The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story)

The Angels Take Manhattan was the fifth episode of the seventh series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales. It saw the final appearances of Amy Pond and Rory Williams, and the return of River Song.

Synopsis
A simple trip to New York City goes horribly wrong when Rory is sent back to the 1930s by the Weeping Angels. There he finds that River is investigating the angels and Manhattan has become their hunting grounds. The Doctor and Amy must find Rory before it is too late, but they soon find that not every point in time can be changed. And here, the Doctor must do the one thing he has been dreading - say a final farewell to Amelia Pond.

Plot
A detective is sent by art collector and mob boss, Grayle, to Winter Quay, a place "Where the statues live". When he arrives he notices a little girl in a nearby building mimicking a Weeping Angel's pose. He enters the building, unaware the girl was trying to warn him about the Weeping Angel which is now awake, that was sitting on a plinth near the building.

The detective enters a room in the building that has his name on it; unaware the angels are prowling the corridors. He encounters an elderly version of himself, who warns him that "They" are going to send him back in time now he is there. The Detective is then attacked by the angels but manages to avoid them as something large is heard approaching from outside. Since the angels have blocked the stairwell he is forced onto the roof and comes face to face with the snarling Statue of Liberty; revealed to be a Weeping Angel of gigantic size. As he succumbs to his fate, the audience is made aware that someone is writing about the man's demise on a typewriter.

In current day New York, the Doctor and the Ponds are having a picnic in Central Park. The Ponds are annoyed by the Doctor's habit of reading his detective novel by Melody Malone out loud, while he in turn is perturbed by Amy's use of reading glasses. The Doctor tells Amy that he doesn't like her glasses because they make her eye look "all liney"; which, after taking the glasses off Amy, he finds is NOT the reason why. Amy then starts arguing with the Doctor about how she looks, asking Rory (who is a safe distance away from his wife) if there are lines under her eyes. Rory says he never noticed, walking back to his wife, who happily kisses him. Rory goes off to get more coffee for them as Amy tells the Doctor to tell her a story; the Doctor is amused she changed her mind.

On Rory's way back, he hears the sound of children giggling, as a cherub on a nearby fountain disappears. As Rory walks, the giggling gets closer and closer. In the meantime, the book says Melody saw a thin man appear and followed him until he noticed her; the Doctor is shocked by what the thin man says to Melody - "Hello, River". They run to the TARDIS, while in 1938 Rory questions River about how he got there as he was just walking under a bridge in the park. River tells him she has not idea, but he better put his hands up; armed men are surrounding them.

In the meantime, the Doctor and Amy have boarded the TARDIS as she continues reading from the book, which has River saying the TARDIS cannot land in New York during this time because of several Time distortions, comparing it to trying to fly through a blizzard; if even she can't do it, the Doctor wouldn't be able to either. An annoyed Doctor attempts to land the TARDIS, but is bounced back to 2012, New York by a wall of temporal energy, proving River right. Landing in a cemetery, the Doctor tells Amy to stop reading ahead in the book because it's causing the events to become fixed. However, Amy disagrees and keeps reading; River and Rory have been taken to Grayle's mansion, where the former comments on the Mob boss's taste in Chin artifacts. Hearing this, the Doctor figures out how to get "landing lights", leaving a message on one of the vases - "Yowza!" As River is led into Grayle's office, Rory is placed in the basement with "the babies". Grayle says that "they" are everywhere, but no one seems to notice; he then shows River the prize of his collection: a damaged Weeping Angel. River says she's met them before, and that it's screaming out in pain to its comrades; this is why Grayle has tons of locks on his doors. However, Grayle quickly turns the tables on River by briefly turning off the lights long enough for the shackled Angel to grab her wrist. Grayle demands to know everything River knows about them.

In the meantime, Rory has been tossed in the basement and given a book of matches by the guard, who tells him that he'll last longer with them than with something electric. Left alone in darkness, Rory hears the giggling again, scaring him into lighting a match. He discovers several cherubs facing him with sinister expressions. He repeatedly lights the matches, but they keep going out. Down to one (probably), Rory watches as one that got close to him blows it out. Above, as Grayle attempts to threaten River, she hears the TARDIS trying to materialize and tells her captor that he'd better watch out for her husband. With a shockwave, the TARDIS lands, knocking Grayle out.

