Dr Who Episode 7: A Good Man Goes To War.

(Originally posted on Nik Nak and Grub’s Who Peculiar on 4 June 2011 19:34:00)

*Spoilers*

Yes, I know that’s the USUAL spoilers warning I put up.

Mostly for Debbi and Sean’s benefit, I should add, here.

But also because I know that’s Grub’s busy tonight.

Because … ?

Because I’m going to sit here, quite frankly, and say something I usually wouldn’t.

Oh.

My.

Gods!

No, seriously … !

I’ve just come away bloody impressed.

Tonight’s episode of Dr Who — episode seven of this series, A Good Man Goes to War — sees the Doctor recruiting a very ad-hoc group of people — including Madame Vastra, a Silurian soldier stranded in Victorian Britain, and Commander Strax*, a Sontaran being punished for his battalion’s dishonour by being a nurse and Dorium, the black market trader seen in various episodes over the past few years — to rescue Amy and Baby Melody from the clutches of the villainous Madame Kovarian: the eyepatch wearing woman who’s been appearing in glimpses for the past six weeks.

Rory’s not left out, either.

His job … ?

Is to get the information on Amy and Melody’s whereabouts from — of all possible people — the Twelfth Cyber Legion.

Hell of an introduction to an episode, that was … !

»»•««

Actually … ? It’s a HELL of an episode … !

After the revelations, last week, that Amy is pregnant, all the way to this week’s big reveal — that Melody grows up to be River Song?

Actually …

I’ve got to admit, somehow wasn’t THAT surprising, in the end.

What WAS good, though … ?

Was the WAY this episode, and the big River Revelation, was done!

Now I don’t know what Grub will tell you, when he does post about tonight’s episode, but personally … ?

Personally, I loved it.

You see, the word I’m thinking here — or possibly name I’m thinking — is Banks.

As in Iain M. Banks … ?

Now that could well be the simple fact that Steven Moffat’s a Scotsman: and I’m picking up a common cultural theme.

None the less … ?

I happen to think it’s both there, and in the Virgin New Adventures.

And nothing but good for the show.

It’s produced both some fantastic lines, great little stories — mostly — and wrung some good performances out of the castª.

The big problem I do have, though … ?

Is that we have to wait until September to find out what happens next.

Frustrating, isn’t it … ?

* Strax got some of the best lines, I swear … ! “I can produce MAGNIFICENT quantities of lactic fluid!”. Not everyday you expect to hear THAT line from what is — lets be blunt — a bloke!