alex Kingston. 7/10
Amy has been exposed as a flesh ganger, whilst the real Amy has given birth on board a spaceship, seemingly run by eye patch lady. The Doctor must assemble a team to take on eye patch Lady Madame Kovarian, her guards and the headless monks, in order to get Amy and her baby back. More is learnt about River Song. Madame Kovarian gets the last laugh, and lays down a big marker against the Doctor.
I really didn't like this when it first went out, but now a few years on i've come to like it. I applaud it for the amount it tries to cram in, but to me it's also the weakness. The awful two parter which preceded was too slow and padded, and this felt rushed, how good to have made this the two parter instead. It is definitely saved by the rather brilliant ending. It's a big change for the show.
I absolutely love Madam Vastra and Jenny, they make such a good duo, hopefully there'll be more from them. My favourite character though has to be Madame Kovarian, she's a very sinister girl, Steven Moffat does love a good female villain doesn't he. A hugely better performance from Karen Gillan, Amy's given a much better role then in the last few episodes.
Do I spy the same tunnel set used as in the Doctor's wife?
The token gay couple served absolutely no purpose, did they need to be there, especially with Madam Vastra and Jenny.
A few really good bits, the realisation that a trick has been played for the second time, and River's confrontation with the Doctor.
Lots of surprises in store, it's big fun, it's just too messy to be a classic. Fabulously acted, particularly Frances Barber and Alex Kingston. 7/10
Entertaining But Painfully Cynical
Theo Robertson6 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
As someone has been watching the show on a religious basis since the early Petwee era I can genuinely say watching this episode is a truly bizarre experience . It shows the programme at its most entertaining and is nowhere as " bad " per se as the McCoy era from 1987-89 was but when you stop to think about it everything falls apart and what you're left with is a big noisy empty mess in the style of Russell T Davies . Worse than that there's a massive amount of cynicism involved
I loved the opening sequence of the Cyber-ship . But ask yourself this - what does it have to do with the plot ? The answer is absolutely nothing . It probably doesn't even have a function outside a gripping opening hook . Worse than that you can believe it was included to cheat people in to thinking we'd be watching a Cyberman epic which isn't what we got Another thing that ties in to this sequence is why would the Cybermen give Rory any information . They don't feel fear , they are amongst the most ruthless monsters the show has created so they'd shrug their metallic shoulders and let Rory find his wife Amy ? Hmmmm . They're not the Cybermen I grew up with . See how everything collapses when you think about it ? Likewise the Headless Monks who make great adversaries but their only function to th plot is to make an adversary but at least the Headless Monk are original creations which works in their favour and are put to effective use . The bitter pill with this story is the use of the Silurians and a Sontaran
Sontarans are a war like race and to have one as a touchy feely nurse is stretching credibility too far whilst The original Silurian story from 1970 is my all time favourite from the classic series . It is a dramatic masterpiece of British television but the Silurians seen here ruin their legacy and are an insult to Malcolm Hulke . A female Silurian vigilante and her maid who might be more than a mere friend ? One can see Steven Moffat rubbing his hands expecting a spin off show to replace THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES . Sorry Steven but that'd require more creative talent than you've been showing for the last two years . Obviously the people praising the show are too young to remember THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ? " I'm your father Luke .... I mean daughter Amy "
I don't want to sound like I watch the show every week merely to slag it off but I can't help thinking NuWho peaked with the first series in 2005 when we had the brilliant Christopher Eccleston playing a brooding outsider in the title role who had an unrequited love for his companion . Now the series has progressed in to something quite different where the Doctor is almost a Deity type figure where spectacle has replaced drama and everything is built up to lead to a resolution where there's more questions than answers
Prediction for episode 13 - The Doctor causes a timey wimey paradox . Resolves it and everyone praises it as being the best thing in he history of television because they haven't understood a single word of explanation . Get your self a copy of THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES to see what I mean
