A Town Called Mercy

"Make peace with your gods."

Writer: Toby Whithouse

Format: TV

Broadcast: 15 September 2012

Series: 7.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor gets a Stetson and a gun, and finds himself the reluctant sheriff of a Western town under siege by a relentless cyborg, who goes by the name of the Gunslinger. Who is he, and what does he want? The answer seems to lie with the mysterious Kahler-Jex, an alien doctor whose initial appearance is hiding a dark secret.

Verdict

A Town Called Mercy was a pretty average episode of Doctor Who as we continue our rewatch of the modern era! Well, it's been a decade since I last watched this particular adventure and unfortunately I cans safely say that it has gone way down in my estimation. I was not a huge fan which is a shame and whilst there were some good bits as my (generous) rating reflects, this now ranks as my least favourite Eleventh Doctor story. I've long claimed this to be Night Terrors, but this absolutely takes it. I'm not a big fan of the Wild West setting in the first place and that's a big reason as to why I usually consider The Gunfighters as my all time least favourite televised adventure. It just doesn't work for me and I don't really see the appeal. I did though think the Doctor's arrival into the saloon and the humour he had with the toothpick was magnificent. That was so perfect of this incarnation and his interaction with everyone and everything was undoubtedly the story's highlight for me. I thought some of the directing was also a little questionable which is not something I usually pick up on, or am not usually at least bothered by, but it was very jumpy on numerous occasions. I think the design behind Kahler-Tek is actually pretty good and he undoubtedly looks imposing and impressive, but it feels a bit of a let down that he's not actually the villain of the piece. Sure, he's a killer but it's not exactly his fault. That all goes down to Kahler-Jex who was not a cyborg and just an ordinary doctor on the Kahler world. I am not sure if it's because the actor played Pete in Gavin & Stacey but I just couldn't buy him as the true enemy. The Doctor's reaction when he sees the truth of his part in the war inside his ship is brilliant when confronting him, but it doesn't seem right that he would just send him off to the Gunslinger's hands to perish. Amy wasn't having that and knew they needed to be better. She was decent here and I liked that she was considered the Deputy Sheriff once the Doctor was installed following Isaac's death. Rory on the other hand may as well have stayed in the TARDIS. He offered very little which is a big shame. He could have been much more utilised here. Isaac being on the side of Tek because of his medical aid and provision of electricity was great but I was surprised he took the bullet for him! Appointing the Doctor as Marshall was good stuff and always bound to happen, and of course he'd wear a stetson now! It suited him. I thought the visual effects of seeing within the cyborg's point of view were a strong element and gave the episode something of a unique feeling in parts, and the history behind Ted was an emotional one. I thought it was particularly telling when he stopped his ambush and destruction because he saw the effect it had on a young girl. The significance of the barrier at the town of Mercy seemed a little odd and not exactly impenetrable, but it was nice to have some boundaries that's for sure. The way the locals get Jex back to his ship and over the boundary with the face effect of the Kohler people was quite clever, although it was pretty predictable what was going to happen once he got there. He was always going to initiate the self destruct and take himself out to stop more ceaseless killings. But the little addition at the end of Kahler-Tek becoming the sheriff felt a little forced and more than cheesy. I wasn't a fan. Overall, some good humour and decent elements, but despite my rating I can't help but feel a little disappointed by the episode. 

Rating: 6/10