A Good Man Goes to War

"The Doctor is trying to make fools of us."

Writer: Steven Moffat 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 04 June 2011

Series: 6.07

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis

As the conflict between the miners and their Gangers escalates, the Doctor has to deal with Amy's distrust of his Ganger, while Rory still tries to help the ever increasingly mysterious Jennifer...

Verdict

 A Good Man Goes to War was a sensational episode to conclude the first half of Series 6 on this modern era rewatch! I really do think this is an outstanding mid-season finale and it has all the hallmarks of a usual series closer but then ends what is an incredible cliffhanger. I feel like it is at this point in the modern era that I haven't rewatched the episodes much at all and that excites me moving forward, but I was instantly taken back to my feelings on broadcast in 2011 when the identity of River Song was revealed. It's a fun tease earlier in the episode when the Doctor and Rory are gathering their army to go and get Amy that River has to decline the invitation. She knows all about the Battle of Demon's Run and how the Doctor falls after rising higher than ever before. It's the day he finds out who she is and that is so exciting! It's not exactly the answer we were expecting or perhaps even hoping for in regards to her relationship with the Doctor, but it's such a big moment. The way it happens with Lorna providing Amy with a sewn garment baring Melody's name in the language of her people is quite beautiful. It's so nice that it ties in with the Doctor's cot which looked spectacular. Amy recognising the Doctor's first stars and the Gallifreyan writing failing to translate was just tremendous. I thought Rory was a lot of fun in the episode and it's nice to know that he soon turned serious after The Almost People cliffhanger where his wife was found to be a Flesh avatar. His seriousness with the Cyber legion and the message of destruction from the Doctor was a superb combination. I thought the idea of the Doctor assembling an army was terrific and the introduction to the likes of Vastra, Jenny and Strax in particular is fascinating. They're a far cry from the Paternoster Gang we will come to know over the next couple of series, and seeing Strax in traditional Sontaran attire just feels wrong! I love that he's a nurse and the Sontarans having to care for the weak being a punishment created by the Doctor just feels correct. The Headless Monks and the entire Church coming together in a quest to show that the Doctor was just one man was incredible, and the build to the Doctor being there impersonating a Monk was excellently predictable. Amy having the faith in her boys of coming to get her was magnificent and I was impressed with how she looked as the toil of birth and having her child taken away and weaponised is clearly shown. The moment Kovarian has the upper hand by simply commenting that the Doctor must think he has won made her a strong villain and I loved the way she fooled them again with Melody being a flesh avatar. That was an incredible moment as after everything they took the baby anyway. Vastra pondering on Melody's DNA was very intriguing and the way the Doctor realised she was conceived in the TARDIS within the Vortex on the wedding night of Amy and Rory after the events of The Big Bang was just hilarious. Matt Smith was on top form with River in particular as he was so angry she hadn't shown up but then turned into a child when he found out who she was. The tease from Idris in The Doctor's Wife came to fruition as the only water in the forest was the river. Melody Pond would become River Song. She was the daughter of Amy and Rory. What a cliffhanger to send us into the second half of the series! Overall, a sublime episode.

Rating: 10/10