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[GameplayWhore]

It was kind of nice, but it was a bit predictable, and I'm starting to really tire of the whole "the Doctor is a walking, talking Fairy Tale" angle that Moff seems to keep going back to. I think I liked it better back when he was just this guy, back before he transformed into Supergod.

I'm really hoping there's a shift for the series now that he's supposedly going low-key. For one thing, I do not want the Doctor to be Batman -- you know, where he has infinite prep time and handles everything way in advance, so it just becomes pushbutton magic on camera.

 

[DrForester]

Pretty meh. Tried not to compare it to last year, since last year was just amazing. Still was very underwhelming.

 

[Quick]

I liked it. It was nice and light, something good to watch with a happy ending after a very heavy series 6. Had a good message, and I liked the "crying when happy, such a human thing." Not every Doctor Who episode needs to be mind-blowing. Sometimes simple is best.

Agreed.

I really enjoyed it because of those reasons. Happy ending with the legs and the nose was awesome.

I don't know if I read it here, or if I read it elsewhere, but I really wouldn't mind the Doctor retconning the whole River Song saga and give the Ponds the ultimate present of being able to raise a kid properly.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

Enjoyed it. I thought Matt Smith's performance was top notch. It felt like he was coming into his own as the Doctor in a way he hadn't before

The plot was just sort of average though, but I've seen much worse episodes and specials.

 

[yencid]

Reminded me a lot of the 9th for some reason (the reference helped )

 

[Spider from Mars]

Maybe it is just my black heart, but I thought this was boring and overly sentimental. The only part I liked was the ending because Amy is hot to trot.

 

[KibblesBits]

I enjoyed this. I enjoyed it better than last year's Christmas special.

 

[bengraven]

What the fuck?! This was on tonight?

Where was the advertisements? Where was the online hype? Doesn't anyone love Doctor Who anymore!?

*grumble*

 

[maharg]

It'd have left a really bad taste on Christmas to end it with her saving the kids by shouting DADDY'S DEAD.

Oh and it silences the MOFF = SEXIST bullshit some fans whined about in S6.

Not really. It, if anything, strengthens the angle from which those arguments come by so strongly emphasizing that a woman's value comes primarily from her womb.

I think that Moffat has some significant hangups about family and I don't think he really intends to come across as sexist, but saying a woman is 'strong' is not a panacea to empowerment if you do it wrong.

 

[brucewaynegretzky]

Just getting to watch now. The opening bothered me.... They never show the Doctor floating around in space. It just seemed dumb. He should have died.

 

[cory.]

Aside from the very end, Moffat's worst episode and I love Moffat. Hardly any of the emotional moments were earned in the writing.
Really feels like an unused script from the RTD era.

Spoiler

Humany wumany totally ruined the ----y w----y thing. Maybe that was on purpose?

 

[MrPliskin]

I haven't watched this yet, but is it pretty. Strain that Amy and Rory are getting the axe, so to speak? I really enjoy the chemistry the 3 of them have, will be sad to see it change...

 

[Regulus Tera]

That was a lovely episode. It had a few pacing issues with the inclusion of the Androzani (hey, that's a Fifth Doctor reference!) security and the aliens, but I was smiling throughout it. It's just Christmassy enough to make my heart warm up, and that ending was a lovely. Hey Doctor, you don't have to be a motherfucker and be all emo all the fucking time. You have a home after all!

Spoiler

That's why both the TARDIS and Amy's house are blue hurdur.

More character driven stories like this and less stupid convoluted bullshit like The Wedding of River Song plz Moffat. 3/5

A Christmas Carol > The Christmas Invasion > The Runaway Bride > The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe > The End of Time Part 1 > The Next Doctor > Voyage of the Damned

I agree with this ranking.

 

[GSR]

I rather enjoyed it - it wasn't exactly top ten new Who, but hey.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Yes, Moffat, we get it. You think the Doctor is Santa Claus, Jesus, Aslan, Gandalf and Mary Poppins all rolled into one, and that the Doctor responding to prayers and wishes makes for interesting storytelling.

This trainwreck felt largely like the Moffat era in miniature. Full of superficial story elements that never came together to form any sort of cohesive whole outside of trying to be 'cool'. The plot was silly, the characters were one dimensional, and the whole thing was essentially resolved by wishing really hard. But characters mentioned Androzani and the Time Vortex and the Doctor referenced The End of the World, so that makes everything better in the eyes of some. Also, everybody lives! Again.

