Doctor Who: Step Back in Time - Series Seven

The Time of Capaldi is almost upon us, with just a over two weeks left until his feature-length début (how spoiled are we?) is broadcast across television and cinema screens alike. So its time for Eleven to take one last bow as we cast a look back at the most recent series of Doctor Who: Series Seven. Though it's sort of two series that can either exist apart or as one. Like a worm. Ladies and gentleman, I give you Series Worm...

Starring: Matt Smith (the Doctor), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara Oswald) with Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Catrin Stewart (Jenny Flint), Dan Starkey (Strax) and Alex Kingston (River Song)

Produced by: Marcus Wilson and Denise Paul

Executive Produced by: Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner

Best Episodes

Asylum of the Daleks by Steven Moffat

What better way to open a series than a visit to a planet full of insane Daleks? 'Asylum' is a true thriller of an episode, starting the year of the 'Movie-of-the-week' perfectly. Alongside the aforementioned sanity-impaired Skarosians is a subplot involving the Doctor trying to save Amy and Rory's marriage and a surprise appearance from companion-to-be Clara (well, sort of) with Jenna proving herself to be a terrific actress. It turned out these episodes wouldn't just be any old movies-of-the-week, they would be blockbusters. 

The Rings of Akhaten by Neil Cross

Once in a while, a Doctor Who episode is unlucky enough to find itself on the receiving end of a barrage of criticism. So while many don't care for Neil Cross' début Who I, for one, think it's hugely enjoyable. The story may be slight but that only means it's going for atmosphere and heart more than complex plot. This also gives the other areas of production more chance to shine then usual, in particular costume design and Murray Gold's soaring score. 'Rings' is a magical sci-fi tale. Good enough, in fact, to feed Akhaten himself. 

The Crimson Horror by Mark Gatiss

With 'Cold War', Gatiss provided his best Who so far but his second of this series was somehow even better. A wonderful hodge-podge of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Gatiss' very own Lucifer Box novels, 'Crimson' is a horror-tinged adventure with some great innovative storytelling. The finest example so far of how a Paternoster Gang spin-off show would work. The answer? Get Mark Gatiss to write it.

To read my reviews of all episodes of Series Seven click here. 

 TARDIS Team(s)

Series Seven is the first to employ the idea that the Doctor's companions do not have to runaway with the Doctor full-time. After formally leaving the TARDIS during the previous series, Amy and Rory Pond are unique in that the Doctor continues to come back for them, taking them on one-off trips across time and space before returning them to the normal lives. In fact, this arrangement went on for years, with the Ponds ageing from twentysomething to middle-age - however, though the Doctor does try, you can't hold off growing up forever. In the end, it took an invasion of New York by Weeping Angels to force the travels of the undisputed longest-running companions of the revived series to come to an end. 

The Doctor's next companion, Clara, was a true anomaly. Not only did she appear before she joined the Doctor on his travels, she also died - twice. When 21st century Clara (as opposed to Victorian and Dalek Clara) finally travelled in the TARDIS (with a similar arrangement to the Ponds) it made for a unique Doctor-companion dynamic. For the first time, the audience did not see through the companion's eyes to crack the mystery of the Doctor but quite the reverse. 

As well as his core companions, Series Seven also gives the Doctor a number of go-to allies. Reintroduced after their popular début in Series Six, Victorian detectives Madame Vastra and Jenny, now joined by the reformed Sontaran Strax, the Paternoster Gang notched up three appearances, including the series finale. This same finale also found time to wrap up the story of the Doctor's wife, River Song, literally laying her (data) ghost to rest. Out with the old and in with the new, it seemed the series was preparing for a change. A regeneration, you might say...

