Doctor Who (TV Series) The Big Bang (2010) User Reviews

This review is written in the future..

[A_Different_Drummer · 10/10 · 28 December 2014]

... December 2014 to be precise and (most fans should be OK with this) I went back in time to make a few points:

* when I first saw this episode in real time (or that version of me contemporaneous with the episode as aired) I recall being happy and anticipatory. Life was full of promise. Going forward, the series would I reasoned be at least this good every episode possibly better. Well, I was wrong, don't want to annoy any die-hard fans but the reason I am (in the future) re-watching the entire Amy Pond series as opposed to watching the current (late 2014) Dr Who in real time is that the older version (the one being reviewed) is not merely slightly better, it is better on an order of magnitude that staggers the imagination. So much for the promise of a brighter tomorrow

* frankly on rewatching I was gobsmacked by how sharp the writing was. I mean you could cut a steak with it. Just the ending of this season could be a clinic in film school. At the end, in the last few minutes, in addition to wrapping up loose ends, the writing team (the two of them) not only manage to riff off the "something old, something new" adage -- AND MAKE IT IMPORTANT TO THE STORY! -- but the word banter when the doc does not understand whether he is proposing to River or asking her if she is single....?

Folks, this is beyond good writing, it is in a class by itself

Bottom line -- there is a not an IMDb rating high enough for this series arc. They say that you can show comedies to people in the hospital and they will get better. They should try showing this series to people who have given up on life ... to see if they can find their spark again.

Worked for me

The Ontological Paradox...

[Xstal · 9/10 · 10 December 2021]

There are times when I despair, things appear from thin air, in disbelief I stare and it matters because I care.

There are times when I cry out, there's confusion and then doubt, what next for them to flout and it makes me want to shout.

There are times I'm on cloud nine, loose ends join to intertwine, everything has been sublime although this time it's been just fine.

A great season finale

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 26 June 2010]

I didn't think that this episode would manage to top last week's but it did. The universe may have been destroyed but some how an Earth remains, and on that Earth a young girl called Amelia is drawing the night sky. Much to her aunts consternation she includes stars in her picture; everybody knows that they are just a myth. After a not is pushed though her door Amelia persuades her aunt to take her to a museum where the Pandorica is on display. Here she hides until the museum closes and when she touches it the Pandorica opens. To my surprise the person inside is not the Doctor. We then learn how The Doctor managed to get out of the Pandorica after being imprisoned last week. Now that he is free he must find a way to reverse what has happened so that the universe will come into being again... the only problem is that his solution will mean that he himself will be erased from time is a certain woman can't remember him.

Writer Steven Moffat did a great job with this story, it had plenty of excitement, emotional scenes and a real mystery as to how it would all work out. In early episodes I wasn't too keen on Rory but the character grew on me and I think Arthur Darvill did a fine job in the role, I've always thought that Karen Gillan was excellent as Amy Pond and this episode was no exception, she shows her character's emotions brilliantly. Caitlin Blackwood was great as young Amelia, she was a great casting choice as she looks as though she could grow up to look like Amy. After his first season as The Doctor, I must say that any doubts I had about Matt Smith's suitability for the role have vanished; he makes the character continue to be believable while still bringing a sense of fun that should appeal to younger viewers. I hope that this Doctor and Amy Pond will be travelling together for many more adventures.

Season 5: Colourful and engaging family fare with strengths and weaknesses that are becoming the norm (spoilers)

[bob the moo · 30 June 2010]

Although we're not in touch as much these days I still follow the reviews of well-respected IMDb reviewer Theo Robertson and have done so during this season of Doctor Who as he has posted on each episode individually. In these reviews Theo's main gripe with the season has been that, despite Moffat taking over this season, everything appears to be the same as when Davies was in charge. In this point I cannot disagree with Theo but where I do disagree is the extent to which that is a problem because, having enjoyed Doctor Who for what it is over the last few years, continuing that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Like all adults I tend to enjoy the more intelligent and "smaller" episodes more than some of the more effects-driven ones with lots of running, but at the same time I understand that this is a show that is aimed squarely at a viewing demographic that watches Dancing on Ice and the Generation Game – if it gets those of us that never watch Saturday night telly as well then great, but Theo and I are not the target. As such it is hard to do it down for what it is not when it rarely suggests it is anything other than what it is. This is not to say it cannot be more, but rather that it is not going to move too far from being family-friendly sci-fi entertainment.

This doesn't forgive the show for its bad episodes though – just because the show is what it is doesn't mean it cannot be good at the same time. Fortunately this season has more good in it than bad – although it does have bad in it. The good starts with Matt Smith. I was dubious because of his age and previous roles, he seemed like a very odd choice but pretty much from the first episode he fits perfectly. He doesn't try to move too far from what has gone before but at the same time he makes the role his own and for that he deserves a lot of credit. Likewise Gillan is good even if I did find her a bit too front and centre and pushy at times in terms of her character. The production feels expensive and professional as well, with the effects good (if not Hollywood) and the dramatic music working well by staying just the right side of cheesy.

The season is well worked with the time-crack being a season long thread that provides dramatic cohesion and a sense of building but it is the individual episodes that need to work. What we don't get are the best of previous seasons – there is nothing here that sticks in my mind to the degree that Blink or Human Story did back in S3, but there are still good episodes if what you want is simple narratives, running, fun and colour – most of the season is like this and it is entertaining. If you think that the majority don't work then I suggest you watch The Lodger and the season finale double episode – these are examples of when it doesn't work and produces bad episodes. The season finale is seriously disappointing as it shows examples of all that is bad in the show – over-reliance on specific "monsters", lazy writing that makes no sense even in its own internal logic, major issues rushed to conclusion so they lack impact, inappropriate use of comedy and a lack of heart and darkness when it is required. I can agree with Theo that Rory's death was a brave and impacting moment when it happened and has been wiped out by the very lazy and illogical way he was brought back.

