Doctor Who (TV Series) The God Complex (2011) User Reviews

Your biggest nightmare waits for you in a room....

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 6 September 2015]

The Doctor, Amy and Rory land in what appears to be a 1980's style hotel, but all is not as it seems.

One of Matt Smith's best episodes, it's very imaginative, it's so different.

Favourite scene perhaps is Joe, who is tie up and surrounded by the Archie Andrews style puppets, they are so creepy, 'gottle o' geer!' 'Here comes a candle to light you to bed, here come a chopper to chop off your head.' Dolls a few weeks ago, puppets this....

For some reason I particularly love the music in the God complex, it feels very old school. (anyone that knows the 70's And then there were none will get the vibe.)

I adore David Walliams, but I didn't like the character they had him playing, why hide that face? Favourite character has to be Rita, she provides the fun and the tears, would have loved to have seen more of Rita. What a brilliant performance from Amara Karan. The ending feels a little like Curse of the Black spot.

What was behind the Doctor's door, The Master? His mum? The war Doctor? Interesting..

All in all I truly love the God Complex, an episode that plays on fears, it feels like a throwback. The monster looks like it could have fought with Tom or Sylvester. It all fits together nicely, love it. 9/10.

Hotel 101...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 24 December 2021]

If George Orwell did science fiction and consumed hallucinogens, he'd conjure up a story of a denizen in its den. Where the den is a hotel and the rooms go on and on, and behind your reservation is a tailored 101. When you're trapped inside your nightmare, facing the biggest of your fears, the monster comes to get you, in the corridors appears. Just before the beast makes claim on you, you get an urge with haste, to lavish all your faith on him and give it all your praise.

Ye of Little Faith

[boblipton · 7/10 · 17 September 2011]

Graeme Harper holds the distinction of being the only director of the 1963-1989 Doctor Who to also direct episodes in the BBC Wales revival series. His signature shot in DOCTOR WHO is the weird point of view shot, a distorted image seen through the eye of a Dalek or an askew magnifying glass for a sense of weird emotional impact. Although he did not direct this episode, writer Toby Whithouse and director Nick Hurran have produced an episode that evokes that sort of image, with weird traveling shots and Hitchcockian Down-the-stairwell shots to evoke the fears that people feel, for which deep and abiding faith is the only shield..... and when that faith is broken, they either die or grow up.

Toby Whithouse's script is quite good, but may only be accessible to a dedicated fan of the show. It examines, as have other episodes in this season, the faith and attitudes and, yes, the hungers of the Doctor and the people who travel with him. The Doctor seeks out companions because he is lonely and needs someone to admire him -- a normal and natural set of urges. His companions get to see amazing and brilliant places and times. They also provide an emotional access for the viewer -- it's rather difficult to identify with a nine hundred year old alien.

It's a brilliant life, but by no means a safe one and this season has been investigating the risks and psychology behind the characters, and reaching towards an unhappy conclusion, in a series of episodes that have been growing more and more terrifying. In the previous episode, Rory Williams reproached the Doctor for his habit of not checking out the dangers of where he goes. In this episode, the question is approached much more directly and the Doctor finds himself in the unenviable position of having to be an adult and making sure the kids are safe and capable of taking care of themselves.

It's an episode that sits deep inside the history and mythos of DOCTOR WHO. Toby Whithouse, whose best outing in the new series is the second season's "School Reunion" throws in references to the classic series' "Horn of Nimon" serial to excellent effect. It will not, however, be particularly accessible to the casual viewer or even the dedicated viewer who is only familiar with the current series. I enjoyed it, but it will not be to everyone's taste.

Hotel of Fear!

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 22 September 2011]

This episode was creepy from its opening when we see a police woman running along the corridors of a strange hotel that seems to be stuck in the '80s; that is until she enters a room containing a man in a gorilla suit when she exclaims 'Praise him!'. Soon the Tardis lands in the hotel and when The Doctor, Amy and Rory get out to explore they meet another group who claim that it is impossible to leave the hotel and that the rooms and corridors keep rearranging. The Doctor suggests that they can all escape in the Tardis but when they return to where he left it, it has vanished. It is explained that somewhere in the hotel everybody will find a room containing their deepest fear and once you have found it you will soon be killed! It isn't long before people do indeed start to die.