Story Arc

In a series full of firsts, Series Seven takes a new take on the issue of story arcs. Whereas its immediate predecessors were almost serials in their attitude to ongoing storylines, this series took a much looser approach. This was a series that was proud to be a different show every week, made up entirely of single-episode stories. Defined by featuring two different sets of companions, the two halves of the series are really two shorter runs bolted together and so have their own stories to tell.
The first five, or Series Pond, were the softer of the two on story arc, being almost devoid of overarching narrative, with the exception of some thematic foreshadowing of the Pond's exit. The second, or rather Series Clara, brings things to the boil somewhat more with the mystery of Clara, 'the Impossible Girl' being referenced in most stories before being revealed in the finale.
However, there was something that dripped through both Series Pond and Clara, as with 'Bad Wolf' or 'Torchwood' it was just a phrase that had a larger meaning. In fact, it was a question. The oldest in the universe. The question that the Doctor had been running from all his lives was coming back to haunt him. And that question was: 'Doctor Who?' The answer, apparently, lay on Trenzalore.
Combined with the 50th anniversary outing and Christmas special that followed it, Series Seven combined lively stories with friends and enemies, new and old, to send the Eleventh Doctor off in style. What's more, with its big-screen ambitions, Series Seven is the reason Doctor Who is currently enjoying a semi-regular home at cinemas worldwide. Thanks to Series Seven, the Doctor, rather than the Daleks or the Cybermen, is taking over the world.

Coming Soon: It's not just his kidneys that have changed. The new Doctor lands 23rd August. 

Review: Doctor Who - The Name of the Doctor

Prior to the highly-anticipated fiftieth anniversary special expected to celebrate the history of Doctor Who, the equally-highly-anticipated ‘The Name of the Doctor’ beats it to the punch, offering us a story that encompasses the Doctor’s entire life. And intervenes in it liberally. A mysterious conference call from Madame Vastra and the scheming of the Great Intelligence takes the Doctor and Clara to Trenzalore, the one place in the universe the Doctor must never go; to his grave. Where his greatest secret will be revealed…Or will it? As we expect from Moffat series finales, this episode actually raises more questions than it answers. In this case, though, this is entirely fitting, meaning ‘Name of the Doctor’ is a fantastic way to conclude the series.

The atmosphere is unique compared to other episodes of this series (think, the thrills of ‘The Crimson Horror’ and the whimsical ‘Nightmare in Silver’), being distinctly funereal. There are a few surprisingly hilarious lines sprinkled throughout– when isn't there when Strax is involved? – but largely it's full of doom and gloom which, conversely, really, keeps the momentum up, aided by Matt Smith’s masterful performance and Saul Metzstein’s skilful direction. The fabled Fields of Trenzalore – first mentioned in ‘The Wedding of River Song’ back in 2011 – are suitably imposing and properly deathly-looking, with its thunder-clapped sky and the gigantic TARDIS tombstone being particular highlights.

The supporting cast is well-used. Vastra, Jenny and Strax add to that feeling that the series has come together and River Song also gets a touching fleeting appearance here that might possibly be her last ever. On the monster side of things, the Great Intelligence’s silent henchman – really, they must be related in someway to Moffat’s bulbous-headed, suited-and-booted aliens – are an absolute treat. Though they are not an integral part of the episode there is enough of them on show to make them memorable villains. Their penchant for speaking in rhyme is another Moffat monster masterstroke – slightly moving on from his usual repeated phrase motif. Richard E Grant of course entertainingly hams it up as Mr. G. Intelligence, intent on getting revenge on his old enemy.  However, he’s far from the only link to the Doctor’s past on show…

Yes, if any Doctor Who episode has been written for fans it is this one. This is an episode that rightfully revels in the show’s long past and literally inserts itself amongst it. The mystery of Clara, the Doctor’s impossible girl, is solved in the only way that made, a strange sort of, sense and the show is kicked off in an all–new direction with a flabbergasting cliffhanger that will definitely keep fans gnawing at their fingernails until 23^rd November. It’s sure to be good.

This may have been more of a stream of praise than an actual review but that is because this episode does everything a finale should. Looking back to not only recent episodes but also the whole history of the series while also creating stepping stones to the future of Doctor Who. In all, ‘The Name of the Doctor’ is a triumph, concluding a short series of episodes of a great consistent standard. Fitting for this very special year for the show.

Review: Doctor Who - The Crimson Horror and Nightmare in Silver

The Paternoster Gang must be the most-widely loved Moffat creations for Doctor Who. While characters such as Amy, Rory and River Song have perhaps divided viewers, you’ll be hard pressed to find a Doctor Who­-viewing soul who dislikes either Madame Vastra, the ‘Lizard woman from the Dawn of Time’, her feisty cockney wife, Jenny Flint or their loveably dim Sontaran butler, Strax. It was a joy then to see the gang again in Mark Gatiss’ latest episode ‘The Crimson Horror.’ However, there was much more than just the terrific trio to love in this audacious, hilarious adventure.