I loved the opening sequence of the Cyber-ship . But ask yourself this - what does it have to do with the plot ? The answer is absolutely nothing . It probably doesn't even have a function outside a gripping opening hook . Worse than that you can believe it was included to cheat people in to thinking we'd be watching a Cyberman epic which isn't what we got Another thing that ties in to this sequence is why would the Cybermen give Rory any information . They don't feel fear , they are amongst the most ruthless monsters the show has created so they'd shrug their metallic shoulders and let Rory find his wife Amy ? Hmmmm . They're not the Cybermen I grew up with . See how everything collapses when you think about it ? Likewise the Headless Monks who make great adversaries but their only function to th plot is to make an adversary but at least the Headless Monk are original creations which works in their favour and are put to effective use . The bitter pill with this story is the use of the Silurians and a Sontaran
Sontarans are a war like race and to have one as a touchy feely nurse is stretching credibility too far whilst The original Silurian story from 1970 is my all time favourite from the classic series . It is a dramatic masterpiece of British television but the Silurians seen here ruin their legacy and are an insult to Malcolm Hulke . A female Silurian vigilante and her maid who might be more than a mere friend ? One can see Steven Moffat rubbing his hands expecting a spin off show to replace THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES . Sorry Steven but that'd require more creative talent than you've been showing for the last two years . Obviously the people praising the show are too young to remember THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ? " I'm your father Luke .... I mean daughter Amy "
I don't want to sound like I watch the show every week merely to slag it off but I can't help thinking NuWho peaked with the first series in 2005 when we had the brilliant Christopher Eccleston playing a brooding outsider in the title role who had an unrequited love for his companion . Now the series has progressed in to something quite different where the Doctor is almost a Deity type figure where spectacle has replaced drama and everything is built up to lead to a resolution where there's more questions than answers
Prediction for episode 13 - The Doctor causes a timey wimey paradox . Resolves it and everyone praises it as being the best thing in he history of television because they haven't understood a single word of explanation . Get your self a copy of THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES to see what I mean
What really happen
Stevemasters10015 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
For those who write the plot was confusion and no answers were given. I say, screwdriver you. This is an epic yarn, taking place over years. Wait and see if it all fits together when the story is over. Because it isn't, the story isn't one of battles. It's about cause and effect. It's the Doctor running around and causing as much harm as good. Acting like judge,jury and hangman. Pulling people in and using them and then leaving them, either Dead or without knowledge of him at all. Even those who are back on earth are never normal again. The fact the River is Amys and the Doctors child was never hard to guest. The Omega force tricked the Doctor and stole Amy and her Baby. Left a Ganger for Amy and one for the baby. If you look a piece of a puzzle and ask how does this fit? With out, the rest of the puzzle pieces, you face the same situation with Dr Who. Understanding is the key, give Steven Moffat a chance to tell the story. The answers are head, wait and see.
My favourite episode
dancrussell-835925 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
What an episode!
Demon's Run where a good man goes to war. Night will fall and drown the sun, when a good man goes to war. Friendship dies and true love lies. Night will fall and dark will rise when a good man goes to war. Demon's Run but count the cost, the battle's won but the child is lost.
I love this episode so much for many different reasons. The acting is incredible, both plot twists are amazing, 11's anger, this is the first time we see The Paternoster Gang and that scene with 11, Vastra and Doruim is hilarious.
Plus three of my favourite characters in one episode: Rory, River and Strax.
Demon's Run where a good man goes to war. Night will fall and drown the sun, when a good man goes to war. Friendship dies and true love lies. Night will fall and dark will rise when a good man goes to war. Demon's Run but count the cost, the battle's won but the child is lost.
I love this episode so much for many different reasons. The acting is incredible, both plot twists are amazing, 11's anger, this is the first time we see The Paternoster Gang and that scene with 11, Vastra and Doruim is hilarious.
Plus three of my favourite characters in one episode: Rory, River and Strax.
A very well done episode with some small glitches
pnk-612 June 2011
The idea that an extraordinary conditions could trigger extraordinary behavior in one good man is very good. It is almost a new idea for the serial. The conceptual season interconnection is also very good idea.