These writing problems pop up often during the season but mostly they are part of a better overall episode so I can live with them in isolation, however as long as they continue to occur they will frequently come together to produce a bad episode where they are so prevalent that they cannot be forgiven. This is what happened specifically in the final episode and it will continue to occur in the next unless it is specifically addressed. I suspect it will not be since the season is generally a success and "business as usual" will be the order of the day, with perhaps the recognition that the show does have this as a major weakness.

That said, the strengths do generally outweigh the weaknesses in most of the episode and I did enjoy this season despite one or two bad episodes. It is family friendly sci-fi comedy-drama with the focus on entertainment and spectacle. Occasionally it is clever enough and good enough to make you realise it could be more than it mostly is but never to the point where it moves away from being the Saturday night fare it is. I hope season 6 builds on this and we see more episodes that get a better mix of intelligent and Saturday night but for me (bad episodes aside) "business as usual" is mostly not all a bad thing.

Brilliant!

[startumbler92 · 10/10 · 26 July 2010]

As an American fan, I had to wait until late July to see the final episode ... yes, I know I could have looked up the episodes online, but I wanted something to look forward to during the summer season. Each week, I found myself wanting more and more Doctor Who. The season finale was no different. It makes me sad that the season was only 13 episodes, whereas the normal American season is around 22.

Although many people do not like Matt Smith, I absolutely love him. Yes, yes ... I did just become a fan of the series back in April, but since then, I have seen almost every other episode in the resurrection of the TV show. First of all, each Doctor has a different personality. I love his quirkiness, how he talks to himself and says the most random things, and the fact that he's young. It takes the Doctor in a way it has never been before. Another reason I like this character is definitely for his bow ties. Bow ties are cool. I feel that Matt Smith, especially in this episode balances seriousness and funniness very well in the finale.

The thing I loved most about this episode is how everything is so well planned. The season finale had me on the edge of my seat, wondering why things were happening in that order. I felt like I was once again watching Inception; I was utterly confused through the first half and then enjoyed it very much as I learned more about the episode.

This is a very emotional episode and it really makes you feel along with these characters. All of the actors did an excellent job to bring their character to life. I enjoyed every second of this episode ... well except for the Dalek. I hate Daleks. Everything comes to a close from this series, and a new story line is opened at the end that leaves me wanting more.

At last!

[ZekeRage911 · 10/10 · 27 June 2010]

Under Davies watch, Doctor Who became a mad rush of wackiness with incoherent stories and implausible deus ex machina endings.

Under Moffat, the series has improved significantly. Though they weren't all winners this season, Victory of the Daleks and the Upstairs Neighbor (I forget the exact title) were absolutely horrible, Moffat's finale' was absolutely perfect.

He tied in the entire series with things he's layered. He had a direction since the beginning, and followed it through competently.

While still maintaining a wackiness quota, Matt Smith's performance is stunning, and the finale shows us just how in deep he is with the character. You feel for the characters so much, and you want so BADLY to see the satisfying ending, and he gives it. He gives it without going over the top or pulling something out of his posterior.

I'm looking forward to next season, hoping they can overcome the rushed-out, hackneyed episodes that greatly suffered this otherwise great season. I foresee that the Doctor has nowhere to go but up after Davies, and with Moffat's brilliant storytelling, it WILL get better. It will.

A very satisfying conclusion to a superb 1st series.

[simonrobertrussell · 9/10 · 27 June 2010]

Absolute genius. To link back to the first episode and show us the clues he left sprinkled throughout the 1st series shows remarkable confidence from Steven Moffat. Such complexity also shows the respect he has for his audience's intelligence.

This 2 parter was the best season finale so far in 'New Who' and wipes away the memory of Tennant as 'Yoda' Doctor with the Master.

As for Matt Smith - brilliant as usual - especially in the more emotional scenes with young Amy and all handled a lot better than the somewhat over the top style we got from Tennant & Davies.

Whilst other dramas seem to lose their way ( Lost, Heroes ) Doctor Who goes from strength to strength - and as long as Matt and Steven are around I don't see that changing.

Love the ending to this episode

[Spondodge · 10/10 · 14 July 2015]

This episode has in my opinion one of the best emotional scenes for Doctor Who ever since the series returned in 2005. Rivalled only by the ending sequence for the regeneration of David Tennant.

It's the scene where the doctor is reminiscing to a sleeping Amy pond before he fades out existence, the dialogue sends a shiver down my spine every time I watch it. Mainly due to the delivery and time taken to deliver every word, I love it. I've often thought if there ever had to be a final ending episode for the Doctor then this scene would have been a good send off.

"The Doctor: (last words to sleeping Amelia Pond) It's funny, I thought, if you could hear me, I could hang on, somehow. Silly me. Silly old Doctor. When you wake up, you'll have a mum and dad, and you won't even remember me. Well, you'll remember me a little. I'll be a story in your head. But that's OK: we're all stories, in the end. "

A much better final story that in the past

[mdmjuggler · 9/10 · 29 June 2010]

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

When I read Auxpocalypse-7 from California's response, I have to say that I'm rather appalled at the review. To me, he is sadly trapped more in the past and comparing the stories to the past instead of attempting to see the future. Can he do better? - maybe, maybe not, but the criticism is too much.

I loved this episode for many reasons, and a few are going to be potential spoilers.

IMHO, RTD and SM have had odd and bizarre stories that didn't make sense - this is "Doctor Who," and those stories - including implausible ones - have been around since the show's inception (1965). Wackiness - the fez, the dance, etc. make this show what it is - enjoyable. Too much angst, which is what I've seen in the past four seasons, only bring the show down.

