TBH, I'm getting a bit sick of the Dickensian DW Xmas episodes.
I think the whole "perpetual Clara" thing was a bit heavy-handed too.
So, next year we're going to have a plot-arc (or, I should say, half of last year's plot-arc) about why Clara is so special are we?
A bit like the plot-arc about why Amy Pond was so special that's just ended?
Do like to see the "Doctor and allies" episodes though.
I am a bit sad that this version of Clara died (though I think I'd have gotten annoyed at her cockey accent, less so at her other one) because it looks like we'll just have another current-time companion again. The reason I like this less is because it feels more like a time-travel show when a main character is from another time on earth, especially from the past (since the rest of the show is so sci-fi and futuristic, so it is like a mish-mash of stuff).
Oh well, at least the character will still be basically the same overall, and more importantly... called Clara! I never get to see my name on TV so I'm glad it's in such an awesome show and a character who (so far at least) is not an unlikeable character to have the name linked to. It is a bit weird though, I'm so used to feeling like I'm the sole owner of the name it is quite jarring to hear the doctor say it, but cool too.
Two cool gingers in a row, and now a Clara and a married female coupling. Yay. DW represents. I also like that Amy was Scottish and the doctor wants to be ginger. They just keep choosing stuff that I either like or am.
I liked this episode, not as much as xmas invasion and Tennan'ts amazing entrance but the next after that.
I read a rant someone wrote where Moffat apparently admitted to jut casting Jenna because she was pretty but I mean Billie Piper got her original start based on her looks (was asked about a singing career before they heard her) and did Diary of a Call Girl, Karen modelled, Martha was filmed in a bikini for DW before they cut it, John Barrowman got quite naked and flirty at times and looking back at some of the Classic Who companions (like Leela) it was just the same so while I don't know if the quote is true, it is hardly the first pretty companion to be cast and so far I think people seem to like her for more than that.
(maybe mentioned in previous 15 pages, but...) maybe it's just me, but I'da liked to have an ep or two of Dark Doctor - the Doctor purposely avoiding potential companions, not investigating and not helping out. In this ep they mentioned that what he'd BEEN doing, I just would have liked to have seen it, rather than immediately go from "waving good bye to previous companions" to "hello new one". Had they given us an ep without a new tardis-buddy it would have demonstrated just how much The Ponds meant to him and the loss he was feeling - yes this ep mentioned it, but I'da liked an ep showing it - of course it probably wouldn't have been a jolly-romp of an ep, but it was still a missed opportunity.
Ok! I don't like the new intro...I don't like the new interior...but oh do I love her!!
my entire household was suffering through the ads (gotta hate American TV for that alone lol) just waiting for it to come back on. I liked the story, how everyone got on, and I love the fact that the new companion has such a twist to her
Also, why is the TARDIS so beat up? It was sparkly new the last time we saw it...
It wasn't looking to good when the Pond's left...and he hasn't really been in the best off moods since then...and we don't know how long he has had it parked up there.
I loved it though the one and only problem I had was still having to have a connection to Amy buy using the word Pond the quicker she is forgotten about altogether the better
she knows nothing of Amy and Rory...she's just going by the fact that the child under her care is dreaming of the pond and that it stayed frozen when nothing else did.
Why was she slumming as a barmaid? Why did she choose the word "pond"? Why did she just happen to step outside the pub when the Doctor passed by? Why couldn't the Doctor take the Tardis and materialise it around her falling body?
Are the Clara Oswin Oswalds avatars (in the original sense) and different aspects of the same person - or is she {drum rolls} The Rani
do we have any idea how long it has been since he lost Amy and Rory?
I know he was surprised when Clara kissed him...but my first thought was of him saying he was married...but he didn't. so we're kind of wondering at our house, as things are so messed up in their timelines anyway, if the Doctor at this point has already seen River for the last time. I can explain away this in my own head...but have that nagging voice in the back saying it could have happened but her still show up and so on and perhaps I need more sleep!
Anyway!! River was going to travel with him sometimes...so was just wondering how long he's sat up on a cloud
I liked the new TARDIS, seemed a little short on actual movement of story. Steven Moffat's stories are long and winded at Christmas, the intoduction of Clara worked well though, she is a charismatic actress who in fact carried this story so well done to her talents, she's a joy to watch. The first companion since Rose I really enjoyed. Wish Moffats story had been better but it was actually better than 'Rose' so in terms of an introduction for Clara well done
Plot was a load of old tosh (resolution was AWFUL and came off like an afterthought) but I did like Clara at least...Christmas specials have been uniformly underwhelming so it was hardly a shock to see this one stick to the pattern.
It was a decent episode. Probably the second best Christmas special (after ACC) Vastra, Jenny and Strax were funny, and I found the Clara/Oswin thing intriguing.
BTW, Did anyone notice the Neville Chamberlain reference?
I may be overreaching with the Clara/Oswin connection, but what intrigues me is the parallel plot element of the telepathic network in Asylum and the Christmas ep.