The plot is wonderfully mercurial – I challenge you to guess what’s behind Ada’s secret door or indeed the identity of Mr Sweet. It also feels all there; the characters and the story are explored enough so we don’t leave feeling short-changed. That said, the episode’s worth of story could easily fill a novel, one of Mark Gatiss’ Lucifer Box novels, perhaps (which, on a side note, if you haven’t read but enjoyed this episode I heartily recommend). The two stars of the supporting cast also shine. Dianna Rigg gets the tone of the episode perfectly in her nutty-as-a-fruitcake performance as the scheming fascistic Mrs Gillyflower, who has a sinister plan involving some red gloop in her idealistic Yorkshire factory, Sweetville. If Rigg brings the villainy, Rachel Stirling, her daughter both on and off-screen, brings the heart as the blinded put-upon Ada whom her mother shuns for her ‘imperfections’.  

If you like your Doctor Who full of horrific mysteries, over-the-top villains and memorable side-characters, ‘The Crimson Horror’ encapsulates all that to a tee. Drawn from a variety of sources including Sherlock Holmes, Hammer Horror and James Bond, Gatiss’s script aided by fine performances makes this episode perhaps the best of this series. And, it’s final moments link directly into the following story. The Cybermen are returning…

Neil Gaiman’s second Doctor Who after 2011’s unique ‘The Doctor’s Wife’ is a wholly different episode. Whereas ‘Wife’ is kooky and sad, ‘Nightmare’ is action-packed and twisty-turny. But this doesn't necessarily mean it's worse. Taking Artie and Angie to Hedgewick’s World, the best amusement park in the universe, the Doctor and Clara encounter a bunch of oddball characters and the resurrection of the long-dead Cybermen…
Firstly, this episode is simply the best the Cybermen have been in years. Nearly every story they've appeared in since their reboot in 2006, the Cybermen have virtually just been gun fodder, exploding metal heads would  fly everywhere. Here, decked out in all-new superpowers – and even a fresh name, ooh spoilers – they are almost undefeatable. For any Cyber-fan, seeing them as a more than formidable foe is a reason to thank and give big hugs to Mr Gaiman.  However, despite how good they are, they may still be upstaged by a truly superb performance from Matt Smith. We've seen him emotional, funny, heart-broken but here we get to see him menacing, giving us a whole new aspect to his Doctor. Mention must also be given to Warwick Davies for his portrayal of Porridge, a tough but sympathetic and mysterious character. He joins the ranks of great Doctor Who characters who deserve a return appearance – and these days they seem to get them so fingers crossed.
On the whole, ‘Nightmare’ is another madcap, slightly oddball episode from its author that draws from past Cyber adventures – too many to go through here - to create something original and highly-Gaimanesque. It has the odd fault – really, why were the kids there? – but its certainly fantastic Doctor Who. Gaiman has said he is interested in writing another and after his track record so far, I eagerly await the next one, like a Cybermen resting in its tomb... 

Next week, it is all revealed. As his friends start to go missing, the Doctor is drawn to Trenzalore, the place his whole life has been heading towards but also the place on which he must never set foot. Will we really find out who Clara actually is? And, finally after 50 years, will they reveal his greatest secret, ‘The Name of the Doctor’? Find out Saturday 18^th on BBC One. 

Review: Doctor Who - Hide and Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS

After contemporary London, an alien world and a Soviet submarine, the Doctor and Clara fancy a bit of ghost hunting this week as they drop in on Caliburn House, where paranormal investigator Alec Palmer and psychic Emma Grayling are trying to catch themselves a phantom. The Caliburn Ghast, the Wraith of the Lady, the Witch of the Well…

As you can guess from the above description, Hide takes the timeless haunted house setting and takes it for a Doctor Who spin – it’s an episode that revels in all the familiars of this type of story; the old Victorian mansion, the candelabras, the psychic etcetera. However, it injects some good old Doctor Who humour and a perhaps surprising amount of heart; ample time is given to developing the characters of Alec and Emma meaning the episode manages to stay grounded in a story that otherwise takes us to, quite literally, the end of the earth and back.

An issue I had with the episode, however, was the identity of the ghost itself as I felt it detracted from the excellent monster – the warped, grinning Crooked Man. In concept and design he was a great creation whom I felt deserved to be more integral to the plot though the final twist in the tale was pure brilliance.

On the whole, Hide is an episode that promises us spine-tinglings and shudders aplenty but, while they are still an important element, writer Neil Cross actually delivers a touching, occasionally gently funny character drama making it much more than a straight ghost story. A love story, in fact. 

