Let’s Kill Hitler

You’ve got a time machine, I’ve got a gun. What the hell – let’s kill Hitler.

Mels

Synopsis

Nazis! River on the rampage! Regeneration! It’s all happening after the TARDIS crash-lands in 1930s Berlin.

Review

I remember being worried about a story called Let’s Kill Hitler in 2011. The idea of using time travel to dispose of the leader of the Third Reich is such a cliche in time travel fiction that it is almost laughable. I think that ultimately, Let’s Kill Hitler surprised me. Your mileage may vary depending on how much you like and are invested in the character of River Song, but I find this story really enjoyable.

Penny in the air…the penny drops.

Mels

I think that the twist that the story isn’t really about Adolf Hitler is a really good one and saves this story from potentially getting itself into a difficult situation and the title is a good piece of misdirection. Instead, it shows us more of Amy and Rory’s childhood and after having their daughter ripped away from them in cruel circumstances in A Good Man Goes to War, the revelation that their best friend has in fact been their daughter all along is a nice idea. There are some aspects that show that the story could have done with another polish and I think that there are certainly issues towards the ending which feels almost as though it has been written around actor availability rather than anything else, but overall, the story benefits from some moments of dark humour and strong character moments.

There are a few moments in this story where the director Richard Senior really shines. One is in the transition between the flashback to Amy, Rory and Mel’s childhood and the present day, triggered by Mel throwing one of Amy’s models of the TARDIS into the air, whereupon it transitions into the actual TARDIS. Within that flashback, I also really like the transition from Primary School Headteacher’s office to Secondary School Headteacher’s office to prison cell as Mel continues to act out. Finally, with the introduction of Mels, we have a callback to River’s entrance in The Impossible Astronaut, with the sun behind her and stepping out of silhouette, which alludes to her identity before the story reveals it.

Well, I was on my way to this gay Gypsy Bar-Mitzvah for the disabled, when I thought gosh, the Third Reich’s a bit rubbish. I think I’ll kill the Fuhrer. Who’s with me?

River Song

Whilst Alex Kingston is undoubtedly great as River Song, and this episode is no exception, Nina Touissant-White is also really enjoyable as Mels. I just wish that she had been seeded a bit in advance rather than only having this story with her, even if this had just been a cameo in The Impossible Astronaut. Smith, Toussaint-White and Kingston all play off each other really well and I thin that all of the main and guest cast do a good job here.

The Justice Department bring an interesting dynamic to Doctor Who, giving us an organisation who look to use the gift of time travel to “give {history’s villains) hell”. Initially in Germany in 1938 to try and apply this treatment to Hitler, only to realise that they are too early in his timestream to be able to dispense their form of justice, they soon realise that it is their lucky day when they realise that River Song is also present. I remember that when I first saw this episode and they started talking about a bigger war criminal that I initially thought that they might be talking about the Doctor and his role in ending the Time War, which would have been an interesting premise. Whilst River’s assassination of the Doctor would undoubtedly have a drastic impact on the universe, it is perhaps difficult to reconcile her as a war criminal on the same level of Hitler. Whilst an interesting idea, there are certain aspects that do not make sense. For instance, the Teselecta is able to create a motorbike at a later time, but unable to replicate glasses earlier in the episode for a decent, if cliched, joke.

Can you ride a motorbike?

I expect so. It’s that kind of day.

Amy Pond and Rory Williams

Matt Smith puts in a good performance as he is put through the wringer here, killed by River Song and confronted by outstanding guilt remaining from his previous companions. The resolution owes a lot to his companions, who show how far they have come during the course of their travels with the Doctor, especially Rory and Darvill takes this new role as an action hero in his stride.

Verdict: Let’s Kill Hitler is a good fun story, albeit one that relies on you being invested in River Song and the companions. It does tail off towards the end, but the performances mostly salvage this one. 7/10

Cast: Matt Smith (The Doctor), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Alex Kingston (River Song), Nina Toussaint-White (Mels), Caitlin Blackwood (Amelia Pond), Maya Glace-Green (Young Mels), Ezekiel Wigglesworth (Young Rory), Philip Rham (Zimmerman), Richard Dillane (Carter), Amy Cudden (Anita), Davood Ghadami (Jim), Ella Kenion (Harriet), Albert Welling (Adolf Hitler), Mark Killeen (German Officer), Paul Bentley (Professor Candy), Eva Alexander (Nurse) & Tor Clark (Female teacher).

Writer: Steven Moffat

Director: Richard Senior

Producer: Marcus Wilson

Composer: Murray Gold

Original Broadcast Date: 27th August 2011

Behind the Scenes

• This is the first story to be broadcast in August since The Leisure Hive.
• The first story to show a completed regeneration involving a female character.
• Jenna Coleman auditioned for the role of Mels. She would later be cast as the Doctor’s next companion, Clara Oswald.
• As writer Steven Moffat was writing on Sherlock and The Adventures of Tintin at the time, Moffat delivered a first draft of the script and left the actors to get on with it.

Cast Notes

• Nina Toussaint-White has played a clone of River Song, Brooke 2, in the Big Finish series The Diary of River Song. She has also appeared in Genetics of the Daleks (Time Lord Victorious) and Cycle of Destruction (Dalek Universe).
• Ella Kenion has also appeared in the Big Finish audio plays Equilibrium (Doctor Who Main Range), Wrath of the Iceni (The Fourth Doctor Adventures) and The Players (The War Master).

Best Moment

I really like the scene between the Doctor and the voice interface of the TARDIS, featuring Caitlin Blackwood.

Best Quote

Is anyone else finding today just a little difficult? I’m getting a sort of banging in my head.

Yeah, I think that’s Hitler in the cupboard.

That’s not helping!

Rory Williams and Amy Pond

Previous Eleventh Doctor review: A Good Man Goes to War

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