Series 5, Episode 4 - "The Time of Angels"

K-9

Harmsden wrote: »

I like how the start of the episode is a continuation from last week's episode. Time has been altered and the Doctor visits a future museum to find out how much has been changed and how much is 'wrong'.

That's the impression I got from watching it again on BBC3. Wonder will we get more Daleks in this series?

Very little wrong with this one, though the James Bond beginning was just ok.

Anyone think there is much to River saying, in reference to being taught how to fly the TARDIS, that she was taught by the best but it was a pity the Doctor wasn't available that day?

Killer_banana

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone think there is much to River saying, in reference to being taught how to fly the TARDIS, that she was taught by the best but it was a pity the Doctor wasn't available that day?

God didn't even think about that! I think with River it's very important to listen to everything she says. After all she is from the future so it's very easy to slip in snippets of things to come. The Byzanthium crashing was mentioned in Silence in the Library after all.

As for who she is, on Confidential Moffat spent a lot of time basically saying 'yeah she's the wife' before going 'or maybe she's not, maybe she's something far darker.' It could be purposeful misdirection but I got the impression he just suddenly remembered we're not meant to know and back tracked. So yeah, I still think she's the wife. The heavy handed hints could just be that, heavy handed hints.

Wreck

Really good episode, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wreck

Also Mike Skinner cameo at the start was cool!

Killer_banana

Wreck wrote: »

Also Mike Skinner cameo at the start was cool!

I dunno why but this genuinely surprised me. Spent the first few minutes not wondering about his blank expression or the lipstick imprint but instead thinkng, 'Mike Skinner?! Is it? It is! Wtf is Mike skinner doing in Doctor who?'

pixelburp

Btw, I dunno if anyone else has noticed this, but it seems to me that so far in this series we have seen a distinct reduction in use of the Sonic Screwdriver: it's use has been very limited, and in this story in particular, it was pretty much useless when the Doctor tried to use it. Thank goodness for small mercies I say

Chrussell2

I am really starting to like Matt Smith as the doctor. I think the first few episodes weren't great but saturdays was fantastic and Matt is really starting to make himself felt with his slightly bonkers doctor. I'm also really liking Amy Pond! When the doctor started with his "it didn't make the noise part" and when Amy said "Has someone got their grumpy face on" were definate highlights!

The Recliner

Liked this episode

Loved the creepyness of The Angel in the trailer and in the cave

fingers crossed the next episode keeps it up but the trailer looked good

jasonb

Definitely an improvment on last week. Being a two parter helped a lot as it wasn't so rushed.

Like others, I loved the Doctor making the Tardis noise, that was very 'Doctor-like'. Cool interplay between the three leads as well, nice to see Amy not go down the 'jealous' route like other companions, and instead just enjoy taking a few pot-shots at the Doctor's discomfort.

Really can't decide why the writers have gone out of their way to reference a different movie in each episode. We had 'Star Wars' in The Beast Below, 'Where Eagles Dare' in Victory Of The Daleks and now 'Aliens' in The Time Of Angels. We even had a character called Bishop! I don't know their reason for doing this, but it's getting to the stage now where I'm waiting to see what the 'movie of the week' will be...

Looking at the clips for next week's episode, it's good to see that they're finally spotting the cracks. Hopefully that'll stop the 'oh so unsubtle' references in the episodes...

J.

Harmsden

Very happy about the lack of screwdriver action. Davies relied on it a bit too much during his reign.

Also, River's mention of someone else teaching her the TARDIS controls means either the return of the Master (I'll be interested in seeing what Moffat does with the character) or the return of the Doctor's Daughter. It was Moffat who wanted her brought back to life originally and a conversation between the Doctor and Pond in The Beast Below kind of foreshadows it.

As for who River is, it's anyone's guess at this point, though there's a definite nod to a sexual relationship in Forest of the Dead so we can rule out her being a future version of him or being his daughter.

"Why do you own a pair of hand-cuffs?"

"Spoilers."

pixelburp

Harmsden wrote: »

Also, River's mention of someone else teaching her the TARDIS controls means either the return of the Master

Or ... more likely, River was just having a wee tease & taking the Doctor's ego down a few notches

Penn

I really don't think that River is a future version of The Doctor for the simple reason that we watched her die. And if they ever did decide to cancel Doctor Who for good, they'd have to have at least one series with Alex Kingston playing the Doctor, by which point she'll have aged several years, and that would be a terrible ending for such an iconic character.

ixoy

Harmsden wrote: »

Very happy about the lack of screwdriver action. Davies relied on it a bit too much during his reign.

Make that way too much. It was an extremely irritating and very lazy plot device. Rather than have the Doctor try to puzzle out something, or have a logical answer to a dilemna, the scripts just had him point'n'click. It was often just insulting - not just from a science perspective but from a stroy-telling one.
The original show, wisely, made the decision to burn it in the Fire of London when they realised it was a cop out. At least now it's being used more appropriately.