But the increasingly frequent occurring ideas like the ones below deteriorate the qualities of the movie: 1.The doctor does not know what to do and feels helpless and passive 2.Gay relations are perfectly normal 3.Characters keep finding more and more child-parent relations among them 4.Bad characters are extremely stupid 5.Some characters claim had met the doctor, but were never seen before
Good luck with the remaining series
But the increasingly frequent occurring ideas like the ones below deteriorate the qualities of the movie: 1.The doctor does not know what to do and feels helpless and passive 2.Gay relations are perfectly normal 3.Characters keep finding more and more child-parent relations among them 4.Bad characters are extremely stupid 5.Some characters claim had met the doctor, but were never seen before
Good luck with the remaining series
I kinda want to give this more (minor spoiler)
warlordartos1 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
But I just can't. Don't get me wrong this is a brilliant episode besides the slightly stupid/annoying parts. I'm talking about all these past characters being shoehorned in, especially the space flying planes (never liked them, never will).
The rest of this episode was pretty good but it still isn't quite what it could have been and certainly isn't the best episode of the season. I don't have hope for the next episode as the title makes it seem like a poor watch, but we will see.
The rest of this episode was pretty good but it still isn't quite what it could have been and certainly isn't the best episode of the season. I don't have hope for the next episode as the title makes it seem like a poor watch, but we will see.
Why people should also watch Doctor Who Confidential
editboy1016 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
After reading some of the negative reviews, with some people having story/character related questions, I thought I'd just suggest people watch Doctor Who Confidential which is on BBC3 right after Docotr Who finishes. That way they will get more insights and details about the show. For instance, someone wanted to know who the Headless Monks are. Watch Confidential and you'll find out.
Yes, Doctor Who is confusing at times but Moffat is drip-feeding us the stories so we need to stick with it and it'll all come out in the wash hopefully.
And I'm not just saying that cos I edit Confidential :0)
Yes, Doctor Who is confusing at times but Moffat is drip-feeding us the stories so we need to stick with it and it'll all come out in the wash hopefully.
And I'm not just saying that cos I edit Confidential :0)
A Good Series Goes To Pot
Robsnide5 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Strictly speaking, 'A Good Man Goes To War' is not a season finale - we're only half way through Season 6 - but as the press ( and 'The Radio Times' ) are treating it as such, I shall follow suit.
Moffat's fanboys would have us believe that under R.T.D., 'Dr.Who' was a lot of childish rot about farting aliens and pigs in space-suits, while under their hero it has become an intelligent, adult show with sophisticated plots. I do not agree. Davies took the show kicking and screaming into the 21st century, whereas his successor has dragged it back to the mid-to-late 1980's, a time when boring, complicated stories were commonplace. 'The Impossible Astronaut/Day Of The Moon' would not have looked out of place beside 'Paradise Towers' and 'Delta & The Bannermen'. Moffat wrote some cracking episodes in the R.T.D. era, such as 'The Girl In The Fireplace' and 'Blink', but since assuming overall responsibility for the show the quality of his writing has plummeted. 'War' was self-indulgent, fan fiction twaddle. How anyone can praise it is beyond me. It had no discernible plot as such, just disconnected ideas with nothing to properly link them. When the Cybermen appeared, I thought "Great! We're going to see some action!" but then - they were gone! Did my eyes deceive me or was there really a Silurian living in a Victorian house with a maid? They were still in suspended animation in Derbyshire at that time, for heavens sake! How did the Spitfires get far enough out into space to attack Demons Run? Sontaran nurses? The Cybermen giving Rory information? Come on!
Moffat has responded to critics by arrogantly telling them to 'pay attention'. Well, I have, and am still confused. Try writing some coherent plots, mate. The basic idea was identical to 'Operation Wurlitzer', a story from 'T.V. Comic' first published in 1969. I was also strongly reminded of the hodge-podge climax of the 1967 comedy version of 'Casino Royale' - 007 ( David Niven ) is fighting SMERSH agents in the casino when suddenly, the Keystone Kops show up, closely followed by cowboys and Indians and a pair of seals! It made slightly more sense than Moffat's yarn. Just when you thought it could not get more stupid, up popped headless monks armed with what looked like 'Star Wars' light sabres!
So the truth about River Song is now revealed. Thank goodness for that. Now please get rid of her and move on. She, like the Daleks, has been massively overused.
The one saving grace was Frances Barber's 'Madame Kovarian'. She deserved a better script than this.
I see the next episode is to be titled 'Let's Kill Hitler'. I think it should be called 'Let's Ditch Moffat'!
