Review: 'Doctor Who' - 'A Town Called Mercy': The gunslinger
Two alien doctors and a cyborg cause trouble in an Old West town
"Doctor Who" headed back to the Wild West.
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A quick review of tonight's "Doctor Who" just as soon as my friends wonder why I'm aging more rapidly than them...
I found "A Town Called Mercy" more interesting in terms of what it had to say about the Doctor's relationship with the Ponds, and what happens to him when he's traveling alone for too long, than in the story of the second doctor, the cyborg gunslinger, etc. That stuff was fine, but this close to the end of the Ponds' time on the show, I'm more invested in them than I am in the guest stars.
On the other hand, I don't know that the Doctor/Amy stuff in this episode entirely tracks with last week. During the dinosaur episode, Amy admits that she's just hanging around in her life, waiting for the Doctor's next visit now that he's trying to see less of her for her own good. Yet this week, she not only gets a good example of what happens to her childhood friend when she's not around enough, she gets an offer to keep the current trip going, and instead declines to return to her mundane life in England. But I liked seeing Amy challenge the Doctor on his behavior here, which follows up what we talked about last week with Solomon.
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupJim A.
September 15, 2012 at 10:37PM EST Reply to CommentI'm starting to think that perhaps Steven Moffat is pulling a bit of a Quentin Tarantino with his timeline.
Alanna
September 15, 2012 at 10:46PM EST Reply to CommentI never watched any of the spaghetti westerns, so I had no idea just how much that part of Spain really does look like the western U.S. The verisimilitude was welcome, and all the actors seemed to be having fun with it despite the relatively dark plot.
I'm really going to miss the Ponds, especially Rory. I wish we'd seen more of him this week. And although memory seems to be the theme of the season, I've also noticed the references to the passage of time. Amy's comment about them aging faster than their friends reminds me of Rory saying last week that he's 31 years old. He's the same age as Amy in the "Let's Kill Hitler" flashbacks, so something's a bit wonky about their timeline. And the Doctor says he's 1200 years old, nearly a hundred years older than Lake Silencio. Hmm. (Okay, I just checked the DW Wiki and read that those large leaps in age have been going on throughout the series. It still seems rather odd, though.)
glenn Worst Dr. Who in a long time. Boring. Slow. Not a lot of funny.
September 15, 2012 at 10:49PM ESTkevin rudeforth
September 16, 2012 at 3:19AM EST Reply to CommentTowards Amy asked for a break from running about Amy said something about growing older faster than her friends.. that intrigued me
kevin rudeforth
September 16, 2012 at 3:20AM EST Reply to CommentTowards Amy asked for a break from running about Amy said something about growing older faster than her friends.. which intrigued me
Ken from Chicago
September 16, 2012 at 4:16AM EST Reply to CommentNot the first time a companion challenged the Doctor. River rebuked him for going dark when isolated or isolating himself. The "companion" in The Waters of Mars so up close how dark the Doctor could get after his extended solo travels that he was breaking the "laws" of time to change "fixed" points in time. Then again, before them, his "fiance" challenged the Doctor's carelessness in hiding out on 19th century Earth in a human persona, 'John Smith'--with aliens hunting him down and humans getting caught in the crossfire at the end of "Family of Blood".
The dark has always been part of the Doctor, the fire, the ice and the rage: The fury of the Timelord:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxj33ZEtz34
-- Ken from Chicago
lazy iggy
September 16, 2012 at 5:00AM EST Reply to CommentI liked this episode because it delved deeper into the extent of The Doctor's self-hatred. "Amy's Choice from Season 5 showed how The Doctor viewed himself in his current regeneration. But this episode shows that a timelord self-hatred extends to his former selves; such loathing against and frustration with different men who saddled him with the consequences of their decisions.
I think the first time we had an inkling of what regeneration truly meant was during David Tennant's last episodes...ie he will die while some other lucky bastard with his memories will just swagger away...
I hope they continue to return to this well...perhaps also revealing a bit more about what happened during the last time war.
Paul C
September 16, 2012 at 6:00AM EST Reply to CommentThere was more good than bad I felt. Firstly it looked absolutely gorgeous, whoever chose that location of Almería should get a hardy pat on the back. I also enjoyed the conflict with our Doctor regarding the other doctor and how he almost crossed over that line. Amy had some good stuff too.
The part about the marshall throwing himself in from of the ray guy was a bit ughh, and the plan at the end made no sense considering the Doctor had no idea the other guy would blow himself up.
Also the Gunslinger looked quite a bit like Kryten.
Rayadamson
September 16, 2012 at 6:02AM EST Reply to CommentI'm not surprised about the Doctors' current behaviour considering how he was personally attacked by his enemies and how he cost his friends their only childs childhood last year.I think considering how terrible that situation was,it's very important to get a proper confrontation with the monster's responible somewhere along the line.There's no way the Doctor is going to accept a precedent for anybody attacking him through hurting his friends.I hope the Doctor distancing himself from Amy and Rory is as much about the Doctor preparing to catch up with whoever devised that scheme as it is his concern for their welfare when he's around them.
mitch
September 16, 2012 at 6:52AM EST Reply to CommentAbsolutely terrible episode. I struggled from halfway through, not to turn it off. Weak, irritating and pointless story. It seems after the opening Dalek episode, the only way is down.
Mitch
September 16, 2012 at 6:58AM EST Reply to CommentAbsolutely terrible episode, I was begging for mercy halfway through. Weak, pointless and irritating. After the opening Dalek episode it seems the only way is down.