In Asylum, Oswin had hacked the Dalek's network at the end of the ep, effectively deleting the Doctor from the collective memory...but she also implored him to 'remember,' a plea which may have resonated through such a matrix, potentially across time and space.
The Great Intelligence also employed a telepathic field, one which was able to mirror things in its environment.
So Oswin's (or Clara's depending on which direction the temporal effect goes) consciousness is kicking around, potentially being brought back again and again in different time frames.
/speculation
Whatever the reason, I'm definitely curious!
... and looking forward to the new series in 2013!
On a more simplistic level, whenever the Doctor ends up in the past I wonder why he can't just put his feet up and say "Aw, it'll all be fine"?
I mean, he's BEEN to the future and he knows it happens so surely he must know that a bunch of growly snowmen can't have wiped out the Human Race in the Victorian age?
I'm going to make a guess about Clara Oswin Oswald. So I'm going to put the below in spoiler thread.
I think she's a servant of The Great Intelligence
Which the Doctor is guessing at and gave her the key almost straight away. I think he knows something he's not telling anyone. In short I think she's the female version of Turlough, although possessed by the G.I. Which is why she keeps coming back. This may also tie in with Rory who kept coming back after 'death'.
On a more simplistic level, whenever the Doctor ends up in the past I wonder why he can't just put his feet up and say "Aw, it'll all be fine"?
I mean, he's BEEN to the future and he knows it happens so surely he must know that a bunch of growly snowmen can't have wiped out the Human Race in the Victorian age?
Time can be rewritten. Every historical episode would surely be pointless otherwise?
On a more simplistic level, whenever the Doctor ends up in the past I wonder why he can't just put his feet up and say "Aw, it'll all be fine"?
I mean, he's BEEN to the future and he knows it happens so surely he must know that a bunch of growly snowmen can't have wiped out the Human Race in the Victorian age?
Have you ever seen The Pyramids Of Mars? During the story Sarah said something like "We know the world didn't end in 1911." The Doctor went "Do we?" He then showed her what would happen if Sutekh, the villain, wasn't stopped. Sarah had to acknowledge that they had to go back and stop him.
Have you ever seen The Pyramids Of Mars? During the story Sarah said something like "We know the world didn't end in 1911." The Doctor went "Do we?" He then showed her what would happen if Sutekh, the villain, wasn't stopped. Sarah had to acknowledge that they had to go back and stop him.
Uhuh,
I was being a little facetious TBH.
Thing is, I guess you need to look at it from the Doctors POV.
I mean, time is a linear thing for us. We do 1969 and then 1970 and then 1971 and then...
That's obviously not the case for him though.
He might visit the year 2000 and see that everything's fine without knowing that at some point in the past (but which he's yet to actually visit - from his POV) he had a hand in creating the year 2000 that he's visited.
I just think it'd be kind of funny to see him saying "Aw, relax. It'll all be fine".
I'm glad, looking at the poll results, so many 'loved' it and derived entertainment value form it but I wonder if the programme wasn't called Dr Who on the label whether any DW fans would either watch it, say they liked it, or spend time on these threads second guessing its writer?
I.e is this program inherently Dr Who or even science fiction? No, it's become neither, it's simple soap opera focussing on the lead characters and not, as with the classic series, on a real threat and the situation affecting the people and places they encounter.
Watched last night.I can see Iplayer record being broken again because the time slot was just crazy.There was no way I was able to watch Its the first Christmas special wasnt able to watch there and then.
I'm going to make a guess about Clara Oswin Oswald. So I'm going to put the below in spoiler thread.
I think she's a servant of The Great Intelligence
Which the Doctor is guessing at and gave her the key almost straight away. I think he knows something he's not telling anyone. In short I think she's the female version of Turlough, although possessed by the G.I. Which is why she keeps coming back. This may also tie in with Rory who kept coming back after 'death'.
Really! Not to have a moan but 'nearly always in the Victorian age period? It's 2 out of 7/8 by my count.
1) Christmas Invasion - Modern Day Earth
2) Runaway Bride - Modern Day Earth
3) Voyage of The Damned - On a Spaceship/Modern Day Earth
4) The Next Doctor - Victorian Era Earth
4 & 5) End Of Time - Modern Day Earth
6) Christmas Carol - Alien Planet
7) TDTW&TW - 1940's Era/Alien Planet
8) The Snowmen - Victorian Era Earth.
As far as earth goes, it is our holiday. It makes sense for it to be on earth tbh.:)
You're both right re the Victorian era only being an actual setting for two of them... *but* Christmas Carol is definitely Victorian in feeling as it is Dickensian.
Nearly all the costumes and design are Victorian.
Same goes for Voyage of the Damned, though this is perhaps more Edwardian.
A lot of the christmas specials feel samey.... to me anyway,
Comments
Wibbly wobbly timey wimey. My feeling about the new Tardis: they've had some cowboys in there. Not actual cowboys. Though that can happen.
I think the whole "perpetual Clara" thing was a bit heavy-handed too.
So, next year we're going to have a plot-arc (or, I should say, half of last year's plot-arc) about why Clara is so special are we?
