Who Reviews: A Good Man Goes To War by Tom Clarke

Written by Steven Moffat

Broadcast 4^th June 2011

The year is 2011. My family and I are crowded around the television screen, knowing that this is it, weeks of waiting, who is River Song? Well guys, this is the episode we find out.

This episode continues on from the previous episode's (The Almost People) cliff-hanger, Amy has been kidnapped and is pregnant. Anyway, the Doctor finds that Amy is being held hostage on Demons Run, and in order to rescue her and the baby, he must get together a team of soldiers to fight with him on the Battle of Demons Run.

I actually enjoyed this episode, because it showed the dark side to the Doctor, and whenever someone tells me that "I don't like Matt Smith, he's too childish and not serious" I show them this episode. He is provoked enough to raise an entire army. Plus, I loved the characters, Jenny, Vastra, Strax (one of the few episodes I really like Strax in) and Lorna Bucket, the girl who met the Doctor and never saw him again until now.

This episode was a proper, blockbuster, action packed Sci-Fi, with a gripping and emotional storyline that served as a truly epic mid series finale. It opened on a high note ("Would you like me to repeat the question?") and never dropped down from there. It had brilliant set design, the script was top notch and so was the character development. Not only brilliant character development, but the acting was absolutely brilliant, and kudos to Smith for bringing that anger and pain that comes with being a near-immortal alien, who has lost so much. Outstanding stellar performances!

And this is the episode that keeps on giving. We get development on the Eye Patch Lady, and who she really is, and we learn the true identity of River Song. I loved this twist, it was one of the few that is so obvious and I never really thought of this as a real thing.  My theory was that she was the Doctor's wife, or hell, even the Master. Well, she was the Doctor's wife, but that is another episode completely. But the whole story behind the Melody Pond name and how it fits in, without spoiling anything, oh my god.

One problem I had was with the Headless Monks, who weren't really seen a whole lot and weren't given a whole lot of background, and didn't really do a lot until the final act of the episode. However, that aside, and the occasional rushed scene, this was the episode that made the 11th Doctor for me. Yes, he had his grand speech in Pandorica, but this is where he shines. My favorite Series 6 episode, my favorite Matt Smith episode, one of my favorite episodes of all time, I could go on. But I won't.

A Good Man goes to War gets my highest commendation of a rating, 10/10.