"The Angels Take Manhattan" is the fifth episode of the seventh series of Doctor Who, starring Matt Smith as The Eleventh Doctor, Karen Gillam as Amy Pond, Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams, and Alex Kingston as River Song. It was the mid-series finale, with the next episode planned to be the Christmas special.
Before the episode was broadcast, there was already much discussion and excitement. Amy Pond and Rory Williams, who had been traveling with the doctor for two and a half series, making them his longest companions of the new series, were scheduled to leave. Karen Gilliam, the actress who portrayed Amy Pond, said that she wanted to truly leave the show, saying that she didn't want the anti-climax of her character being hauled out of retirement every few years for a reunion. So it was widely guessed that this episode might show the death of Amy and Rory. It was also known that this episode would feature the Weeping Angels, considered some of the scariest villains of Doctor Who. And that it would take place in Manhattan.
The actual episode shows that and more, with a detective noir story in the 1930s. As well as an appearance by Amy and Rory's daughter, River Song. Also, a quick trip to Han China. And lots and lots of timey-wimey stuff. By the end of the story, the needed plot changes have been made, and a twisty scary story has been told.
The one problem with this episode is that such high expectations were put upon it. The episode had the departure of two regular actors, the return of a reoccurring character, the presence of the infamous Weeping Angels, the depiction of 1930s New York. And a trip to China. I personally feel that the story was a bit cramped, trying to fit too much into a single 45 minute story. This is just my opinion, and it might be altered when I later view the episode in the context of the entire seventh series.