It’s been an ambition of Steven Moffat’s to show more of the TARDIS since he took over from the show. 2010’s Amy’s Choice and 2011’s The Doctor’s Wife both explored the heart and body, if you like, of the Doctor’s ship. And now there’s ‘Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS’ which finally gives us a run-around through everyone’s favourite dimensionally-transcendental police box – and makes a proper, exciting adventure of it. Having been attacked by a spacecraft salvage crew, the TARDIS is a wreck and the Doctor must trust the Van Baalen Brothers, who want the ship themselves, to help save Clara from the dangers at the heart of the TARDIS. Cue cloister bell.

The TARDIS herself obviously receives top billing this episode. Transformed from the Doctor’s magical home into a dangerous, alien labyrinth, although she is not given a voice of her own this time, her free will is felt throughout. It seems she’s a tough old girl. However, despite the TARDIS’ all-consuming star quality, the human cast are excellent too. Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman (whose 27^th birthday it is today!) get to probe some of this series’ main themes which test their relationship somewhat while the Van Baalens get some good backstory. The Time Zombies are also an enjoyable and effective addition to the episode with a nice disconcerting technique used by director Mat King to signify their presence. I wouldn't like to run into them in a dark TARDIS corridor.

Forty-five minutes of wonderful, fast-paced story, ‘Journey’ twists and turns in the great Doctor Who way but never feels run-of-the-mill. It might seem somewhat less layered after ‘Hide’ but this suits the style of the episode. And, amongst the action, it does find time to remind us of our two leads characters’ own secrets. A hundred times more mysterious than the infinite insides of the TARDIS…

Nest Saturday, the TARDIS arrives in good ol’ Victorian England again as something sinister is going on in Sweetville, a factory in the faraway world known as, in Strax’s words, ‘The North.’ Will the combined forces of the Doctor, Clara and the Paternoster Gang be able to stop ‘The Crimson Horror’?

Review: Doctor Who - The Rings of Akhaten and Cold War

Doctor Who’s seventh series (or thirty-third, if you will) continued after its storming  opener with the spellbinding ‘The Rings of Akhaten’ – an episode that is oddball for all the right reasons. It sees the Doctor take his new companion to the Rings of Akhaten, a system of seven planets revolving round one star which is home to a plethora of aliens of all shapes and sizes. And an old God who is about to wake…

‘Rings’ is a sudden shift in pace after ‘Bells’, preferring to develop its world and characters than be jam-packed with action. The Akhaten system rings out (see what I did there?) as one of the most well-realised planets of the show with its culture capably explored considering the 45 minute run-time; there’s a wonderful emphasis on music and stories, complemented by writer’s Neil Cross’ often lyrical dialogue. Clara is improving every episode, with her past further explored here. Less spiky and reckless than Amy, Clara is compassionate  thoughtful, resourceful and, most importantly, believable with Jenna Louise Coleman absolutely nailing her.

Overall, this is certainly one that will divide fans and, once again, the ending did feel rushed  but with some beautiful writing, an excellent example of alien world-building for Doctor Who and a solid heart, Rings is a terrific, idiosyncratic episode and Neil Cross is a very welcome addition to the show’s writing team.

After last week’s tonally different episode, Mark Gatiss delivers a good old-fashioned Doctor Who with ‘Cold War’, a, um, Cold War thriller set on a submarine marooned in the waters of the North Pole – with an Ice Warrior on board…

Gatiss pulls off a cracker of a script here, hitting the paranoia and panic of the time period in confident strokes but also giving us big swades of back story for those mean mean Martians. The individuals of the Soviet submarine are more or less left as outlines but we don’t care as the venerable Grand Marshall Skaldak, the Ice Warriors' most celebrated hero, is fleshed out incredibly well for a Who monster; he’s proud, lonely but also totally aggressive – we even find out about his family. The plotting is handled deftly with the premise lasting the whole 45 minutes, unlike some episodes of Who, and the suspense is also built up well throughout. A word must also be said for Douglas Mackinnon for some fantastic direction and Matt and Jenna give their usual first-rate performances while David Warner must not be forgotten as the sparkling Professor Grisenko. It’s great to finally see the veteran horror actor (he’s the guy who’s head is chopped off in The Omen) in on-screen Who and he is welcome back anytime.