Chuck
September 16, 2012 at 10:31AM EST Reply to CommentFor the first time in ages, I had trouble saying awake throughout an episode. Anything non-Ponds related was dry,drab and a bit dull. So much more fun to be had by the Doctor in the old west, yet no version of the Doctor has ever had that fun. Hartnells The Cowboys was the same.
odessasteps
September 16, 2012 at 10:34AM EST Reply to CommentMuch better than last week, even with all the western tropes.
I assumed, like last week, there was a gap in time between this adventure and the last, making the ponds a bit more mature (in numerous ways).
We also had an egg-shaped ship, to continue that motif this season.
Paul C Flickering lights have been a running theme this season too. If you know who is upcoming, it makes sense.
September 16, 2012 at 11:03AM ESTray & nanette from texas
September 16, 2012 at 11:12AM EST Reply to Commenthorrid effort. where is the tardis this season? if amy and rory are leaving why not develop that story rather than fade them away. we've struggled with matt smith as the doctor but the last few episodes last season gave us hope. The writing of the first episodes this season doesn't measure up and certainly do not give smith the opportunity to perform on the level of tom baker or david tennant.
Alan DeHaan They are developing that story, quite well too. To me it even feels as if they're telling that story out of order. As if the Doctor already lived that last adventure and is trying to keep it going.
September 16, 2012 at 1:44PM ESTodessasteps
September 16, 2012 at 11:58AM EST Reply to CommentInteresting thekry i read on The Guardian who review...
All the computer voices so far this season have been female and not credited in episodes 2 and 3. Oswin?
For you old school whovians, also love the theory that oswin is a Jagaroth. (newbies, do a wiki search for City of Death episdoe).
dj
September 16, 2012 at 2:32PM EST Reply to CommentKind of a meh episode, but at least it was mentioned that Amy is a mother. I was wondering if they were just dropping the whole River storyline, after it being such a big deal last year. I mean you have her parents and husband/love interest/ whatever traveling around and not even a word spoken of her. I like my narratives to have some ammount of follow thru, especially since we are coming to the end of Amy and Rorys story.
aamadis
September 16, 2012 at 3:08PM EST Reply to CommentI too struggled to stay awake during this one. Most boring Doctor Who since last year's Christmas ep. Actually this was worse. Did not care at all for any of the Mercy characters. The drama was overwrought and a bit annoying. I wish the Ponds had played a bigger role than just standing around in the background. Hopefully next week does better. Looking forward to more Pond time.
Chuck Glad I wasn't the only one with droopy lids.
September 16, 2012 at 7:25PM ESTdemoncat
September 16, 2012 at 9:26PM EST Reply to Commentthink that steven with this story is trying to prove that with out companions and interaction for the doctor he can lose his way and take the steps with his power to wind up being almost as evil as the master. plus when he does not as amy points out have some one to keep in line the doctor winds up causing pain and misery to those that cross his paths.
Stan
September 17, 2012 at 12:21PM EST Reply to CommentI know I'm in the minority, but I'm kind of tired of the Ponds and looking forward to them leaving and someone else coming in. Part of the fun with the companions (at least since the reboot since I only started with Davies) was them growing and developing as characters. Amy was such a strong character from the start, and Rory was pretty well established in the first season.
I just feel like the dynamics of the Doctor, Amy, and Rory is pretty stale and not really interesting anymore. Which is weird because I like all three actors.
Jonas.Left
September 17, 2012 at 2:42PM EST Reply to CommentI find Ijust don't care for Matt Smith as the Doctor.I came to Who because of my familiarity with Eccleston and I was iffy when the character switched suddemly to a new actor. David Tennant won me over with one line. "That's a fighting hand!" Smith is just so much blah. His performance is adequate sure, but not special. Plus his his face looks like a half finished clay sculpture of a face. I'm looking forward to a new regeneration.
Norman Conquest
September 17, 2012 at 9:02PM EST Reply to CommentThis is like the infantile Superman of 1962. Some 5 year old tells Uncle Mort he wants to see Superman as a cowboy, a fireman, a dinosaur fighter, and bingo! that's the June issue, three inane 8-page stories.
Every time the Doctor exclaims "I kmow!" it's the producer congratulating the writers for giving the kiddies what they want.
Norman Conquest
September 17, 2012 at 9:05PM EST Reply to CommentIs it just me, or were Jenna-Louise Coleman and Christina Riccivc separated at birth?
ash
September 18, 2012 at 10:58AM EST Reply to Commentno love for the john crighton cameo?? god i miss farscape...
Tim
September 18, 2012 at 1:46PM EST Reply to CommentSesame Street is more frightning than dr Who, it is a pitty the man from out of space is getting more and more human. I think Matt Smith is a good actor for the part of Dr Who, but please make him an alien again, but not like ET !!
Tracey
September 20, 2012 at 10:37AM EST Reply to CommentI was late to see this one, because I was tied up with the holiday and its preparations. Maybe it's just the spirit of the holiday season, but I was very touched by the alien doctor's notion of the afterlife: that the afterlife is a mountain, and you have to carry up the souls of everyone you have wronged. He was afraid of dying, because he understood how many people he had wronged, and yet, he knew that what he did was necessary.
jan I thought that was interesting, too. And you could see that the Doctor was remembering all those whose deaths he had caused and how that would weigh on him. I actually liked this episode, unlike many who commented.
September 23, 2012 at 1:57AM ESTDecimate
September 23, 2012 at 4:48AM EST Reply to CommentDoes anyone here read Dresden Files? I couldnt help laughing when the alien Doctor said, "decimated half of our planet.. ". I guess no one here knows why this reminded me of a spirit on a Star Trek ship complaining about a Padwan's grammar. Sigh...