Doctor Who: EVERY Steven Moffat Episode Ranked Worst To Best

13. The Angels Take Manhattan

Doctor Who The Angels Take Manhattan
BBC Studios

Is the Statue of Liberty as a giant Weeping Angel a step too far? Yes.

Do we let that ruin an otherwise gripping and emotional farewell to our beloved Amy and Rory? Absolutely not!

Steven Moffat knew exactly how to get us all sobbing into our Jammie Dodgers with The Angels Take Manhattan, especially with that paradox bait-and-switch leading us into a false sense of security... right up until it was too late.

And the harshest bit is the devious way in which Moffat made us viewers responsible for the fate of the Ponds, as we were the ones who read Rory's name on that gravestone, therefore preventing time from being rewritten. As the Doctor says:

"Not once you've read it. Once we know what's coming, it's written in stone."

It's all calculated to wring as many tears out of you as possible, and gosh darn it, it succeeds. So many twists, so many turns, so many quips... and River Song. Moffat Who at its very best.

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Ellie has been part of the WhatCulture team since 2021 where she began as a freelance presenter for the WhoCulture channel. As a diehard Whovian with a BA (hons) degree in Drama and Acting, this role was the perfect opportunity for her to combine her screen presence training with her extensive Doctor Who knowledge. From there, she branched out to various other WhatCulture channels, including TrekCulture, and became a full time Content Producer/Video Presenter in 2023. Ellie is now a regular fixture on both WhoCulture and TrekCulture and has become a well respected public figure within both fandoms, building up a substantial following across her social media platforms and being given the opportunity to represent the channels and the wider communities at several industry events. Her favourite Doctor Who character is River Song and her favourite Star Trek character is Captain Janeway - which tells you everything you need to know about how she approaches her role within a generally male dominated field.