Doctor Who, Season 7: The End Of An Era

What is a better way to kick off the new season of Doctor Who than with the return of the Daleks? Written by Steven Moffat, “Asylum of the Daleks” took a bit of time to get into, but it certainly got better and better, especially in the second half, with some truly heart-wrenching scenes and unnerving reveals. Even though the episode seemed a bit confusing in the beginning, it seemed to pick up with the introduction of the new character -  Oswin Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman). I surely look forward to seeing more of her.

In “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship” we get introduced to Rory’s father (Mark Williams) and other cool new characters, like Queen Nefertiti (Riann Steele) and John Riddell (Rupert Graves), a hunter from 1902. The episode takes place on a spaceship with a very unusual cargo – live dinosaurs. There is one problem, however – the Doctor must stop this spaceship from crashing into earth. Space and dinosaurs do make for a weirdly entertaining mix, making the episode one of the more interesting this season.

Welcome to “A Town Called Mercy,” where no one leaves or enters, and where there is electricity – several years too early. This Western-style episode has a very cool twist – a cyborg, also known as “The Gunslinger”. The Gunslinger is after an alien doctor who is hiding in the town. The creators did a beautiful job with the setting, which was really important for this episode. I also really liked the supporting cast – all the actors did a great job, giving the episode even more of a Western feel.

“The Power of Three” is a great, well-paced action episode featuring, once more, Rory’s father. Earth is invaded – but in the most unusual way, by black cubes that seem to have appeared out of nowhere. They are just harmlessly lying around for months – but that won’t last forever. Meanwhile, Amy and Rory start to realize that they might be ready to get on with their “normal” lives.

Steven Moffat delivers yet another tear-jerker with “The Angels Take Manhattan,” bringing the Ponds to the end of their story. The Weeping Angels are back – and they are scarier than ever. This time, the Angels take on New York (I think I’ll never look at the Statue of Liberty the same way again). River Song is also back, adding to some of the more heart-wrenching scenes in the episode. This certainly feels like the end of an era – an era of The Girl Who Waited.