At last, we have reached the conclusion of our latest end-of-year countdown. These last few stories are strong enough that I don't even view them with the sort of lowered standards that I have for most Christmas Specials. We've got some plots that are strong enough that they would've worked just fine as actual "proper" episodes. Number One, in fact, is such a strong story that I might almost label it a Classic.
PART FIVE: THE TRULY EXCEPTIONAL STUFF
These are the Christmas Specials that can truly stand on their own two feet. We don't need to say: "Well, it's Christmas - let's be a bit forgiving." They really are very strong stories that can be viewed with little or no context. They're just genuinely enjoyable.
The Christmas Invasion
One of the rare instances where RTD takes a genuine chance with a Christmas Special. For the most part, the Specials he wrote had little or no bearing on the general canon of the show. Most years, you can skip the Specials and it would have negligible effect on what was going on in the proper seasons. But Christmas Invasion introduces a new Doctor for the very first time in New Who. To do something at a time when casual viewers might be tuning in just for fun was quite bold. While I am only so happy with a lot of the output from his era, I must applaud him on this occasion.
Christmas Invasion does feel a lot like Castrovalva. Much of the story hangs on the point that the Doctor is very weak and can't really help out with what's happening. That, if anything, the companions must take care of him. I particularly enjoy this sort of reversal of the formula. Most of the time, the Doctor is in control and saving the day. The rare instances where he must rely upon the care and diligence of his companions makes for some interesting story-telling. It's nice when the show decides, once in a while, that he's genuinely ineffectual for a time and must rely on the tender mercies of his friends.
Naturally enough, the Doctor does come back to consciousness at just the right moment. This is what earns this story a lot of its points. Even as he emerges from the TARDIS, it's quite exhilarating (thanks Murray Gold). The next twenty minutes or so might be the coolest introduction to a new Doctor, ever. Tennant is pretty damned amazing here. He jumps between dealing with the Syrorax Leader and various personal and/or vanity issues with such smoothness that we can't help but be amazed. RTD writes him a very tricky scene but he knocks it out of the ballpark. His fast-paced delivery is absolute perfection. The jokes are great fun too (love when he realizes he's quoting The Lion King!). His hand growing back after its been chopped off is sheer coolness. This really is all very solid. For the New Who fan that is experiencing regeneration for the first time, this scene must have put their worries to rest. Even if they did fall in love with Eccleston, this new guy seems pretty awesome.
Christmas Invasion's only real sore point is that it, perhaps, takes a bit too long to get to this magnificent sequence. It's that usual problem of not quite having enough story to fill the hour so we have to watch Rose keep pleading with the Doctor's unconscious form to wake up.It might have been better to just make the story 50 minutes long and have the Doctor wake up sooner.
Quite honestly, if this one problem had been corrected at the writing stage, it probably would have made it to Number One on this list.
Last Christmas
We could very easily dismiss this story as just being a hybrid of the movie Inception and the Aliens franchise but it is so much more than that. If anything, it's delightfully bizarre. Could an actual Doctor Who adventure starring Santa Claus be anything else?!
Well, if we want to be honest, it could be one other thing: it could have been really stupid. But Moff does this great job of keeping Santa fictional without actually admitting to the younger viewers that he might not be real. All the jokes with Santa and the elves all seem to land quite well and really add to the story. There is a lot of comedy to this Special because of this. But it never seems to get truly out-of-hand. There's also plenty of drama to counterpoint it all. Clara getting one more Christmas with Danny is especially touching. Danny explaining what Christmas is truly about is actually genuinely profound. The sleigh ride they take as they re-gain consciousness is another nice moment that tugs at the heartstrings. Discovering that one of the characters in the dreamscape is actually wheelchair-bound in real life really plays upon our emotions. I was both dismayed and impressed by Moffat's sadism as this revelation is made.
Of course, the real thrust of Last Christmas is the characters trying to escape from the shared dream they are trapped in. Like Inception, they get several layers deep and must struggle multiple times with determining whether or not they are finally back in the real world or still dreaming. The plot device does come perilously close to being abused but I do find it's just a bit shy of going too far with it. If the scene with Clara as an older woman had gone on any longer than it had, I might have gotten tired of the whole thing. But Santa popping in like he does and dispelling the dream happens at just the right moment. And it is kinda cool to watch the Doctor shrug off his face-hugger one more time and save Clara who is now at her normal age.
