216 replies to this topic

[TWoP Tennison]

Though saddened by the loss of his companions, the Doctor helps a young governess battle a frosty menace.

Mod Note:
I'm not going to time lock the thread, so please don't post until after the episode airs in your country. Our British posters will be able to discuss the episode a few hours before our American posters do. So, don't read the thread unless you want to be spoiled, Americans, and do not post till you've seen the episode yourself.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

[arwel]

"It's smaller on the outside!"

"That's different..."

[Chenoeh]

I really liked it. I liked the new credits, and I liked the new Tardis interior. I always thought the last one was a bit orange, though I liked the roundals. With the new one, the illuminated roundal effect is nice, as is the counter rotating effect around the roter. I kind of miss the blown glass in the roter though.

And I liked Clara, wasn't at all sure I would. Oddly, I liked that she died, because it looked like they were going to chicken out and have her survive her injuries, so I liked that they followed through. And it makes the question of just what she is intriguing.

Wasn't all perfect, the business of the tears melting the snow was ropey, and the effect of Richard E Grant frozen was kind of shonky. Still, over all I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I was disappointed by the last series.

[darkestboy]

A brilliant Christmas episode but not as Christmassy as we're used to from Moffat.

I loved that they got things running with Clara Oswin Oswald and I can't wait to see where her storyline is going to go in the second half of Series 7 because already it looks fantastic.

Clara and the Doctor already make for a perfect team and blimey, she really can talk, can't she?

I loved the whole Paternoster Gang with Vastra, Jenny and Strax and the loyalty they have with the Doctor as well.

The Great Intelligence was a nice return but Simeon felt a little underused. Still, I get the impression he'll be back in the second half of the series, so can't wait to see him again. Snowmen and Governess Ice lady were creepy enough too.

Wasn't too fussed about Latimer and his family but they were fine enough as characters. Overall though, a 10/10 from me.

[Shattered Life]

Clara is right off the Moffat conveyor belt of female characters, but Jenna-Louise Coleman's fun with the script really shone through, along with her chemistry with Matt Smith. It was a fun episode, but it didn't do anything to reassure me about the new character at all.

If anyone needs me, I'll be nursing my bruises after all those Pond anvils.

[GreenPhoenix]

Lots of Sherlock in this episode. I liked Vastra and Jenny being the inspirations for the stories. I also thought I heard some music reminiscent of the TV series when the Doctor appeared at Simeon's in Sherlock mode (though I could be completely wrong about that; I just got into that show).

I liked that Clara died, if only because it meant the resurrection technique can't always be reliable and therefore can't be counted on to save every day in the future.

[deb50]

I like Jenna,but THIS incarnation of Clara was standard issue female companion. Cute, perky, fiesty, smitten with the Doctor. Luckily, she could have a completely different personality the next time we meet her. I'd prefer if she had a Sherlock/Spock kind of personality....crazy smart but not so good with the "human" part of it.

Actually, I would prefer Vastra and Jenny as companions. Or even a spin off. I would watch the shit out of that show. ( love that they are Doyles muse)

Eleven continues to have lots of narrative threads piled on him. Now we have the return of the "Great Intelligence" and the mystery of Clara....plus the whole " fields of trenzalore, fall of the eleventh,oldest question" stuff, plus coming full circle with River and the Library, plus this erasing of the Doctor from the universe.......Matt Smith may never be able to leave this gig.

Edited by deb50, Dec 25, 2012 @ 7:09 PM.

[sfsfsf1968]

Rewatching "Parliamentary Democracy of the Daleks" earlier today I was convinced that Oswin would turn out to be the new companion at the end of her timeline. Many of her lines (long story; I don't know, I've never met you; run, you clever boy) seemed designed to have an ironic-tragic double meaning later. It seems like they've decided to go in another ghosty-whosty direction with it instead, though, about which I reserve the right to be totally skeptical.

Moffat's infatuation with the "Doctor? Doctor WHO?" gag seems more and more like a way to claim a proprietary ownership over the entire series -- ie, the whole show has been building up to and culminates in his current plot lines. It seems, I don't know, unsporting somehow. I guess being the showrunner for the 50th anniversary year will do that to you.

Fun episode, despite those anxieties.

Edited by sfsfsf1968, Dec 25, 2012 @ 10:30 PM.

