New Who Review #82

Let's Kill Hitler

This one was interesting it's carrying on the river storyline and we learn that mels Amy and Rory childhood friend is actually their daughter. The whole stuff with the teselecta was ok bit dull and the way that river tried to kill the doctor was fun. There was no actual monster this time because we are simply learning about the story of river and in a way that makes it slightly boring I mean sure its fun and interesting to learn about river after all this time but we haven't had a monster in a while so it would be nice to have one. This is also the origin of river so she has no idea who river is because she is still called Melody and her catchphrase "Spoilers" is originated here after hearing the doctor say it. Overall an ok story that continues the River Song storyline but I can't help but feel something is missing. 8/10

River Song River Song River Song River Song River Song River Song River Song River Song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you River Song!!

This entire episode feels like Stephen Moffat jumping up and down and saying how clever he is.

Given that Let's Kill Hitler is a pretty solid follow-up to A Good Man Goes to War and does it with such an audacious and provocative title, you'd think I'd like this episode or at least that it would be more memorable.  It's a real disappointment though.  I find the title and really the whole Third Reich winds up being a background detail to the much bigger focus on River and the funny robot piloted by shrunken down soldiers.  These things and the whole Hitler angle leads to a lot of fun jokes and good little moments, but the episode feels more like a delivery vessel for Moffat's writing more than a cohesive or coherent narrative.  It's alright - carried by its outstanding cast as all our main characters get to shine here and the little moments.  It's weird, for example, that a childhood friend of Amy's is actually River's previous body, but it could have been interesting.  I feel the consequences and effect this has on Amy is pretty minimal, though.  This episode is really just about the River and the Doctor, and though it is weighed down by all the weird stuff with the robot, it is neat how River is kind of the one off-foot in this story, and knows far less than the Doctor this time around.  It leads to a great shift in their relationship that helps define an episode that all-too often lacked direction.  So, yeah, just like A Good Man Goes to War, this had a lot of potential, but wasn't quite fully realized.

It was very good, I thought. There's definitely a lot crammed in these episodes, I can see that argument but it worked for me. There was a lot of interesting reveals, the robots were great and the throwback to the bribing the architect scene in Curse of the Fatal Death was very funny. Don't really see what the point of Mels or Hitler was but still, a good start to the second part of the series.