This also was the first happy ending story we've had since the show came back:

1. Eccleston departs. 2. Piper departs - only to come back and be overused to where she is a shadow of her former self IMHO. 3. Agyeman departs - comes back a little bit wishy-washy to me. 4. Tate departs - the one companion I'd like to see back, but won't probably because sadly she wouldn't fit as easily to this group. 5 - 2010 specials: Tennant departs.

Seriously - Doctor Who has never been just angst and the like - it's fun, it's weird, and it has "impossible things that happen and we call them miracles."

And - to be blunt - the show's ratings were down this week due to a little thing called World Cup, and it's been shown in the past that when they've had to shift the time (and yes, have to - I haven't seen them just up and change it), people are confused and miss it, causing the ratings to go down.

Smith did indeed have the task of replacing Tennant, but unfortunately people compared him to Tennant instead of letting him find his feet first. Those of us who did find Smith to be a more multi-layered Doctor than Tennant was. Of course, you'd have to see the minute details instead of the big picture (i.e. RTD's era of rather shallow takes on the Doctor IMHO).

Gillan does need to work on her layers of personality as Amy, however, she's not wooden. If you want wooden, I'd suggest watching Adric or Nyssa from Davison's era.

And - Darvill is great, shows great deadpan humor (an artform lost on most actors of this day). I'm hoping he stays a proper companion this time and he's not killed off again.

The stories - 1. His first season, and I seem to remember RTD having farting aliens that were razzed a lot, some stories that were horrible under his reign too, 2. I didn't find myself turning off any of the episodes, including this one.

RTD in my honest opinion dumbed down the show and left just as many plot holes as well. He also had all his companions snogging the Doctor, and worse, he accepted it. Moffet doesn't have that.

Now the story:

1. I don't find the jumping around weird or out of place - it's been done before. We've also seen implausible things in RTD's era - the gun in Jack's butt in the end of the first season. "LOTTL" was panned a lot because it simply didn't make sense, and there were aspects that were controversial, i.e. the "Sky Captain" type air defense. (Oh, and the ONLY reason "DALLAS" season 5 was written off was because Bobby Ewing was such a popular actor, the show's ratings plummeted, so they got him back on before it was canceled. At least "DW" didn't have that issue by bringing back Rory.)

2. The monsters were as clearly said by Smith's Doctor - turned to stone because they never existed. The story itself had many paradoxes and that was the point - the Doctor KNEW that he was creating paradoxes and would continue to do so until he flew the Pandorica into the sun to create the Big Bang and restart history. Of course, this is the intellectual study of the show, which is lost on some people who prefer flash and bang.

3. I love the fact Rory is back - he is the best third wheel of sorts since Harry with Sarah and the Doctor in the fourth Doctor's reign. Adding the duo is married will add a new twist to the show. Now, please make sure Darvill is included in the opening credits... he's earned his due.

Simply put - the RTD era is dead. We need to leave it and not compare Moffat's stories to his. We need to instead see what this cast can do without the blinders on. I personally think this has been a breath of fresh air after the past few seasons (though I loved Donna's season). Same goes with Tennant's run - he's gone (right now, I will admit he can come back).

I loved stories in their era, but am looking forward to a new season with the current cast - and one out of the shadows of the Tennant/RTD run. Cancellation?- only if people like Aux here are too critical instead of open-minded.

Still Cooking

[boblipton · 10/10 · 25 July 2010]

Any major change in personnel is going to have a major effect in Doctor Who and the shifts for this season have been as large as any except for the 2005 revival. Doctor, Companion, Production Team..... only Murray Gold seems to be left of the major credits. When these changes take place some will be thrilled and some will be utterly disdainful. There are many who think it's all been downhill since Tom Baker left and there are probably people in their late fifties who are still in a sulk over the firing of William Hartnell. Heck, there are undoubtedly a couple of people who think that Colin Baker was the Best Doctor Ever.

Now that Season Five is over, it's a good time to look not only at this particular episode but the season in total. And it all comes down to Your Mileage May Vary. In fact, I guarantee it will.

As a general statement, the characters and plotting of this season have been a lot more complicated than under Russell Davies' tenure. Not only have stories been told in their usual one- or two- episode formats, but the season's story arc has been fairly tightly integrated from the start, an arc, that it now has been apparent, will stretch into Season Six. The stories have been shifted to highlight the seeming paradoxes of time travel, the complications of the universe and a lot of physical comedy -- as a lover of silent and slapstick comedy, I heartily approve.

However the characters in general and this Doctor, in particular are far more complex -- appropriately so -- it certainly makes sense for someone like the Doctor, a 900 year-old alien who has destroyed his race, saved the universe and suffers occasional major changes in body construction that carry with them major changes in psychology -- but also, well, less accessible, particularly when Matt Smith emphasizes the clowning more than his two familiar predecessors and who plays the big emotional scenes quietly rather than broadly. This can't be helped and while I understand that it's not to everyone's taste, I enjoy both sets of story.

There has also been a greater diversity of stories than under Davies' tenure. Davies had a consistent taste for dark stories, particularly in the 2009 'Special' season, in which the Doctor was constantly emotionally battered. Was this his reward for saving the universe again and again? Perhaps this was Davies' method of cutting the Doctor down to size and making him more accessible, but I like to see the good guys get their rewards.

In short, I think this season has been as good as any, with a couple of lousy episodes and several brilliant ones. Yes, the writing is more complex and therefore less accessible. Yes, Matt Smith is not David Tennant. But he is excellent on his own terms; and his companions are as good as any, the actors able to shift from comedy to tragedy as the scripts veer through their courses. The monsters are more perfunctory, sometimes being giant invisible parrots, but given some of the monsters over the last 47 years, that's fine. Steven Moffat knows what really disturbs us: the commonplace things that we don't quite understand.