[stopeslite]

I was sad that she died - I was excited for the opportunities of having an 1800s era companion. I did love all of the wordplay jokes, though, and the Sontaran was delightful.

ETA - I thought that he was so positive she was going to live because he recognized her as Oswin, and therefore knew she lived long enough to have descendants. I'm kind of glad he reminded (us) that he had never seen her face in the other episode, because right then I was confused as to how he managed to miss it.

Edited by stopeslite, Dec 25, 2012 @ 10:35 PM.

[Shimmergloom]

I was sad that she died - I was excited for the opportunities of having an 1800s era companion.

I agree. While I like the whole mystery behind her appearing in different times and all, the idea of an 1800's era companion was great.

So yeah, I like the mystery, but I think I would have rather she be from the 1800's.

[mdsd77]

1) she is very pretty
2) no accent to deal with
3) is kinda opposite of quirky past companions
looking forward to having her on for years to come...

it's smaller on the outside, was perfect....

[JPtigercat]

Brilliant, brilliant stuff. One of the great comic episodes ever. I actually laughed (I never laugh at TV) at "psychotic potato dwarf" and "Sir, please don't noogie me during battle prep".

Love Clara, and Smith and Coleman's chemistry together, though I too was hoping that she (the Victorian one) would be the new companion. I am interested, however, to see where Moffat goes with this.

A very merry episode for me.

[Ronin Jackson]

An enjoyable enough episode, though I share some other poster's trepidations over where Moffat will take all this. I'm not really optimistic over the explanation we'll eventually get over why there are numerous versions of Clara at different times (who like baking souffles in every version, apparently). Moffat has taken the show in an unabashedly whimsical, fairy tale direction, and also by far the most romantic of any previous permutation. It appears he's not done. I'm not ready to jive with it but I'll keep watching. I did like JLC well enough, given that Moffat probably isn't brave enough to give her any way of truly standing apart from previous companions.

[General Guy]

Pretty fun episode. Clara seems like she will be a good companion so far, although honestly I'd prefer Strax instead. He was hilarious.

The new credits are cheesetastic, but I guess they're meant to be kind of a callback in the anniversary year. On a similar note, I'm not sure how effective it was having the nods and jokes about the villain being this "Great Intelligence" character considering that all the implications were was completely lost on me, and I had to look it up to find out it was apparently referencing a classic villain last seen in a story that aired in 1968. It seems like referring back to four-decade-old episodes that don't even exist anymore is kind of an easy way to confuse people, but I guess there were some fans who did manage to pick up on it and really enjoyed it, so... great for them.

[futurechemist]

I enjoyed this episode. There was a very strong dynamic between the leads which is what made it work for me. But after the episode a bunch of little things kept bugging me.

I can see the humor in Strax (see also the Songtaran Christmas carols 1 minute special), but it was a very clunky bit of exposition with the Doctor bringing him back from the dead, and after a nice death scene in "A Good Man Goes to War".

Also, since when can the Doctor bring people back to life, even briefly? That seems like it would have been useful when various companions sacrificed themselves for the Doctor.

And I didn't really understand the plot, though that wasn't a dealbreaker since the plot in this episode seemed secondary to the camaraderie between everyone. So there's psychic snow, which has plans for world domination. And completely independently there's magic ice that can't melt and bonded with a dead woman and absorbed her DNA? And if the magic snow and ice combine, it means that humanity is destroyed in a single day, I guess from some sort of Ice-9 chain reaction effect? Ian McKellen's voicing did give the magic snow some nice gravitas.

[tardigrade]

Pretty fun episode. Clara seems like she will be a good companion so far, although honestly I'd prefer Strax instead. He was hilarious.

Same here! It would be a nice change from the feisty cute female companions. Or he can take them both - plenty of room in the TARDIS.

[Princess Aldrea]

Also, since when can the Doctor bring people back to life, even briefly? That seems like it would have been useful when various companions sacrificed themselves for the Doctor.

Well, there was that time that Nine had nanogenes in that two-part WW2 episode. And yes, that would be really useful. Even if nanogenes were very rare (and it didn't seem like they were), I'm sure he could get his hands on them somewhere.

[ArianaX]

I liked Clara. The whole idea of her popping up again and again feels a little Bad Wolf-y to me, though. Not that, that is a bad thing but I keep thinking for someone to be that smart she might have some sort of a River or Time Lord connection somehow.

