Episode #230 : The God Complex

" I can't save you from this. There's nothing I can do to stop this. I stole your childhood and now I've lead you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens. Forget your faith in me. I took you with me because I was vain. Because I wanted to be adored. Look at you. Glorious Pond. The girl who waited for me. I'm not a hero. I really am just a mad man in a box. And it's time we saw each other as we really are."

Episode #230:      The God Complex.
Companions:        The 11th Doctor, Amy Pond, and Rory Williams.
Air Date:               17th September 2011

The Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory investigate a hotel of horror where repeat business is low but the body count is high, where a mighty monster stalks the corridors and the rooms hold visions of angels, apes, and creepy clowns. Who — or what — has brought them to this place? Can the Doctor solve the mystery before the residents check out in grisly style?

The God Complex is a much enjoyable and well written adventure than the recent few. It deals with a mysterious hotel which seems to be abducting people from different planets and forcing them to face their fears, which results in their death at the hands of a powerful monster. It is a much more cerebral story but doesn't push it too far. Instead it features just enough weirdness and fun Doctor moments to make it enjoyable.

In The Girl Who Waited we saw character development for Rory and Amy. This adventure gives us some time for the Doctor. It builds upon the foundations that New Who has build with the Doctor being much more aware now of how his adventures affect his companions. He knows that his time is almost over and it is on his mind. He also has to destroy the faith that Amy has in him, much like he did to Ace in the Curse of Fenric, so that he can save her. He knows what his adventures could mean to his companions and at the end of his life he is beginning to understand the threat he is to them. Maybe I care more for the Doctor's character development than for his companions, but it seems to work for me more when it deals with the main hero.

It isn't all doom and gloom however. This episode has a lot of humour as well. David Walliams makes a great appearance as an awkward alien from a world which has been invaded more times than any other in the universe. Even the planet's national anthem is a welcome song to any invading empire.

It is nice to see a tie to a classic episode again. The monster behind this horror mystery is connected to the Nimon faced by the 4th Doctor. I've said it before and I'll probably repeat myself again, but I get a lot more enjoyment out of New Who when it does these little tie ins to the classic show.

Definitely a great episode and one worth watching.