From Newsgroup: rec.arts.drwho.moderated
From Address: jphalt@aol.com
Subject: Re: jphalt's Doctor Who reviews

I had expected "A Good Man Goes to War" and "Let's Kill Hitler" to
form a 2-parter.  Now that I've watched them, I realize that they are
actually completely separate episodes.  Therefore, they will get
completely separate reviews, starting with...


A GOOD MAN GOES TO WAR

1 episode. Approx. 48 minutes. Written by: Steven Moffat. Directed by:
Peter Hoar. Produced by: Marcus Wilson.


THE PLOT

Amy is being held captive by Madame Kovarian (Frances Barber), who is
working with the Headless Monks and the army the Monks are paying to
guard her. It's a trap for the Doctor, one that he's all too willing
to walk into. But the Doctor has raised an army of his own, calling in
favors from across all of time and space. With a semi-reformed
Sontaran (Dan Starkey), Silurians, and the roguish Dorium Maldovar
(Simon Fisher Becker), the Doctor is going to turn the tables on the
opposing army and free Amy Pond. All without firing a single shot.

But he's playing someone else's game, and his every move only serves
to advance their purpose. The Doctor may be winning this battle - but
without even realizing it, he may be losing a much larger larger war.


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: Another blisteringly good performance by Matt Smith. As
the Doctor appears to be winning during his storming of the space
station, he is all confidence and bluster - but with an angry edge,
furious that this army has tried to attack him through his friends.
When Madame Kovarian makes a comment about how many rules good men
like the Doctor have, the Doctor reveals that he does not consider
himself a good man: "Good men don't need rules. Today is not the day
to find out why I have so many." The end of the episode sees him
realizing that he is now viewed as far more than just the wanderer he
started out as. He is now seen as a warrior, as someone to be feared.
It is fear of him that has caused this situation to come into being.

Amy: She trusts absolutely in the Doctor's promise to come for her,
and warns the one sympathetic soldier (Christina Chong) to be on the
right side when he does come. Gets some strong emotional scenes as
well, ones which show Amy's maternal side once more.

Rory: I'd never really thought about it until Amy's opening monologue,
but Rory really does have a lot in common with the Doctor. He's
centuries old in a young man's body. He has witnessed the rise and
fall of civilizations, and has maintained an inherent decency
throughout. And he becomes rather fierce in defense of those he loves.
The teaser, in which he faces down a Cyberleader to press him for
information, is a rare "hero" moment for the frequently-sidelined
Rory. Yet the opening tough guy moments don't compromise his ability
to be plain, decent Rory when he's reunited with Amy. Arthur Darvill
remains terrific, and it's good to see him getting meatier material
this season.

River Song: We finally learn exactly who she is. I'm not certain how
well it fits with what we've seen before, but it might be interesting
to go back and watch her Series Five appearances with her true
identity in mind. She is sympathetic in her dealings with the Doctor,
Amy, and Rory, but the softness in her voice makes it all the more
devastating for the Doctor when she lays out for him what he may be
turning into.


THOUGHTS

The choice to split Series Six into halves is used to good effect in
this "mid-season finale," which ramps up the action and special
effects to the level of a true finale. We get space stations, outer
space combat, opposing armies of human and Silurian soldiers, and
multiple big explosions. It plays very much like Doctor Who: Hollywood
Action Movie. Except the action movie grandeur is subverted, of
course, with the Doctor's triumph being snatched away from him by an
enemy who has managed to outthink him while he's been busy playing
Bruce Willis.

It's probably the one way in which that kind of pure action format
could really work with Doctor Who. Our thinking man's hero becomes an
emotional and angry action hero. He raises an army, attacks in
force... only to end up being outthought. It's extremely clever - the
term probably most used to describe most Steven Moffat scripts. And
the "action film" trappings make for a tremendous amount of momentum
and a handful of genuinely arresting visuals.

The part of this episode I most enjoyed, though, was the parade of
guest characters. Strax (Dan Starkey), the Sontaran nurse who barks
out medical advice like he's giving orders on the field of battle. The
return of Dorium Maldovar, last seen in The Pandorica Opens, both
smarter and funnier than in his first appearance. Vastra (Neve
McIntosh) and Jenny (Catrin Stewart), a Victorian-era Silurian and her
maid/lover, both of whom are accomplished martial artists. Vastra is a
particularly strong character, the first to point out that the
Doctor's anger may be leading him to make mistakes. The flirtatious
banter between her and Jenny, combined with a more reflective side
opposite the Doctor, make her a character I'd love to see again.

Though this is clearly all stage setting for later events, A Good Man
Goes to War is breathtakingly entertaining, stuffed with clever plot
flourishes and strong character scenes. It's not so much of a story in
itself as it is one extended set piece, connecting the first half of
the season to the second half. But viewed in that context, it is a
thorough success. Big, fast, wonderfully dramatic, and a lot of fun to
watch.


Rating: 9/10.

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