Village of the Angels
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox Doctor Who episode
| number = 297d
| serial_name = Village of the Angels
| show = DW
| type = episode
| image =
| caption =
| doctor = Jodie Whittaker – Thirteenth Doctor
| companions =
- Mandip Gill – Yasmin Khan
- John Bishop – Dan Lewis
| guests =
- Kevin McNally – Professor Jericho
- Annabel Scholey – Claire Brown
- Alex Frost – Reverend Shaw
- Vincent Brimble – Gerald
- Jemma Churchill – Jean
- Penelope McGhie – Mrs Hayward
- Thaddea Graham – Bel
- Blake Harrison – Namaca
- Jacob Anderson – Vinder
- Poppy Polivnicki – Peggy
- Rochenda Sandall – Azure
- Barbara Fadden, Isla Moody, Lowri Brown – Weeping Angels
- Jonny Mathers – Passenger
| director = Jamie Magnus Stone
| writer = Chris Chibnall and Maxine Alderton
| script_editor =
| producer = Nikki Wilson
| executive_producer = {{Unbulleted list|Chris Chibnall|Matt Strevens|Nikki Wilson}}
| composer = Segun Akinola
| series = Series 13
| length = 4th of 6-part story, 56 minutes
| date = {{Start date|2021|11|21|df=y}}
| preceding = "Once, Upon Time"
| following = "Survivors of the Flux"
}}
"Village of the Angels", prefixed frequently with either "Chapter Four" or "Flux", is the fourth episode of the thirteenth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, and of the six-episode serial known collectively as Doctor Who: Flux. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 21 November 2021. It was written by showrunner and executive producer Chris Chibnall and Maxine Alderton, and directed by Jamie Magnus Stone.
The episode stars Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, alongside Mandip Gill and John Bishop as her companions, Yasmin Khan and Dan Lewis, respectively.
Plot
The Doctor reboots the TARDIS to force out the Weeping Angel, but it strands her, Yaz and Dan in the village of Medderton, on 21 November 1967. Yaz and Dan join the search for Peggy, a missing girl, while the elderly Mrs. Hayward warns the villagers to evacuate. The Doctor finds a laboratory where Professor Jericho is conducting psychic experiments on Claire, who was sent back in time from 2021 ("The Halloween Apocalypse"). Jericho's home is surrounded by Angels interested in Claire, who reveals to the Doctor that Medderton is the site of a mass disappearance that occurs that night and in 1901. An Angel sends Yaz and Dan back to Medderton in 1901 where they find Peggy. They encounter Mrs. Hayward in 1967, on the other side of an energy barrier. Mrs. Hayward reveals she is Peggy's future self.
Back in 1967, the Doctor, Claire, and Jericho barricade themselves in the basement, while Claire reveals she is slowly becoming an Angel. As a seer, she had a premonition of an Angel which led to its image seizing her mind. The Doctor enters Claire's mind to get rid of the Angel and learns it hijacked the TARDIS and is hiding from the other Angels, members of the Division's extraction squad. The rogue Angel claims to have knowledge of the Division, offering to return the Doctor's missing memories if she helps it escape. Jericho disrupts the link because the Angels are breaking in. They escape through a tunnel, but the Angels send Jericho to 1901 and corner Claire and the Doctor. The Doctor learns the Angels have taken the village out of time and space in order to capture the rogue Angel. The Doctor tries to make a deal with the Angels, but the rogue Angel reveals it offered the Doctor to them for its own safety. The Doctor is recalled to the Division as she is turned into a Weeping Angel.
Meanwhile, Bel lands her ship on the planet Puzano, where she witnesses many Flux survivors tricked into being imprisoned in a Passenger by Azure. She gives Namaca, who she saved from Azure, a message before pursuing Azure.
In a mid-credits scene, Vinder arrives on Puzano, finds Namaca alongside Bel's message, and vows to keep searching.