Is this really the same program which gave us The Caves of Androzani and The Massacre?

 

[Jasoco]

Eh, it wasn't that bad. Sheesh.

 

[maharg]

Yes, Moffat, we get it. You think the Doctor is Santa Claus, Jesus, Aslan, Gandalf and Mary Poppins all rolled into one, and that the Doctor responding to prayers and wishes makes for interesting storytelling.

This trainwreck felt largely like the Moffat era in miniature. Full of superficial story elements that never came together to form any sort of cohesive whole outside of trying to be 'cool'. The plot was silly, the characters were one dimensional, and the whole thing was essentially resolved by wishing really hard. But characters mentioned Androzani and the Time Vortex and the Doctor referenced The End of the World, so that makes everything better in the eyes of some. Also, everybody lives! Again.

Is this really the same program which gave us The Caves of Androzani and The Massacre?

You're right, there was not a single light hearted, stupid, or silly episode before 2008. Not one. And certainly none before 2005, it was all so serial back then.

You sometimes devolve into a bit of a broken record on your Moffat hate. I get that it comes from real issues that you have with his style and focus. I really do. But expecting every episode to be some dire hard SF exploration of character death is just ridiculous, especially on Christmas.

 

[BatDan]

I'll admit I really enjoyed this episode. Left me with a smile on my face by the end. Sure there were some dumb parts (the opening scene, Skinner's acting) but overall I really enjoyed it.

I've really enjoyed the 11th Doctor Christmas specials way more than the 10th Doctor ones. Probably because they actually feel like Christmas specials, and not just an extra episode. Plus, I've noticed the two 11th Doctor specials don't actually have a villain, they rely on the environment and characters and not some evil angels or Cybermen.

Not as good as A Christmas Carol, but still pretty enjoyable. Waaaay better than Voyaged of the Damned.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

You're right, there was not a single light hearted, stupid, or silly episode before 2008. Not one. And certainly none before 2005, it was all so serial back then.

You sometimes devolve into a bit of a broken record on your Moffat hate. I get that it comes from real issues that you have with his style and focus. I really do. But expecting every episode to be some dire hard SF exploration of character death is just ridiculous, especially on Christmas.

That's not what I said. I have no problem with lightheartedness. I have a problem with the way Moffat writes it, which is different. Hell, I love stories like The Gunfighters and Creature from the Pit.

The issue isn't that Moffat writes Doctor Who lighthearted; it's that he writes it poorly. His episodes have no structure except to throw everything and the kitchen sink at the wall and end with everybody living.

If Moffat was writing enjoyable, lighthearted episodes, I would be fine with that. I generally prefer Doctor Who to be more serious, but I'm fine with it being lighter once in a while. The issue is that his only interest seems to be in turning the Doctor into a magical fairy and writing things which seem superficially cool, rather than actually crafting a tightly woven narrative or building any character development. My issue with 'everybody lives' is the fact that there's never any tension or drama in Moffat Who. Nothing bad ever happens to anyone, and on the rare cases where it does, it just gets undone by the end of the episode.

 

[maharg]

The issue isn't that Moffat writes Doctor Who lighthearted; it's that he writes it poorly. His episodes have no structure except to throw everything and the kitchen sink at the wall and end with everybody living.

Well, at least in this particular kitchen sink episode there was no jesus-golum doctor or pointless Time Lord resurrection.

Your complaints make no sense. If this is everything and the kitchen sink, the kitchen's gotten a lot smaller.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Well, at least in this particular kitchen sink episode there was no jesus-golum doctor or pointless Time Lord resurrection.

Your complaints make no sense. If this is everything and the kitchen sink, the kitchen's gotten a lot smaller.

Hey, the recession is hitting everyone hard. The kitchens have to be scaled back, too.

I'll grant that this wasn't quite as egregious as A Good Man Goes to War or The Wedding of River Song, but the general trend of just throwing everything at the wall because it sounds cool is one that I dislike. I prefer ideas to be developed rather than simply thrown out there.

 

[mightynine]

This one was a bit of a mess of a plot, with some nice lines, and a wonderful final scene.

Now we wait.