I suppose fans who weren't enjoying Clara as a companion were probably not happy with that last scene of her returning to the TARDIS - but I quite liked it. The end of Series Eight with both Clara and the Doctor fibbing to each other and parting ways was beautiful. I don't feel, however, that their reunion in the Christmas Special cheapens that moment. If anything, it would have been a bit of a shame if things had truly finished that way with them. Santa helping to bring them back together genuinely worked for me.
Most importantly, though, Last Christmas is a really solid story. It executes a great balance between comedy, absurdity, drama and creepiness. The plot doesn't become too complicated for a Christmas Special but we also feel like we're getting a real episode rather than a fluff-piece. This makes me happier than anything, really. There's enough content to fill the running time. Which is especially impressive since it does all move at a pretty damned brisk pace.
It would be a shame to conclude this without giving Nick Frost huge props for his portrayal as Santa.Claus. Not only does he have the perfect name for an actor to play Santa - but he really does magnificently with the role. Yes, he's very smarmy most of the time - but he still gives some softer edges to the character where it's needed. In many ways, he's the perfect interpretation of a modern-day Saint Nick. Everyone who has stopped believing in him because they think they've become too cool are made to feel uncool. In fact, throughout the entire episode, Santa is the coolest guy in the room.
And that's the way it should be.
A Christmas Carol
When Russell T. Davies brought Doctor Who back, he made a number of bold changes with the format. Perhaps the biggest one was to give certain episodes a lot more emotional resonance. Or, as we prefer to say, he gave the show more "feels". This met with limited success. We did have stories like Father's Day where I am still reduced to a quivering mess every time I watch it. But we also got stories like Fear Her - an episode that clearly seems to say: "We've run out of budget. Maybe, if we get everyone to cry, they won't notice!".
As Moff took over as Head Writer, he made sure to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Doctor Who would still have emotional episodes, but they would be more carefully crafted. A Christmas Carol is an excellent example of this. This is a story that succeeds mainly on the premise that it plays a lot with our feelings. But, unlike some of the tales during the RTD era, it still makes sure to have a real plot on top of that. It's not an extremely complicated storyline, but it's still there. And it drives the episode along so that the more emotional aspects of the adventure can take center stage and work well.
As has been often pointed out by people who made the episode, the big difference between Kazran and other baddies in Who is displayed in that crucial moment where he stops himself from striking a child who has raised his ire. The Doctor realizes, when he sees that happen, that he is not dealing with a proper Who villain. Kazran is someone who is not beyond redemption and must, therefore, be handled in a new way. As he hears Christmas Carols a short while later, he is inspired with an outlandish strategy.
Re-writing Kazran's personal history is a great little ride. This is Matt Smith's first Christmas Special and he really has a great time with it. He is particularly enjoyable in the sequences with Kazran as a young boy. In fact, it's hard to determine who the actual child is! As their Christmas tradition continues, the Doctor takes on an almost Santa-like quality in the story. The tale becomes more and more tinged with sadness as Kazran does like we all do with Santa and outgrows him.
Like Last Christmas, much praise must be heaped on to the main guest actor. Michael Gambon does such a good double-role in this story that we forget that he is playing his own father in flashback sequences. His most impressive work in the story, however, is when he starts looking through the old pictures of a past he never had. This is an extremely abstract sequence for an actor to execute. He is a man who is, literally, getting a soul. But Gambon handles it with incredible talent and presence.
It's during those scenes where Kazran starts to get his past re-written that the Special starts to "turn on the waterworks", for me. While RTD tends to be a lot more "shmaltzy" when he tries to hit us in the feels, Moff really shows some genuine maturity. He appeals to the adult in all of us in those scenes. We think of our own moments where we may have lost a bit of our soul as we grew up and how, maybe, we also need to make similar efforts to restore ourselves. It's a sentiment I never expected to see expressed in a Doctor Who story. Which is part of what gets this Special to rank so highly for me.
