Loved this episode. Would have loved it even more if it had been given more length. With a lot of the new series stories, they lack the screen time to really explore the characters that appear. A novelisation of this one would be a classic. Having said that, this is a great story with slow, intimate moments and fast(ish) action scenes – though very much not in your typical manner. More of this please
I liked it but felt ultimately dissapointed because everything felt a bit rushed and strung together poorly. Would have benefited from perhaps being longer… Although not two parter length. It was an good filler episode but I did feel like it was a bit lacking in some aspects
Very thrown off by the sudden emotional breakdown that caused the Doctor to point a gun at someone who posed him no threat. Where did that come from?? When does the Doctor ever point a gun and have nobody go "whoa, Doctor, look at yourself!" The 'screaming victims' in the space-pod gave me chills, though. I liked the gravity of the crimes the guy was being hunted for, and I could sympathise with both sides of it. I was overall disappointed with the writing; it felt shoddy, like Whithouse shoved in some drama about the Doctor suddenly being violently guilty, just to cause the death of the Marshall and push the plot along. Lazy.
While the first two episodes this season were little more than fun, mindless romps, this episode appeared to actually make an attempt to explore the Doctor's character a little bit. For newer fans, the Doctor hates guns and swears to never use them. But the comments made by the war criminal comparing himself to the Doctor seemed to stir something within the Doctor, nearly turning him into a gun-wielding killer.
Unfortunately, the angle seemed to go nowhere, and was dropped as soon as the immediate crisis was resolved with the Doctor being made marshall.
Later it got interesting as the Doctor was willing to strap on a holstered pistol and have a couple duels. Very odd actions by the Doctor, but again it went unexplained, which is a pity because these are moments where we can explore what makes the Doctor tick.
It seemed to devolve back into another mindless romp after that, but at least they tried writing a decent story this time. On to the power of 3…
Honestly, this is the least enjoyable episode of Series 7 thus far, which is a massive shame because it had so much going for it. The whole thing just felt a bit rushed, and while the direction and music (the latter especially) were absolutely fantastic, everything else just came across as… 'meh', if you'll pardon the overused expression.
Episode was poor, a mess, rushed in places, contradictory, low budget and seriously naff ending
You have Rory who is barely used at all in the episode, Amy who was so so wooden even when reminding the Doctor of where his moral compass should point although she had no issue with him using and sending Solomon to his death last week
The Town is in the middle of nowhere and apparently could only afford the one horse, all be it the universe's first sexually confused horse. The Space ship was an egg…so was waiting for Mork from Ork to pop out, and the moment you heard the "self destruct in ten seconds" the ending was revealed. A Cyborg totally prepared to cross the line yet hadnt up to the end was so so naff, like it wanted revenge but was quite amicable about letting it last for years
Poorly written, naff to watch, definite filler episode and the 1 minute trailer for next weeks episode did more to move the whole..lets get the ponds off our screens story arc then this entire episode
A real dip in pace, and a real let down, it was just…meh
Rather enjoyed that even though a bit of a damp squid at the end. Great music, look and feel of the Westerns. As with last week, there was a ton of issues that needed more time to be developed instead of rushed.
Better than last weeks outing but it feels like the Ponds have already left the bulding.
@CockneyCharmer You don't know if it was the first sexually confused horse. You don't speak horse.
Regarding the episode, I was really, really bored throughout the whole thing. I feel like Amy and Rory had little to nothing to do. And although I did like the exploration of the Doctor's emotional baggage, I felt like it took too much out of the action, it wasn't really well balanced.
Series 7 has been a disappointment form the start, even Episode 1 with the Daleks lacked "something". I have to agree with everything Cockney Charmer has written about this 3rd offering.
The episode was alright, but not the best of the three so far. What bothered me though, is the Doctor's whole issue with killing was resolved in a sort of an.. awkward way.(?) It seemed rushed and I didn't feel anything from it when Amy put him straight. I am glad though, that she did 🙂
I agree with the majority here. I loved this episode but, like the one before it, it felt rushed to fit in with the movie aesthetic that this series is based around. Good concept, poor execution.
Anyone who thought this episode was disappointing was clearly watching Love and monsters by mistake,because A town called Mercy was by far the best episode of series 7 so far.
Great episode, I just wish it could have been a little longer.
I have to say, Gunslinger is a pretty awesome guy. He seemed to me, a cross between the Terminator and Kryten in that western episode of Red Dwarf. The only thing that was a little off was how quickly the Doctor moved on from his little breakdown.
We are having a good season, aren't we? Much love, Susan the horse.