Now, briefly to discuss this episode, which is the second of the series ender -- describing the plot would take several pages -- perhaps, at this point, I should write several MORE pages -- but as an SF fan for fifty years, I find it the sort of highly enjoyable space opera that DOCTOR WHO has always been in writing and, since its revival, in production, too. For me, the pleasure in this episode were the playing with time that Moffat enjoys, with the Doctor jumping between 102 AD and an alternate 1996 but, even more important the characters; Arthur Darvill as a 2000-year-old plastic Rory maintaining his humanity merely by force of will; Alex Kingston's fiercely and bloodily loving River Song; Nicholas Briggs' spot-on and hilarious Dalek asking for mercy; Matt Smith's tired and scheming doctor talking quietly to a sleeping child; and best, the moment when Karen Gillian wakes, her life restored to her, and a happy smile washes across her face as she realizes it is, indeed, her wedding day. All fine bits of acting.

I'm satisfied and a bit annoyed: no more WHO until the Christmas special!

Serious Wibbly-wobbly, Timey-wimey Stuff Here

[kathi-22236 · 10/10 · 15 November 2019]

I'm just so blown away! The writing in this two-part finale is incredible! Some have said they felt lost with all the time back-and-forth stuff and I admit it required paying attention. But it was So Much Fun! And all I could think was "I finally really get the wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey thing."

This entire season has been so satisfying. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Matt Smith as the Doctor, but he won me over pretty quickly. And the attention to detail in the time arcs has been so challenging and fun to follow.

But this two-part finale has just been so very satisfying! All the emotional stuff between the characters, all the love and devotion expressed (the lone Centurion guarding the Pandorica for nearly two millennia), and the ingenuity for getting things done were superb. I especially loved the touching scene when the Doctor was talking to the sleeping Amelia at her bedside.

And the ending was so perfect. It could've been almost an afterthought, but it was so in keeping with the entire story and with the characters that it really was joyful. And that last "It's time to say goodbye" was exactly the right touch.

And a big hit too, right in the feels!

[dkiliane · 10/10 · 17 March 2019]

It may have seemed almost impossible to follow the perfect zaniness that was "The Pandorica Opens" but somehow Moffat did it. "The Big Bang" exceeds expectations on all levels and not only wraps up the season quite nicely (if not a bit convoluted, which is ok, cause Doctor Who) with lots of precious emotional and timey-wimey moments.

Exciting, thrilling, and satisfying as the Doctor manages to undo all traps laid for him in the previous episode. Full of imagination and heart, this episode hits all the right notes, from Rory's 2,000 year vigil to the rescue of River Song, the Doctor's heartbreaking goodbye to Amelia and subsequent "resurrection" of sorts at Amy's wedding. Seeing it tie together the entire season with the Doctor entering some scenes from previous episodes as he fades from existence was wowing and even heartfelt. This may be the most memorable episode of Doctor Who and certainly one of Moffat's finest achievements. 10/10

A world with no stars, flawed but fun.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 1 September 2015]

The Pandorica is ready for the Doctor, and he is placed inside.

I find some parts a little hard to rationalise, the return of Rory was quite shoddily done, whilst the alliance between Cybermen, Sontaran and Teletubby Dalek seemed unimaginable.

A nice link back to the first of Tennant's episode, and we see how life affected young Amy without his influence. A world with no stars, all it needed was for someone to say the stars are going out!!

I had spent a week imagining if we were going to see Drahvins, Sycorax, Zygons, Attraxi, so I felt a little bit robbed. Even the title The Big Bang suggested something on epic proportions, it did not deliver big, being the least epic final to date.

I find it fun, but a wee bit smug in parts, it cannot help applauding itself for how clever it is, it's also long drawn out, more action would have been better then some of the padding. That said it is unique, fun and imaginative.

River Song proves to be a continued delight, and I enjoyed the Amy storyline, the wedding and parents were nice. How cool was that scene when the Dalek gets restored, I also liked that the scene from the Byzantium Garden now made sense. The Pandorica Opens was so big and wonderful, this was good, just a bit of a let down in comparison, 7/10

The Emperor's NuWho Clothes

[Theo Robertson · 3/10 · 27 June 2010]

Last week's episode was disappointing in many ways . The much hyped and debated eponymous Pandorica was nothing more than an empty box in which the cavalcade of foes imprisoned the Doctor . What it does do from a dramatic point of view is that it means the Doctor has suffered from an irreversible defeat . How does he escape the combined forces of the universe ? The bad news is that for a blasé older fan there'd be a lot of cheating on the part of the writer . This is a DOCTOR WHO season finale after all

We didn't get a cameo from Chris Hansen which fortunately meant we didn't see a regeneration featuring Paterson Joseph but that's the only real positive we got from The Big Bang . What we did get was some nonsensical and illogical writing . Okay often it was disguised as being intelligent mind bending writing but this is merely a disguise by Moffat because he knows the amount of fideism amongst NuWho fans who if he wrote his shopping list fans would believe there's deeply esoteric forces at play and is something much more intellectual than a mere grocery list

Take the opening sequence where Richard Dawkins gets a name check as head of a cult who believes in stars . This ties in with last weeks cliffhanger where all the stars in the universe go super nova and end , but considering that the Sun is a star why would human beings consider stars are impossible whilst here's a sun in the sky ? Of course the sun they see is actually an exploding Tardis but is there any possible reason characters on Earth would know this ? Let's keep things sensible , which seems beyond Moffat

Dawkins is a biologist so maybe Stephen Hawkings should have been name checked instead ? If you've seen Hawkings fascinating recent documentary on Discovery recently you'll know he states time travel is so full of paradoxes that it's effectively impossible . This is the strength and weakness of DOCTOR WHO .- you make the paradoxes seem possible as in Father's Day or Day Of The Daleks you've got a mini masterpiece of television . Unfortunately Moffat has chosen to play the " closed time loop paradox " card where the Doctor suddenly appears to Rory and says something along the lines of " I've traveled back two thousand years so can you take this sonic screwdriver and let me out of the Pandorica please otherwise I won't be allowed to appear in this ridiculous and silly scene ? " Interesting that this paradox only exists in poor sci-fi like DONNIE DARKO and NuWho where as mind blowing thought provoking paradoxes only exist in good sci-fi like THE TERMINATOR and classic Who

