Reviews Series / Doctor Who

"The Husbands of River Song"

There were definitely things to like about "The Husbands of River Song". River finally got a proper send-off, instead of that bridge they dropped on her in "The Name of the Doctor". I'm glad she clarified once and for all that no, the Doctor does not love her, and yes, she's totally cool with it. Inverting the usual dynamic between them by having her not know him was a neat idea and led to a beautiful moment when she finally recognised him and he used her catchphrase back at her. The five minutes that followed were a lot of fun. If the whole episode had been like that, it would have been brilliant!

I am, however, slightly annoyed at the way they chose to represent River in this episode. This was potentially our one chance to get a candid look at her and find out what kind of person she is when the Doctor isn't around. I was hoping for a strong, well-rounded, interesting character like the one we were introduced to in "Silence in the Library". Instead, what we mostly got was River as amoral psychopath and River as self-pitying love martyr.

There's something vaguely misogynistic about this portrayal — as if to say that a woman needs a man to fulfill her emotionally and also to keep her on the straight and narrow, and that without him she becomes erratic, violent, and dangerous. Neediness and danger have always been aspects of River's personality, of course, but she has others, too: a caring side, an ethical side, an inquisitive side, a stoical side, a practical side. I've no doubt that River can be ruthless — but I believe she has a conscience, too. And I've no doubt that she loves her husband with all her heart. But one of the things that made their love story so compelling was the sense that River was also a complete person in her own right, with her own moral compass, her own friends, and her own sense of identity.

In showcasing only her weaker points, I can't help feeling that this episode has done her a disservice.