Overall, ‘Cold War’ is an episode in the classic formula of the ‘base-under-siege’ story (which Doctor Who has been doing well since it was born) but still packs a few surprises along the way.  A rollocking adventure that plays it straight, it’s quite simply Mark Gatiss’ best written episode since ‘The Unquiet Dead’ back in 2005. Gatiss has said that he hopes to do more with the Ice Warriors now they are back, and, on the evidence of this episode, I would most certainly look forward to it.

Next up, things are going to get chillier than the North Pole as the Doctor and Clara travel to a proper haunted house – they're  going to catch themselves a ghost. Tune into BBC One next Saturday evening for a spine-tingling… 

Review: Doctor Who - The Bells of St John

The hype around this year of Doctor Who has been like no other. As it is the 50^th anniversary of the show – it is the longest running sci-fi drama in the world, I’m sure you know – the pressure was on the show to be at its best, to celebrate its illustrious past but to also look to the future and where the series will go next. I, for one, breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday night when Steven Moffat’s series opener (come on, it is!) ‘The Bells of St John’ did exactly that.

Whereas last year’s half of Series Seven had a slightly varying quality, ‘Bells’ carries on from the Christmas special ‘The Snowmen’ as first-class Who. Similar to that story, Moffat pulls off a belter of a plot at top speed and interweaves some time for the Doctor to get to know his new companion.

With hints of previous episodes - there’s a feel of ‘Partners in Crime’ and lashings of ‘The Idiot’s Lantern’ – ‘Bells’ carries on the ‘movie-a-week’ motif from last year, being labelled an ‘urban thriller’ – and it certainly is thrilling. As you can tell by its fantastic central conceit alone – there’s something living in the wi-fi and it’s eating your soul...

Great fun as the plot is the most important thing about this episode is the chemistry between Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman which, as we've seen from her previous two appearances, is top notch. Coleman plays the genius, compassionate Clara like she’s been in the role for years and you utterly buy hers and the Doctor’s budding friendship. The brush strokes for her character are finer than the previous versions of the character and she now feels like proper companion material. Also, Clara’s prominent flirting of ‘Asylum’ and ‘Snowmen’ has been toned down, making it feel less like another River Song relationship and more like a good friendship with hints of attraction which suits the Doctor and his companion much better. The ‘snogbox’ is a good name for the TARDIS though.

As it is a big old series starter featuring the proper introduction of a extremely enigmatic character it’s not too surprising that there’s a fair bit of mystery and unanswered questions that we'll have to ponder over for the next few weeks. Just why is the Doctor in a 13^th century monastery at the beginning – and surely there’s a wider significance to those bells? There’s several more sprinkled through the episode – some more obvious than others. How does Clara have the Doctor’s number? What is that ‘client’ up to? And just why can’t Clara compute the number 23 (watch the episode again if you missed this the first time)?

With all this plus Celia Imrie as the scheming Miss Kizlit; a classic Who villainess, echoes of Sherlock in the direction and that wonderful blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Pond Easter egg there’s much to love here. Though the climax does feel a little rushed Moffat is at the top of his game here delivering a fresh new start to the show but retaining that uniquely Doctor Who feel. A fantastic start to the biggest year yet of Doctor Who! 

 NEWS: DAVID TENNANT AND BILLIE PIPER TO APPEAR IN FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY!

It is official! The Tenth Doctor and Rose are set to feature in the 90 minute anniversary special episode to be shown on the 23rd November, the show's fiftieth birthday. It's great news for fans as it leaves the door open for other previous Doctors and companions to return. As for these two, it might be tempting to visit their character after we last saw them; Rose trapped in the parallel world with a duplicate Doctor, but I think it might be more fun if we got to see the Series Two versions of them, still hurtling round the universe. But who knows what Moffat's got up his sleeve...
Also, it has been confirmed that respected British actor John Hurt (the wandmaker Ollivander in Harry Potter, the voice of the dragon in Merlin etcetera) is to appear in the special too. I'm already theorising that he's going to be some sort of future Doctor. Well, we'll see how I did in my predictions in a few months' time. Until then tune into 'The Rings of Akhaten' by Neil Cross this Saturday on BBC One/ BBC America!

