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locker_monsterIs there something in the water in Wales? I'm not saying "A Christmas Carol" was a bad episode, but it had some very strange elements. But at least it was happier than last year. Happy Christmas specials. Who'd ever thought we'd get one of those again? ;-)
I should say first off that I've never read A Christmas Carol and the only movie version I'm familiar with is the A Muppet Christmas Carol. So I suppose I knew enough of the story to see how it was an homage, Doctor Who style. Both stories, Who version and the Dickens version, are pretty much about a man and redemption and how no one is ever a lost soul. And that's very Doctor Who. Everyone is someone, everyone is important, as the Doctor points out here.
But does the Doctor have the right to change someone's life so drastically just to save 4,003 more? That was the thing that sort of put me off the plot. The Doctor changes Kazran's life without hardly a thought. Okay, yes, time can be re-written, which seems to be a theme of Moffat's Doctor Who, but it was like the Doctor was playing God. I know it's for the best in the end and everyone's happy, but it just felt weird. But there goes Moffat again, with the timey-wimey. That's the thing I appreciate about Moffat's stories. He actually utilizes the Doctor's ability to travel through time. Old Kazran can watch a vid of himself when he was young while the scene is still happening, relatively, in the past. Oh, and all those places the Doctor visited with Kazran and Abigail; think of the fics to be written. The Doctor married Marilyn Monroe? Hee.
But fish flying around in the sky? Sharks flying around in the sky? A shark pulling a sleigh? Where does Steven Moffat come up with this stuff? I liked how everything was sort of Victorian, steam-punkish. Old and new. A very strange Human colony, Kazran's world is, especially compared to the spaceship Amy and Rory are on. The spaceship reminded me of the Enterprise from Star Trek, the new one. It was all slick and white and there were camera flares aplenty.
And why were Amy and Rory barely in this story? Jeez, the actors' names are in the opening credits and they're probably on screen for all of five minutes. I was expecting them to put Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins' names in the opening credits, but that would have been weird considering the other two leads are still there. Fic writers, please correct this. :-) Also, Amy in her kissogram police outfit and Rory in Roman garb? So the two of them were doing some, um, roleplaying? Cute how the Doctor keeps sending them on honeymoons, though I'm getting the feeling that keeps happening because every place they go nothing turns out as planned. I can't decide if this story takes place before or after "Death of the Doctor".
Random: I didn't know Katherine Jenkins was a singer and this was her first acting role. The show seems to have a thing for casting singers in the role of Companions. ;-) It was also weird seeing Michael Gambon in a role other than Dumbledore. As strange as the fish in the clouds were, they were also very cute. I liked how that one kept bumping into the light on the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, like it was trying to eat it. And no "We're going to need a bigger boat" line from the Doctor? Come on, it was a perfect opportunity. And what is up with Matt Smith's hair? That bit that comes down on the side has become horribly long again. Amy needs to come at the Doctor with a pair of scissors while Rory holds him down. Was the Doctor wearing a Fourth Doctor like scarf at one point? Looked like it to me. :-)
But the best part of the episode? The "Coming Soon" trailer! For a second there, I was worried they wouldn't have one.
Every time it's just a simple trailer full of stuff they've filmed before December, but I just love getting that sneak peek. It's all out of context and it's a wonderful tease for next year. From what I can gather we'll visit the 17th century (going off of the Musketeer like costumes), World War II again, the US in the 1950s I want to say, probably New Mexico and Area 51, and probably the future since there's an Ood. River's back and look, Alex Kingston got to go to Utah, too. So that episode is probably a two parter because all of River's episodes have been two parters so far. The TARDIS type ship from "The Lodger" is back, which is exciting. They are going to explore the race who built it. Yay! And it looks like, River, the TARDIS type ship, and the team running around the desert and Area 51 is all one story. Interesting. Plus there are creepy dolls and Amy and River have weird stitch marks on their face and arms. No idea what that's about.
It's exciting that the crew got to go to Utah to film. You don't get that kind of landscape in Wales or even in England. And the Doctor in a cowboy hat?
Okay, I live in Fakey Cowboy Town, Alberta where cowboy hats and cowboy boots are a dime a dozen, but damn, the Doctor makes them, dare I say it, hot. "I wear a stetson now. Stetsons are cool." Indeed they are, Doctor. :-)
The Doctor can come and lie on the hood of my car any day. If I had a car.
