Probably the best Moffat episode since RTD was the boss.
Results:What did you think of Doctor Who Last Christmas?
Excellent
216 (45.09%)
Good
122 (25.47%)
Average
60 (12.53%)
Below Average
39 (8.14%)
Rubbish
42 (8.77%)
Voters: 479. You can't vote on this poll right now - are you signed in?
Doctor Who- Last Christmas- 25th December 2014, 18.15 BBC1
11 of 16
Originally Posted by Matt D:
“Shouldn't Clara be pregnant by now, given the Danny-lookalike time-travelling descendent they met earlier in the series?”
“Shouldn't Clara be pregnant by now, given the Danny-lookalike time-travelling descendent they met earlier in the series?”
Moffat has already said elsewhere that they never directly said that Orson was a descendant of Clara and Danny and that they were careful not to considering how the series ended. Tbh I think it's going to be one of those things he decides doesn't need explaining.
As for the whole ep - I didn't think it was particularly lazy (although not dashingly original) just a bit dragged thin in places. Too much time for the amount of story they had.
Originally Posted by CD93:
“Now somebody can set about explaining Santa in Death in Heaven
Was he the indisputable real deal?”
“Now somebody can set about explaining Santa in Death in Heaven
Was he the indisputable real deal?”
Wouldn't that last bit in the Tardis been part of the dream, and Santa saying he can't leave things with Clara was his own subconscious warning him that the dream crabs would go after Clara because she's playing on the Doctors mind. That's my theory made up on the spot anyway
Originally Posted by PaperSkin:
“Wouldn't that last bit in the Tardis been part of the dream, and Santa saying he can't leave things with Clara was his own subconscious warning him that the dream crabs would go after Clara because she's playing on the Doctors mind. That's my theory made up on the spot anyway”
“Wouldn't that last bit in the Tardis been part of the dream, and Santa saying he can't leave things with Clara was his own subconscious warning him that the dream crabs would go after Clara because she's playing on the Doctors mind. That's my theory made up on the spot anyway”
We'll just pretend he was wearing a hoody and go with it.
Originally Posted by CD93:
“We'll just pretend he was wearing a hoody and go with it.”
“We'll just pretend he was wearing a hoody and go with it.”
Oh yeah, that throws a spanner in the works. Also thinking about it why would the Doctor who was on some random planet by the looks of things think up Santa once the dream crap got him...maybe because he wanted a second chance with Clara for a Christmas wish.
Felt a bit dull. Moffat's 'clever' ideas and backpatting in his writing is really tiresome. If something is clever, we don't need to be told!
Originally Posted by doormouse1:
“A lot of people on here seem to be jumping to the conclusion that Orson is a descendent of Danny and Clara.
Firstly, Danny might have had another girlfriend before Clara - he might have had a son with her - and secondly we don't know if he had any brothers - even estranged ones going back to when the family was split.”
“A lot of people on here seem to be jumping to the conclusion that Orson is a descendent of Danny and Clara.
Firstly, Danny might have had another girlfriend before Clara - he might have had a son with her - and secondly we don't know if he had any brothers - even estranged ones going back to when the family was split.”
We can assume this will be tied up in series 9.
Though personally I still think Orson IS Danny, somehow, rather than one of his descendants.
Stunning, glued to it.a classic. Peter, Brilliant Clara superb, supporting cast excellent Directing spot on, writing par excellence.
A Belter . . . I am a fan again !
A Belter . . . I am a fan again !
Originally Posted by Palmerwho:
“Agreed, couldn't be happier she's staying.
Did make me laugh when the words that made half the audience happy and the other half angry appeared lol
'The Doctor AND Clara will return in The Magicians Apprentice'”
“Agreed, couldn't be happier she's staying.
Did make me laugh when the words that made half the audience happy and the other half angry appeared lol
'The Doctor AND Clara will return in The Magicians Apprentice'”
Hahaha! Me too! I absolutely love it when Moffat trolls the haters like that. I could just imagine all the whiny basement dwellers pulling their hair out in exasperation at him. (Just as they probably did when they saw the jokey Clara credits in the last 8th season episode.)
I'd love to see them trying to be the showrunner on two hit shows that are loved around the world.
Originally Posted by Grisonaut:
“Didn't she say it was 62 years since she saw him? Making her 82 years old at least?”
“Didn't she say it was 62 years since she saw him? Making her 82 years old at least?”
Originally Posted by Tassium:
“Unless I misheard it was 62 years later, so Clara would be in her late 80s.”