And then we finally get to the story's climax. Moff cast a vocalist in a key role and takes full advantage of that choice. The Doctor fidgeting with the sound gear as Abigail starts singing and Kazran looks on sadly really is an iconic moment. To me, if this sequence doesn't reduce you to tears, then maybe you're suffering from the same problem Kazran had. Maybe you need a soul.
And... that's it. We made it through all the Christmas Specials and ranked them. I'm not sure how much you may have agreed with these choices, but I hope you enjoyed how I explained them.
It's Boxing Day as I wrap this up so I wish all off you a Happy New Year. Thanks, as always, for coming to this site. The hits I see always warm my heart!
Missed the other installments? Here's Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from_24.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Part 4:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from_19.html
Thursday, 26 December 2019
Thursday, 19 December 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: CHRISTMAS SPECIALS - FROM WORST TO BEST: PART 4
We're finally getting to some Christmas Specials that have assailed the more common pitfall that most of them fall into: there's actually enough plot to sustain the hour! Also, I think you'll notice a fairly obvious common theme between the next two stories that are listed.
PART FOUR: THE REGENERATION SPECIALS
Deciding to regenerate the Doctor during a Christmas Special is a pretty bold choice. As I've mentioned several times already, there's a certain amount of "fluff" that's required in these episodes. Plenty of people who don't follow the show consistently are suddenly tuning in to enjoy it on Christmas Day. They're watching because it's become a bit of a Christmas tradition rather than the fact they're legitimate fans of the show. So things have to be kept fairly accessible.
But regenerating a Doctor is all about fan service. We're saying goodbye to the latest incarnation and getting a glimpse of what the new one has to offer. Not a process you want to put in front of a casual viewer. And yet, Moffat took that risk twice with Christmas Specials.
Astoundingly enough, I'm very pleased with both his efforts. They were great send-offs that still maintained that basic appeal that all Christmas Specials must have. In both of these stories, he maintained an excellent balance between those two polarities.
Time of the Doctor
There's a lot riding on this particular Special. On a personal level, Matt Smith is my favorite New Series Doctor (thus far - read about my Eleventh Doctor Love here: http://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-of-lists-doctors-from-worst-to_31.html). I needed to see him get the send-off that he deserved. For me, the story required some real weight. I was going to legitimately grieve his passing so I felt that there needed to be some solid gravitas going on as he took his final bow.
But, beyond my own personal predilections, there was a certain level of build-up that Moffat had created for fandom regarding the Eleventh Doctor's departure. His era was heavily influenced by events that were meant to take place during his final days. For three seasons, we had heard all sorts of foreshadowing concerning Cracks in Time, the Silence and Trenzalore. References made to these things had been enigmatic, at best. Time of the Doctor had to finally give us some answers.
It came as no surprise that Moff subverted expectations a bit. We were all presuming this final story would be huge and epic. In some ways, it was. We got appearances from some of the Doctor's greatest enemies, Gallifrey really was returning and all these great questions that had been teased out for several years were getting, more or less, answered (some got clearer answers than others).
But, rather than get too epic, Moff gives us a very different point of emphasis in this tale. Time of the Doctor, more than anything, is about the Doctor's simple choice to defend a small town for as long as he can. I'm quite glad that our Head Writer made this choice with this Doctor's departure. It proudly displays the core issues of the Doctor's ethos. He doesn't, necessarily, expect to save the entire universe all of the time. But if he can make a bit of a difference to even some people, if he just saves even a small handful of lives - that's reason enough for him to stay. The scene where he explains this ideology to Clara is truly beautiful. Quite possibly, one of the best moments Doctor Eleven gets during his entire reign.
Watching him legitimately stop and stay in one place was, in many ways, quite shocking. But, once more, there's a beauty to all this.We watch him age but he still seems content. He's living out the ideology he expressed to Clara and it's all quite moving. We see some interesting aspects to the character that are often concealed because of his endless wanderlust. For once, the Doctor doesn't just take off after the Big Mess is cleaned up. He's staying for good.
Which leads to what I probably love best about this Special. As much as I enjoy "the feels" of this episode, the fanboy in me is still what cries loudest. And Moff satisfies him in the most impressive of ways. Our Head Writer stares straight into the face of a major continuity issue and deals with it.