So wonderful to have a new episode after six months of nothing. Now it's just a, what? Four month wait for season six to start? I can't wait!
I should say first off that I've never read A Christmas Carol and the only movie version I'm familiar with is the A Muppet Christmas Carol. So I suppose I knew enough of the story to see how it was an homage, Doctor Who style. Both stories, Who version and the Dickens version, are pretty much about a man and redemption and how no one is ever a lost soul. And that's very Doctor Who. Everyone is someone, everyone is important, as the Doctor points out here.
But does the Doctor have the right to change someone's life so drastically just to save 4,003 more? That was the thing that sort of put me off the plot. The Doctor changes Kazran's life without hardly a thought. Okay, yes, time can be re-written, which seems to be a theme of Moffat's Doctor Who, but it was like the Doctor was playing God. I know it's for the best in the end and everyone's happy, but it just felt weird. But there goes Moffat again, with the timey-wimey. That's the thing I appreciate about Moffat's stories. He actually utilizes the Doctor's ability to travel through time. Old Kazran can watch a vid of himself when he was young while the scene is still happening, relatively, in the past. Oh, and all those places the Doctor visited with Kazran and Abigail; think of the fics to be written. The Doctor married Marilyn Monroe? Hee.
But fish flying around in the sky? Sharks flying around in the sky? A shark pulling a sleigh? Where does Steven Moffat come up with this stuff? I liked how everything was sort of Victorian, steam-punkish. Old and new. A very strange Human colony, Kazran's world is, especially compared to the spaceship Amy and Rory are on. The spaceship reminded me of the Enterprise from Star Trek, the new one. It was all slick and white and there were camera flares aplenty.
And why were Amy and Rory barely in this story? Jeez, the actors' names are in the opening credits and they're probably on screen for all of five minutes. I was expecting them to put Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins' names in the opening credits, but that would have been weird considering the other two leads are still there. Fic writers, please correct this. :-) Also, Amy in her kissogram police outfit and Rory in Roman garb? So the two of them were doing some, um, roleplaying? Cute how the Doctor keeps sending them on honeymoons, though I'm getting the feeling that keeps happening because every place they go nothing turns out as planned. I can't decide if this story takes place before or after "Death of the Doctor".
Random: I didn't know Katherine Jenkins was a singer and this was her first acting role. The show seems to have a thing for casting singers in the role of Companions. ;-) It was also weird seeing Michael Gambon in a role other than Dumbledore. As strange as the fish in the clouds were, they were also very cute. I liked how that one kept bumping into the light on the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, like it was trying to eat it. And no "We're going to need a bigger boat" line from the Doctor? Come on, it was a perfect opportunity. And what is up with Matt Smith's hair? That bit that comes down on the side has become horribly long again. Amy needs to come at the Doctor with a pair of scissors while Rory holds him down. Was the Doctor wearing a Fourth Doctor like scarf at one point? Looked like it to me. :-)
But the best part of the episode? The "Coming Soon" trailer! For a second there, I was worried they wouldn't have one.
Every time it's just a simple trailer full of stuff they've filmed before December, but I just love getting that sneak peek. It's all out of context and it's a wonderful tease for next year. From what I can gather we'll visit the 17th century (going off of the Musketeer like costumes), World War II again, the US in the 1950s I want to say, probably New Mexico and Area 51, and probably the future since there's an Ood. River's back and look, Alex Kingston got to go to Utah, too. So that episode is probably a two parter because all of River's episodes have been two parters so far. The TARDIS type ship from "The Lodger" is back, which is exciting. They are going to explore the race who built it. Yay! And it looks like, River, the TARDIS type ship, and the team running around the desert and Area 51 is all one story. Interesting. Plus there are creepy dolls and Amy and River have weird stitch marks on their face and arms. No idea what that's about.
It's exciting that the crew got to go to Utah to film. You don't get that kind of landscape in Wales or even in England. And the Doctor in a cowboy hat?
Okay, I live in Fakey Cowboy Town, Alberta where cowboy hats and cowboy boots are a dime a dozen, but damn, the Doctor makes them, dare I say it, hot. "I wear a stetson now. Stetsons are cool." Indeed they are, Doctor. :-)
The Doctor can come and lie on the hood of my car any day. If I had a car.
So wonderful to have a new episode after six months of nothing. Now it's just a, what? Four month wait for season six to start? I can't wait!
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