“Unless I misheard it was 62 years later, so Clara would be in her late 80s.”
You're probably right, my mistake.
Nevertheless she should look like an 82 year old woman, not like an Avid Merrion character from Bo Selecta.
Originally Posted by Mulett:
“Mostly ok. Shame about the ending. I think the Doctor Who team mis-read the room and thought the audience would be punching the air with joy that Clara's back for season 9.”
“Mostly ok. Shame about the ending. I think the Doctor Who team mis-read the room and thought the audience would be punching the air with joy that Clara's back for season 9.”
Well I was very happy that she is staying. At one point I thought she was going to die in an Adric kind of way,
I really Like Clara and want the character to carry on.....provided Danny Pink doesn't keep popping up as a ghost or something.
Originally Posted by k9fan:
“Can someone explain, please? Perhaps he was actually dying in real life?”
“Can someone explain, please? Perhaps he was actually dying in real life?”
It wasn't ALL a dream. The dream crabs really were killing them while they were asleep.
It's probably been mentioned already but another strong source of reference is an episode of The X Files when the same sort of thing happens to Mulder and Scully. They are dreaming but don't know it, as some kind of parasite is slowly killing them as they are asleep in a pit. I can't remember the name of the particular episode though.
Edit Ah a poster above posted it a few posts above...
Originally Posted by 2shy2007:
“Ooh ,just remembered it also reminds me of 'field trip' a great x files episode.”
“Ooh ,just remembered it also reminds me of 'field trip' a great x files episode.”
Also the episode of Red Dwarf called 'Back to Reality' when an alien uses a hallucinogen on the crew as a means to kill them. It also uses the dream within a dream trick to deceive them into thinking they were waking up from a dream-like virtual reality experience.
Originally Posted by Jaydubya76:
“No, she said it had been 62 years since they had last met. Assuming Jenna's in her mid-20's that would have put old Clara into her late 80's. Admittedly could still be argued that some people at that age still dont look as old as old Clara.”
“No, she said it had been 62 years since they had last met. Assuming Jenna's in her mid-20's that would have put old Clara into her late 80's. Admittedly could still be argued that some people at that age still dont look as old as old Clara.”
It's not so much Clara looking as old as old Clara, more Clara looking as freaky as a Dolmio puppet in the pasta sauce adverts.
They had a really really great way of ending the episode and then they completely ruined it by a sudden retcon twist . Shame.
Originally Posted by CBFreak:
“They had a really really great way of ending the episode and then they completely ruined it by a sudden retcon twist . Shame.”
“They had a really really great way of ending the episode and then they completely ruined it by a sudden retcon twist . Shame.”
Do you mean the tangerine? I think that was just a bit of fun really. Something to make the kids wonder 'What if?....'
It could just happen to be a real tangerine.
Originally Posted by CBFreak:
“They had a really really great way of ending the episode and then they completely ruined it by a sudden retcon twist . Shame.”
“They had a really really great way of ending the episode and then they completely ruined it by a sudden retcon twist . Shame.”
It wasn't a retcon, it was in keeping with the rest of the episode and the whole "is it real or a dream?" thing.
A retcon would be going back and re-writing previously established continuity - hence the name, retroactive continuity.
Originally Posted by Matt D:
“It wasn't a retcon, it was in keeping with the rest of the episode and the whole "is it real or a dream?" thing.
A retcon would be going back and re-writing previously established continuity - hence the name, retroactive continuity.”
“It wasn't a retcon, it was in keeping with the rest of the episode and the whole "is it real or a dream?" thing.
A retcon would be going back and re-writing previously established continuity - hence the name, retroactive continuity.”
It's been a long day I tend to use words in not quite the right context when I'm tired.
I agree it was in keeping with the theme of the episode but the old Clara just felt right for me.
Bit of a damp squid I thought. Will need to watch it again to grasp what actually happened.
But the final 10 minutes were wonderful. Loved the Doctor ride the sleigh and his conversation with the elderly Clara was very touching. Glad the Doctor and Clara came back together in the end.
But the final 10 minutes were wonderful. Loved the Doctor ride the sleigh and his conversation with the elderly Clara was very touching. Glad the Doctor and Clara came back together in the end.
Originally Posted by CBFreak:
“It's been a long day I tend to use words in not quite the right context when I'm tired.
I agree it was in keeping with the theme of the episode but the old Clara just felt right for me.”
“It's been a long day I tend to use words in not quite the right context when I'm tired.
