Doctor Who The Angels Take Manhattan S7E5 ::Spoilers::

After my mad dash to review every episode of series 7 in 6 hours last week I needed a bit of downtime. Looking back it was unnecessary because the theory and reason for the rush hasn't been proven, yet if it will at all. See my Pond Life review for why I felt the need to get the reviews out before The Angels Take Manhattan. It was a terrible idea as my writing just got consistently worse in each review. By the time I got to A Town Called Mercy it was clear I was burnt out. I will not be doing that again. But, enough about my lackluster writing, onto The Angels Take Manhattan.

The Bad

I will start with what I view as the only serious negative aspect of this episode, which wasn't really part of the episode itself and that is, of course, the telegraphing of the good-bye. I understand that it would have been hard to keep the fact that the Ponds were leaving under wraps but, I wish they hadn't over-advertised it like they did. They kept telling us they were leaving, not just on the internet where you had to be on the look out for it, it was in the trailers and they kept hyping the heartbreak. Before/during the episode on BBC America, we had Matt Smith telling us that if we didn't have a lump in our throats by the end, we might be aliens.

In the grand scheme of things I sobbed but, knowing the outcome dramatically reduced the butterflies in the tummy effect of the emotional roller coaster the episode seemed to want us to ride. You know, "phew! They made it. ::ten seconds later:: Oh no! Rory!!!" If we didn't know or if it had just been a rumor on the internet rather than the focal point of all official promotions for the season, the impact would have been far greater.

The Opening, Overall Feel and Music

I loved the style of this episode and of course it was beautifully shot which I've come to expect since The Eleventh Hour (I know they started shooting in HD with Planet of the Dead but, I don't think the style and quality really popped off the screen at me during the Tennant specials). I enjoyed the music, Murray Gold seems to take a lot of crap from people but, I love him. The opening scene was great and of course it just got better once we had a better understanding of why Grayle sent Garner there or why the Angels had taken over Winter Quay. The creepy vibe of this episode was mostly attributed to the Angels and I'll talk about them in a little while but, first, can I please mention the people in the windows? More specifically, that little girl covering and uncovering her eyes. Little kids sure are scary. Of course not my children, except when you wake them up, then they kind of look like demon children.

The Weeping Angels

The Weeping Angels' mythology was broadened in The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone which makes sense. Blink was a Doctor light episode and he just didn't have enough screen time to divulge everything there is to know about them. No, I'm not complaining about one of the best episodes ever just making my case for the changes we saw in season 5. I understand why they brought them back with a new twist. All that being said, I was happy to see them back to their tricks. Of course there was much more to it than not blinking. The battery farm idea for instance was very smart and I know people will have logical issues with it but, as the Second Doctor once said, "Logic, my dear Zoe, merely enables one to be wrong with authority." I like that they are that powerful and intelligent. Intelligent enemies are great. They were definitely creepy. The Angel smirking for instance. Ooh that was good. I liked the fact that they could take over other statues because the cherubs and that statue of the mother and son were incredibly creepy. This brings me to the Statue of Liberty. I pinned this image about 5 or 6 months ago, it was a cleverish concept...

I had no idea that it would actually happen until about a month ago when a friend sent me a link to this article on blastr.com. I understand that they couldn't resist. The story's set in New York after all. It didn't really bug me but, it wasn't a high point either.

The Book

As a big fan of The Neverending Story, I loved the book. I also saw it as a sort of call back to Blink and I loved it. The new rule added because of the book is interesting, you know, once you've read it it has to happen. I can see how some fans may find it suspect but, it didn't bother me. I think it is good for time travel to have limitations. If you didn't the Doctor could just go back to an earlier point and fix everything and there would be very little conflict and the triumphs of intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism wouldn't feel nearly as good. 

They've made an e-book prequel, (not a recap), to The Angels Take Manhattan

starring Melody Malone. It costs $2.99 and you can get it for Kindle here.

I really enjoyed the fact that the Doctor had the hots for a fictional character in a book (and yes Rory, that is entirely possible) who he later found out was his wife.

River & The Doctor

This brings me to River & the Doctor. I know not all people are jazzed about the Doctor having a libido but, I think it is handled quite well. It isn't overt. They aren't having intense make out sessions in the TARDIS. It was really cute that he checked himself in the mirror before seeing her. Cat from the Mostly Harmless Cutaway podcast mentioned that moment when she's being held by the Angel and he checks her out and then comes up behind her. It was pretty, suave. Much less awkward than normal but, subtle. Not exactly Captain Jack level of inappropriateness. As far as River goes, the fact that she is Professor Song now is an indication that her time is coming to an end and I will definitely be sad to see her go. I like how her character is developing.