Moffat's fanboys would have us believe that under R.T.D., 'Dr.Who' was a lot of childish rot about farting aliens and pigs in space-suits, while under their hero it has become an intelligent, adult show with sophisticated plots. I do not agree. Davies took the show kicking and screaming into the 21st century, whereas his successor has dragged it back to the mid-to-late 1980's, a time when boring, complicated stories were commonplace. 'The Impossible Astronaut/Day Of The Moon' would not have looked out of place beside 'Paradise Towers' and 'Delta & The Bannermen'. Moffat wrote some cracking episodes in the R.T.D. era, such as 'The Girl In The Fireplace' and 'Blink', but since assuming overall responsibility for the show the quality of his writing has plummeted. 'War' was self-indulgent, fan fiction twaddle. How anyone can praise it is beyond me. It had no discernible plot as such, just disconnected ideas with nothing to properly link them. When the Cybermen appeared, I thought "Great! We're going to see some action!" but then - they were gone! Did my eyes deceive me or was there really a Silurian living in a Victorian house with a maid? They were still in suspended animation in Derbyshire at that time, for heavens sake! How did the Spitfires get far enough out into space to attack Demons Run? Sontaran nurses? The Cybermen giving Rory information? Come on!
Moffat has responded to critics by arrogantly telling them to 'pay attention'. Well, I have, and am still confused. Try writing some coherent plots, mate. The basic idea was identical to 'Operation Wurlitzer', a story from 'T.V. Comic' first published in 1969. I was also strongly reminded of the hodge-podge climax of the 1967 comedy version of 'Casino Royale' - 007 ( David Niven ) is fighting SMERSH agents in the casino when suddenly, the Keystone Kops show up, closely followed by cowboys and Indians and a pair of seals! It made slightly more sense than Moffat's yarn. Just when you thought it could not get more stupid, up popped headless monks armed with what looked like 'Star Wars' light sabres!
So the truth about River Song is now revealed. Thank goodness for that. Now please get rid of her and move on. She, like the Daleks, has been massively overused.
The one saving grace was Frances Barber's 'Madame Kovarian'. She deserved a better script than this.
I see the next episode is to be titled 'Let's Kill Hitler'. I think it should be called 'Let's Ditch Moffat'!
Better than I thought, but this is still bugging me!!!
chrisgiant10 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I've not been enjoying Doctor Who as much since Matt Smith arrived. That's not because I dislike his portrayal of the timelord, because I do. It's mainly because I find the most of the episodes from his series so far have been void of any real plot explanation or reasoning.
The main problem I had with A Good Man Goes To War was the Doctor building his army. Who the hell are these random aliens, why them and how did they come to owe the Doc a good turn? Some sort of flashbacks would have been nice, especially into how a member of a long-lost cast of Silurians ended up living out a lesbian relationship in the 1900's. The whole of series 5 & series 6 (so far) has been riddled with similar little unanswered questions. Things that could have been explained in earlier episodes with reasonable (in show) logic.
Another example would be at the end of Series 5. Multiple alien species appear when the Doctor is sealed in the Pandorica, yet there is no explanation of how they have come together at Stonehendge in Roman England. It can be explained for some, for example the Daleks have time travel tech and so do some generations of Cybermen. However what about the Jadoon (a space-bound POLICE force), the Silurians (a new cast only just encountered earlier that series), then there's the odd Weavel scattered about the crowd (a planet-less/techno void/refugee race) and what about the Autons/Nestine. How did they all get there? It's never explained, so why include them if not just to create an unnecessary fanboy parade of villains.
I sort of figured out the twist when we discovered Amy was pregnant, but I did find it very interesting to watch it unfold. Steven Moffet is a fantastic writer and allows the series expansive story to reveal itself at a well timed pace. However recently he seems to be pushing the popularity of alien inclusion to the fore-front and overlooking a lack of character and episodic plot development.
The main problem I had with A Good Man Goes To War was the Doctor building his army. Who the hell are these random aliens, why them and how did they come to owe the Doc a good turn? Some sort of flashbacks would have been nice, especially into how a member of a long-lost cast of Silurians ended up living out a lesbian relationship in the 1900's. The whole of series 5 & series 6 (so far) has been riddled with similar little unanswered questions. Things that could have been explained in earlier episodes with reasonable (in show) logic.