This episode may have lacked spectacular special effects but it made up for the lack of spectacle with a more subtle atmosphere of creepiness. The monster wasn't the best design but the way it caught its prey was interesting and scary. There is also a nice twist near the end, which I won't spoil… I just hope the assumed conclusion is just teaser! The regular cast did a fine job; I particularly liked the emotion between Karen Gillan and Matt Smith in the final scene, of the guest stars the most notable were Amara Karan who did a good job as Rita and comedian David Walliams who played an alien from the most frequently invaded planet in the universe.

Truly Wonderful!

[whovian-49939 · 10/10 · 23 March 2020]

This underrated and beautifully written masterpiece is one of the best stories in the entire shows history.

Possibly the most underrated episode of the franchise spoiler free

[charliebittan · 10/10 · 12 February 2023]

This episode takes a look at the relationships between out TARDIS team.

It's has great character development throughout even for our side characters, who were all fantastic by the way.

The concepts touch on different faiths and fears and really show how our characters view each other and theirs lives on the TARDIS.

The episode is creepy and funny and all the cast give a fantastic performance.

The ending was fantastic, every character was changed by the end of the episode and lead towards the rest of this series, with some very important decisions.

This is my most watched episode for a reason. It's truly fantastic in every aspect and remains one of, if not my favourite episode of doctor.

It's sad to see this episode with only an 8/10 rating overall, because it's so much better than that.

Owes A Bit To Tradition And That's Not A Bad Thing

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 21 September 2011]

DOCTOR WHO is a unique show but isn't exactly an original one . The whole premise of the series owes a massive debt to HG Wells and the differing eras tend to homage other inspirations . Jon Pertwee's debut season is pure QUATERMASS whilst the early Tom Baker stories are a homage to Hammer horror . This shouldn't be viewed as a criticism since the above two eras show he programme as its very best

The God Complex is a case in point . It's not very original as it rips off the myth of the Minotuar and features Orweell's room 101 as a plot device where people are imprisoned with their greatest fears . It's certainly one of the most enjoyable episodes of the Moffat era since it doesn't get caught up in pretentious timey wimey time paradox .It's also an episode that feels in keeping with the spirit of Moffat's predecessor . The characterisation is some what clichéd and shallow with a geeky computer nerd scared of girls , a humanoid descended from a non primate mammal , an ethnic minority character with a career etc but again this shouldn't be taken as a criticism , more of a tradition

Where the episode is less successful is that it spends the first half building up to the revelation of the monster which is a technique almost as old as the show itself going all the way back to the first Dalek story in 1963 . The problem with this once the monster is let out of the bag the mystery and suspense used for its revelation means it doesn't have the same impact after first viewing . The episode also suffers from the mawkish scene of the Doctor holding the monster's hand as it dies which smacks of RTD at his most manipulative , as is the scene where the Doctor bids goodbye to his companions . Cue Amy Pond with saw dust running down her cheeks but don't worry about Ms Gillan because she'll be back for the Christmas special so her appointment at the job centre will be delayued for another few weeks

All in all this is a pretty good episode . By no means a classic but much better than most than those produced by Steven Moffat . It's no coincidence that much of the enjoyment of watching this is due to the fact that it's a standalone episode devoid of a running thread and timey wimey nonsense that destroyed much of the first half of season six

This is how a Dr Who episode should look like

[sophie-30972 · 9/10 · 1 October 2021]

Brilliant original ideas plus several clever twists and turns along the way, and adding a bit of the personal growth of the Doctor or other characters, that's how a classic Dr Who episode should look like.

Score 9 instead of 10 because I am not sure if the 'cutting off your faith' is an overall positive message for the show. But I give it a pass for it does add some value to the story as the Doctor finally realises his own God Complex.