A bit like the plot-arc about why Amy Pond was so special that's just ended?
Do like to see the "Doctor and allies" episodes though.
It was even funnier than that, it was actually something like "Good evening, I am a lizard woman from the dawn of time, and this is my wife." xD
Oh well, at least the character will still be basically the same overall, and more importantly... called Clara! I never get to see my name on TV so I'm glad it's in such an awesome show and a character who (so far at least) is not an unlikeable character to have the name linked to. It is a bit weird though, I'm so used to feeling like I'm the sole owner of the name it is quite jarring to hear the doctor say it, but cool too.
Two cool gingers in a row, and now a Clara and a married female coupling. Yay.
I liked this episode, not as much as xmas invasion and Tennan'ts amazing entrance but the next after that.
I read a rant someone wrote where Moffat apparently admitted to jut casting Jenna because she was pretty but I mean Billie Piper got her original start based on her looks (was asked about a singing career before they heard her) and did Diary of a Call Girl, Karen modelled, Martha was filmed in a bikini for DW before they cut it, John Barrowman got quite naked and flirty at times and looking back at some of the Classic Who companions (like Leela) it was just the same so while I don't know if the quote is true, it is hardly the first pretty companion to be cast and so far I think people seem to like her for more than that.
Ok! I don't like the new intro...I don't like the new interior...but oh do I love her!!
my entire household was suffering through the ads (gotta hate American TV for that alone lol) just waiting for it to come back on. I liked the story, how everyone got on, and I love the fact that the new companion has such a twist to her
off to try and read some and catch up!
I clapped. lol. thought it was perfect, knew she wouldn't say it as the others had
I said that too lol
It wasn't looking to good when the Pond's left...and he hasn't really been in the best off moods since then...and we don't know how long he has had it parked up there.
YES!! I was trying to think of who he reminded me of! lol
she knows nothing of Amy and Rory...she's just going by the fact that the child under her care is dreaming of the pond and that it stayed frozen when nothing else did.
Can't see her being The Rani.
I want one
do we have any idea how long it has been since he lost Amy and Rory?
I know he was surprised when Clara kissed him...but my first thought was of him saying he was married...but he didn't. so we're kind of wondering at our house, as things are so messed up in their timelines anyway, if the Doctor at this point has already seen River for the last time. I can explain away this in my own head...but have that nagging voice in the back saying it could have happened but her still show up and so on and perhaps I need more sleep!
Anyway!! River was going to travel with him sometimes...so was just wondering how long he's sat up on a cloud
BTW, Did anyone notice the Neville Chamberlain reference?
In Asylum, Oswin had hacked the Dalek's network at the end of the ep, effectively deleting the Doctor from the collective memory...but she also implored him to 'remember,' a plea which may have resonated through such a matrix, potentially across time and space.
The Great Intelligence also employed a telepathic field, one which was able to mirror things in its environment.
So Oswin's (or Clara's depending on which direction the temporal effect goes) consciousness is kicking around, potentially being brought back again and again in different time frames.
/speculation
Whatever the reason, I'm definitely curious!
... and looking forward to the new series in 2013!
I mean, he's BEEN to the future and he knows it happens so surely he must know that a bunch of growly snowmen can't have wiped out the Human Race in the Victorian age?
Which the Doctor is guessing at and gave her the key almost straight away. I think he knows something he's not telling anyone. In short I think she's the female version of Turlough, although possessed by the G.I. Which is why she keeps coming back. This may also tie in with Rory who kept coming back after 'death'.
Time can be rewritten. Every historical episode would surely be pointless otherwise?
Have you ever seen The Pyramids Of Mars? During the story Sarah said something like "We know the world didn't end in 1911." The Doctor went "Do we?" He then showed her what would happen if Sutekh, the villain, wasn't stopped. Sarah had to acknowledge that they had to go back and stop him.
Uhuh,
I was being a little facetious TBH.
Thing is, I guess you need to look at it from the Doctors POV.
I mean, time is a linear thing for us. We do 1969 and then 1970 and then 1971 and then...
That's obviously not the case for him though.
He might visit the year 2000 and see that everything's fine without knowing that at some point in the past (but which he's yet to actually visit - from his POV) he had a hand in creating the year 2000 that he's visited.
I just think it'd be kind of funny to see him saying "Aw, relax. It'll all be fine".
I.e is this program inherently Dr Who or even science fiction? No, it's become neither, it's simple soap opera focussing on the lead characters and not, as with the classic series, on a real threat and the situation affecting the people and places they encounter.
Watched last night.I can see Iplayer record being broken again because the time slot was just crazy.There was no way I was able to watch Its the first Christmas special wasnt able to watch there and then.
It's a bit of a long shot i'd say.
Also, did we see Nina at the end?
You're both right re the Victorian era only being an actual setting for two of them... *but* Christmas Carol is definitely Victorian in feeling as it is Dickensian.
Nearly all the costumes and design are Victorian.
Same goes for Voyage of the Damned, though this is perhaps more Edwardian.
A lot of the christmas specials feel samey.... to me anyway,