With the creation of a "secret incarnation" in the Time Wars and the very silly regeneration that RTD does in the Series Four finale, the Doctor was now on his final life. This needed to be addressed. Moff could've chickened his way out and said the Tennant regeneration didn't count. Or he could have just hoped none of us were keeping track. But he didn't. He came up with a solution to extend the Doctor's lives indefinitely (who knows, for sure, how many regenerations the Time Lords have given him?). More importantly, he wrote a story where the Doctor comes to terms with his mortality and makes a profound choice on how he'd like to spend his remaining days. He accepts his destiny for the sake of protecting a group of people in a terrible situation. Not only does this summarize the character in a wonderful way, but important canon gets taken care of at the same time. As a geek, I couldn't ask for anything better.
Is there anything about Time of the Doctor that rubs me the wrong way? Regeneration energy being able to take out a huge Dalek Mothership does seem a little on the improbable side. I suppose since it is a whole new regeneration cycle, I can - sort of - accept it. A new cycle might have a lot more energy, I guess. It still comes across as a bit ludicrous. But, how else do you get rid of a Dalek Mothership with only minutes left in the episode?!
But I'm still very happy with a lot of this Special. It is a very good send-off for my (so far) favorite New Series Doctor. His final speech is definitely way better than the intensely angsty: "I don't want to go."!
Twice Upon a Time
Another Special that had a lot riding on it. Not only does it send off Capaldi's Doctor, but it also says farewell to Steven Moffat and his entire production team. It's even the last story for Murray Gold. A lot is coming to a close, here. As the final tale in what I felt was a definite Golden Age for the show (others might argue, of course - but they always do!), I needed to see something glorious before it ends once and for all.
Twice Upon a Time steps up to the plate quite nicely and delivers what the end of an era needs. While it may have made the show a little inaccessible to the casual viewer (which seemed to reflect in the ratings), I do like that Moff really goes fanboy as his era wraps up. Not only do we get a multi-incarnation story in the last episode, but the two episodes before that feature a Genesis of the Cybermen stoyline with two incarnations of the Master also re-uniting. As someone who has a great love for the whole history of the show, I couldn't ask for much better.
Because I'm such a hardcore fanboy, I fall in love with this particular Special right from its opening sequence. The combination of original and re-created footage from Tenth Planet is, pretty much, a sheer work of art. The rest of the story could have been complete crap (and some would say it is!) and it would still probably rank pretty highly on this list just because of that opening!
I do enjoy what we get in the rest of the episode, though. Mark Bradley re-creates the First Doctor magnificently. Like Hurndall, he puts a bit of his own spin on the character but it still remains a loving tribute that would have made Grumpy Old Bill proud were he around to see it. I really liked the idea of having both incarnations making a conscious decision not to regenerate. It was a very interesting character nuance. I also think Capaldi delivered the best "final speech" a Doctor has ever given. The bit about children sometimes being able to hear his name was particularly beautiful. To me, it says so much about what Doctor Who is truly about. Most of us first encounter it when we're kids. Some of us "get it" and fall madly in love with it. It's a very clever piece of writing that Capaldi does a great job of bringing to life.
The fact that there isn't actually a proper villain in Twice Upon a Time, to me, was particularly brilliant. We've had stories where there were antagonists more than villains creating conflict (Inferno springs particularly to mind - Stalhman is an asshole but I wouldn't call him full-on evil), but we've never had something where there just isn't a true baddie at all. The whole plot is just a misunderstanding between good people. It does feel ever-so-slightly threadbare but the novelty of it all helps to make up for it.
There were quite a bit of complaints from fans about the first Doctor's sexism. The truth of the matter is, however, that he did have some pretty conservative views, sometimes. Moff using the "smacked bottom" threat was a good way of reminding us that he wasn't making this up. He had actually made a similar threat to Susan. If I was bothered by anything - it was how hard this trait was pushed to the forefront. Yes, Doctor One could be a bit narrow in his views from time-to-time - but he never made so many comments of that nature in so short of a time. This is where I find Moff's depiction to be inaccurate. In his actual era, this incarnation was a bit sexist. In the Special, he comes across as a huge chauvinist.