BTW since Rory is an Auton how does he still still remain if the Nestenes have never existed ? Is that because he can still remember being human ? Amazing what a writer can get away with if he calls himself Stephen Moffat isn't it ?, especially if he's writing for an audience too young to remember the original Autons/Nestens . But the worst aspect of the writing is the denountment . The Doctor sacrifices his life thereby meaning the crack never existed in the first place and that the events of the season five never took place which is not quite as bad as " Amy woke up and it was all a dream " but is the next worse thing . Actually since the Doctor is brought back to life by Amy wishing so then we're treated to the biggest cop out in the history of television which not even RTD would have tried or indeed any third rate hack . Such a pity it had to involve my all time favourite show

Season five has been a bitter disappointment to me . I had hoped with the demise of RTD we'd have seen massive stylistic differences under Moffat but what we ended up with with was a carbon copy . In fact in many ways season five has ended up as being a parody of the previous four years especially where this years season finale is involved . Being a fan DOCTOR WHO has my undying loyalty and I will watch every episode religiously , but one wonders if the general public will be compelled to give season six a chance next year ?

More low key and that's not a bad thing

[The-Last-Prydonian · 8/10 · 26 June 2010]

It would have seemed that with the astonishing twist and sublime cliffhanger of the amazing "The Pandorica Opens" the legendary alien hero had gotten him into one situation that he couldn't possibly get himself out of and that any other writer might have written themselves into a corner. That would of course have been the case if it were not for the fact that the very writer in question wasn't the imaginative genius that is one Steven Moffat. A man who thus far through his tenure has overall exhibited a superior talent as an executive producer than his predecessor Russell T. Davies. A writer who has been lamentably guilty of being over-indulgent and putting spectacle over coherence. And while "The Big Bang" has a plot that revolves around the destruction of the universe and time itself It's overall a more low-key affair which I'm happy to say is a fine example of the adage that occasionally less can mean more.

If there is a drawback however to the plot of "The Big Bang" is that Moffat has potentially lumbered himself and future writers with a threat so monumental that he cannot be outdone. That said ominous references and hints made in both TBB and towards the end of TPC would seem to hint that the story arc is hardly over and progress on into the sixth series with key plot points so far left unanswered. Something of a first for NuWho and an indicator of the bold new direction that the Scots screen scribe has taken with the series.

It is though with TBB that we are given a plot that is fairly complex, so much so indeed that it demands your immediate attention and so much so as already stated that It is undoubtedly to spill out in the sixth series. It is with this that arguably it might be seen to be too complicated as part of one of Its largest core audiences. These are the bright-eyed youngsters who the BBC predominantly makes Its money off with Toy and other potential merchandise sales. But it's something that I think would not concern children too greatly who might be more entertained by the energy and fast pace of the script and the involvement of the classic threat of the Daleks or in this case one lone Dalek. Something which refreshingly is of a lesser villain to what was revealed and is a master stroke by Moffat in the major threat being in fact the TARDIS. The one thing above anything you might have expected the ancient Time Lord to trust.

It could, however, be said that Moffat utilizes old time-worn (no pun intended) and often used clichés to further the story but he does so with such panache and a sense of fun that effectively allow the sublime Matt Smith to display his natural talent for comedy so much a key factor to the shows appeal. But with TBB there is also a lot of heart and thus far I think both this episode and Its preceding opener are undoubtedly the most emotional of climaxes and one that really tests not only the Doctor but his friends to the very limits arguably never seen before in this or the classic series. Everyone involved in the cast gives it all they've with Matt Smith never being better, and in my mind still shattering any potential doubts that he could never fill the shoes of his predecessor and whose more understated approach to the role of the Doctor than David Tennant's less subtle approach paying off excellently. Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, and Alex Kingston once again are all first-rate while Caitlin Blackwood also once again offers brilliant support as the eight-year-old Amy known in her younger years as Amelia.

Sadly however it is towards the story's climax that Moffat drags things out a tad too much while Alex Kingston's final farewell for the time being offers a foreshadowing of things yet to come which is somewhat heavy-handed. Nevertheless, for these faults, TBB is innovative and pleasant to behold, but given how mesmerizing that TPO was It feels like a bit of a slight let. But with what would seem to be Arthur Darvill's Rory being a fully-fledged edition to the TARDIS crew and what looks to be an intriguing Christmas special involving sinister goings-on within the Orient Express and a certain person of royalty. I still can't help but feel excited about what might lie in store this coming 25th of December.

Brilliant - a bit of romance, a bit of sentimentality, a lot of crazy

[Jackbv123 · 10/10 · 21 April 2017]

It is strange that I found part 1, the Pandorica Opens, to be so boring I can hardly stand to watch it again, and this episode is so brilliant that I can't get over it.

Moffat has combined so many brilliant elements into this episode. Who can resist a romance where the boy stands guard over his love for 1900 years? Or how about the story of the girl who remembers what should have never existed to bring back not just parents she never knew (tears are actually coming out of my eyes) but also her childhood imaginary friend? Add to all that the crazy, witty, impossible sequence of time jumps that even the Doctor says he can't keep in his head. Just like a magician, Moffat keeps giving us amusing diversions so we don't see the amazing slight of had that pulls it all off.

As so often is the case in two-parters, the previous episode ends focusing on the Doctor locked into the inescapable prison. We can't wait to pick it up there as we start this episode, but we don't. We find ourselves apparently back at the very very beginning of the season with the young Amelia Pond praying to Santa to send someone to fix the crack in her wall. Everything is the same, until she looks out the window and there is no Tardis. Now we follow a very amusing tale as Amelia first is told that there is something wrong with her because there is no such thing as stars. And we follow as she drags her Aunt to the museum just so Amelia can put her hand on the big box. And the craziness hasn't even started.