Another example would be at the end of Series 5. Multiple alien species appear when the Doctor is sealed in the Pandorica, yet there is no explanation of how they have come together at Stonehendge in Roman England. It can be explained for some, for example the Daleks have time travel tech and so do some generations of Cybermen. However what about the Jadoon (a space-bound POLICE force), the Silurians (a new cast only just encountered earlier that series), then there's the odd Weavel scattered about the crowd (a planet-less/techno void/refugee race) and what about the Autons/Nestine. How did they all get there? It's never explained, so why include them if not just to create an unnecessary fanboy parade of villains.
I sort of figured out the twist when we discovered Amy was pregnant, but I did find it very interesting to watch it unfold. Steven Moffet is a fantastic writer and allows the series expansive story to reveal itself at a well timed pace. However recently he seems to be pushing the popularity of alien inclusion to the fore-front and overlooking a lack of character and episodic plot development.
Dirt poor. :-( Look up "convoluted" in the dictionary, and it'll refer to this episode
sarastro74 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
These last few episodes have been on a steadily downward spiral. I usually rate a proper episode an 8 out of 10, but by now I'm down to a 4, and nearly a 3.
"A Good Man Goes To War" was an *incredible* mess. First a lot of stuff happens, and a lot of characters are thrown in, entirely without any development, making all the emoting completely meaningless. We have no idea what's going on. Who is this religious army that apparently hates the Doctor?
Many of the characters are silly and have absolutely no purpose (headless monks, puh-lease!), myriads of questions are left unanswered, and then the big reveal about River turns out to reveal almost nothing about what they've been alluding mysteriously to for several whole seasons, namely her relationship to the Doctor. The pregnant Amy was thrown in altogether too suddenly, and we were not told for how long the Amy on the Tardis has been an impostor (having been pregnant for nine months, she can't have been "flesh" from the two previous episodes, as that only just happened). All this is extremely confusing, and we get no proper answers of any kind - nor any discernible explanation of how the baby was taken (and why they needed the army in the first place when they could just do that).
At its simplest, the overall plot doesn't work, either. The whole war is a trap, making the title of the episode meaningless. The consequences of the trap are also kinda meaningless, as the abducted River is right there among them and (apparently) fairly free to do as she pleases (?). In brief, when they talk about convoluted stories, this is the kind of stories they mean. Analyzing the episode shows nothing but several layers of circular plot logic, folding in on themselves, with no shred of real substance being present, making everything that may at first seem cool smell like rotten eggs. :-(
That is a great shame, and an example of the show at its worst. Sadly, whenever the show is wrapping up a lot of long-running developments ("Bad Wolf", anybody?) in a finale, the producers just lose control of their storytelling and rely on cheap thrills and jury-rigged "epic" concepts. They must be drinking too many sonic screwdrivers.
Oh well. Many of the episodes are great. Nobody can be brilliant all the time. This episode was really poor, though, compared with the normal standard. I'm slightly amazed they okayed such a mess.
4 out of 10.
"A Good Man Goes To War" was an *incredible* mess. First a lot of stuff happens, and a lot of characters are thrown in, entirely without any development, making all the emoting completely meaningless. We have no idea what's going on. Who is this religious army that apparently hates the Doctor?
Many of the characters are silly and have absolutely no purpose (headless monks, puh-lease!), myriads of questions are left unanswered, and then the big reveal about River turns out to reveal almost nothing about what they've been alluding mysteriously to for several whole seasons, namely her relationship to the Doctor. The pregnant Amy was thrown in altogether too suddenly, and we were not told for how long the Amy on the Tardis has been an impostor (having been pregnant for nine months, she can't have been "flesh" from the two previous episodes, as that only just happened). All this is extremely confusing, and we get no proper answers of any kind - nor any discernible explanation of how the baby was taken (and why they needed the army in the first place when they could just do that).