My only other complaint about this story is quite petty. I'm not particularly fond of the score, in places. I would have been happier if Murray Gold had tried harder to compose more original music and not tried so hard to give us a sort of "greatest hits" of his most popular themes. This feels especially poignant as Jodie's Doctor emerges. I would preferred something new and different in that moment rather than "Flavia's Lament". As I said, it's a pretty minor quibble.
In the end, though, Twice Upon a Time beats Time of the Doctor in this little competition because it feeds my inner fanboy just a little better. A regeneration is a spectacular thing to watch when you're in love with the show as much as I am. But a regeneration and a multi-Doctor adventure is even more enjoyable.
The final three Christmas Specials in this countdown will all be featured in one post. If you bother to work it out, of course, you know which stories still haven't been reviewed. The Big Question is: how do these three stories rank? You'll find out soon. Hopefully, just in time for Christmas....
Part One:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Part Two:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from_24.html
Part Three:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
But, beyond my own personal predilections, there was a certain level of build-up that Moffat had created for fandom regarding the Eleventh Doctor's departure. His era was heavily influenced by events that were meant to take place during his final days. For three seasons, we had heard all sorts of foreshadowing concerning Cracks in Time, the Silence and Trenzalore. References made to these things had been enigmatic, at best. Time of the Doctor had to finally give us some answers.
It came as no surprise that Moff subverted expectations a bit. We were all presuming this final story would be huge and epic. In some ways, it was. We got appearances from some of the Doctor's greatest enemies, Gallifrey really was returning and all these great questions that had been teased out for several years were getting, more or less, answered (some got clearer answers than others).
But, rather than get too epic, Moff gives us a very different point of emphasis in this tale. Time of the Doctor, more than anything, is about the Doctor's simple choice to defend a small town for as long as he can. I'm quite glad that our Head Writer made this choice with this Doctor's departure. It proudly displays the core issues of the Doctor's ethos. He doesn't, necessarily, expect to save the entire universe all of the time. But if he can make a bit of a difference to even some people, if he just saves even a small handful of lives - that's reason enough for him to stay. The scene where he explains this ideology to Clara is truly beautiful. Quite possibly, one of the best moments Doctor Eleven gets during his entire reign.
Watching him legitimately stop and stay in one place was, in many ways, quite shocking. But, once more, there's a beauty to all this.We watch him age but he still seems content. He's living out the ideology he expressed to Clara and it's all quite moving. We see some interesting aspects to the character that are often concealed because of his endless wanderlust. For once, the Doctor doesn't just take off after the Big Mess is cleaned up. He's staying for good.
Which leads to what I probably love best about this Special. As much as I enjoy "the feels" of this episode, the fanboy in me is still what cries loudest. And Moff satisfies him in the most impressive of ways. Our Head Writer stares straight into the face of a major continuity issue and deals with it.
With the creation of a "secret incarnation" in the Time Wars and the very silly regeneration that RTD does in the Series Four finale, the Doctor was now on his final life. This needed to be addressed. Moff could've chickened his way out and said the Tennant regeneration didn't count. Or he could have just hoped none of us were keeping track. But he didn't. He came up with a solution to extend the Doctor's lives indefinitely (who knows, for sure, how many regenerations the Time Lords have given him?). More importantly, he wrote a story where the Doctor comes to terms with his mortality and makes a profound choice on how he'd like to spend his remaining days. He accepts his destiny for the sake of protecting a group of people in a terrible situation. Not only does this summarize the character in a wonderful way, but important canon gets taken care of at the same time. As a geek, I couldn't ask for anything better.
Is there anything about Time of the Doctor that rubs me the wrong way? Regeneration energy being able to take out a huge Dalek Mothership does seem a little on the improbable side. I suppose since it is a whole new regeneration cycle, I can - sort of - accept it. A new cycle might have a lot more energy, I guess. It still comes across as a bit ludicrous. But, how else do you get rid of a Dalek Mothership with only minutes left in the episode?!
But I'm still very happy with a lot of this Special. It is a very good send-off for my (so far) favorite New Series Doctor. His final speech is definitely way better than the intensely angsty: "I don't want to go."!