In the TARDIS, the Doctor is busy fixing his hair for his wife, annoying Amy. Once done, they depart and find River. He asks her how Stormcage is, only to learn that she has been let go because he apparently never existed; she is also now a professor of Archaeology. The Doctor tells River they either have to break her wrist or the angel's to get her free; unfortunately, Amy read ahead again and knows that River breaks her wrist to get free, so it's the only way now. However, Amy has a most brilliant idea about to know what's ahead without the details; they read the chapter titles. Reading one, Amy learns where Rory is and rushes off. However, as soon as she does, the Doctor reads the table of contents and sees the last chapter is labeled "Amelia's Final Farewell".

Amy checks the basement, only to find it empty. She returns to the Doctor, who is now sitting on the stairs, deep in thought. River emerges from the collection room with her scanner, saying that Rory is at Winter Quay, having only been moved in space, rather than time. The Doctor is delighted to see River didnt have to break her wrist to get free, but as soon as he touches it, River grimaces in pain. He then heals her hand with a little of his regeneration energy, being scolded by his wife for doing so. Amy asks River why the Doctor is in a bad mood and River subtly says they should never let the Doctor see them age. They then commandeer one of the Mob's cars and drive off to get Rory. At the same time, they left the door open to the other angels, who advance and enact revenge on Grayle for hurting their comrade.

They arrive at Winter Quay, where Rory has been exploring on his own. They find him on the exact same floor the detective arrived on. At the end of the hall is a angel; the way out is blocked. Rory discovers a room with his name on it and enters with Amy. River and the Doctor linger, only to see the angel is smiling; a bad omen. Inside the room is an old man who calls to Amy; it's Rory! Amy holds his hand as he passes. The Doctor sadly informs Rory this means the Angels will keep him there till he dies, as they've seen; Amy didn't get sent with him, explaining why he was so relieved to see her. Rory decides to defy this; if the Angels aren't able to catch him, he won't die there. However, the Doctor notes that Rory will have to run for his entire life then. River then decides that if a paradox is created, this "farm" the angels created will be poisoned, thus killing them.

A loud thudding occurs, forcing them to decide that Rory and River's plan will work. Amy and Rory run out, but the Doctor and River are forced back into the room by the Weeping Angels. Amy and Rory enter the stairway, seeing an Angel is blocking the way out downwards. Thus, they climb up to the roof. What awaits them is the same as it was for the detective, the Statue of Liberty, snarling at them. Rory jokes that he's always wanted to see it, "guess she got impatient." Back inside, the Doctor causes a distraction that allows him and River to escape the Angels and use the same route as Amy and Rory. Back on the roof, Rory sees the only way out is to jump and commit suicide. Amy tries talking him out of it, but defends the idea by saying "When don't I" come back from dying. Amy decides to jump with Rory just as the Doctor and River reach the roof. The Doctor yells "What the hell are you doing!?" as they jump.

The next thing everyone knows, they're back in the cemetery in 2012 New York, relieved to be alive; the angels using the farm are gone. Rory complains that when they came to New York, he wanted to go to a pub. The Doctor decides they can all do that; a family outing. However, as everyone boards the TARDIS, Rory notices a tombstone with his name on it just as he vanishes; an angel survived and sent Rory back to that time. The Doctor explains to a distraught Amy that he cannot go back; anymore meddling in that time period could destroy New York. Amy asks the Doctor if she would end up where Rory was if the angel touched her; yes, but why? Despite the Doctor trying to talk Amy out of it, his mother-in-law tells River to take care of him; she turns, cyring, to the Doctor, says "Raggedy Man, goodbye." and is taken by the angel to wherever and whenever Rory is. To the Doctor's horror and distress, the Gravestone now reads "In loving memory, Rory Arthur Williams, Age 82. And his loving wife, Amelia Williams, age 87."