Production
= Development =
"Village of the Angels" was co-written by showrunner and executive producer Chris Chibnall as well as Maxine Alderton who returned from the twelfth series.{{cite web |url=https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/chibnall-has-written-all-of-series-13-bar-one-confirms-directors-95301.htm |title=Chibnall Has Written All of Series 13 Solo (Bar One Episode), Confirms Directors |work=Doctor Who TV |date=15 October 2021 |accessdate=14 October 2021}} It is the only episode of the series to feature a writer other than Chibnall.{{cite web|url=https://cultbox.co.uk/news/doctor-who-flux-writers-directors-details-announced|title=Doctor Who Flux: writers, directors, details announced|last=Laford|first=Andrea|date=14 October 2021|accessdate=8 November 2021|work=Cultbox}}
Chris Chibnall has stated that the storyline of "Village of the Angels" began with the idea of an episode exploring psychic research in the 1960s. The Weeping Angels and the character of Jericho were then woven in later.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQrWTT9PbsE |title = WHO Corner to Corner: Doctor Who Interview Chris Chibnall Part 2 |website = YouTube |date=11 January 2024}} The episode also featured a mid-credits scene.{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-village-of-the-angels-mid-credits-scene-newsupdate/|title=Doctor Who's Village of the Angels includes surprise mid-credits scene|last=Jeffery|first=Morgan|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=Radio Times}}
= Casting =
The series is the third to feature Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor,{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/tv/2020/01/22/jodie-whittaker-doctor-who-3/ |title=Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker will play time traveler for at least one more season |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Clark |last=Collis |date=22 January 2020 |access-date=23 January 2020 |archive-date=23 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123053424/https://ew.com/tv/2020/01/22/jodie-whittaker-doctor-who-3/ |url-status=live }} and Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan,{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-11-30/doctor-who-yaz-mental-health-series-13/ |title=Doctor Who: Mandip Gill says there's "more to come" for Yaz and her mental health storyline |work=Radio Times |first=Patrick |last=Cremona |date=30 November 2020 |access-date=1 December 2020}} with John Bishop having joined the cast for the series as Dan Lewis.{{cite web |url=https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2021/01/new_companion_for_series_13.html |title=New companion for Series 13 |work=DoctorWhoNews.net |first=Chuck |last=Foster |date=1 January 2021 |access-date=2 January 2021}} Kevin McNally previously appeared in the serial The Twin Dilemma (1984). Vincent Brimble also previously appeared in the serial Warriors of the Deep (1984).{{cite web |url=https://cultbox.co.uk/news/doctor-who-flux-village-of-the-angels-full-cast-list |title=Doctor Who: Flux – 'Village of the Angels' full cast list |work=CultBox |last=Laford |first=Andrea |date=7 November 2021 |accessdate=26 November 2021}}
= Filming =
Jamie Magnus Stone directed the first block, which comprised the first, second, and fourth episodes of the series.{{cite web |url=https://cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/doctor-who-series-13-and-2022-specials-directors-and-casting-news |title=Doctor Who Series 13 and 2022 specials: directors and casting news |work=CultBox |first=Andrea |last=Laford |date=9 August 2021 |accessdate=11 August 2021}}
Broadcast and reception
{{TV ratings
| aggregatenosort = y
| aggregate1 = Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)
| aggregate1score = 100%{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/doctor_who/s13/e04|title=FLUX: VILLAGE OF THE ANGELS|accessdate=29 November 2021|work=Rotten Tomatoes}}
| aggregate2 = Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)
| rev1 = The A.V. Club
| rev1score = A−{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-weeping-angels-return-in-a-thrillingly-great-doctor-1848099895|title=The Weeping Angels return in a thrillingly great Doctor Who|last=Siede|first=Caroline|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=The A.V. Club}}
| rev2 = Radio Times
| rev2score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-village-of-the-angels-review/|title=Doctor Who – Village of the Angels review: This chapter is a stone-cold classic|last=Mulkern|first=Patrick|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=21 November 2021|work=Radio Times}}
| rev3 = The Independent
| rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/doctor-who-episode-4-review-flux-b1961638.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220817/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/doctor-who-episode-4-review-flux-b1961638.html |archive-date=17 August 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Doctor Who review, 'Village of the Angels': Thaddea Graham is a stand-out in best Flux episode to date|last=Lewis|first=Isobel|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=The Independent}}
| rev4 = The Telegraph
| rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2021/11/21/doctor-flux-episode-4-review-pleasingly-creepy-weeping-angels/|title=Doctor Who: Flux, episode 4 review: a pleasingly creepy Weeping Angels episode – at least to start with|last=Hogan|first=Michael|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=The Telegraph}}
}}
= Broadcast =
"Village of the Angels" aired on 21 November 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011vnw|title=Village of the Angels|accessdate=8 November 2021|work=BBC}} The episode serves as the fourth part of a six-part story, entitled Flux.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/doctor-who-season-13-trailer-jodie-whittaker-finale-1234853340/|title='Doctor Who: Flux' Unveils Season 13 Trailer, Promises New Villains For Jodie Whittaker Finale|last=Haring|first=Bruce|date=9 October 2021|accessdate=9 October 2021|work=Deadline Hollywood}}{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who-series-13-is-titled-flux-and-starts-on-halloween/|title=Doctor Who Series 13 is Titled 'Flux' and Starts On Halloween|last=Mellor|first=Louisa|date=9 October 2021|accessdate=9 October 2021|work=Den of Geek}}
= Ratings =
Overnight the episode was seen by 3.45 million viewers.{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-flux-episode-4-ratings-newupdate/|title=Doctor Who overnight ratings for Village of the Angels revealed|last=Molina-Whyte|first=Lidia|date=22 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=Radio Times}} The episode received an Audience Appreciation Index score of 79.{{cite web |url=https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2021/11/village_of_the_angels_appreciation_index.html |title=Village of the Angels - Appreciation Index |work=Doctor Who News |last=Foster |first=Chuck |date=24 November 2021 |access-date=25 November 2021}} The seven day consolidated rating (counting all views across all platforms within seven days of broadcast) was 4.57 million. The episode was the eighth-highest rated programme on BBC1 for the week, and the 18th-highest programme across all channels for the week.{{cite web |url=https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2021/11/survivors_of_the_flux_overnight_viewing_figures.html |title=Survivors of the Flux - Overnight Viewing Figures |work=Doctor Who News |last=Marcus |date=29 November 2020 |access-date=30 November 2021}}
= Critical reception =
On Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator website, 100% of seven critics gave the episode a positive review, with an average rating of 8.0 out of 10.
Michael Hogan and Caroline Siede from The Telegraph and The A.V. Club, respectively, praised the introduction of new characters, Claire and Professor Jericho. Hogan described McNally's performance of Jericho as "superb" and Scholey's performance of Claire as "excellent".{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2021/11/21/doctor-flux-episode-4-review-pleasingly-creepy-weeping-angels/|title=Doctor Who: Flux, episode 4 review: a pleasingly creepy Weeping Angels episode – at least to start with|last=Hogan|first=Michael|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=The Telegraph}}{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/the-weeping-angels-return-in-a-thrillingly-great-doctor-1848099895|title=The Weeping Angels return in a thrillingly great Doctor Who|last=Siede|first=Caroline|date=21 November 2021|accessdate=22 November 2021|work=The A.V. Club}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{wikiquote|Thirteenth Doctor}}
- {{BBCDWnew||m0011vnw|Village of the Angels}}
- {{TardisIndexFile|Village of the Angels (TV story)|"Village of the Angels"}}
- {{IMDb episode|13469792|Chapter Four: Village of the Angels}}
{{Doctor Who episodes|N13}}
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{{Doctor Who episodes by Chris Chibnall}}
{{Thirteenth Doctor stories|selected=Television}}
{{Weeping Angel stories}}
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Category:2021 British television episodes
Category:Television episodes written by Chris Chibnall
Category:Thirteenth Doctor episodes
Category:Doctor Who stories set on Earth
Category:Doctor Who pseudohistorical serials
Category:Television episodes set in the 1900s