Doctor Who Series 5, Episode 4: "The Time of Angels"

Finally, the long-awaited return of two of the standouts of the new DW series: the weeping angels and River Song. The weeping angels were first seen in the season 3 (or season 3 as they say in the UK) episode Blink, arguably the best episode of the new series. River Song was last seen in the two-part season 4 episodes Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. All there episodse were penned by Steven Moffat, and I was very excited to see their return with the eleventh doctor.

The episode opened up very interestingly. We started in a very intersting way, seeing River Song call the doctor thousands of years in the future, for a rescue mission. Once she was safe and sound, the doctor realizes that River and a bunch of military guys (who are also from the church) are on the hunt for a lone weeping angel. However, what we find out later makes things a lot more dangerous.

I figured this episode would mark the first time River meets the doctor. However, leave it to Moffat to make things more complicated. How can River fly the TARDIS better than the doctor? And when Amy inqured about this, River said she learned from the best, hinting that the doctor wasn't around at that time. So who did she learn from? A different companion? And the army leader, at one point, inquired whether the doctor knew who River really was, and she said not yet; if he did, he wouldn't help them. So who is she? And what's really going on here?

As for the weeping angels, they're actually a bit creepier. At least last time, they killed you somewhat humanely, sending you back in time. Now, they snap your necks and use your voice to communicate (reminiscent of how the vashta nerada did in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead). And there's not only one, or two, or four; there's dozens, maybe more. Why do they have an army? And why are they killing people outright?

Matt Smith's falling into his own as the doctor now, but there were so many other things happening here, that the focus was no longer squarely on him. I suppose that was the purpose of the first three episodes. Now that we know Amy and we know the doctor, we can move on to more exciting stuff. I really like the quirkiness Smith brings to the role. The eleventh doctor remains a very interesting character to watch in action.

My biggest problem with this episode was that it moved way too fast. One minute, I started watching, and all of a sudden, the episode was over. I don't think I've experienced a faster 40 minute episode of anything. And now, we have to wait a whole week to see what happens. One of the problems with this whole River Song storyline is that it keeps you wanting more. Who is she? Is she his wife? What's her secret? How many of his past selves does she know? And will we find out more next week, or perhaps when she returns for the two-part finale?

Next week: Don't blink!