 

[Sober]

Not really. It, if anything, strengthens the angle from which those arguments come by so strongly emphasizing that a woman's value comes primarily from her womb.

I think that Moffat has some significant hangups about family and I don't think he really intends to come across as sexist, but saying a woman is 'strong' is not a panacea to empowerment if you do it wrong.

The only part that got me laughing was when one of the soldiers said there was no reason for Madge to use her gun. I mean, I was sorta rolling my eyes at her response but it was still funny at least.

Hey, the recession is hitting everyone hard. The kitchens have to be scaled back, too.

I'll grant that this wasn't quite as egregious as A Good Man Goes to War or The Wedding of River Song, but the general trend of just throwing everything at the wall because it sounds cool is one that I dislike. I prefer ideas to be developed rather than simply thrown out there.

This episode is hardly "everything+the kitchen sink"-y. Underdeveloped in a lot of parts though I do agree but it's a Christmas episode so I guess they just had to go with whatever they could in 60 minutes - particularly since 90% of the cold open was kinda useless and everything.

 

[IZZO]

I'm just glad to have more Doctor Who to watch. Now begins the long long waiting.

 

[Regulus Tera]

So when's the new thread coming up?

 

[Quick]

If anyone's making an OT anytime soon, I'd like to help out if needed!

 

[Goldrush]

Everything up until "Narnia" was perfect. Afterward, it just turned into a cookie cutter Doctor Who episode. Not bad, but extremely disappointing after last year's.

 

[Cwarrior]

The power of wishing...yeah this sucked, really boring outside one of the solders being goofy and hammocks

Easly the worst christmas doctor who episode beating the next doctor.

The Christmas Invasion > The Runaway Bride > Voyaget of he Damned>A Christmas Carol > The End of Time Part 1 > The Next Doctor >The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

 

[Violater]

Ok so I am currently on season 1 episode 7, will I enjoy the ride?

 

[cory.]

Ok so I am currently on season 1 episode 7, will I enjoy the ride?

It can be a bit bumpy, but yes, definitely.

Yes, RTD, we get it. You think the Doctor is Santa Claus, Jesus, Aslan, Gandalf and Mary Poppins all rolled into one, and that the Doctor responding to prayers and wishes makes for interesting storytelling.

This trainwreck felt largely like the RTD era in miniature. Full of superficial story elements that never came together to form any sort of cohesive whole outside of trying to be 'cool'. The plot was silly, the characters were one dimensional, and the whole thing was essentially resolved by wishing really hard. But characters mentioned Androzani and the Time Vortex and the Doctor referenced The End of the World, so that makes everything better in the eyes of some. Also, everybody lives! Again.

Is this really the same program which gave us The Caves of Androzani and The Massacre?

I'm convinced it was salvaged from an RTD script.

 

[Violater]

I'm curious, is there a specific reason why the Doctor when faced with a situation does not just go back in time and fix it?

 

[Quick]

I'm curious, is there a specific reason why the Doctor when faced with a situation does not just go back in time and fix it?

He gets locked in that event, which prevents him from doing that.

 

[Violater]

He gets locked in that event, which prevents him from doing that.

When was this ever explained?
Do you mean by the Tardis or just by the writing?

 

[Fuzzy]

It'd have left a really bad taste on Christmas to end it with her saving the kids by shouting DADDY'S DEAD.

Oh and it silences the MOFF = SEXIST bullshit some fans whined about in S6.

"I think I recognize the driving."

Yep, not sexist at all.

 

[Arment]

When was this ever explained?
Do you mean by the Tardis or just by the writing?

They're set points in time. We saw what messing with a set point in time does in the finale of season 6.

 

[Violater]

They're set points in time. We saw what messing with a set point in time does in the finale of season 6.

Ill see that in a month or so if I keep watching.

 

[Quick]

When was this ever explained?
Do you mean by the Tardis or just by the writing?

It was explained a couple of times. I forgot which episodes mentioned it though.

 

[jdogmoney]

Hey, the recession is hitting everyone hard. The kitchens have to be scaled back, too.

I'll grant that this wasn't quite as egregious as A Good Man Goes to War or The Wedding of River Song, but the general trend of just throwing everything at the wall because it sounds cool is one that I dislike. I prefer ideas to be developed rather than simply thrown out there.