Twice Upon a Time
Another Special that had a lot riding on it. Not only does it send off Capaldi's Doctor, but it also says farewell to Steven Moffat and his entire production team. It's even the last story for Murray Gold. A lot is coming to a close, here. As the final tale in what I felt was a definite Golden Age for the show (others might argue, of course - but they always do!), I needed to see something glorious before it ends once and for all.
Twice Upon a Time steps up to the plate quite nicely and delivers what the end of an era needs. While it may have made the show a little inaccessible to the casual viewer (which seemed to reflect in the ratings), I do like that Moff really goes fanboy as his era wraps up. Not only do we get a multi-incarnation story in the last episode, but the two episodes before that feature a Genesis of the Cybermen stoyline with two incarnations of the Master also re-uniting. As someone who has a great love for the whole history of the show, I couldn't ask for much better.
Because I'm such a hardcore fanboy, I fall in love with this particular Special right from its opening sequence. The combination of original and re-created footage from Tenth Planet is, pretty much, a sheer work of art. The rest of the story could have been complete crap (and some would say it is!) and it would still probably rank pretty highly on this list just because of that opening!
I do enjoy what we get in the rest of the episode, though. Mark Bradley re-creates the First Doctor magnificently. Like Hurndall, he puts a bit of his own spin on the character but it still remains a loving tribute that would have made Grumpy Old Bill proud were he around to see it. I really liked the idea of having both incarnations making a conscious decision not to regenerate. It was a very interesting character nuance. I also think Capaldi delivered the best "final speech" a Doctor has ever given. The bit about children sometimes being able to hear his name was particularly beautiful. To me, it says so much about what Doctor Who is truly about. Most of us first encounter it when we're kids. Some of us "get it" and fall madly in love with it. It's a very clever piece of writing that Capaldi does a great job of bringing to life.
The fact that there isn't actually a proper villain in Twice Upon a Time, to me, was particularly brilliant. We've had stories where there were antagonists more than villains creating conflict (Inferno springs particularly to mind - Stalhman is an asshole but I wouldn't call him full-on evil), but we've never had something where there just isn't a true baddie at all. The whole plot is just a misunderstanding between good people. It does feel ever-so-slightly threadbare but the novelty of it all helps to make up for it.
There were quite a bit of complaints from fans about the first Doctor's sexism. The truth of the matter is, however, that he did have some pretty conservative views, sometimes. Moff using the "smacked bottom" threat was a good way of reminding us that he wasn't making this up. He had actually made a similar threat to Susan. If I was bothered by anything - it was how hard this trait was pushed to the forefront. Yes, Doctor One could be a bit narrow in his views from time-to-time - but he never made so many comments of that nature in so short of a time. This is where I find Moff's depiction to be inaccurate. In his actual era, this incarnation was a bit sexist. In the Special, he comes across as a huge chauvinist.
My only other complaint about this story is quite petty. I'm not particularly fond of the score, in places. I would have been happier if Murray Gold had tried harder to compose more original music and not tried so hard to give us a sort of "greatest hits" of his most popular themes. This feels especially poignant as Jodie's Doctor emerges. I would preferred something new and different in that moment rather than "Flavia's Lament". As I said, it's a pretty minor quibble.
In the end, though, Twice Upon a Time beats Time of the Doctor in this little competition because it feeds my inner fanboy just a little better. A regeneration is a spectacular thing to watch when you're in love with the show as much as I am. But a regeneration and a multi-Doctor adventure is even more enjoyable.
The final three Christmas Specials in this countdown will all be featured in one post. If you bother to work it out, of course, you know which stories still haven't been reviewed. The Big Question is: how do these three stories rank? You'll find out soon. Hopefully, just in time for Christmas....
Part One:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Part Two:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from_24.html
Part Three:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Sunday, 1 December 2019
BOOK OF LISTS: CHRISTMAS SPECIALS - FROM WORST TO BEST: PART 3
Our end-of-the-year countdown is well underway. We're just plowing through it. We are now moving into Christmas Specials that are, very much, middle-of-the-road. By no means are they breathtaking works of televisual art. But I wouldn't say they were bad, either. Pretty decent stories, overall.