I won't try to explain the rest as people jump forward and back in time in ways that should create paradoxes. (I will even forgive Moffat for breaking the rule that you can't cross your own time-stream because he does it so cleverly. He'd probably explain it that rules don't exist because time has collapsed.)

One of the all time best comical scenes takes place in this one when River shoots the Doctor's fez. The moment when Amy wakes up after the reset to find her mom and dad is well done and touches the heart. And the sequence where Amy conjures up the Tardis at her wedding is matchless.

From start to finish, the episode rocks. If you stream it the first time you watch it, make very sure you have visited the restroom and got all your refreshments handy and turned of the phone. There is no place to pause this one.

Enigmatic, meaningful and mindblowing tour-de-force

[jrarichards · 3 July 2016]

Those hoping to understand the full complexities of the first installment of the two-parter - "The Pandorica Opens" are unlikely to find "The Big Bang" achieving that; well not fully at any rate! But this episode is, shall we say, impressionistic, even by the not-especially-scientific standards of "Dr Who". And the impression here is an impressively deep and meaningful one, in which loyalty and love and need and empathy and devotion persist for millennia. There's an exciting story - well it's the re-establishment of the universe, so it could hardly be more exciting, could it? But it's all brought down to four now-impossibly-intertwined characters (who will prove to be even more so in the next series), and above all to the character of Amy/Amelia Pond, as once again seen in child and adult versions.

In an episode crafted around her, Amy Pond as played by Karen Gillan transcends the sassy sexiness and beauty she has in abundance to assume some almost goddess-like proportions in which the character's memory can create something back out of nothing. It's a heady mixture of laughter and tears perfectly complemented by the story involving the young Amelia (very convincingly played by Caitlin Blackwood), whose life of emptiness entirely predicated on the Doctor and the chance of his return now gets fully explained, and inspires mammoth sympathy. The same emotion is evoked by the steadfast nature of Arthur Darvill's Rory Williams character who earns his right to be regarded as a true if reluctant and oh-so-British hero. He's a kind of Bilbo or Frodo Baggins in many ways! Indeed, there is more than a hint of Tolkien or Lewis here as conventional British settings like a museum and a wedding contrast with overarching stories of infinite breadth and import. Probably no coincidence that Stonehenge serves in these episodes as a conduit connecting these simultaneously-existing prosaic and unknowably magical and mysterious and magnificent aspects of our land, but sweet to realise how firmly and closely Moffat's vision of Dr Who seems to fit in with a traditional British way of seeing the internal and the infinite through the prism of the ordinary.

Overall, the story defies description in its complexity, but one certainly leaves the two episodes feeling that one has seen - and been moved by - something of considerable significance that it has been a pleasure and a privilege to watch.

decent end .....poorly written series 5

[doorsscorpywag · 8/10 · 27 June 2010]

After last weeks daft mish mash of throwing in everything but the kitchen sink it was nice to see the series resolved with a decent storyline. Drawing on similar David tennant story lines such as the master two parter it still had its bad points but overall provided Smith and Gillan with a chance to show what it was got them the jobs in the first place and I thought they did very well in this episode. The pair of them work well together and if they are given the chance of decent story lines to follow will show their worth. Overall series 5 was poor. Not the fault of the actors simply the writers. Alex Kingston and Arthur Darvill brought something interesting along and the River Song character is intriguing. The Angel episodes were excellent and the Van Gogh one was a damn good story if silly monster. The first episode introduced the characters well enough but mostly it was poor. The potential is there it just need Steven Moffat to up his game. As a Doctor Matt Smith has performed adequately and given glimpses of what they saw in him in the first place. Of the 3 new incumbents to the TARDIS he ranks a poor third but has shown what he is capable of given a good storyline. He is energetic and funny and reminds me of the 2nd Doctor Patrick Troughton. Hopefully the writers will give us some real meat to the sandwich of Doctor and Pond next time round and we will get to see Matt Smith consistently do justice to the role as did Tennant and Eccleston. Overall I rate the series 5/6 out of 10 but with glimpses of 8/9. Not too bad as such simply.... disappointing.

The Laythe of Heaven

[hellraiser7 · 10/10 · 1 March 2016]

Warning do not read unless seen episode.

This was a great conclusion to the two parter because it does what most sometimes fail to do actually pay off. It's true some would say there is an inconsistence or two in the storyline but most to all time travel story lines have them so I just sort of rolled with it and this two parter isn't too concerned with plot, despite the fact there is one and it does intriguingly develop, but more concerned about the characters and what they do.

I really love how the whole episode starts off as a mystery were we see a young Amilia Pond, and at first we think this is another flashback and yet we notices there are things radically different. One really strange thing is the fact that stars are deemed a myth as they don't exist, despite the fact we know their real. It then comes down to a moment when the young Amila then stays at the museum due to some mysterious messages she gets. And of course at the right moment the young Amilia opens the Pandorica and we think we're going to see the Doctor but instead we see the older Amilia alive. Two things went though my mind: one, yeah Amilia is alive! Two, what the frak!? I love openings like this because it really gets you going.

I really love some of the back and forth with both Rory and the Doctor. There was one moment where the Doctor acts out of character saying that Amilia isn't the most important thing ever, then Rory of course decks him, I couldn't help but cheer, really demonstrated how strong his feelings for Amy truly are. But then of course I cracked up when we see it was just a ruse by the Doctor just to make sure Rory was Rory.

Then of course we see Rory make a choice to stay with the Pandorica to guard it throughout time. It was both a really touching moment but also it really made me wonder what happened throughout that length of time, though also cemented the fact that the love between both Amy and Rory is going to stay.

