Doctor Who - The Angels Take Manhattan - review.

Karen Gillan, Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill in The Angels Take Manhattan.

I have been dreading this episode for a long, long time. Ever since, the wonderful, glorious Pond couple graced our screens two years ago, I knew we'd have to suffer the same heartbreak that we endured when the likes of Rose and Donna left. I knew this, because it was Moffat, he made that wonderful scene at the end of "Forest of The Dead" where River dies. I knew Amy and Rory would bow out in a brilliant and emotional way and so they did. The Doctor takes the lovely Ponds to New York for a break. There they sit and enjoy a picnic in Central Park whilst the Doctor reads "Melody Malone" out loud and Amy squints through a nice pair of reading spectacles. Rory, feeling slightly left out, goes and gets coffee for the three but is sent back in time by the sinister cherubs. Meanwhile, Amy glances at the Doctor's book and they discover the mysterious detective, Melody Malone is really River Song (Alex Kingston)... being particularly saucy this time - "My lipstick was primed and ready, and I was packing cleavage that would fell an ox at 20ft." After some irritating time distortions throw the TARDIS off course, the Doctor, Amy and River set out to find Mr. Pond. River Song in this episode is a more fun version of last year. She still packs the sexy and hilarious lines but doesn't have the weight of last series' arc. Now she can flounce around without worrying too much about having to reveal something. The sad thing about Rory is that he, for the majority of the episode, is alone. For his final episode, he gets some screen time but doesn't have a chance to slip in some dialogue with his co-stars Gillan and Smith. The Weeping Angels in this episode are far from a threat - after thinking in my head, what their diabolical plan was, I've come to the conclusion that their one true lust in the universe is to become landlords... or landladies. Serving customers such as S. Garner (Rob David) and R. Williams (Darvill). If you cancelled out the Pond departure, then 'The Angels Take Manhattan' is actually a half decent episode. The plot is interesting, with River's "Melody Malone" book detailing the episode nicely. My eyes were so thick with tears by the end that it would probably be unhealthy for me to not cry. All I can say now is, farewell Ponds, we will always love you as the best 11th Doctor companions... unless Jenna-Louise Coleman tops you in the second half of Series Seven.

NEXT TIME:
Well, its so long, Doctor Who till Christmas. But the teaser trailer promised the new companion, snow, sinister looking men and the Victorian era.. I do love the historical episodes.. until then, see you at Christmas!