I agree it was in keeping with the theme of the episode but the old Clara just felt right for me.”
It did seem very right after 11's ending last Christmas... and Jenna's comments about Clara's addiction to TARDIS life.
Originally Posted by steven87gill:
“That was brilliant.
Screw you haters. Clara's staying put
This corroborates the reports that JC deciding to stay was a 'last minute decision'. You could tell the Santa bit at the end was added.
Very happy right now.”
“That was brilliant.
Screw you haters. Clara's staying put
This corroborates the reports that JC deciding to stay was a 'last minute decision'. You could tell the Santa bit at the end was added.
Very happy right now.”
Not half as happy as me!!
Originally Posted by Palmerwho:
“
Did make me laugh when the words that made half the audience happy and the other half angry appeared lol
'The Doctor AND Clara will return in The Magicians Apprentice'”
“
Did make me laugh when the words that made half the audience happy and the other half angry appeared lol
'The Doctor AND Clara will return in The Magicians Apprentice'”
I am happy enough to drown out all who were angry. I have never been so happy in my entire life!!
I voted good. It was a fun episode I thought and even if it isn't massively original, I enjoy the what is/isn't a dream idea.
I do like a very Christmassy Christmas episode. And I'm delighted Clara is staying!
I do like a very Christmassy Christmas episode. And I'm delighted Clara is staying!
Originally Posted by Kapellmeister:
“Quite astoundingly awful.”
“Quite astoundingly awful.”
Predictable as ever, Kapellmeister...
Originally Posted by star89:
“I am happy enough to drown out all who were angry. I have never been so happy in my entire life!!”
“I am happy enough to drown out all who were angry. I have never been so happy in my entire life!!
”
Really? Really.......? You have my deepest sympathy!
I have no idea how I feel about that ep,
It on one hand was better than a lot of eps this season, but on another hand at one point I felt it was nearly word for word a season 2 ep of supernatural.
The episode I think it's called, what is and never will be, sees Dean attacked and wake up slightly unsure of what's going on, in a perfect world, where his mum never died and he and his brother never became hunters and lived normal lives, everything he always wanted for both of them. He realises he's dying and is offered the chance to stay, live that perfect life, it would feel like years not hours,or go back to his life where he has only pain and suffering, he opts to have his life, and save people because without him they would have died, in the final scene he breaks my heart when he admits how much he wanted that life
Buffy had something simular, and I think so did warehouse 13, all off these had a massive emotional weight to the choices, which I think this ep lacked
I spent a lot of the ep thinking Clara may have a similar offer, life with Danny, however fake, it gave her what she wanted, and maybe that normality was enough, sadly it didn't look at that enough
I did lose track of if they were awake it not, and think it was over played, too many fake waking ups
But that said I was far more invested and interested that I had been for a while
The story could have done with more emotional punches, the people at the end could have been looked at slightly more,and we're these dreams better for them than real life?
So i can't decide how I felt, I know Clara leaving has been a risk for a while, but I felt no way would she die, doctor who doesn't kill characters, just wipes thier memories or sticks them in parallel worlds, there wasn't the build up for that, so I doubted that would happen
It on one hand was better than a lot of eps this season, but on another hand at one point I felt it was nearly word for word a season 2 ep of supernatural.
The episode I think it's called, what is and never will be, sees Dean attacked and wake up slightly unsure of what's going on, in a perfect world, where his mum never died and he and his brother never became hunters and lived normal lives, everything he always wanted for both of them. He realises he's dying and is offered the chance to stay, live that perfect life, it would feel like years not hours,or go back to his life where he has only pain and suffering, he opts to have his life, and save people because without him they would have died, in the final scene he breaks my heart when he admits how much he wanted that life
Buffy had something simular, and I think so did warehouse 13, all off these had a massive emotional weight to the choices, which I think this ep lacked
I spent a lot of the ep thinking Clara may have a similar offer, life with Danny, however fake, it gave her what she wanted, and maybe that normality was enough, sadly it didn't look at that enough
I did lose track of if they were awake it not, and think it was over played, too many fake waking ups
But that said I was far more invested and interested that I had been for a while
The story could have done with more emotional punches, the people at the end could have been looked at slightly more,and we're these dreams better for them than real life?
So i can't decide how I felt, I know Clara leaving has been a risk for a while, but I felt no way would she die, doctor who doesn't kill characters, just wipes thier memories or sticks them in parallel worlds, there wasn't the build up for that, so I doubted that would happen
11 of 16