If this is where the main Amy and Rory story ended (plus the finale of the season), it would be my favourite ending for two companions. But it is not, well, I don't mind the actual ending either. Just this one feels right.

And if in the beginning of season 7 shows how the doctor comes to rescue all the people died in this episode and takes Rita--the clever fearless nurse with Sherlock deductive style as the witty new companion, it would be much much better choice than the impossible 'impossible girl'/Clara story that we have to endure for the rest of the 11th and most of the 12th run. That would really help to make me stay interested in NuWho longer (as I stopped watching most NuWho after Clara became the main companion and fully stopped as Chibnall became the showrunner).

In all honesty, not very complex

[dkiliane · 7/10 · 25 March 2019]

And here we have the third in a string of comparatively weak episodes. This episode feels like it should have a lot to say, and I feel like Toby Whithouse tried to say some complex things but there's not much under the surface, basically amounting to an attack on faith (although why faith is bad is never really explained - - it's doubtful an alien Minotaur will suck your soul in reality).

I am somewhat unnerved by this episode's treatment of religion but I suppose that's what you get when the writers are atheists (although I would argue even that is a form of faith in itself, but I digress). I am glad Rita, a Muslim, is mostly portrayed in a positive light, and she even seems to be a character that is TARDIS campanion material, but of course, they kill her off due to her Islamic faith (literally faith gets you killed in the episode not because she was Muslim). Even so, doesn't seem particularly respectful, although to be fair, isn't particularly respectful to any faith.

Rory being depicted without faith seems odd to me. Mostly because I reject the idea that anyone is truly without faith - - faith in medicine, faith in science, these all actually require a degree of faith. And I feel exploring this idea would be much more intriguing than to say he just doesn't have faith because he is not religious or superstitious - - feels lazy.

The villain being a Minotaur at first seems interesting but there is a lot of things that don't make sense when you look deeper. What kind of prison allows the prisoner to continue trapping victims? Why does one act of broken faith kill it? Most of what is connected to the villain especially toward the end seems rather convenient so that the story can conclude in the allotted time.

The episode is delightfully creepy however with the different phobia rooms and the slow conversion of each character's faith done in a creepy and interesting way. And the acting of course is top notch. We have some interesting characters (Rita especially - - and no I'm not Muslim, she's just a great character). But unfortunately most are killed off before we can truly get to know them. Overall not great but at least decently entertaining. 7.5/10

The God Complex

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 9 April 2021]

This was a very interesting episode, I feel the only thing this episode could have done to really improve was to play more on the fear aspect, nothing they showed was really very scary, the clown just sat there, the minotaur itself was the most frightening part but even then wasn't scary at all as he always appeared in well-lit corridors and that is not nearly a frightening as darkness.

Praise... Him...

[Jared-Star · 7/10 · 12 January 2021]

After picking this episode up again on a whim, I have to say, it's not quite as good as I remember it being. Which is a shame, because the ideas in this one were phenomenal.

One of the things that stuck out worse than a sore thumb was the pacing. The first half of it whizzes by, leaving the audience in the dust and the atmosphere unable to assert itself. After that however, we do get some excellent moments. Such as Rory talking about how Howard getting over a massive stutter is an amazing accomplishment, even when compared to saving the world. There are lots of these little things thrown in to make this creepy and unsettling episode also an emotional one. The best of these moments, is the one where Amy sees the Doctor for what he really is. "Just a madman with a box." It's a beautiful sequence that moves this up from a 6 to a 7.

The music was off surprisingly. It wasn't that the tracks were bad, but misused. It sometimes felt too exciting and adventurous during scenes that should've been quiet and suspenseful. Plus, the tracks were just basic and overused in general. I haven't watched any Matt Smith episodes for the past 6 months, but I could still pick out the tracks and name them. Which, broke my immersion.

The chemistry between the actors is great and pulls this episode together. I laughed at the brilliant interplay between the characters and actors. I also laughed at places I shouldn't have. Like the random gym teacher berating the Doctor just before the monster comes. It was so random and out-of-left-field that it was silly. As were many of the dreams. There were solid ideas there, like Rita's father yelling at her for getting a B in her class, but not great execution.

