The God Complex, written by Toby Whithouse (probably best known for writing Being Human, and two other episodes of Doctor Who – School Reunion and Vampires of Venice), is a surreal adventure in an infinite hotel of nightmares. Again, we're presented with an episode which explores the emotional bonds between the characters, and continues to build on the darker aspects of travelling with the Doctor.
Arriving in a rather traditional looking hotel (and one I'm relatively certain I've stayed in before...), the Doctor and co encounter a small band of people who too have inexplicably found themselves there. With no apparent way out and the TARDIS suddenly absent, the Doctor endeavours to find a way to escape the endless, shifting maze of the hotel. But for every guest there is a room, each containing that person's worst nightmares, and an even more deadly threat marauds the corridors of the labyrinthine hotel...
Although the pre-title sequence seemed to be setting up for an episode of frights, The God Complex focussed primarily on the personal fears and faiths of the characters involved. These were often mundane manifestations, such as a sad clown and a berating father, but things like the Weeping Angels could have had a larger impact if their threat had been made more prominent. Each fear was meant to be a trigger for the person it was intended for, to fall back on their core faith, be it religious, superstitious or, in Amy's case, the Doctor. Of course, these faux-monsters and nightmares were the set-up for the actual threat – a Minotaur-like creature who feeds on faith. Specifically, a faith in it. As such, when each character was presented with their fears, they revealed their faiths which were slowly superseded by an involuntary faith in the Minotaur – caught in the rapture of it's presence in their final moments.
One of the most interesting aspects of this episode was the parallel it drew with the Doctor. An ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent (a link the Minotaur itself made with the Doctor), which feeds on people's faith in it. It could be argued that, although he doesn't do it intentionally, the Doctor requires his companion's faith in him to satiate his vanity, which more often than not puts them in unnecessary danger. This is something that's not fully realised until the final scenes of the episode.
The moment in which the Doctor de-constructs Amy's faith in him was fantastically executed. The incorporation of Caitlin Blackwood depicting young Amelia Pond worked wonderfully, illustrating how despite her many adventures in the TARDIS and her marriage to Rory, she's still that little girl who idolised the mad man in the magic blue box. Continuing with the theme of the Doctor's guilt, and the dismantling of his Universal acclaim, this followed on well from the events of The Girl Who Waited and the Ponds' growing realisation that you can't always rely on the Doctor. Although Matt Smith was on top form throughout, it was during this and the final scene that he shone the brightest, revealing a glimpse into the Doctor's inner torment and vulnerability.
Concluding with a sombre farewell to the Ponds, the Doctor goes off to travel on his own once again. With the guilt of putting so many companions at risk just to feed his vanity, he leaves them with the best life he could give them outside of travelling in the TARDIS - an ideal townhouse and Rory's dream car.
Again, though, the River Song situation has been somewhat brushed over. Perhaps Amy and Rory have gone through the grief of their baby being abducted, growing up alongside her as a childhood friend without realising who she was, off screen. It just feels a little disjointed to me that the only mention of River since Let's Kill Hitler is Amy saying “if you bump into my daughter, tell her to visit her old mum sometime.”
Is this the last we'll see of Amy and Rory? I doubt it. If it is, then the departure Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will be a sad loss for the series, and personally I think they deserved more of a send off than a slightly teary goodbye...
But that's fine, because they'll be back (he said, confidently)!
If you missed The God Complex, it is available on iPlayer here.
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