DR who christmas special 2010 (insane amounts of spoilers)

Television, Movies Games and Books Doctor Who
#1

so what did people think?

There were nice hints of refernces to star trek, more fishy things clear thread of a christmas carol and most of all, really minmimal companion stuff, this was all matt smith.

I have to say, I’m a bigger fan of Moffatt than I ever was of RTD but that final scene, where the woman whom our evil old man has fallen in love with spends her last day, a Christmas day, with him really got me choked up, definitely an emotional more than action episodes, with a few wonderfully classic lines “I don’t want to worry you but there’s a shark in you bedroom”

I thought it funny, touching, heart wrenching and everything all mixed up in to one, perfect family entertainment.

So come on GWCers, post your thoughts
Phaze
on the “I did warn y’all about the levels of spoilerage right? I Said, honest injin I did” ID

#2
  1. I enjoyed watching it on Christmas Day :slight_smile:
  2. My entire family watched it, and we all appear to have enjoyed it. I wish there had been a bit more for Amy to do (because I love Amy), but it was still fun.
  3. Michael Gambon was excellent.
  4. Biggest success of all: my sibling, who isn’t particularly familiar with Doctor Who, asked where ze should start watching if ze wanted to. :smiley:
#3

Watched the christmas special last night. Best one yet! :slight_smile:
I made me laugh, cry… wonder about the counter on the freeze
chamber. The Doctor got married! :eek:

I am loving Moffatt’s adventurs better than RTDs. They are all good
but Moffatt’s are more like the origial series.

Merry Christmas!

#4

I just watched it and bawled my eyes out! (I’m such a sucker for a love story :rolleyes:) It was WONDERFUL!

I’m really loving what Matt Smith and Stephen Moffatt are doing with the Doctor. He’s a little more melancholy like Eccleston’s Doctor, a little less angry than Tennant’s, but still has that loveable boyishness and distractibility. :smiley: And the happy/sad ending is signature Moffatt.

#5

I enjoyed it- and I loved the “Bored now.” Any chance, you think, that it was an intentional nod to Buffy? (Or more accurately, EvilVampWillow and DarthRosenberg) Those two words are forever linked with those two awesome moments/characters for me. Back to Who- I think it was probably the best Christmas special (though there is little competition for that, considering how terrible most of them are).

#6

Rather disappointed but then the standalones have all been weaker than many of the regular series episodes.

If we are talking about a spin on the Dickens classic it was without doubt the worst I’ve ever seen and the amount of use the companions were put to made them pretty superfluous. I liked the “feel” the story forced on you but as usual with Matt it got a little silly and while some of the CGI was beautiful (the little fish) the skies looked like crude animation and the shark about 5 year old CGI.

#7

I really loved every single minute of it. Abigal was beautiful and could sing and the last scene really did make me tear up. I could finally see where it was going after the Doctor was all like “A Christmas Carol!” (Yeah I’m a bit dim); and I loved how Amy played the Ghost of Christmas Present, as well that scene on the ship where the Captain says “We haven’t told them (that the singing doesn’t work)”.
All in all, the episode surpassed my very high expectations and anticipation, and I thought it was beautifully cut together, shown and told a very touching story. Moffat is one of my favorite writers for all these reasons. The plot complicated and intricate, and it was shown to its full potential on-screen by the actors. Can’t wait for the next episode.:smiley:

#8

Other than not seeing much of Amy and Rory (well, Amy, anyway), it was fantastic, IMHO the best Doctor Who Chirstmas special yet! As many times as “A Christmas Carol” has been told and retold, somehow Steven Moffat found a way to twist it all around a bit and make it interesting and fun yet again, with a Whovian slant! And I STILL haven’t finished analyzing the preview for the next season!

I think this special is an excellent way to introduce the uninformed to the revival series of Doctor Who.

#9

Also-- I think the points everyone makes are perfectly legitimate. I just fell for the episode hook, line, and sinker.

#10

Again and again, I have to sing the praises of Moffat’s prowess. Frakkin’ love this guy.

I have to agree that in general these Christmas episodes are weaker than episodes in the season (probably because it is Christmas, with family etc, so it’s generally lighter and fluffier and more ‘kiddie’ than the regular ones)- but still, this was probably the best Christmas special in the new DW series.

Moffat has a way of building on a simple story (or a well known classic in this case) and making it filled with complicated timey whimy goodness (that to be fair, the technique he’s used here we’ve seen already with The Girl in the Fireplace and the introduction of Pond. But damn, it’s so darn effective.) - but never losing that element of surprise,
simplicity or heart. Here I thought it worked for the most part, though some of the details of the foundation of the situations are a bit wonkier than usual.

Things I loved: (spoilers)

  • They were barely in the episode, but LOVED Amy and Rory’s honeymoon fun with her kissagram outfit and his roman soldier outfit. Glad to know they’re still very much in love, and that Rory is still a part of the team.
  • I quite liked that the Doctor’s initial meddling resulted in a similar elder Cazran for completely different reasons.
  • Love the ghost of Christmas Future twist with the Doctor showing the young Cazran his future rather than the elder.
  • Liked that the Doctor might have married Marilyn. :slight_smile:

Did anyone check out the season 6 trailer?
[spoiler] Stetsons are cool.[/spoiler]
BLOODY BRILLIANT! I can’t wait.

#11

LOVED this episode. Matt Smith continues to amaze me. His Doctor is far more brilliant than I could ever have imagined - and this is coming from a dyed in the wool Tennant Fan (I want to stalk him professionally).

#12

Matt Smith is starting to grow on me as well. I really really loved this episode. The story was so well done. I love how a 1.5 hour episode can make me care about the characters! That is good writing and acting.

#13

Definetly liking Matt Smith more. David Tennant is still my favorite Doctor, but I remember not liking David when he took over. The Christmas special was awesome, and I can’t wait till the next series starts.