River comforts the Doctor, knowing that he can never see Amy and Rory again; in the TARDIS, the Doctor apologises to River as Amy and Rory were her parents. River says that it's okay, reminding the Doctor not to travel alone. He then asks her to travel with him; River says she'd be more than willing to share adventures with him, but not all the time; "one psychopath per TARDIS." Heading up to a room to begin writing the book, River tells the Doctor that while he may not listen to her, he may listen to Amy; after giving her the story for publishing, she'll make sure Amy leaves a message for him at the end of the book.

The Doctor remembers that he tore out the last page from the book and rushes back to where their picnic was in New York. The Doctor grabs the page and reads Amy's message; "Afterword, by Amelia Williams. Hello, old friend, and here we are. You and me, on the last page. By the time you read these words, Rory and I will be long gone, so know that we lived well, and were very happy. And, above all else, know that we will love you, always. Sometimes, I do worry about you though; I think, once we're gone, you won't be coming back here for a long while, and you might be alone, which you should never be. Don't be alone, Doctor."Amy has just one more request from her "Raggedy Doctor"; go back to the child her sitting in the garden and tell her a story: ''"And do one more thing for me: there's a little girl, waiting in a garden; she's going to wait a long while, so she is going to need a lot of hope. Go to her. Tell her a story. Tell her that, if she's patient, the days are coming that she'll never forget. Tell her she'll go to sea and fight pirates, she'll fall in love with a man who'll wait two thousand years to keep her safe. Tell her she'll give hope to the greatest painter who ever lived, and save a whale in outer space."''

The Doctor appears to honour Amy's request as young Amelia is seen waiting in the garden for him and the sound of the TARDIS is heard; as this happens, Amy finishes the story by narrating "Tell her: This is the story of Amelia Pond - and this, is how it ends.".

Cast

 * The Doctor - Matt Smith
 * Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
 * Rory Williams - Arthur Darvill
 * River Song - Alex Kingston
 * Grayle - Mike McShane
 * Sam Garner - Rob David
 * Hood - Bentley Kalu
 * Foreman - Ozzie Yue
 * Old Garner - Burnell Tucker

Buildings

 * The Statue of Liberty is revealed to be possessed by a Weeping Angel.

Foods and beverages

 * Rory goes to get three coffees and is transported to 4 April 1938 whilst holding them.

TARDIS

 * River tells Rory that the TARDIS Translation circuit 'sticks around' when he sees writing on ancient Chinese vases being translated.

Theories and concepts

 * By changing his future and creating a paradox Amy and Rory's actions wipe out the Angels' Winter Quay building.

Time

 * The Doctor says that there are significant time distortions around New York.
 * If someone learns of their personal future by reading about it, it becomes a fixed point in time and therefore cannot be changed.
 * Due to the paradox created by Amy and Rory, the Doctor cannot travel back in time to visit them without destroying New York City.

Timeline

 * The Doctor visits China in 221 BC to have a message placed on a vase to alert River.

Cars and trucks

 * When the Doctor decides to adjust his hair before exiting the TARDIS, a plaque references that the Doctor's TARDIS was manufactured by Rolls Royce.

Other products

 * Rory uses Brightwell & Hyman matches to defend himself from the cherubic Weeping Angels.

Story notes

 * The title of the book which River Song writes under the pseudonym "Melody Malone" is The Angel's Kiss. An e-book version of the novel will be released on 4 October 2012.
 * This is the first episode to feature River Song that is not a two-parter or is at least following a cameo appearance by River in the previous episode.
 * As with all of the Series 7 episodes, this episode has individually stylized opening credits: the time vortex appears blue and gray, and the Doctor Who logo resembles the Statue of Liberty in color and pattern.
 * Amy asks the Doctor to return to meet a young Amelia Pond the morning after he left her waiting in the garden in The Eleventh Hour to tell her about the adventures they will have together. The older Amy was dreaming about that morning when the Doctor came back to pick her up the night before her wedding at the end of The Eleventh Hour. Steven Moffat said of the scene, "After showing Amelia Pond in the garden as a young girl in The Eleventh Hour, Karen's first episode, the final shot in Saturday's The Angels Take Manhattan is a punchline I have been waiting to tell for two and a half years."