Review: Doctor Who - S7 Ep 2-4

In preparation for the mid-season finale this Saturday, Steven Moffat's sure-to-be grand 'The Angels Take Manhattan', I've reviewed the three previous episodes in this terrific mini-series of Doctor Who. If I have one major complaint, it's that there are not enough; just five featuring the Ponds and the annual Christmas special in which Jenna-Louise Coleman making her first appearance as the Doctor's companion proper. However, this all should mean we can look forward to a bumper crop of episodes next year, the show's fiftieth anniversary. But enough of the future, let's look to the adventures we've just seen...

                                     Dinosaurs On A Spaceship

After 'Asylum...’s dark opener, ‘Dinosaurs on a Spaceship’ decides to focus on fun and frivolity – and makes completely the right choice as it certainly is fun. With the title such as it is, how could it not be? You can easily imagine many internally – or perhaps externally, also – squealing upon seeing those words in the opening credits, feeling eight years old again. 

As DOAS is such an ensemble piece its success relies largely on its cast to bring the premise of the Doctor having a gang to life. Thankfully, they’re all rather brilliant. Rupert Graves (Riddell) and Rian Steele (‘Neffy’) give entertaining turns as their respective characters while playing the viscous bounty hunter/space pirate/ murderer Solomon comes easily to David Bradley. However, it’s Mark Williams who shines the most of the guest cast as Rory’s hapless dad, Brian. As in all his roles, Mr Williams makes, er, Mr Williams endearing and you feel you’re not laughing at him but with him.  

On the other hand, while the cast gave it their all, this reviewer felt the script wasn’t quite as refined as usual Who. Personally, not all of the gags worked (perhaps one to many innuendos?) and, although this can be forgiven as there was so much to fit in, the characterisation of Riddell and Neffy was sketchy.  That said, there were some fine moments such as the foreshadowing of Amy and Rory’s exit from the Doctor’s life in that ‘you’ll be there till the end of me’ conversation and that wonderful final scene of Brian eating his lunch while looking at the Earth below; exactly the stuff that’s Doctor Who’s made of.

              

                                    A Town Called Mercy

While the previous two episodes were dark and twisty-turny or fun and joke-filled, Mercy takes another entirely different direction; it’s a full-blooded western full of death, inner demons and morality. Once again showing the dexterity of Doctor Who. It’s safe to say that no other show on television could tell three such diverse stories in three weeks.

Speaking of westerns, writer Toby Whithouse proves he really knows the genre as he packs in several references to classic western films; from the obvious to the sly (I’m sure the undertaker sequences are inspired by a similar joke in comedy film Carry on Cowboy). If westerns aren’t for you, though, there is much else to enjoy here.  It britstles with wonderful drama that never lets up throughout the forty-five minutes including the parallels between Jex and the Doctor and the Frankenstein-like origins of the Gunslinger. Whithouse also injects a lot of hilarious moments too, especially in the episode’s first half; special mention goes to the ‘she’s called Susan’ gag which should go down as one of Doctor Who’s funniest ever lines.

While the episode is hugely enjoyable it has its faults. My biggest bone to pick with ATCM is how it sadly underuses Amy and Rory; although there’s a great scene where Jex sees Amy as a mother and she is instrumental in brining the Doctor back from over the brink she gets little else to do and Arthur Darvill (as Rory) surely only gets three lines in the entire thing. Seeing as our time with these characters is very limited it would have been nice to see some more of them.

However, as it stands A Town Called Mercy is a sophisticated drama that leaves you lots to think about with some spot-on comedy moments. Also, in contrast to the previous two stories, it’s not afraid to let the action simmer a bit more to tell a perhaps deeper story. While others might not benefit from a slower pace, it certainly works here.

                                         The Power of Three

As the Pond Farwell is just next week, their penultimate adventure needed to be something special, a last hurrah for them before the last day arrives. ‘The Power of Three’ was, of course, something special; a gentle, touching but also very funny episode that is rightly all about our terrific trio of time travellers.

The true strength of this episode is how Chibnall turns up the nostalgia and emotion all the way. The best examples here are of that tremendous scene of the Doctor and Amy talking by the waterside, answering the question perhaps some of us have been wondering this year: ‘why does the Doctor keep coming back for the Ponds?’ Another moment comes courtesy of Brian (oh, why wasn’t Mark Williams’ introduced earlier!) who gives his blessing for his son and daughter-in-law to go off into the universe. On the nostalgic side of things, as a fan, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into. The inclusion of UNIT in any form would have been exciting enough but for it to be led by the legendary Brigadier’s daughter, Kate, adds another level of geek mouth-watering to proceedings. I’m sure many are wishing for a return.