I so love Vastra, Jenny and Strax. A spin off would be so much fun.

I had this conversation when they were first up in the clouds. 'What, is he Mary Poppins now?' cut to Clara as governess, 'Oh, my bad. She is Mary Poppins.'

There wasn't much to the villain since the ep was more focused on Clara and the Doctor. Felt almost like a throw-away. But I suppose Clara was always going to be more interesting.

[Chef Girl]

Did Strax have a resurrection glove that he was trying to use with Clara? Perhaps the Doctor picked one up during his travels (I think the pair at Torchwood HQ got blown up). It would have made a bit of sense, more than "oh, the Doctor can bring people back, sometimes, now." out of thin air.

[patriotickid]

I'm not sure how effective it was having the nods and jokes about the villain being this "Great Intelligence" character considering that all the implications were was completely lost on me, and I had to look it up to find out it was apparently referencing a classic villain last seen in a story that aired in 1968

That's what I didn't get. Why doesn't he remember who this is?

I liked Jenny and Co.

The episode was full of the usual Moffat tendencies but toned down so it held together better. I'm still worried about Clara's character cause she is basically just River Song in a young woman's body minus the violent tendencies.

[BuddhaBelly]

I enjoyed Clara. I think JLC and MS have great chemistry and I wasn't expecting that at all. It was great to see and now I'm really looking forward to her. I'm all Pond'd out.

Why did the Tardis console change? I thought it only changed when the Doctor changed.

[contessakitty]

The whole idea of her popping up again and again feels a little Bad Wolf-y to me, though.

THANK YOU! That was my thought exactly. And weren't all the actors who were the Doctor supposed to be in that episode?

[MarkHB]

Why did the Tardis console change? I thought it only changed when the Doctor changed.

He changed the wallpaper. It happens sometimes. :)

I liked JLC and Clara (she's very pretty), although I too would have liked to see a Victorian companion rather than yet another contemporary. And, while I didn't get the Great Intelligence link until I looked it up, after doing so I do like the synergy between this episode and the two that the Great Intelligence originally appeared in, and the throwback reference to the Underground.

The new titles and the new version of the theme I thought were a little bit busy, although the quick view of the Doctor's face was a pleasant surprise, since that hadn't been part of the titles since the McCoy era (and it made me notice that Matt Smith does bear a certain resemblance to Peter Davison, particularly around the eyes). I did appreciate the 3-esque time tunnel effect for the episode title, and the bit with the TARDIS doors opening to start the episode struck me as something Verity Lambert & co. probably would have done had it been easy to do so in 1963.

[Blue Castle]

Lots of Sherlock in this episode. I liked Vastra and Jenny being the inspirations for the stories. I also thought I heard some music reminiscent of the TV series when the Doctor appeared at Simeon's in Sherlock mode (though I could be completely wrong about that; I just got into that show).

No, the music echoes were definitely present! The Sherlock Holmes running-gag was very cute. My favorite line was "I can see that these are your business cards due to the fact that you have your name printed on them." That cracked me up. I love Sherlock (the show and the character) but I'd much rather spend time with the Doctor.

That was a surprisingly enjoyable episode. I was dreading this new companion because her character didn't impress me at all in the Dalek episode (she seemed like a carbon copy of River Song) but I really liked Clara and I really liked that we were presented with almost a straightforward love story between her and the Doctor. They had great chemistry, too. I'm also actually intrigued by her multiple deaths and resurrections (although I'm worried about the answer to her dilemma--Moffat tends to make his plot solutions needlessly complicated and semi-pointless).

My only complaints are that many characters in this special basically had nothing to do (the kids really didn't need to be there and Richard E. Grant seemed wasted) and I really didn't buy that losing Amy would make the Doctor live on a frickin' cloud and give up his usual traveling/adventure/saving planets routine. Amy left whole, intact, and happy with Rory. I know he'd be sad--but the moping? And abandoning his usual reasons for living? Really? I mean, he destroyed his entire species and didn't stop running around.

It seems of a piece with what sfsfsf1968 said:

Moffat's infatuation with the "Doctor? Doctor WHO?" gag seems more and more like a way to claim a proprietary ownership over the entire series -- ie, the whole show has been building up to and culminates in his current plot lines. It seems, I don't know, unsporting somehow.