It was great when we soon see the payoff, as there is a situation with a Daliek a security guard appears. We sort of have a idea who he is but there is still that element of mystery as he's in the shadows. Then once the situation is dealt with and we see it's Rory and Amy immediately runs toward him and both make out with a passion. It was just beautiful because both of them have separated and waited for one another for so long, it finally paid off; it really goes with the old saying, "the best things come to those who wait." And of course there is some of the Doctor's antics with the wrist time device. It sort of reminded me of a Flintstones episode where Fred had to be at two places at once. We see the Doctor do the same thing as we see him go back and forth in time. I really like also how they are doing the whole cause and effect as we see how and why the Doctor had something in his possession or did something.

The final minutes are great there is one really touching and sad moment when we see in order to save the universe the Doctor has to go into the crack in the wall but before he does he then gives a really moving speech. That speech wasn't just for Amy but for the fans themselves, telling us the reason the series has been around for so long and continues to be. It reminds me of the words from Babe Ruth "Heroes are remembered but legends never die." We then of course see Amy again but this time her life is actually better than before as she has a mom and dad and of course Amy and Rory then finally tie the knot. However it's not entirely complete as the Doctor isn't around but then suddenly there is a journal and it triggers Amy's memories. It takes a long while but though the power of her recall it starts to spread to everyone else, you could say it's the power of belief but that power grows strong enough it actually brings the Doctor back. When we see him back I couldn't help but cheer and of course it was great seeing him have a good time as we see him dance with some of the guest and kids, that scene really wasn't scripted which made it all the more authentic.

Happy Endings take a long time but they do happen, it happened with Amy, Rory, River, and the Doctor, it can happen to you to.

Rating: 4 stars

"You absolutely definitely may kiss the bride."

[hcasale-68303 · 8/10 · 17 April 2021]

"You absolutely definitely may kiss the bride." Like Amy was ready to run away with the doctor all over again, on her wedding day. That was hilarious, and Karen Gillan is too hot! I'm sorry, but I don't get Rory being there all the time. It should be the doctor and his companion. Not also the companions husband. Especially since Amy is hot for the doctor. Which of course all the companions are.

The Big Bang

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 8 April 2021]

This episode indeed ended the season with a bang, it was a brilliant end to series 5, my favourite series of Doctor Who thus far. Absolutely brilliant, cannot recommend more! This is the kind of episode I just love to see Matt Smith in, he's perfect.

Welcome Matt Smith , Oh and BOW TIES ARE COOL

[richenstony · 7/10 · 26 June 2010]

The doctor , the master of the universe , the time lord , the lover of all things good.

Does Matt smith bring all those elements to the role? Yes , Yes he does , i was skeptical at first , but now having seen a entire season with Matt smith , i can honestly say hes taken on the role with sheer class , i Absolutely love him.... , the writers have done well , its not easy writing in a new doctor , all actors/actress's have their own way of bringing their own unique quality's to the role , and Matt and the storyline have blended in extremely well.

The episode was a emotional roller coaster , and at times , slightly confusing , considering the show is aimed at 11 to 16 year olds , i was extremely shocked to see such a complex story line , however the actors and writers have pulled it off , Matt smiths career is off to a Big Bang!

The Big Stink

[Robsnide · 1/10 · 29 June 2010]

"Under Davies's watch, 'Doctor Who' became a mad rush of wackiness with incoherent stories and implausible deus ex machina endings.". I laughed when I read this. Did he/she watch Season 5? Obviously not because it had a season finale that was not only implausible and incoherent, and riddled with so-called wackiness ( the Doctor's wearing of a fez and doing a funny little dance at Amy and Rory's wedding ), but had the mother of all deus ex machina endings. The Pandorica seems to strangely symbolise Season 5 - shiny outside, but empty. This year, ratings have declined - and its not just down to the good weather either. Viewers have blown Steven Moffat a loud raspberry.

Matt Smith had the unenviable task of replacing the incredibly popular David Tennant, the best Doctor since Tom Baker. He has copied Patrick Troughton's Doctor, instead of trying to be original. He has also been let down by some less than spectacular stories. 'The Eleventh Hour' was more like 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' than 'Dr.Who', 'The Beast Below' was based on the ridiculous idea that a giant whale could fly through space with a city on its back, and 'Victory Of The Daleks' was essentially a victory for toy shops. The 'Path Of Angels/Flesh & Stone' had its strengths, but was no more than an uninspired rehash of 'Blink'. The less said about the Silurian two-parter the better ( no third eye? No point! ). The 'Van Gogh' story was okay, but I cannot imagine many children liking it. 'The Lodger' should have stayed as a comic strip. Karen Gillan has nice legs but all the acting ability of a tree. Arthur Darvill's 'Rory', on the other hand, is super. More of him please.

When R.T.D. resigned two years ago, his detractors wept for joy. But he has had a greater understanding of what viewers actually want to watch. His episodes possessed in spades an energy which Moffat's have conspicuously lacked. It is still 'Dr.Who' but...something's missing ( and not just a decent budget ).

One of the oldest 'Who' rules is that the Doctor cannot cross his own time stream. Yet here he is hopping about into the past, leaving notes on the Pandorica and stealing soft drinks. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The reversing of time conceit was last done in 'Last Of The Time Lords', a much criticised episode. So why was it wrong for Davies to have done this but not Moffat? Season 5 must now be written off, like that season of 'Dallas' in which 'Bobby Ewing' ( Patrick Duffy ) was famously resurrected in a shower. It is worth remembering that the long-running soap was cancelled not long afterwards.

'Big Bang' reeks with creative fatigue, and has something approaching contempt for its audience. Having introduced a 'Coalition Of Monsters' the week before, the writer then excluded them from the climax. Where did they get to - the House Of Commons? I agree with Theo Robertson when he said that Moffat could have submitted his shopping list as a script and fans would have applauded him for doing so.