I liked the first half. But by the second half it became poorly paced, hamfisted and redundant.. Really? The Doctor has blood on his hands? You don't say!
Nothing was advanced in this Concept of the Doctor as a terrible God. And for it to end with some heroism by Jex? Boring…
I agree with everything Cockney Charmer has written. As I watched this disappointing episode I felt it seemed vaguely familiar. Series 7 has failed to deliver in 2 out of 3 episodes for me, even our "pepper pot friends" seemed to be lacking something this time around. I hope things pick up for the last 2 episodes in this segment.
Did anyone else think that The Doctor's first encounter with this week's egg (The Kahler ship) could've been written by Douglas Adams? It felt like it was a computer from the pages of Hitchhiker's Guide.
I would like to see some of you critics do any better. Doctor Who is the best show on TV by far and I'm not sure what you expect, especially those that call themselves fans? … They say that in the world of football, everyone thinks they are a manager! … it seems that in the world of Doctor Who everyone thinks they are a writer/director/producer!
I have to say I liked it better than the last two episodes. But overall, this series is really lousy. I actually liked the 5 or so minutes of Pond Life better than any of the episodes, because there was at least a little bit of humor.
And did the Doctor go into hiatus in the 80s because the show was getting too dark and violet? That's how the show feels to me now.
@ettelocin Do you not get the point of this page which asks people to comment with their views of the episode…which is what people are doing.
It is very clear looking at various internet sites discussing this episode that it has been very hit and miss, with the majority seeing it in a negative light
It was a weak episode compared with the previous 2 and it was nothing but filler with failed attempts to focus on interesting elements but all got lost in the mess the episode played out as
Everyone has the right to share their opinion, just as you did, but others know how to stay on topic and not troll 🙂
I liked it the best out of all three episodes so far. It wasn't as quippy and ridiculous as we're used to, but I enjoyed that. I think it could have benefited from an extra 15 or so minutes though.
I thought the episode was okay, but nowhere near as good as the first two this series.
My main issue was the fact that Amy and Rory were completely redundant. Perhaps this particular episode could have been saved for an early adventure with Jenna-Louise Coleman's character after Christmas?
Loved it. The Doctor has always had a semi-ruthless nature and it's started bubbling to the surface again in the past 2 episodes. I believe, but can't remember for certain, that the 5th Doctor had one of the highest death counts, even standing and watching The Master die in flames.
@cockneycharmer I'm hardly a troll but I just wanted to point out that there are ways of critiquing without using angry or harsh words… and that too many of these harsh criticisms could lead to the demise of the show that we all love, if we are not careful! 😀
would everyone stop being so damn negative,this episode was extremely enjoyable in my opinion,it was a great story and didn't have any gaping plot holes like asylum did, I can understand that other people may not feel the same,but this episode is definitely not terrible,especially as all the arguments against it are mind bogglingly pedantic,seriously you just cant please some people….
For a family show, the baddies weren't (clear-cut) bad enough, there wasn't nearly enough peril, and there was an overall lack of proper menace. Youngest kid in the house was bored, next one up somewhat unimpressed, and while there were moments of absolute brilliance about the show, the biggest kids (i.e., the parents) were a little disappointed. Better luck next week.
I thought that "A Town Called Mercy" was brilliant, just like the last two episodes have been brilliant. I thought that the concept was really well developed and well executed as well. The moment where the alien Doctor compared himself to our Doctor was very well done and the Doctor snapped because yes, he is a war criminal too. I mean, he killed his entire people to save the universe. He has the souls of the Time Lords on his hands (not to mention the other races that have been annihilated because of him in one way or another) and I thought that it was brilliant that Amy was the one point out that he had to be better than the alien Doctor. So all in all, it was a brilliant episode. ^_^
The Doctor pointing a gun–I still think about 9, getting that gun to go after the one Dalek. And Rose asking him what he is turning into. And in Victory of the Dalek, the Doctor furious about letting them get away again, makes me wonder if he had the option would he have trained missiles on them or blown them up? And he blew up so much of the Cyberfleet, (assumedly killing some in the process). I am not sure the issue is so much that his use of weapons is sudden, but only that he is so inconsistent about it. And perhaps that is part of the underdeveloped, or, is it just subtle, character of the Time Lord?
It was a fine episode. Felt like a typical mid-season episode, where it doesnt tie in too heavily into the overarching themes of the season and just deals with its own stuff. The acting was solid, there were plenty of funny bits, and the cyborg is a fine addition to Doctor Who's stable of characters. Hope we see him again.
