Originally broadcast on 24 April 2010, The Time of Angels is a high-octane return to Steven Moffat’s most iconic modern creation: the Weeping Angels. Paired with the reintroduction of River Song, it kicks off a two-part thriller that showcases Doctor Who at its most cinematic. Rewatching in 2025, the first half of this story still hits with the same intensity and cleverness that made it an instant classic, but it's also rich with hints of the deeper mysteries that would define the Eleventh Doctor’s tenure.
The episode wastes no time throwing us into the action. River Song sends the Doctor a message carved into the oldest cliff face in the universe, and in true River fashion, it’s delivered with flair and a crash-landing. Alex Kingston is on top form, effortlessly portraying a version of River who knows more than she’s letting on. Her dynamic with Matt Smith’s Doctor is instantly compelling—a mix of flirtation, frustration, and trust that feels both brand new and centuries old.
The story takes us to the wreckage of the Byzantium, a crashed ship on the deadly maze of the dead. Aboard is a lone Weeping Angel—but of course, it’s never just one. Moffat brilliantly builds tension through atmosphere and implication. The Angels aren’t just lurking anymore—they're adapting. They can inhabit images of themselves. They can break out of video screens. One of the most memorable sequences is the pre-recorded video of the Angel that slowly becomes sentient. The Doctor warning, "That which holds the image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel," is the kind of line that sticks in your brain long after the credits roll.
Visually, the episode leans into shadow and starkness. The catacombs beneath the Byzantium are lit like a gothic horror film, and the slow, deliberate pace of the Angels creeping closer is wonderfully unnerving. Director Adam Smith uses long shots, tight close-ups, and silence to unnerving effect. The Angels never move on camera, but their presence is oppressive.
Amy's role in this story is fascinating. Her bravery is put to the test as she becomes psychologically marked by an Angel—literally seeing one in her mind. Karen Gillan is terrific, particularly in the scene where Amy must keep her eyes open, unable to blink, as the Angel takes root inside her perception. It’s a terrifying premise delivered with real emotional weight. Her trust in the Doctor is already deep, and it’s being tested in ways most companions never have to endure.
Smith, meanwhile, continues to carve out a distinct identity for his Doctor. He’s playful with River, tender with Amy, but there’s a steeliness in him that shows when he addresses the soldiers under Father Octavian. He commands respect. And when the Doctor turns to face the Angel-infested catacombs and tells them, "There’s one thing you never put in a trap if you’re smart... me," it’s a declaration of war. That moment, standing with a gun held above his head and a promise of vengeance in his voice, is the kind of grandstanding that only works when it’s backed by history. And this Doctor has so much history behind those eyes.
This episode also reintroduces the concept of faith and paradox. River's knowledge of the Doctor's future, her confident use of a vortex manipulator, and her whispered secrets all speak to a relationship we’ve not yet seen, but that she remembers vividly. It creates a narrative tension that's unique to the Moffat era—stories unfolding in the wrong order.
Rewatching in 2025, The Time of Angels still feels fresh, imaginative, and expertly paced. It expands the mythology of the Weeping Angels without diminishing their power, gives River Song her best entrance yet, and turns the Doctor into a mythic figure worthy of the legends whispered across time.
And by the final cliffhanger—the Doctor, River, Amy, and a squad of soldiers surrounded by Angels in the pitch-dark tombs—you’re already reaching for the remote, desperate for the second half.
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