It was Moffat who wanted her brought back to life originally and a conversation between the Doctor and Pond in The Beast Below kind of foreshadows it.

Ugh, did he say that? I'm with Aidan above - I wanted to see her plunge into the sun. I disliked everything about that plot.

As for who River is, it's anyone's guess at this point, though there's a definite nod to a sexual relationship in Forest of the Dead so we can rule out her being a future version of him or being his daughter.

I'm not a fan of the Doctor and romance but this is one scenario I could actualy like. The other love interests were not on a par with the Doctor but she seems to have the worldy experience to be his equal - intellectually and emotionally.
The problem with the Rose romance (well one of the many problems) was that she was 1000 years his junior. That was never properly portrayed and should have been as it would have been dramatically interesting. Although I suppose the Doctor would have been the universe's dirty old man in that case. I mean essentially Rose wanted to shag a much older version of William Hartnell...

Stark

paddyirishman85 wrote:

I really don't think that River is a future version of The Doctor for the simple reason that we watched her die. And if they ever did decide to cancel Doctor Who for good, they'd have to have at least one series with Alex Kingston playing the Doctor, by which point she'll have aged several years, and that would be a terrible ending for such an iconic character.

Besides which, we already know that Donna Noble and Billie Piper are future versions of the Doctor so that's the 12th and 13th incarnations used up :rolleyes:

Harmsden

Besides which, we already know that Donna Noble and Billie Piper are future versions of the Doctor so that's the 12th and 13th incarnations used up

Bwah?

Stark

The same "companion=future Doctor" fankwankery was going on during Rose's term and Donna's term.

Stark

Stark wrote: »

Besides which, we already know that Donna Noble and Billie Piper are future versions of the Doctor so that's the 12th and 13th incarnations used up :rolleyes:

What??? Linkage?

Stark

Btw, I hope we never have to see River Song dressed up as sexy mutton again. Was such a relief to see her put on normal clothes. No wonder the Doctor seemed a little creeped out at the thought of marrying her in the future.

Harmsden

Ah. If they wanted to play those kinds of games they should have a comanion who turns out to be the Master.

bigdaddyliamo

Now that was was a hide behind the sofa episode! I loved the pacing and the way the tension was built. It fairly scared the s*ite out of my kids, so much so that we had to watch confidential to see the make up!...The River storyline is interesting, being a wife does seem a bit too one dimensional for moffett, considering the conversation the Bishop had with her when she mentioned

not wanting to go back to prison

...Saturday seems very far away!!:(

norrie rugger

River could be Amy for all we know lads

Also Starring LeVar Burton

norrie rugger wrote: »

River could be Amy for all we know lads

This thought actually ran through my head at one point during the episode... It would be interesting if that were the case...

K-9

CaptainNegative wrote: »

This thought actually ran through my head at one point during the episode... It would be interesting if that were the case...

Maybe she's The Master?

bigdaddyliamo

norrie rugger wrote: »

River could be Amy for all we know lads

Hmmmm....That would involve some serious Gingerectomy, not to mention the dejockification of her voice!!:D

Ginny

bigdaddyliamo wrote: »

Hmmmm....That would involve some serious Gingerectomy, not to mention the dejockification of her voice!!:D

But River is ginger, as for the voice no doubt it will be explained that she's travelled the galaxies for years and lost her accent...:D

VicNoir

Just want to repeat many of the comments already made:

River Song's return is exciting
Still enjoying new Doctor and Amy
Weeping Angels still scary

I think The Weeping Angels are probably the most important villains to be introduced in the new series, in that I think they have lasting power. They are certainly the most interesting and terrifying villains to be introduced since the restart.

Loved the 'oh crap, none of the statues have two heads!' moment.

norrie rugger

bigdaddyliamo wrote: »

Hmmmm....That would involve some serious Gingerectomy, not to mention the dejockification of her voice!!:D

River is a ginger and that is what hair dye does for ya

I just think it would be a cool one

iUseVi

norrie rugger wrote: »

River is a ginger and that is what hair dye does for ya

I just think it would be a cool one

It would be cool but it seems unlikely, they would have cast more similar looking people surely no?

norrie rugger

iUseVi wrote: »

It would be cool but it seems unlikely, they would have cast more similar looking people surely no?

Ah this is just me coming straight off the wall

iUseVi

norrie rugger wrote: »

Ah this is just me coming straight off the wall

In theory I like the idea! Or, what about this; she's the child of the Doc and River. Hmm nah that's just silly!

aidan_walsh

I can't see these discussions ever having been had about Jo, Sarah-Jane or Tegan somehow.

I hope she's just someone he encountered.

iUseVi

aidan_walsh wrote: »

I hope she's just someone he encountered.

And of course that is the most likely situation. But ain't it fun to jazz it up a little. The problem with integrating an assistant into the lore is that they will basically become a permanent feature, at least for a good stretch of time, and I'm not sure the writers would want to do that. Swapping assistants/doctors is what keeps it fresh and we already have the third wheel with River Song. If that made any sense at all. I need sleep so probably not.