I agree. I feel this way about a lot of what he does (aging the doctor several hundred years in the previous two series), the River Song interminable romance that may never end, etc.

[MarkHB]

And weren't all the actors who were the Doctor supposed to be in that episode?

Well, 4 of them are dead (Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, plus Richard Hurndall who played the First Doctor in The Five Doctors). I would anticipate that any "big reunion" episode would air in November, for the 50th Anniversary of the show's first airing.

[derekevans]

I really liked it. The plot didn't make a lick of sense and seemed secondary to introducing Clara but that was okay. It was beautifully atmospheric and I love the whole mystery of Clara.

I hope people finally stop banging on about 10 being all emo after losing Rose. Giving up Doctoring entirely for so long your previous life has become legend just because you lose a companion pretty much blows "having the odd mopey moment and not being interested in the next girl who comes along" out of the water in the emo stakes.

Why did the Tardis console change? I thought it only changed when the Doctor changed.

It just changes at random sometimes. It didn't change between 9 and 10, but some of the Classic Doctors had multiple console room changes.

And weren't all the actors who were the Doctor supposed to be in that episode?

Rumours of past major characters returning have been spread online before just about every major episode (series finales, etc.) ever since DW came back. There was never anything from any reliable source about any past Doctors appearing, just fans speculating or making stuff up as always. Though probably some people mixed up this episode, with the rumours of past Doctors returning for the 50th.

Edited by derekevans, Dec 26, 2012 @ 5:08 AM.

[James Moar]

Why did the Tardis console change? I thought it only changed when the Doctor changed.

Ten/Eleven is the only time that's happened, and then only because Ten's regeneration was held back so long that the unleashed energy trashed the console room. The Tardis has the ability to rebuild and restructure itself, apparently at any time. It's also been shown to have at least one spare control room, and backups of the old ones.

[MDKNIGHT]

The actor playing the Sontoran may be one of the best comedians this show has ever had. I found each of his line readings hysterical. Even the delivery of something like "Emergency! I seem to have been run over by a carriage" was awesome. I too could watch a show of A Lizard Woman Transchanels Sherlock Holmes and Pals. Speaking of which, apparently Vastra's security in knowing she can eat people has made her brave enough to demand marriage equality back in the 1800's. Right On Sistah! I love whoever is writing that character. I have to find some fan fiction on her and Jenny.

I'm optomistic for the new season although I liked Rory and Amy and agree I don't see the Dr moping after a separation from a companion. ALL his companions have to leave one way or another and even losing Rose didn't make him quit so I found this scenario a little unrealistic.

[o.b.]

The Tardis has the ability to rebuild and restructure itself, apparently at any time. It's also been shown to have at least one spare control room, and backups of the old ones.

All the console rooms, past and future, are in the TARDIS memory.

[sienna gold]

And it's not like the Ponds were lost in a dimension never to return unless there is a Reality Bomb. Or had their entire Whovian existence wiped out their experiences and can never remember them ever again for fear their brains will ooze out.

As "tragic" as the Williams' (okay then fine, Show Ponds') final episodes are, they are still alive and living life to the fullest in New York (where apparently the Doctor can't travel to), so I can't see the whole "I quit!" aspect of the Doctor here. I just felt it more selfish, because I didn't get my way, instead of real, true lamenting.

I truthfully don't know how I feel about this Christmas special. I was expecting Clara to be a Victorian companion which I think would have been interesting and different for this new Era of Who. I was also slightly (okay very) irritated that We had "Oswin Oswald" back as Clara. And if Clara and Oswin are the same characteristically (accent, Souffle making,Doctor Flirting/Snogging, super duper smart and whatever), then eh. Because I don't think I was really sold on Oswin, and I thought Clara would have been different. But I feel like I was watching River/Amy all over again.

And I'm over that.

I was with Vastra - how smart can this Intelligence be, if they think they can take the world over via Snow and Ice, and think the Underground can be a key strategic point. However my friend pointed out something -maybe this Intelligence is linear (and not Timey Wimey) so the reason why they fell for it, is they simply didn't KNOW about it yet. They didn't experience it yet.

It's just odd. I liked the funny bits. I find that I liked like Clara died (I was anticipating the whole YAY! The Universe pulled through!) But there's just something niggling at the back of my head that I didn't super love it.