Who Review: The Girl Who Waited

Written by Tom MacRae who also wrote Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel in season two of the new series. This episode focused quite heavily on Amy and Rory’s relationship, with the Doctor playing more of a supporting role. One of the things that annoys me most about Amy’s character is the way she treats Rory. He obviously loves her and would do anything for her, while she treats him like a pet (which is suggested at one point in this story). There is clearly romance between them, but it often feels very one-sided. In this story, Amy turns on the Doctor, and is left with only Rory to help her (albeit with the Doctor’s help behind-the-scenes). Without giving too much away, Amy is forced into a difficult decision that involves her feelings for Rory.

In the last review I talked a little bit about the Doctor’s character. One aspect I didn’t mention that I think came through this week is the dark edge there is to this Doctor. He lies to his assistants, and quite unapologetically, to get them to do things he think they should do, or to force them to make decisions. I’ve been thinking, and I don’t recall the Doctor lying to his assistants like this since The Daleks, the second Doctor Who story way back in 1963, where the First Doctor lied to his companions to get them to explore the planet on which they had landed. If you can think of other examples of the Doctor lying in this way to his assistants, please comment!

This story plays with some interesting ideas. I thought the design and effects were well done. Definitely worth 45 minutes of your time. I’m not sure how it fits into the season story arc–but since it is an Episode 10 (as was Love and Monsters, Blink, and Midnight), it might not have any particular relevance. But you never know…