At its simplest, the overall plot doesn't work, either. The whole war is a trap, making the title of the episode meaningless. The consequences of the trap are also kinda meaningless, as the abducted River is right there among them and (apparently) fairly free to do as she pleases (?). In brief, when they talk about convoluted stories, this is the kind of stories they mean. Analyzing the episode shows nothing but several layers of circular plot logic, folding in on themselves, with no shred of real substance being present, making everything that may at first seem cool smell like rotten eggs. :-(
That is a great shame, and an example of the show at its worst. Sadly, whenever the show is wrapping up a lot of long-running developments ("Bad Wolf", anybody?) in a finale, the producers just lose control of their storytelling and rely on cheap thrills and jury-rigged "epic" concepts. They must be drinking too many sonic screwdrivers.
Oh well. Many of the episodes are great. Nobody can be brilliant all the time. This episode was really poor, though, compared with the normal standard. I'm slightly amazed they okayed such a mess.
4 out of 10.
A Good Episode Goes Too Far (Again)
A_Kind_Of_CineMagic27 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is another Steven Moffatt epic where he throws everything at it and it is undoubtedly exciting and fun. I realise this is super popular with a lot of fans but I see this as a mixed bag. I think it is good in many ways due to its plus points - production values, entertainment and acting, particularly Matt Smith, Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston - but there are things which detract from its quality for me.
Moffatt does not seem to have 'less is more' or subtlety in his vocabulary and tends to 'over-egg the pudding' very frequently in my opinion. I still think we get a tasty 'pudding' but it leaves me feeling bloated afterwards from having too much haha!
Right from the start this is a big, brash space opera. Rory is back to his 'Last Centurion' persona despite being human and not the Auton-Rory who originally was given that superhuman characterisation. The Doctor is set up as the mythical God-like figure Moffatt wants him to be. River and Amy are given even more epic importance in the lore of the series than they had already been given. We have everything from Cybermen, Silurians, Sontarans, Headless Monks with lightsabers, an 'army of God', a host of returning characters and new characters who we are told have history with the Doctor and we have grandstanding speeches, unarmed face downs of entire armies etc. It can only be described as epic and I think it is a bit overblown really. Yes it is entertaining and thrilling a lot of the time but it is a bit too much thrown it at once I think. I would personally have cut a few characters and plot aspects and concentrated on main plot points more. That is my personal view.
I did not like the storyline of Amy being held captive throughout pregnancy and having her baby stolen. I find it unpleasant and distasteful and that is somewhat compounded by the fact this does not resolve that arc and instead we are left with the baby still captive.
The fact there is the revelation the baby is in fact River Song and that River has apparently known this all along just does not seem to make sense to me either: River's previous behaviour towards the Doctor, her previous behaviour when first meeting Amy and Rory and her motivations all seem dubious - Would River really have said and done everything in the way she did if she knew all this? I don't think so.
My main issue though is that I do not buy the plot of all this effort to kidnap a baby and raise it to kill the Doctor: How did the Silence/Madame Kovarian know Amy was pregnant?
How did they know the baby would be part Time Lord when even the Doctor does not think this is possible?
How do Timelords who have existed and travelled in time for many thousands of years not know this phenomenon could occur but the Silence do?
Why do they think a Time Lord baby will be the best weapon to beat the Doctor?
Why if they can duplicate Amy so convincingly would that false Amy not be a sufficient thing to use to kill the Doctor? Surely she could easily have shot or poisoned him.
Is raising a baby to kill someone remotely a believable method when it takes so long and has so much chance of failure?
Literally anyone could have been used to shoot the Doctor at Lake Silencio or to poison him. Stealing Amy's baby and raising her served no purpose!
Another question is does it even make sense that River/Melody being conceived on the TARDIS makes her part Time Lord with powers of regeneration etc? I guess in a sci fi concept you can throw this kind of thing in and it is not illogical but it just seems a bit of a weird idea. In theory, if you had lots of people being conceived aboard the TARDIS you could completely revive the Time Lord race! Strange. And the later storyline of the Timeless Child does not fit in with this idea at all. I wish both Moffatt and Chibnall had taken more care with their big lore additions.
On the plus side the acting is all very good, the effects are excellent, there is some good humour, good dialogue, there is exciting action and there is some interesting drama. Rory has a great episode especially.
I cannot say this is a bad episode at all in terms of entertainment value but I am not personally a fan of the plot or story arcs. We all have our own preferences and this doesn't really match up with mine. But it is fun to watch.
My Rating: 6/10.
