Doctor Who Series 7, Episode 6 Review: The Bells of Saint John
- SimplyWho
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
What did you think of this episode?
Sonic!
Good!
Bumpy-wumpy!
Exterminate!
After the mystery and intrigue of The Snowmen, The Bells of Saint John kicks off the adventures of Clara Oswald with a fast-paced, high-tech thriller that feels both fresh, but still very Doctor Who - and here is my review.
This felt every inch like an opening episode of a series, and in a way it very much was, but it is easy to forget that this is in fact episode number 6, or more if you include the Christmas specials. The Snowmen was very much a big part of Clara's story, so it feels a bit different than the normal, standalone festive stories of the past.
So what did we have here then? The Doctor being a monk, Clara being annoyingly shit at working out WiFi, like really shit, jump in the TV and ask are you fucking thick shit. I will ignore that though, because once we get going this is such a good episode. We have Spoonheads hoovering up people as well as wondering who the hell this 'impossible girl' was.
"Right! Don’t be a monk! Monks are not cool."
Some of the scenes in this episode are things we have never seen before from the show, and the airplane bit is so, so good. One minute standing in the street, sweeping into the TARDIS and then running out into a crashing plane, it looks amazing! Matt Smith as always is amazing, although this is no way near the TARDIS reveal of the previous episode. That was epic for other reasons. Clara's cup of tea in a clearly empty mug is always in the back of my mind when I watch this.
Another scene that got a 10 from me was the unforgettable moment the Doctor rides his motorbike up The Shard. It’s a gloriously over-the-top moment, but it is Doctor Who, and it is Matt Smith, and therefore, it works!
Then he arrives in Miss Kizlet's office in full smug mode, gives a knowing smile as he outwits his enemy - classic Eleven!! It always feels more satisfying when the Doctor uses his brain and the enemies weapons against them than the old wave of a sonic or an act of love by a companion stuff.
"Oh! Quite a lot, actually. Angie called. She’s going to stay over at Nina’s. Apparently that’s all completely fine and you shouldn’t worry like you always do, for God’s sake, get off her back. Also, your dad phoned. Mainly about the government. He seems very cross with them. I’ve got several pages on that. I said I’d look into it. I fixed that rattling noise in the washing machine, indexed the kitchen cupboards, optimized the photosynthesis in the main flower bed and assembled the quadricycle."
Jenna Coleman shines as Clara, giving her just the right mix of intrigue, wit, and warmth. The ongoing mystery of the woman twice dead continues to be compelling, and her dynamic with the Doctor already feels strong. Perhaps too strong, but I think I am looking at that through the lens of someone who has seen this all play out before.
I have an irrational fear of adults talking like children (the Haribo adverts are an abomination) so I thought Miss Kizlet's ending was both terrifying and upsetting. I on't think her haunted words have ever truly left me! I need a shower!!
"Where are my mummy and daddy? They said they wouldn’t be long. Are they coming back?"
So all in all The Bells of Saint John is a cool way to start the second half of series 7, it felt different, and it was full of excitement and humor.
What did you think of this episode? How did the split series work for you? Let me know in the comments below.
RATING: Sonic!
BEST LINE: "Did you even hear the word, anti-grav?"
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