However, while the human side of things is very well done indeed there are problems with the plot. The fab idea of the cubes, that acts as a nice commentary on humanity’s tendency to scavenge,  is used well in the opening half a but when everything suddenly kicks off in the closing minutes it takes no time at all for it to then be sorted out.  The Shakri look great if a little like a Sarah Jane Adventures alien but are/is underused. And what are those gasmask-esque hospital porters about?

Crucially though, despite the nit-picks, this episode flourishes as it shines a new light on the Pond’s relationship with the Doctor and his with them. It’s only fitting that this happened this week right before ‘The Angels Take Manhattan’, when the TARDIS lands in New York, and that light will be extinguished forever.  

Doctor Who: Asylum of the Daleks - Review

Hello there! Yes, I know I'm a bit behind the times, what with Doctor Who's seventh series opener being broadcast three weeks ago, but due to time constraints a review of the episode had to wait til now - and by time constraints I mean I've spent most of my time since Asylum jumping like a five-year old and shouting 'Who's back!' I really need to learn to prioritise my tasks.

                  Geronimo! Just like previous Moffat openers, Series Seven started with a bang!


'Every. Dalek. Ever!'

That was what the viewing public was promised to get from this episode. And, thanks to prequel mini-series Pond Life and a teaser tweet from Steven Moffat, we were also told to expect the break-up of Dear Pond One and Two's marriage. These were the two hooks for the episode. And, boy, were they good hooks. Enough to get any Who fan salivating at the thought of seeing the Special Weapons Dalek again (what may seem inconsequential to a casual viewer can mean the world to a Doctor Who fan) or any Pond-lovers sobbing and curious to see how Amy and Rory's 2000 year old relationship could possibly be ending. So we all sat down to watch with high expectations which the first five minutes or so definitely reached. Skaro! Dalek-Human Puppets!  Amy and Rory not speaking to each other (I can't put an exclamation mark here, it's too sad). And the Dalek's best line ever 'ROR-Y WILL-IAMS IS RE-QUIRED!'

And then Jenna Louise Coleman showed up. And millions of jaws hit the floor.

Yes, this review has to focus on Jenna as it clearly is her episode. Stuff the Daleks, apologies Amy and Rory, but most of the running time is swallowed up by the sexy, hilarious, genius, heart-breakingly sad character of Oswin Oswald whom will have many theories about her appearing on fan forums till Christmas. Coleman plays the part superbly and lifts the character from Moffat stock feisty woman to something more believable. Of course, if Oswin is to be Jenna's regular part she will need to be fleshed out considerably more but for now she worked completely and more than whetted our appetite.

However, the focus on Oswin sadly meant the show's current companions were shunned slightly, which is a great shame as this episode concerned a major point in their relationship. Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill are as ever excellent in their roles and there's that wonderful scene in the Asylum where we get the reason for their separation but overall the story of their near-divorce is reduced to its basics. In my books, more Amy and Rory is always a good thing so its sad to see them pushed to the side but I see that for the good of the other elements of the story it had to be done.

Speaking of other elements, I think its time to cover this episode's titular stars. As with many other episodes of the Moffat era, despite the showy title, Asylum of the Daleks is really about its main characters than those mad, bad pepper pots. Having said that, there is a lot of all-new Dalek stuff to wallow in. The Parliament of the Daleks, for one,  is a wonderful idea. The scene there at the beginning deftly shows the animosity that the Doctor and the Daleks have for each other which is then wonderfully switched at the climax when the Doctor gets to laugh in their faces as they have no idea who he is. The Daleks' completely forgetting their great enemy is a bold and exciting move from Moffat, cunningly linking in the 'Doctor Who?' running theme which will be intriguing to see unfold.

Overall, Asylum of the Daleks is an absolute cracker of an episode. Brimming with brilliant ideas, its also important to give credit to the flawless direction of Nick Hurran who really gives the episode the giddying spectacle and 'Mini-Movie' feel it's going for. It would be unwise to expect such a cinematic episode of Doctor Who every week but this one, with its inclusion of Who's best aliens, strong characters and featuring the most well-kept secret Doctor Who has ever had and likely ever will have, it was a blast. Egg- egg-egg -excellent, you might say.

     The Daleks retreat into the snow as they see what's up next: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship!