Doctor Who: Village Of The Angels Review - 8 Ups & 4 Downs

When writers use The Weeping Angels, there are a list of pre-established rules that must be followed, thanks to one Steven Moffat. We’re very pleased to say that Chibnall and Alderton stuck to Moffat’s rules. In fact, they were better at sticking to Moffat’s rules than Moffat was.

We don’t see the Angels move. Check. The Angels actually send people back in time. Check. The Angels can steal voices. Check.

The episode also plays a lot with the ‘image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel’ rule, with some really fun scenes. The standout of these was seeing an Angel set aflame after the Doctor threw its source into the fire - we challenge anyone to say that wasn’t dope as hell.

We also saw the unexpected return of the ‘Angel in the eye’ concept, with an Angel embedding itself in Claire’s subconscious as it did with Amy in Flesh and Stone. This time around though, it didn’t manifest from a physical image, but a psychic one. This is something that we haven’t seen, but definitely makes sense within the established rules of the Angels.

Unfortunately, as per standard, a further rule was introduced, with Angels turning victims to rubble when trying to zap them a second time. Because the Angels needed more rules, apparently. When are they going to stop? We don’t envy future show runners twenty years down the line when Weeping Angels can only appear on every second Thursday, in the light of a waning gibbous moon.