All in all, this isn't a bad episode, but I am frustrated with the presentation. It had a great combination of eeriness and emotion that would easily be a 9 or a 10 if the writers could've taken things a bit more slowly.

Captures Lightning In A Bottle.

[W011y4m5 · 10/10 · 1 December 2020]

"The God Complex" is one of those very rare instances where in an episode of Who, everything just somehow manages to seamlessly *work*.

From Toby Whithouse's masterful writing to Tim Porter's meticulously timed editing to Murray Gold's evocative music to Michael Pickwoad's quirky, retro production design to Owen McPolin's gorgeous cinematography to Nick Hurran's beautiful direction; the faultlessness at every level simply astonishes - with each individual involved in its production bringing their absolute A-games to collectively elevate the standard, raising the bar even higher until eventually, the quality of the completed product concludes at an easy 10.

Akin to a cult classic, the story is a criminally underappreciated gem amongst fans - like other outings written by Toby - which truly delivers what should've been Amy's definitive & wholesome exit from the show, bringing her character arc to a satisfying end in one of the most poignant & intimately shot scenes of the Moffat era, showcasing the talents of both Matt Smith & Karen Gillan who are particularly outstanding together, possessing chemistry which is tangible on screen (that only makes the latter's departure more excruciating) leaving our protagonist isolated & alone again - depicted in that brutal final sequence with the Doctor dwarfed by the enormity of the empty TARDIS.

The Anti-Hero Complex

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 8/10 · 4 February 2019]

This is a strange episode but a largely enjoyable one.

The TARDIS is brought to a setting which appears to be a mid Twentieth Century hotel where each guest has a room which holds their 'phobia' or deepest fear. A beast roams the hotel killing those who have faced their fear after somehow getting them to transmit their faith in what they believe in towards him. The initial fear scene is not great featuring a lame pantomime style gorilla but some of the scenes do give you the creeps.

The best thing about this episode is the creepy, scary aspects. It clearly tries to evoke The Shining with the hotel corridors and has many horror cliches which while not original are effectively unsettling. The weirdness of the episode is a mixture of weird but good (mostly) and weird and not so good (occasionally).

The themes of faith and fear are interesting but those themes are not explored entirely coherently. One issue I had personally with this was the scene where the Doctor tries to shake Amy's faith in him. I feel this episode reveals a shared need that Moffatt and episode writer Toby Whithouse seem to have to portray the Doctor as someone who uses people and is a dark, dangerous character. It comes across as if they are telling us that we should not have faith in the Doctor ourselves as viewers and should see him as an ambiguous character with questionable morals. I prefer the Doctor to be a less ambiguous hero - damaged by his tough decisions and battles but essentially a force for good.

One other reservation I have is that when the reveal happens in the end telling us what is really going on it does not really ring all that true to me. Why would anyone imprison a creature but allow victims to continue to be brought to it to 'feed' it? Why if the beast is so sad and not really malicious does it continue to pursue and feed on people? Not a major issue but a little grumble for me.

There are plenty of positives though. The interactions between all the characters makes for some good scenes and there is pleasant humour. The script and acting are good quality and the direction and all production values are good. Along with the creepiness it all makes for an entertaining episode with some thoughtful ideas and it helps that it is a neat, self-contained story.

My Rating: 7.5/10.

Nightmarish hotel

[martmare · 8/10 · 4 November 2021]

This is very well written by Toby Whitehouse one of my favourite DW writers. Plot is very interesting and unique. All the actors including guest stars are doing a well performance.

The Minotaur creauture who hunts them through the corridors is very menacing and feels like a proper threat. One favourite episodes of series 6.

Pretty Damn Good

[warlordartos · 9/10 · 6 April 2021]

There was a great introduction to this episode and it followed through till the end, with only minor problems. It would have been nicer to see more alien races being abducted or have it all be humans, as it was all humans beside the one alien.