River and Amy

River and Amy shared some heartfelt moments and I definitely loved Amy sticking up for her daughter after the Doctor embarrassed her (another call back!). They seemed closer in this episode and when she called her Melody at the end and told her to be a good girl, which you know will never happen, it was really touching. I think it must be hard to overcome the fact that you didn't get to raise your child, hear them say their first word or watch them take their first steps and that along with the fact that the child is a self proclaimed psychopath and was your childhood best friend must make it difficult to form a strong mother/daughter bond. I hope in River's final moments we learn that their relationship had evolved further than we've seen. The Ponds have spent a lot of time away from the TARDIS we do know that River visits them.

The Ponds

I've liked the evolution of the Ponds' marriage. We've known all along that he completely loves her and we've known since Amy's Choice that she truly loves him but, they just seem so much more like a married couple this series and I think it's endearing. Of course they didn't have a heck of a lot of chance to just be a normal married couple in series 6 and although their professing of love to one another in extreme circumstances was powerful and great, as in The Girl Who Waited, I feel like simple things like Amy giving Rory and hug and a kiss while he's doing the dishes is just as powerful because it feels real and is much more relatable.

The ledge scene was beautifully done and I had no doubt she'd jump with him, not just because they showed them falling together in the trailer but, because she has taken that chance before. In Amy's choice, she killed herself and the Doctor. Of course there was a 50/50 chance that she would have survived but, she was willing to take that chance because she couldn't bear to live without him. I feel like they both acted incredibly well in that scene.

I've enjoyed watching Karen and Arthur from the beginning and watching them grow as actors along with their characters has been fulfilling. If you recall their first "passionate" kiss was in The Vampires of Venice after we saw the first real glimpse of brave Rory. Of course he just looked a bit silly and Amy ended up saving him but, give him a break it was his first trip in the TARDIS. Back to the point. Arthur and Karen's first kiss was pretty awkward and too fast and pecky and just weird. They didn’t seem like a couple in love and of course their characters had their issues at the time but, I think it could be more attributed to the actors getting to know each other better and over the years they just seem so much more comfortable in their roles and I just love watching them together.

Speaking of Karen, that woman is an incredible actress. Just watch 3 minutes this video and I dare you to tell me otherwise:

All Star Bowling - team Nerdist vs. team Doctor Who

My daughter pointed this out to me after we watched that and she is right. Karen Gillan is obviously gorgeous but, man she is one awkward and goofy individual. For her to be able to become Amy Pond who is so confident and poised...just give the woman an Oscar.

I know they don’t give Oscars to television actresses. Let me provide you with the definition of hyperbole from Merriam-Webster: extravagant exaggeration (as “mile-high ice-cream cones”).

Amy and The Doctor

I know he has lost, left behind or said good-bye to many a companion in his day but, the Doctor is so connected, emotionally to the whole Pond/Williams family and, especially Amy. She's his best friend and his mother-in-law. He was there with her as a child and he has watched her grow into the awesome woman she has become along the journey. I did think it was a tad bit selfish to beg her to stay when he knew that getting taken by that Angel was her best shot at finding Rory but, he knew she would go, as I've already stated, the woman has chosen death over the possibility of a life without her husband twice now. Maybe he just needed to express what he was feeling. You know like inviting that cousin from LA to your wedding in Massachusetts, you know they aren't going to come but, you want to express how much you would love them to be there. Scratch that! It's nothing like that. Those invites, even whether you mean it or not, are necessary. You don't want to alienate your LA cousin, especially if you want to catch the Paul F. Tompkins show or Doug Loves Movies live one day but, you don't want to pay for a hotel room. Did I mention in my Intro post that I ramble?
 

Long story short, I liked this episode and I am sad to see them go. I am equally if not more sad to see New Doctor Who go until Christmas. Christmas is so far away. I am so excited to find out how Jenna Louise Coleman becomes a companion. I mean, you can't just stop being a dalek so, is she Oswin at an earlier point in her life or is she a relative of Oswin or does Moffat have some really crazy trick up his sleeve? After this amazing start to series 7, all I have to say is, in Moff we trust.

Oh, last bit, can that next time teaser even be considered a tease? Really?