The Steven Moffat era can generally be divided into four distinct sections: The Eleventh Hour - The Big Bang, The Impossible Astronaut - The Angels Take Manhattan, The Snowmen - The Time of the Doctor and Deep Breath onwards. Each of these sections has their own distinct textures that make them what they are, such as the fairy tale feel to Series 5, or the more introspective pieces that we get in Series 8 and 9, looking at the roles of Clara and the Doctor. But those are stories for another time, for now we begin our look at the second Moffat section: what I think of as the BIG section.
The BIG section feels big. The stories all aim to feel epic, leaving the magic of Series 5 behind for the adrenaline rush of excitement associated with travelling with the Doctor. And you can see this in The Impossible Astronaut, with the focus being clearly on spectacle as the dual driving force alongside the substance of Moffat's writing. Unusually for the first half of a two part episode, it's filled with spectacular and iconic images, such as the TARDIS de-cloaking in the Oval Office, or anything involving the Spacesuit that emerges from Lake Silencio to kill the Doctor. It all feels impressive, but I can't help but feel like this episode lacks something.
I mean, I enjoy this episode. It's well written, well directed, well performed, well designed, but in my heart I can't quite find it in my heart to truly love it. It just lacks that magic of Series 5, that spark that gives the story life. I think that that's my major problem with the BIG section: that it can lack that internal magic that's part of what makes Doctor Who so wonderful. But at least I can still watch and enjoy it, and there are definitely stories to love within this section. It's just that there are maybe more stories to admire than there are to love.
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