The Angels Take Manhattan

"You don't believe statues can move."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 29 September 2012

Series: 7.05

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis

A simple trip to 2012 New York goes horribly wrong when Rory is sent back to the 1930s by the Weeping Angels. There, he finds that his daughter, River Song, is investigating the Angels and Manhattan has become their hunting ground. The Doctor and Amy must find Rory before it's too late, but they soon find that not every point in time can be changed. And here, the Doctor must face the one thing he has been dreading – a final farewell to the Ponds. 

Verdict

The Angels Take Manhattan was an outstanding episode to conclude the first half of the seventh series of Doctor Who's modern era! After two-and-a-half series, we bid a fond farewell to Amy and Rory as companions and it's quite fitting that they go out together. Now, I'm going to sound contradictory here because my rating is one of perfection, but I can't wrap my head around the Doctor not being able to go back and visit Amy and Rory. I fully appreciate the difficulties of the TARDIS being able to land in New York given its significance as a city, but surely he could just land elsewhere in the States and commute on a train to where they were? That always feels a little off. I thought the build throughout the episode was superb though. It's ominous right from the off and the atmosphere is downright chilling. I was also a huge fan of the directing because it definitely helped with the eery tone of the episode. We know before watching that Amy and Rory are going to depart, but the suspense is always there. The Winter Quay as a farm for the Weeping Angels is a tremendous concept and I love the they just keep feeding on the same people across time. It was also excellent to not mess around or build towards the Weeping Angels arriving. They were there for all to see and in this episode we had them in numerous forms. The cherubs were very freaky and that mischievous laugh when Rory is getting coffees is downright frightening. The very idea of baby Angels is scary in its own right, but then we also have the granddaddy of them all in the form of the Statue of Liberty! That's an audacious move that absolutely pays off and I still can't believe I haven't purchased the Eaglemoss figurine of it. It's high on my wish list now after watching the episode again for the first time in a decade. The Doctor doing some final checks before meeting River is lovely and I like that he wants to impress. The chemistry between Smith and Kingston is palpable and I do wish that River would travel with him as he requested at the end. They just absolutely nail it together. The pondering on the ending of The Wedding of River Song with the Doctor erasing himself from records and therefore the man River killed not actually existing was very fun. She was no longer contained to Stormcage and was now a Professor. She was going up in the world! I absolutely adore the use of the book in showing what will come in the future and the parallels with what the Doctor and Amy were experiencing after Rory was sent back in time was just fantastic stuff. It was marvellous when it could have become a mess. The yowzah link to land in 1938 was fun stuff too. Seeing the older version of Rory die after seeing Amy after so long was heartbreaking stuff and the inner battle the Doctor was going through throughout the episode about fixed time was incredibly powerful. That was seen here as Rory had died, but River lying about not breaking her wrist to free herself of the Angel's grip was sensational. The use of regeneration energy to heal it doesn't exactly tie up with what will come in The Time of the Doctor as the Doctor is in his last regeneration now, and I thought River could have been a little more grateful! The ending and jump from Rory and Amy is incredible stuff as they do it together and the touch of having the Doctor witness them make the plunge makes it as good as it is. The paradox works in killing off the Angels, but one survivor causes so much pain. Rory gets taken back after seeing a gravestone with his own name, and Amy takes the risk of going back with him. The Doctor running for the last page is lovely as he gets a sort of goodbye with Amy, and I like how both she and River insist that the Doctor doesn't travel alone. He needs somebody and that's a good way of looking forward for what's to come. Overall though, emotional, chilling and just excellent. A tremendous mid-series finale! 

Rating: 10/10