The Beast Below review [Steven Moffat]

"In bed above we're deep asleep, while greater love lies further deep. This dream must end, this world must know. We all depend on the beast below." - Amy Pond

The Eleventh Doctor finally takes Amy into outer space after all her years of waiting. Starship UK flies past the TARDIS and the Doctor decides to land, unaware of the conspiracies, torture and murder occurring below.
The Doctor's Case:

• The episode begins with an amazing pre-credits sequence. The opening shot of Starship UK is breath-takingly atmospheric, and seeing the Union Flag and the buildings saying "Surrey" and the like is intriguing. London's forty decks below? Children are given scores at the end of the school day that determine what they can do? A child is dropped from a lift to the beast below? It immediately stirs interest in the world we're soon to be dropped into.
• The Doctor claiming that he doesn't involve himself in the affairs of other worlds is funny enough on its own, but him popping up on the scanner and beckoning Amy to him is very amusing. He cleverly works out that there are no engines and his analysis of the crying girl is, whilst something one could easily imagine the Tenth Doctor doing, a good example of the Doctor's detective skills.
• A spaceship that couldn't possibly fly is in flight. Voting booths that impart information and allow you to protest or forget. Moffat quickly sets up an interesting mystery.

The Valeyard's Case:

• This is our first adventure out in space with the Eleventh Doctor and yet in the climax we see him being unpleasant to Amy, shouting at her and telling her that he'll be taking her home, and saying that very soon he'll have to find a new name for himself. Whilst nowhere near as bad as The Twin Dilemma, it's not a great idea to be showing the new Doctor in this sort of light this early on. The Doctor should be the one to save the day.
• Amy being held out of the TARDIS isn't quite as magical as it should be. When Donna opened the doors and gazed out in The Christmas Invasion, it was wondrous. Perhaps because we've seen it before or because it could have been shot better, Amy's reaction leaves a lot to be desired. 
• In fact, Amy takes it all in her stride far too easily. She arrives on an alien world and in the space of a few seconds she frantically remarks how far into the future she is and how she's been dead for centuries, then she's over it. We got some lovely scenes between the Ninth Doctor and Rose about these subjects in The End of the World and whilst recycling them would be dull they could be refreshed and given a new perspective. Karen Gillan's rapid-fire delivery doesn't help very much, making these sentiments just words rather than her character's worries. She finds out she's in a police state and the Doctor leaves her alone and she's absolutely fine.
• Liz Ten is somewhat flat most of the time, failing to convince as a queen distrusting her own government. When waving her guns about she reminds one of River Song. Or, rather, the psychopath River Song that the genial archaeologist from Silence in the Library will become this series.
• The Doctor makes a creature audible and is then asked to stop it. This was done better and with far more emotion in Planet of the Ood. Also, will the star whale really want to continue flying Starship UK after two centuries of unending torture?
  

His Constant Companion: Protesters are dropped from the voting booths into the star whale's mouth, where they're eaten.

I'll Explain Later:

• How is Liz Ten unaware that she's so old? Have the population not told her that her reign's lasted two centuries? It seems very strange that she would have no idea about this.
• If Scotland left, why is the Union Flag still whole? Surely St Andrew's cross should have gone with the Scots.

The Inquisitor's Judgement: Despite a very promising teaser, The Beast Below doesn't quite deliver what it promises. C

Doctor Who (Series 5)

The Eleventh Hour  |  The Beast Below  |  Victory of the Daleks