I have to admit, after seeing the Gunslinger in the advert weeks before Doctor Who started airing, this was the episode I was most looking forward to. Was I disapointed, well I can agree with the majority saying that it was fast paced, but the whole concept was just brilliant and would have played out even better if it just had that little more airing time. So far this episode ranks 3rd for me, with Asylum second and Dinosaurs first. And Susan the horse should have her own spin off 😉
Has anyone talked about the very intriguing bit of info – that the Doctor said he was 1200 years old? Did I just fancy I heard that? If that's true – it puts his quick temper into a WHOLE NEW LIGHT! Any thoughts anyone???????
Loved the location shooting, the music, the stetson.
I have reservations about the route the Doctor's been going down this series, he seems to be becoming more ruthless, a characteristic I don’t want associated with the character. But for actually exploring the anger in a well-written, reflective manner rather than last week’s Bond-esque nonchalant smarmy murder, Whithouse gets a lot more of my appreciation than Chibnall.
A Town Called Mercy was for me an accomplished mix of Western, sci-fi, and that Doctor Who Britishness, in terms of humour and the prevailing “violence doesn’t end violence” message. Yes, Whithouse’s scripts can be criticised for following the traditions of Doctor Who a little too closely, and indeed this episode’s use of well-worn tropes in Kahler-Jex’s story means that it’s not one of the very best episodes, but it is Whithouse’s best yet and one that I'd be more than happy to watch again and again.
True love means forgiving. I totally forgive the DW team for an episode that wasn't a 13/10, but rather, a 9/10. What a spoiled brat am I to expect that my favorite show must *always* be better than a 10.
The Doctor's favorites? The Earth and the Human Race. Because he inhibits all the lovely qualities that make us human – a crucial one is making mistakes.
Let's just show the love for DW and be glad that we're not obsessed with another show like The Bachelor.
Brilliant episode! The Doctor Who team should watch more Star Trek The Next Generation, there's so much to take from it; a bit of borg, a bit of holodeck action, brilliant!
So much better than last week! Really loved it! Loved the mix of comedy and then dangerous anger! And Susan the horse! What?! Fab.
Disappointing
Loved this episode. Would have loved it even more if it had been given more length. With a lot of the new series stories, they lack the screen time to really explore the characters that appear. A novelisation of this one would be a classic.
Having said that, this is a great story with slow, intimate moments and fast(ish) action scenes – though very much not in your typical manner. More of this please
I liked it but felt ultimately dissapointed because everything felt a bit rushed and strung together poorly. Would have benefited from perhaps being longer… Although not two parter length. It was an good filler episode but I did feel like it was a bit lacking in some aspects
Very thrown off by the sudden emotional breakdown that caused the Doctor to point a gun at someone who posed him no threat. Where did that come from?? When does the Doctor ever point a gun and have nobody go "whoa, Doctor, look at yourself!"
The 'screaming victims' in the space-pod gave me chills, though. I liked the gravity of the crimes the guy was being hunted for, and I could sympathise with both sides of it.
I was overall disappointed with the writing; it felt shoddy, like Whithouse shoved in some drama about the Doctor suddenly being violently guilty, just to cause the death of the Marshall and push the plot along. Lazy.
While the first two episodes this season were little more than fun, mindless romps, this episode appeared to actually make an attempt to explore the Doctor's character a little bit. For newer fans, the Doctor hates guns and swears to never use them. But the comments made by the war criminal comparing himself to the Doctor seemed to stir something within the Doctor, nearly turning him into a gun-wielding killer.
Unfortunately, the angle seemed to go nowhere, and was dropped as soon as the immediate crisis was resolved with the Doctor being made marshall.
Later it got interesting as the Doctor was willing to strap on a holstered pistol and have a couple duels. Very odd actions by the Doctor, but again it went unexplained, which is a pity because these are moments where we can explore what makes the Doctor tick.
It seemed to devolve back into another mindless romp after that, but at least they tried writing a decent story this time. On to the power of 3…
A male horse called Susan? The doctor speaks horse? Where did that come from?
Honestly, this is the least enjoyable episode of Series 7 thus far, which is a massive shame because it had so much going for it. The whole thing just felt a bit rushed, and while the direction and music (the latter especially) were absolutely fantastic, everything else just came across as… 'meh', if you'll pardon the overused expression.
