S5 Episode 4: The Time of Angels

The Time of Angels begins with River Song getting sucked into space and being rescued by the Doctor, who received a message from her 12,000 years in the future.  This is important, as it is the first of our "epic entrances".

Honestly, I don't have it in me today to write a synopsis of this episode. Though, if you're reading this blog and you haven't seen this series, then you must be really confused.


Repeat ideas:

1)  Moffat's Series 3 episode was Blink.  The Weeping Angels are one of the most terrifying creations ever.  They were fantastic the first time around, but I don't think we need to see them again.  They're not exactly a super villain like the Cybermen or the Daleks (although I think we've seen way too much of them).  We especially didn't need to see them in the fourth episode; their appearance just tells me that either Moffat has run out of ideas, or he is only pulling out the Angels because they were such a hit the first time around.

2)  Moffat also repeats the same gimmick that he used - brilliantly - in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead; the deceased person communicating through some kind of device.  In Silence in the Library, it was the astronauts' communication devices.  While the communication was mostly just repeating the same thought over and over,  they were able to kind of communicate while the person was "ghosting".  In The Time of Angels, the angel communicated using the deceased cleric Bob's voice through the walkie talkie.   It just seems tired to repeat another very similar idea.  It really makes me doubt how many original storylines and plot devices Moffat is capable of coming up with.


Dislikes

1)  Amy is too familiar with the Doctor and doesn't seem to take him seriously.  There are shades of Donna Noble in her, and my biggest problem with Donna was how flippant she could be.  It must be a ginger trait.

2)  Amy pouts when she's not the center of attention.  At one point she says something like, "doesn't anyone need me?  For anything?"


3)  I really hate how River knows soooo much more than the Doctor.  It was cute the first time, we don't need to be hit over the head with it over and over and over.  She is just so smarmy. 


4)  The Angels weren't as scary now as they were before.  I don't know if it's the editing or what, but I didn't feel terrified at all during this episode.  The original story, Blink, still gives me the heebie jeebies, but The Time of Angels?  Yawn.  It's very reminiscent of the Daleks and Cybermen.  The first time you see them, they're petrifying.  But after a while, you become desensitized. 


5)  The entire idea of the Doctor "keeping score" in the museum seems like such a stretch.  I wonder if it's some kind of reference to an earlier Doctor.


Likes

1)  When Amy thinks her hand has turned to stone, the Doctor bites her.  It was totally out of character, but I did love something about that. 

2)  When the Doctor tells Amy not to blink, she closes only one eye at a time.  Brilliant!

3)  Amy freezes the tape on static, thus getting rid of the Angel.  I'm still a little confused as to why that worked, but I did think it was very smart of her.

Today's wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey palette-cleanser.  Enjoy!