DW Review: "A Town Called Mercy"

This episode was the most standalone, basic episode of this series, akin to something like the episode with the dolls last year. The doctor, Amy, and Rory land in a town called Mercy, during an attempt to go to Mexico. There, they are confronted by the townsfolk, who think he's the alien doctor, and send him across the town line to be killed. Isaac, the marshall, saves the doctor, and the doctor realizes there's another alien doctor aboard. The doctor meets him, and he says he crash landed here. When the doctor goes to find the crashed ship, he sees footage of this doctor performing cyborg experiments on people, and this gunslinger cyborg in the town is really here to get revenge. The doctor first tries to sacrifice the alien doctor, but then Amy talks sense into him, and the gunslinger arrives and kills Isaac by accident. The doctor, appointed the new marshall by Isaac, devises a plan to save the alien doctor, and eventually to save the town, the alien doctor sacrifices himself, and the gunslinger takes up the mantle as the protector of the town.

The story of this episode was decent, but felt like basic science-fiction fare. Western setting, redemption, yadda yadda. The strength of this episode was the actual arc that seems to be running through this season, time and time again. First the doctor kills daleks and appears proud of it, then he lets Solomon fall to his doom, and now he offers to sacrifice the alien doctor. The doctor is turning angry, unforgiving, without mercy. And it's dangerous. But why? Because he was traveling alone? Is it because of the revelation at the end of the series finale last year?


The alien doctor was an excellent mirror to the doctor. The doctor committed atrocious war crimes as well, intending to commit genocide of both the daleks and his own race. Yet, here he is, trying to pretend he's fighting the good fight, and willing to judge and dole justice out on the alien doctor. Yet, he's the same. And I don't think he realizes this. I hope this was intentional, and will be delved into more as the series progresses. I. Soe ways, I like this character change in the doctor, and how this is the actual arc of the season. There are strengths to last years story as well, but the doctor's death was palpable in every episode last year, basically. This time, there's more breathing room, and time to just let loose and do a complete western, or a complete prison escape. But, as we near the fields of Trenzalor, I'd like to see the return of a story-based arc as well.


Next week: Cubes galore?

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