Episode was poor, a mess, rushed in places, contradictory, low budget and seriously naff ending
You have Rory who is barely used at all in the episode, Amy who was so so wooden even when reminding the Doctor of where his moral compass should point although she had no issue with him using and sending Solomon to his death last week
The Town is in the middle of nowhere and apparently could only afford the one horse, all be it the universe's first sexually confused horse. The Space ship was an egg…so was waiting for Mork from Ork to pop out, and the moment you heard the "self destruct in ten seconds" the ending was revealed. A Cyborg totally prepared to cross the line yet hadnt up to the end was so so naff, like it wanted revenge but was quite amicable about letting it last for years
Poorly written, naff to watch, definite filler episode and the 1 minute trailer for next weeks episode did more to move the whole..lets get the ponds off our screens story arc then this entire episode
A real dip in pace, and a real let down, it was just…meh
Rather enjoyed that even though a bit of a damp squid at the end. Great music, look and feel of the Westerns. As with last week, there was a ton of issues that needed more time to be developed instead of rushed.
Better than last weeks outing but it feels like the Ponds have already left the bulding.
@CockneyCharmer You don't know if it was the first sexually confused horse. You don't speak horse.
Regarding the episode, I was really, really bored throughout the whole thing. I feel like Amy and Rory had little to nothing to do. And although I did like the exploration of the Doctor's emotional baggage, I felt like it took too much out of the action, it wasn't really well balanced.
Series 7 has been a disappointment form the start, even Episode 1 with the Daleks lacked "something". I have to agree with everything Cockney Charmer has written about this 3rd offering.
The episode was alright, but not the best of the three so far. What bothered me though, is the Doctor's whole issue with killing was resolved in a sort of an.. awkward way.(?) It seemed rushed and I didn't feel anything from it when Amy put him straight. I am glad though, that she did 🙂
I agree with the majority here. I loved this episode but, like the one before it, it felt rushed to fit in with the movie aesthetic that this series is based around. Good concept, poor execution.
Anyone who thought this episode was disappointing was clearly watching Love and monsters by mistake,because A town called Mercy was by far the best episode of series 7 so far.
Great episode, I just wish it could have been a little longer.
I have to say, Gunslinger is a pretty awesome guy. He seemed to me, a cross between the Terminator and Kryten in that western episode of Red Dwarf.
The only thing that was a little off was how quickly the Doctor moved on from his little breakdown.
We are having a good season, aren't we?
Much love, Susan the horse.
I liked the first half. But by the second half it became poorly paced, hamfisted and redundant.. Really? The Doctor has blood on his hands? You don't say!
Nothing was advanced in this Concept of the Doctor as a terrible God. And for it to end with some heroism by Jex? Boring…
I agree with everything Cockney Charmer has written. As I watched this disappointing episode I felt it seemed vaguely familiar. Series 7 has failed to deliver in 2 out of 3 episodes for me, even our "pepper pot friends" seemed to be lacking something this time around. I hope things pick up for the last 2 episodes in this segment.
Did anyone else think that The Doctor's first encounter with this week's egg (The Kahler ship) could've been written by Douglas Adams? It felt like it was a computer from the pages of Hitchhiker's Guide.
I would like to see some of you critics do any better. Doctor Who is the best show on TV by far and I'm not sure what you expect, especially those that call themselves fans? … They say that in the world of football, everyone thinks they are a manager! … it seems that in the world of Doctor Who everyone thinks they are a writer/director/producer!
I have to say I liked it better than the last two episodes. But overall, this series is really lousy. I actually liked the 5 or so minutes of Pond Life better than any of the episodes, because there was at least a little bit of humor.
And did the Doctor go into hiatus in the 80s because the show was getting too dark and violet? That's how the show feels to me now.
@ettelocin Do you not get the point of this page which asks people to comment with their views of the episode…which is what people are doing.
It is very clear looking at various internet sites discussing this episode that it has been very hit and miss, with the majority seeing it in a negative light
It was a weak episode compared with the previous 2 and it was nothing but filler with failed attempts to focus on interesting elements but all got lost in the mess the episode played out as
Everyone has the right to share their opinion, just as you did, but others know how to stay on topic and not troll 🙂
I liked it the best out of all three episodes so far. It wasn't as quippy and ridiculous as we're used to, but I enjoyed that. I think it could have benefited from an extra 15 or so minutes though.
I thought the episode was okay, but nowhere near as good as the first two this series.
My main issue was the fact that Amy and Rory were completely redundant. Perhaps this particular episode could have been saved for an early adventure with Jenna-Louise Coleman's character after Christmas?
Loved it. The Doctor has always had a semi-ruthless nature and it's started bubbling to the surface again in the past 2 episodes. I believe, but can't remember for certain, that the 5th Doctor had one of the highest death counts, even standing and watching The Master die in flames.
