Series 5 was not perfect but I cannot say that I did not enjoy all of the episodes. Some were stunning (Time Of Angels/Flesh and Stone and The Lodger). Some not so (The Beast Below, and the Silurian 2 parter - shame that one). But all were well written and structured and a lot of fun. The finale, while slightly confusing and actually without an end, was not boring and some of the material was some of the best TV around at the moment.
They were able to replicate this for the beginning of series 6. The opening 2 parter was just breathtaking, especially for a DW fan. What was going on? Dead Doctor, regenerating pre-teen? Very exciting stuff. And then they showed The Curse of the Black Spot. Ooargh. While I actually enjoyed it, it still felt considerably close to an iota of 'meh' in comparison to the eruption of what had preceded it.
'The Doctor's Wife' was better and was sufficiently Gaiman-esque. But it also felt like we were stepping away from the matter at hand. When you do something as audacious as kill off the Doctor you cannot waft about as if it hasn't happened on pirate ships and living asteroids with a talking TARDIS, no matter how entertaining. Which is why it was so difficult to enjoy the The Rebel Flesh/Almost People 2 parter. Again, it was a perfectly passable story and escapade. It was set perfectly and directed brilliantly but it was not answering any questions about what the flip was going on! Except at the end. And that was when the show started getting interesting again.
The cliff-hanger to episode 6/7 should have been the one that we would have had to wait until September to conclude. It was far better than the Melody/River Song/Pond silliness that we had all guessed anyway. However, the mid-series finale was rather exuberant and brilliant. Very Star Wars in places it whizzed by so quickly that by the time Amy's baby became a splat of hot blu-tac on the space station cargo-bay floor, you are trying to catch up with what had happened.
While the ending was not perfect it definitely felt right. This is a set up for the last 6 episodes that appear (on the strength of the trailers) to be even more bonkers and completely fabulous. I do hope they all are. But at least the new Exec Producer has commented on the last episode of the series mentioning that it was 'satisfying'. I can live with satisfying, which was what did not happen in The Big Bang.
So, the Doctor (according to Doctor Who Magazine) is DEFINITELY going to die (this being his FINAL incarnation) and there's a time-headed Pond/Song on the loose with a possible regenerative tendency. Oh and Hitler, Craig Owens, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, deadly hotels and a killer astronaut. In a lake.
The first half was ok with moments of genius. The second half is looking to be some of the best....?