The hatred towards R.T.D. has not abated with his departure. If anything it has intensified. I think we ought to give the guy a break. He did after all propel the series into the stratosphere with astonishingly high ratings, uniformly good reviews, and numerous awards. Best of all - he made 'Dr.Who' loved. Moffat, on the other hand, put the show back where it was in 1989. Watched by very few, cared by no-one, unloved. Is this the way 'Dr.Who' will end - not with a 'Big Bang' but a whimper!

A few plot holes, but a brilliant finale nevertheless

[movienerd666 · 27 February 2011]

After watching the cliffhanger to "The Pandorica Opens", i remember thinking to myself "well how are they going to follow that up satisfyingly?" luckily, writer Steven Moffat, as normal, succeeded. With this season finale i was expecting a huge explosion fest, the sort of thing i was accustomed to during the RTD era, luckily Moffat is more clever in his stories, and wrote a very interesting, and clever story, don't want to spoil anything, but believe me, it was possibly the most clever story the show has ever brought out, and it ties in, perfectly almost, with the rest of series 5. Now, don't get me wrong, this episode was not perfect, there were plenty of plot holes, for example: how can Nestene Rory still be there if the Nestene's never existed? (i can except that maybe Amy wouldn't have disappeared since she still exists in this alternate timeline, and maybe the doctor was protected by the Pandorica). Still, nothing is flawless, and the plot holes aren't nearly as annoying as they were back when Davies was writing.

The stone Dalek is very effective, and it's actually pretty intimidating (something i wasn't expecting from the teletubby daleks) and it even managed to make me jump at one point, it really is pretty amazing that one Dalek (and one that's not even WORKING properly) can seem more powerful than a whole empire of them.

The emotion in this episode is frequent, and there are several time's where you may be on the verge of tears, the difference between Moffat and davies' writing in my opinion, is that Moffat can write interesting characters AND a good story, whereas with Davies it tends to be one or the other.

The resolution of the episode is a deus ex machina, but it helps that they give it some build up, and properly EXPLAIN it, rather than just pulling it out of nowhere, and giving us an incredibly vague explanation for it. Plus, it actually make's some sense, unlike RTD's little deus ex machinas.....

Overall, this is an excellent season finale for an overall good season with only a few weak points (Victory of the Daleks, and "The Hungry Earth/ Cold Blood".

This is where it gets complicated!

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 6/10 · 15 January 2019]

In my opinion this second part of the finale throws too many ideas in which for MY tastes goes a bit over the top. In this review I am going to list a whole load of things (it is much longer than my usual reviews sorry) which I consider flaws or questionable story elements. I am fair and open minded but I personally like more logical, less overblown stories.

This episode is entertaining, fun and exciting but it is very complicated. Complexity is something I love when done properly and some of this is done well but other aspects do not end up showing enough care for my liking or are just not to my taste:

The bootstrap paradox is an overly easy get out of a seemingly impossible and awesome cliffhanger. My view is that it is actually a "deus ex machina" - a storyline that is resolved by sudden easy solution thrown in. It is rather like if a character wakes up and finds it was all a dream or waves a magic wand. Indeed the Doctor could use this trick for every single danger he ever faces. If he can just magically create a paradox where he saves himself then in theory he can do that any time he likes.

The universe reboot is another example of a deus ex machina in my opinion. River, who should not remember the Doctor, just conveniently turns up at the wedding with the blank diary enabling Amy to remember.

I find both these resolutions rather lazy. However, I like the thrill of aspects of it and really like the something old, new, borrowed and blue idea.

Here is my list of various other questions raised: The universe all disappears taking all the Doctor's enemies who had been at Stonehenge with it but leaves a few fossilised remnants which can be 'brought back' by the light from the Pandorica. Why are there any remnants? Shouldn't there be nothing?

Why are just a couple of Daleks left and not remnants of ALL those who were there?

Why does the light from the Pandorica restore life at all?

Where did they get that power and why would they put such a power inside a prison for the Doctor? Why would they want to keep him alive? Why not just lock him in without the light?

Why if they can restore any individual life with a magical light do we never see this technology used elsewhere?

Why is the Auton Rory saved but all the other things created from Amy's 'memories' are not?

How were Amy's memories so incredibly harvested from her house and doesn't this make the Nestenes suddenly incredibly powerful?

Why is their trap for the Doctor SO convoluted when they could simply have built an Auton Amy and/or River or whoever and tricked the Doctor?

Why if they can capture the Doctor with their convoluted trap did they put him in a prison that can be opened from outside by a sonic screwdriver or, weirdly by the touch of a small girl? Not the cleverest trap.

Why are all the alien races so stupid as to not check where the TARDIS is when that is the very thing that they know is the danger to the universe?

How does the Doctor know the Pandorica has a life restoring light when he has seen no evidence to suggest this?

How does he know how to work the Pandorica and how can he wire it up and fly it?

How can it fly and why does it not just transport like everything else that gets zapped about by the time bracelet?

Why can the Doctor interact with certain points of his history as time collapses?

How does River conveniently remember the Doctor and if she does then why not confront Amy with her memories rather than handing her a blank diary?

Some can be explained away and it all seems really cool, exciting and cleverly timey-wimey to some people but in my opinion it is too contrived and doesn't make much sense when you add these elements up.

I do not hate this episode, I rate it 5.5/10 which is low for Doctor Who but above average for most TV shows. The reason I rate it lower than a lot of other episodes is because this one isn't to my taste and has story elements I don't like. But, despite all these bits I question and/or dislike, I still give credit for the quality entertainment, fine effects, acting, script, humour, thrills and action. It certainly isn't all bad.

My Ratings: The Pandorica Opens - 9.5/10.

The Big Bang - 5.5/10.

Overall 2-part story average - 7.5/10.