“Come on then, you’ve had all summer,” demands Amy Pond. “Where is she?”
And so it was; for the first time since its reboot in 2005, Doctor Who split its current series into two parts and took an extended summer break, returning here with ‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ to provide us with a viewing alternative to the myriad reality shows that have appeared back in the schedules. And my word, is it good to have the show back!
It’s seemingly not just us who have been missing The Doctor, since Amy and Rory have also been without him for the summer. Having apparently been off searching for the kidnapped Melody Pond, the Doctor answers a brilliantly inventive call from his companions and drops in to give them an update. His search has apparently been fruitless, but the gang barely have a chance to catch up before they’re rudely interrupted by a lively new face in a rather flash sports car.
The girl is a rebellious childhood friend of Amy and Rory’s who’s decided she’d like to meet the fabled Doctor that young Amy used to fantasise about. And there begins the adventure!
Saying much more about the plot would lead us into a minefield of spoilers, so we’ll say no more, other than that the title is perhaps a little misleading and that the episode ties much more into the larger mythology of the series than you might initially expect.
It’s a marvellous return for the show, featuring some of the more joyously ridiculous ideas that the show has floated for a while (hint: think The Beano…), with the cast playing a lot of that side of the episode with tongue firmly in cheek. Rory, in particular, is given some hilariously knowing lines and Arthur Darvill is notably strong in his delivery, while in the heavier parts of the episode, Matt Smith proves once again why he is near universally adored in the role, bringing a heartbreaking vulnerability to the Doctor that we rarely see.
‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ is filled with excitement and heart, like all good Who stories should be, and it even features a robotic foe that’s so ropey it can’t help but raise a nostalgic smile to the memory of the classic series and the shoddier monsters of old. If we have to raise a complaint, it would be that after a long summer break, many of the smaller details of this series-long arc may get muddled in the minds of the casual audience. With so many things happening this series – and with it all being told out of sequence – it may be a struggle to keep it all pieced together for those who’ve only watched each episode once.
But that aside, this is a triumphant return; managing to drop hints about the series’ Big Bad, while perhaps leaving a few characters irrevocably changed by their experiences, and all the while managing to direct the show towards some exciting material going forward. And best of all? We don’t have to wait another three months until the next one!
Airs at 7.10pm on Saturday 27th August 2011 on BBC One.