Ratings
to be added

Rumours

 * The Statue of Liberty is a Weeping Angel. This turned out to be true.

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors

 * While the real Statue of Liberty is around 150 ft tall, the one depicted in the episode is a 30 foot duplicate called the 'Little liberty'. It stood on top of the Liberty Warehouse on the west side of Manhattan until 2002.


 * The Winter Quay is located near Battery Park on the south side of Manhattan, however several shots from the roof show the Chrysler Building nearby in the background, a building located miles north and is not visible from Battery Park.


 * The map that The Doctor uses to locate Rory, in 1938, shows both the Battery City Park, as well as the Battery Tunnel. These were not in existence in 1938.


 * The Photoshoot PA who was credited did not appear in this episode, but instead appeared in Asylum of the Daleks.


 * Just after Amy and Rory jump off of the roof and the Doctor is looking down at them, River is in the background standing normally looking at the Doctor. In the very next shot she is leaning on the ledge, looking down at Amy and Rory.


 * As the Doctor examines River's broken wrist, she says it is "pretty bad, too". In this shot, the Doctor has his mouth open as if showing the pain of seeing her hand. But in the next shot, his mouth is closed.


 * As the Doctor and River climb onto the Winter Quay roof, the shot shows them opposite Amy and Rory on the ledge, so the Doctor and River would've climbed from the side of the 'Statue of Liberty' Weeping Angel, which was not shown behind them; (possibly far from the face).

Continuity

 * Amy Pond calls the Doctor "Raggedy man". (TV: The Eleventh Hour, The Big Bang, The Girl Who Waited)
 * The Doctor used some of his regenerative energy to repair River Song's hand. He did something similar when recharging the last power source in the TARDIS after it traveled to a Parallel World. (TV: Rise of the Cybermen)
 * In response to the Doctor healing her hand, River exclaims "You embarrass me!" much as the Doctor previously said to her. (TV:The Wedding of River Song)
 * The afterword Amy wrote in Melody Malone's book was a message for the Doctor, which made reference to various adventures the Doctor and Amy had had together: saving a whale in space (TV: The Beast Below), fighting pirates (TV: The Curse of the Black Spot), inspiring a great artist (TV: Vincent and the Doctor), and falling in love with a man who would wait two thousand years for her. (TV: The Big Bang)
 * Amy asks the Doctor to return to meet a young Amelia Pond the morning after he left her waiting in the garden in The Eleventh Hour to tell her about the adventures they will have together. The older Amy was dreaming about that morning when the Doctor came back to pick her up the night before her wedding at the end of The Eleventh Hour.
 * River mentions that she was pardoned from prison because the man she killed never existed. (TV: The Impossible Astronaut, TV: The Wedding of River Song) Oswin erased the Doctor from the Daleks' memories in TV: Asylum of the Daleks. However, it is unclear how exactly the Doctor was erased from other networks and memories. The conversation between River and the Doctor (and the fact that Solomon couldn't find info about the Doctor in TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship) implies the Doctor is responsible for the other erasures, as he was "getting too big".
 * River says that she is a professor now. (TV: Silence in the Library)
 * While on the roof contemplating jumping, Rory makes a reference to his history of having died multiple times and coming back to life each time. (TV: Amy's Choice, Cold Blood, The Curse of the Black Spot, The Doctor's Wife)
 * The Doctor sent a coded message to River ("Yowzah") from the past, as River had done with him on Planet One and through the black box of the Byzantium. (TV: The Pandorica Opens, The Time of Angels)
 * The Doctor uses the extractor fans once more (TV: Let's Kill Hitler).
 * River tells Amy that The Doctor doesn't like to see his companions age. The Doctor once indicated the same. (TV: School Reunion)
 * This is Amy's fourth encounter with the Weeping Angels. She previously met them in TV: The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone, PROSE: Touched by an Angel and PROSE: Magic of the Angels.
 * When trying to materialise in 1938, the TARDIS makes the same malfunctioning sound it made in TV: Spearhead from Space, The Eleventh Hour, and The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith.

DVD releases
to be added

Blu-ray releases
to be added