@cockneycharmer
I'm hardly a troll but I just wanted to point out that there are ways of critiquing without using angry or harsh words… and that too many of these harsh criticisms could lead to the demise of the show that we all love, if we are not careful! 😀
would everyone stop being so damn negative,this episode was extremely enjoyable in my opinion,it was a great story and didn't have any gaping plot holes like asylum did, I can understand that other people may not feel the same,but this episode is definitely not terrible,especially as all the arguments against it are mind bogglingly pedantic,seriously you just cant please some people….
For a family show, the baddies weren't (clear-cut) bad enough, there wasn't nearly enough peril, and there was an overall lack of proper menace. Youngest kid in the house was bored, next one up somewhat unimpressed, and while there were moments of absolute brilliance about the show, the biggest kids (i.e., the parents) were a little disappointed. Better luck next week.
I thought that "A Town Called Mercy" was brilliant, just like the last two episodes have been brilliant. I thought that the concept was really well developed and well executed as well. The moment where the alien Doctor compared himself to our Doctor was very well done and the Doctor snapped because yes, he is a war criminal too. I mean, he killed his entire people to save the universe. He has the souls of the Time Lords on his hands (not to mention the other races that have been annihilated because of him in one way or another) and I thought that it was brilliant that Amy was the one point out that he had to be better than the alien Doctor. So all in all, it was a brilliant episode. ^_^
The Doctor pointing a gun–I still think about 9, getting that gun to go after the one Dalek. And Rose asking him what he is turning into. And in Victory of the Dalek, the Doctor furious about letting them get away again, makes me wonder if he had the option would he have trained missiles on them or blown them up? And he blew up so much of the Cyberfleet, (assumedly killing some in the process). I am not sure the issue is so much that his use of weapons is sudden, but only that he is so inconsistent about it. And perhaps that is part of the underdeveloped, or, is it just subtle, character of the Time Lord?
It was a fine episode. Felt like a typical mid-season episode, where it doesnt tie in too heavily into the overarching themes of the season and just deals with its own stuff. The acting was solid, there were plenty of funny bits, and the cyborg is a fine addition to Doctor Who's stable of characters. Hope we see him again.
I have to admit, after seeing the Gunslinger in the advert weeks before Doctor Who started airing, this was the episode I was most looking forward to. Was I disapointed, well I can agree with the majority saying that it was fast paced, but the whole concept was just brilliant and would have played out even better if it just had that little more airing time. So far this episode ranks 3rd for me, with Asylum second and Dinosaurs first. And Susan the horse should have her own spin off 😉
Best things about this episode? a sexually confused he/she horse and the fantasic music my Mr Gold.! Lets hope The power of 3 is much better!
Has anyone talked about the very intriguing bit of info – that the Doctor said he was 1200 years old? Did I just fancy I heard that? If that's true – it puts his quick temper into a WHOLE NEW LIGHT! Any thoughts anyone???????
Loved the location shooting, the music, the stetson.
I have reservations about the route the Doctor's been going down this series, he seems to be becoming more ruthless, a characteristic I don’t want associated with the character. But for actually exploring the anger in a well-written, reflective manner rather than last week’s Bond-esque nonchalant smarmy murder, Whithouse gets a lot more of my appreciation than Chibnall.
A Town Called Mercy was for me an accomplished mix of Western, sci-fi, and that Doctor Who Britishness, in terms of humour and the prevailing “violence doesn’t end violence” message. Yes, Whithouse’s scripts can be criticised for following the traditions of Doctor Who a little too closely, and indeed this episode’s use of well-worn tropes in Kahler-Jex’s story means that it’s not one of the very best episodes, but it is Whithouse’s best yet and one that I'd be more than happy to watch again and again.
9/10
[URL="http://thisisgood-isntit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-doctor-who-episode-called-town-called.html"%5DIf you don't mind the spamming, here's a full review on my blog.[/URL]
True love means forgiving. I totally forgive the DW team for an episode that wasn't a 13/10, but rather, a 9/10. What a spoiled brat am I to expect that my favorite show must *always* be better than a 10.
The Doctor's favorites? The Earth and the Human Race. Because he inhibits all the lovely qualities that make us human – a crucial one is making mistakes.
Let's just show the love for DW and be glad that we're not obsessed with another show like The Bachelor.
Brilliant episode! The Doctor Who team should watch more Star Trek The Next Generation, there's so much to take from it; a bit of borg, a bit of holodeck action, brilliant!