Flux: Village of the Angels

"The Angel has the TARDIS."

Writers: Chris Chibnall & Maxine Alderton

Format: TV

Broadcast: 21 November 2021

Series: 13.04

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Dan

Synopsis

Devon, November 1967. A little girl has gone missing. Professor Eustacius Jericho is conducting psychic experiments. And in the village graveyard, there is one gravestone too many. Who is Medderton known as "The Cursed Village"? And what do the Weeping Angels want?

Verdict

Village of the Angels was an excellent episode to continue the Flux thirteenth series of Doctor Who! I thought this was a hugely impressive episode and a welcomed return of the Weeping Angels in a full story for the first time on television in over nine years. Following on from another outstanding cliffhanger at the end of Once, Upon Time, I thought the resolution was slightly naff with the Doctor utilising the TARDIS systems to eject a quantum life form, but the directing for those scenes with the Angel controlling the TARDIS and coming towards the trio of the Doctor, Yaz and Ryan was outstanding. It was a tremendous use of the Angels and watching this one with Gemma, that was constant throughout as she jumped on more than one occasion much to my amusement. Getting a full introduction to Claire was good and I liked how there was a similar feel to Hide with her getting mind readings before she became possessed by the voice of a Weeping Angel. That was right out of a horror film in wonderful fashion. I think the concept of the image of an Angel can become an Angel has been taken a little too far in some previous episodes, and this was also the case here with the drawing in the fire that the Doctor ripped up putting itself back together again, but the idea of Claire having a premonition of the future and seeing an Angel, and that image embedding itself in Claire's mind was brilliant. I was really impressed with the originality and the Doctor going inside her mind to talk with the rogue Angel was fantastic. I thought the moment where it was revealed that the Division had enlisted Weeping Angels was incredible and the look on the Doctor's face spoke volumes. It was a tremendous scene. The idea of an extraction squad of Angels coming to get the rogue one was marvellous and the way that shifted at the end was sublime. I thought the cliffhanger was absolutely outstanding and honestly right up there with the best the show has ever delivered. The transformation of the Doctor into a Weeping Angel was sensational and the very idea of the Doctor being recalled to the Division sets us up for a very exciting next two episodes. Jericho was a very fun character to compliment the Doctor and Claire and his fascination with the unknown and the mind was great stuff. I loved how he used his power of observation over the Weeping Angels when they demeaned him in a big way. He showed good courage and I look forward to him continuing to feature for the rest of Flux. The story of Peggy and how she was in 1901 and turning out to be Mrs Hayward as her future self in 1967 was superb. That was a twist I didn't see coming. The whole extraction of time element was very good and provided some good cinematography. The escape through the tunnels and the walls containing Angels was fun and scary, but again perhaps taking the whole image of an Angel element slightly too far. As a whole though, that's a very minor criticism for what was a fantastic episode! The elements of Bel and Vinder seemed slightly misplaced in this episode, along with the mid-closing credits sequence, but I'm intrigued to see where things go from here as they search for each other. Overall though, an excellent episode! 

Rating: 9/10