With The Bells Of Saint John, Steven Moffat has managed admirably to cope within the tricky situation of there being no immediate mid-season 'cliffhanger' as there was for Let's Kill Hitler after the River Song shocker in Series Six Part One. While this isn't perhaps up in the league in some of the Moff's greatest Doctor Who masterpieces, it's nevertheless a thrilling rollercoaster of an introduction into the 50th Anniversary run.
First and foremost, let's credit the shining highlight of Asylum Of The Daleks, The Snowmen and indeed this brilliant return- Jenna-Louise Coleman. As a computer genius, a Victorian governess and a modern nanny with ambitions to travel the world, Coleman has risen to the challenge in every guise that Steven has provided her with so far, and this reviewer has no doubt that we'll continue to see her develop as the season progresses. Clara's chemistry with Matt Smith's Doctor was on fine form here too, boding very well for future adventures they'll share together on the TARDIS this year.
As ever, the blockbuster narrative of the episode was a classic Moffat concoction. It could be argued that this adventure was paced a little differently and more slowly than we're used to from the man who gave us the likes of Blink and Day Of The Moon, yet for the most part that doesn't hurt its appeal. There are a fair few jabs at humanity's lingering dependence on Wi-Fi, with Twitter in particular falling under the proverbial radar, but it's all done in an intelligent and tongue-in-cheek manner that never feels petty. The concept of the Spoonheads was actually put to great effect, too- they're hardly an 'iconic' foe which could be utilised again and again, yet here they serve the purpose of the storyline excellently.
Visually, Bells was no slacker either. From a 13th century monastery historical sequence to a blazing thriller plane escape setpiece and of course the unforgettable Shard motorbike stunt, new director Colm McCarthy did absolute wonders with his direction and was helped in strong form by the Mill's stunning special effects team. Indeed, we're probably looking at one of the most beautifully directed and presented episodes of Doctor Who ever with this bold mid-season première.
Where did Episode 1 (or Episode 7 of Series Seven) falter, then? On occasion, it felt as if Steven was struggling to know for sure whether it would be better to follow the season arc surrounding the mystery of Clara or instead the movie plot-of-the-week, something which could be argued as working to the episode's detriment in its final moments. Between UNIT's rapid invasion of the Shard, Richard E Grant's Dr Simeon returning possessed by the Great Intelligence and Clara's assertion that home was simply 'Page One' of a new life in the stars, it was a little difficult to know where to turn in the episode's final moments. This didn't feel so much a rushed conclusion due to the forty-five minute timeslot, just something which perhaps could have warranted faster explanation earlier in the episode to make things run a little smoother at the climax.
All the same, it's silly to dawdle on any minor plot qualms for too long, as there was such cracking fun to be had this evening. In spite of its minor shortcomings, The Bells Of Saint John represented yet another glorious return from Doctor Who at nearly its very best, with Steven Moffat's portrayal of the Eleventh Doctor and Clara stunningly done, the cast- Celia Imrie included- all on fine form and Colm McCarthy's direction to die for. Juggling one too many arc elements in the climax may have been a slight issue here, yet the Moff has definitely guaranteed us fans will be waiting on the edge of our seats every week to see what happens next, and moreso that the 50th Anniversary should be a groundbreaking year to remember!
4.5/5
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