Moffatt does not seem to have 'less is more' or subtlety in his vocabulary and tends to 'over-egg the pudding' very frequently in my opinion. I still think we get a tasty 'pudding' but it leaves me feeling bloated afterwards from having too much haha!
Right from the start this is a big, brash space opera. Rory is back to his 'Last Centurion' persona despite being human and not the Auton-Rory who originally was given that superhuman characterisation. The Doctor is set up as the mythical God-like figure Moffatt wants him to be. River and Amy are given even more epic importance in the lore of the series than they had already been given. We have everything from Cybermen, Silurians, Sontarans, Headless Monks with lightsabers, an 'army of God', a host of returning characters and new characters who we are told have history with the Doctor and we have grandstanding speeches, unarmed face downs of entire armies etc. It can only be described as epic and I think it is a bit overblown really. Yes it is entertaining and thrilling a lot of the time but it is a bit too much thrown it at once I think. I would personally have cut a few characters and plot aspects and concentrated on main plot points more. That is my personal view.
I did not like the storyline of Amy being held captive throughout pregnancy and having her baby stolen. I find it unpleasant and distasteful and that is somewhat compounded by the fact this does not resolve that arc and instead we are left with the baby still captive.
The fact there is the revelation the baby is in fact River Song and that River has apparently known this all along just does not seem to make sense to me either: River's previous behaviour towards the Doctor, her previous behaviour when first meeting Amy and Rory and her motivations all seem dubious - Would River really have said and done everything in the way she did if she knew all this? I don't think so.
My main issue though is that I do not buy the plot of all this effort to kidnap a baby and raise it to kill the Doctor: How did the Silence/Madame Kovarian know Amy was pregnant?
How did they know the baby would be part Time Lord when even the Doctor does not think this is possible?
How do Timelords who have existed and travelled in time for many thousands of years not know this phenomenon could occur but the Silence do?
Why do they think a Time Lord baby will be the best weapon to beat the Doctor?
Why if they can duplicate Amy so convincingly would that false Amy not be a sufficient thing to use to kill the Doctor? Surely she could easily have shot or poisoned him.
Is raising a baby to kill someone remotely a believable method when it takes so long and has so much chance of failure?
Literally anyone could have been used to shoot the Doctor at Lake Silencio or to poison him. Stealing Amy's baby and raising her served no purpose!
Another question is does it even make sense that River/Melody being conceived on the TARDIS makes her part Time Lord with powers of regeneration etc? I guess in a sci fi concept you can throw this kind of thing in and it is not illogical but it just seems a bit of a weird idea. In theory, if you had lots of people being conceived aboard the TARDIS you could completely revive the Time Lord race! Strange. And the later storyline of the Timeless Child does not fit in with this idea at all. I wish both Moffatt and Chibnall had taken more care with their big lore additions.
On the plus side the acting is all very good, the effects are excellent, there is some good humour, good dialogue, there is exciting action and there is some interesting drama. Rory has a great episode especially.
I cannot say this is a bad episode at all in terms of entertainment value but I am not personally a fan of the plot or story arcs. We all have our own preferences and this doesn't really match up with mine. But it is fun to watch.
My Rating: 6/10.
Enough with the showboating.
simonrosenbaum31 August 2011
I so hoped after Steven Moffat took over we would return to clever well thought out scary stories of the like that he had written in previous series and come away from the overblown bombastic and relentless showboating that the series had become. His first series in charge was mostly a success with some fairly good episodes, but the first half of this season has been a huge disappointment with the quality deteriorating dramatically from the first fairly good episodes to the disastrous mess of this one. It was just like one long trailer for the first 30 minutes and then it just got plain daft. It was more bombastic and overblown than it's ever been and that's unforgivable. I really hope the socks are pulled up in the next half and we get some decent (or even half-decent) stories to help us through the cold winter nights because I really miss those.
Such a mess that could have been great.
kingkass11 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The ideas here are actually quite good. Making River Amy's daughter is not a bad idea and the twist works on a basic shock level but it doesn't work at all on an emotional one. River has never really had a personality more like a concept. Also this episode spends so long setting the basic plot up with so many unnecessary scenes that are really just filler. It's like it's being stretched out and to make sure it isn't boring they've added so much random crap to it. Although for me it's still boring with nothing to care about. It's such a muddled mess.
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