The idea was "Doctor does something nice for someone who was nice to him."

It's not television if something doesn't go wrong, so the idea adds a bit of conflict, but other than that the entire episode was exploring what happens when the Doctor tries to be nice to someone.

Everything else (space Narnia, the rooms for the kids, understanding exactly what was going through Madge's mind, etc.) is just a part of that core idea.

Overall, I quite liked it. Maybe I'm just an old softie.

 

[WrenchNinja]

I think I liked last years Christmas special better. But it was a fun episode anyway. Was glad that the Doctor wasn't planning to avoid Amy and Rory now that he's 'dead'.

Anyone find it weird that the guy who was in the plane with the dad didn't get shown?

 

[CorrisD]

When was this ever explained?
Do you mean by the Tardis or just by the writing?

They mention it now and then, whether they say something is a fixed point in time that has to take place or the fact that the Doctor generally can't, or more precisely shouldn't, cross into his own Time Stream and mess something up which could rip a hole in time/destroy the universe/etc.

There are generally rules in the DW universe that are suppose to stop someone doing such a thing and of course there are rules that are suppose to stop someone doing it, but it is solely down to writing so the Doctor doesn't just go back in time constantly sorting every mistake he makes.

 

[alysonwheel]

Not really. It, if anything, strengthens the angle from which those arguments come by so strongly emphasizing that a woman's value comes primarily from her womb.

Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction (and, uh, the reaction of my entire twitter feed who saw it an hour earlier, live, rather than on iPlayer like me; I went into it feeling doomy about it and kind of enjoyed it more than I think I otherwise would have since I was expecting it to be crap). Plus, I'm a trans woman, so the whole "women's power comes from having kids" bit leaves me cold; likewise a non-trans friend of mine who can't have kids; I guess we're "weak".

I'm still looking forward to the next series: Matt Smith is great, even if he was kind of overplaying it this time, and he'll keep me watching even if the writing doesn't pick up again.

 

[Mr. Sam]

So when's the new thread coming up?

If anyone's making an OT anytime soon, I'd like to help out if needed!

I'll make a new thread when I'm sure just what the hell's going on. To the BBC website, where I shall sift through press releases!

 

[Zeouterlimits]

*covers eyes* LA LA LA

Guys, can I watch the Christmas Special yesterday without being significantly spoiled about Season 6?
I've recently finished Season 5, but not sure when I will get to buying 6 (it's £45/€60 ).

 

[Mr. Sam]

*covers eyes* LA LA LA

Guys, can I watch the Christmas Special yesterday without being significantly spoiled about Season 6?
I've recently finished Season 5, but not sure when I will get to buying 6 (it's £45/€60 ).

Very little spoilery content until, say, the last ten minutes, when it lays it on a bit thick.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

Very little spoilery content until, say, the last ten minutes, when it lays it on a bit thick.

Fuuuuuuuck.

Can I resist...
Anyway, thank you quick reply Sam.

 

[JonathanEx]

New thread might be better when we have a fucking announcement on what we'll definitely get in 2012. :/


Who else got the S6 DVD for Christmas? My annual tradition has started of rewatching the whole series and all the commentaries. Still pissed off Moff-era has scrapped commentaries for all episodes. With RTD he gave us two, podcast one AND DVD one! Now only half have them. No fun. I loved my 'hello faithful viewer' welcome.

Oh and Moff better not kill off the Ponds. Sure, heartwrenching storyline to make them leave, but death will make sad, especially after how sweet the Christmas thing they do is. Really liked that.

 

[Locke_211]

I'd say no, there's a big story-arc running through Season 6 that this episode keeps subtly and not so subtly referring to. Oh, and a line near the very end that plays on a big Season 6 reveal.

 

[Violater]

They mention it now and then, whether they say something is a fixed point in time that has to take place or the fact that the Doctor generally can't, or more precisely shouldn't, cross into his own Time Stream and mess something up which could rip a hole in time/destroy the universe/etc.

There are generally rules in the DW universe that are suppose to stop someone doing such a thing and of course there are rules that are suppose to stop someone doing it, but it is solely down to writing so the Doctor doesn't just go back in time constantly sorting every mistake he makes.

I got a sense of this in the episode about Rose's dad.

 

[MesserWolf]

Horrible episode this year Xmas special.

 

[The Elite]