The Wedding of River Song

"What's so dangerous about my future?"

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 1 October 2011

Series: 6.13

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

As the Doctor prepares for his death at the hands of an impossible astronaut, something goes wrong. All of history is happening at once and the Doctor is still alive. Will the universe survive?

Verdict

The Wedding of River Song was an excellent episode to conclude what has been an eventful Series 6 on the modern era rewatch! I must admit that after five series of a two-part finale, this one has a sense of almost being sprung upon us despite the brief departures of Amy and Rory in The God Complex and then the Doctor preparing for his death and obtaining the TARDIS blue envelopes during the events of Closing Time. It does seem a little strange to start with time having already gone wrong and corrupted before we see that time is in fact changed by the Doctor not actually dying at Lake Silencio. River Song is so strong to defy the fixed event and the astronaut suit that she actually chooses not to kill the Doctor. That's wonderful and I love how far she has come as a character to fight her upbringing. I still think it's so sad for Amy and Rory to not get to raise their child in a traditional manner, but they have to be proud! I think all of history happening at once is fun and the concept of William Churchill as Caesar is hilarious. It's great to see him back after Victory of the Daleks and even getting a cameo from Charles Dickens promoting his latest works of A Christmas Carol is wonderful. It's been a long time since The Unquiet Dead so it's great to get the same actor back. The eye patch worn by Madame Kovarian turns out to not be a design choice which I think is brilliant as the Silence return in full force. The eye patch allows the wearer to retain the memory of them which is very good. Amy and Rory are not the same characters we know all along here, especially the latter, as timelines conflict. Amy remembers two versions of history rather distinctly which I do find odd considering Rory was there with her at Lake Silencio during the events of The Impossible Astronaut. But here she doesn't know him so the story of them eventually reaching a point to go for a drink was superb. Amy was fully in control as always! The development of Amy being referred to as Amy Williams was actually really lovely too. A nice sense of maturity into the relationship. I'm not sure if it's hindsight and having watched the episode play out on a few occasions, but the 'previously on' containing a lot of Let's Kill Hitler really does make the resolution predictable with the Teselecta taking the place of the Doctor. It's really entertaining to watch unfold though and Dorium featuring just as a head and his gag about his injuries were terrific. I also loved his reaction to the Doctor dropping him off. A whole new world of the show is set forward here as the question of Doctor Who has never meant more. The oldest question that must never be answered. Setting forward the likes of Trenzalore is excellent and I like the cheeky look from the Doctor at the end as he knows he's won and survived a fixed point in time. River coming from the events of The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone to tell her mother that the Doctor lies was wonderful. Amy was delighted to know that her raggedy man had in fact survived. Some of the settings here are brilliant and going beneath the Pyramids and having the Silence encased in water cases was a sensational image. They were playing the waiting game though. The Doctor bringing down the religious sector by simply surviving and Kovarian being taken out was great stuff. After a really story arc heavy first half of the series, this serves as a fitting finale. It's almost like a part three but with ten episodes in between! 

Rating: 9/10