PART 3: BECOMING HALF-DECENT
By virtue of their lightness, a Christmas Special will seem a bit "vanilla". They're meant to be more of a fun experience on Christmas Day rather than a valuable contribution to the series. In some ways, I do actually lower my standards for stories of this nature. Truthfully, if these were episodes in the actual season, they would get much more harshly criticized.
Taken in their context, however, I can find this particular set of adventures quite enjoyable. Nothing spectacular - but enjoyable, nonetheless.
The Return of Doctor Mysterio
In my opinion, Moff actually took a pretty big risk in the writing of this tale. As I said in my last entry, part of what works against Voyage of the Damned is the fact that it is trying to pay tribute to a cinematic genre that is, essentially, pretty awful. When the source material you're paying homage to is poor, you stand a good chance of also creating a poor episode of Doctor Who. Stephen Moffat, however, doesn't seem to learn from this lesson.
The very first Superman movie back in the 80s was one of the best of all the attempts to make the comic book hero into a movie franchise (Superman Two is better - But One does well, too). However, it's still a pretty cheesy piece of 80s cinema. Truth be told, I just don't think Superman translates well into film. There are far better movies the Head Writer could have referenced from that era if he really wanted to do a tribute like RTD did.
Having said that, Return of Doctor Mysterio manages to turn out pretty good. Mainly because it only tries so hard to emulate Superman and still remembers to be a Doctor Who story. Voyage probably pushed the disaster movie theme harder than it should. The main mission of Mysterio, however, is to have the Doctor defeat a sinister alien plot to take over the world. It just happens that there is a secondary adventure that involves a superman-like character going on at the same time. The emphasis in this particular tribute story is better skewed.
I also think the Doctor and Nardole work great together in this story. This constitutes the only adventure we see where it's just the two of them. Which is a great pity, really. I love Bill in Series Ten, but I do wish we had seen more of this duo before she joins the crew. Nardole is a greatly underrated companion, in my opinion. I love that he has a whole side adventure in the TARDIS that we never see before he shows up to rescue the Doctor. It's a really fun moment. And he looks great in that outfit!
Another really strong point to this episode is the contribution it makes to the show's canon. The Doctor is on the road to recovery from losing his wife. This is handled with far more maturity than the incredible angstiness we endured when he lost Rose. I also like that we learn more about the Winter of Harmony Shoal that we first saw in Husbands of River Song. It was great to see them get expanded upon a bit. The tease we get that they might return for a third appearance was very nicely ominous. I would like to see more of them. They're a fun alien species.
The Husbands of River Song
It's pretty evident that this Special and Return of Doctor Mysterio were written in that gap year where Moff was taking time off from Who to concentrate on Sherlock. Both tales are acceptable - but a bit below his standards
.
Husbands of River Song comes across as a bit of a tribute, too. Although it doesn't try as hard as Mysterio to imitate what it's referencing, it is still attempting to be a bit of a "caper movie". Perhaps, even, a second stab at doing something like Time Heist. It's just not so convoluted and focuses harder on rompiness.
I suppose your enjoyment of such a tale hinges greatly on how you feel about River Song, herself. There are quite a few fans out there who can't stand her. If you're one of those people, you're really going to hate this one. Some River Song stories put her more in the background. Husbands, however, really brings her to the forefront. In many ways, the plot really is all about her. The Doctor almost takes a back seat in the whole thing.
Since I quite like her, the story sits well with me. There's some nice dramatic irony going on throughout the better part of the adventure. River has never met this particular incarnation of the Doctor and he ends up having a bit of fun with that. The Doctor also discovers just how much River gets up to behind his back. This also makes for quite a bit of fun.
There is just a bit of Runaway Bride effect going on in places. The comedy does feel like it's being pushed a little too hard sometimes. Hydrofax is the biggest culprit, here. He's just a little too over-the-top in places. But it's hard not to go there when you're being asked to play an angry decapitated intergalactic tyrant. The role lends itself to campiness
.
Like Mysterio, this tale also earns extra points for what it does for the Greater Scheme of Things in the show. This one's a doozy. The famous last date of the Doctor and River is finally upon us. The Time Lord gifts her the sonic screwdriver that will save her (quite literally) during his first encounter with her. The cycle is finally complete.
It's a genuinely touching ending. Which makes it beat Mysterio in this particular ranking system. Up until that final scene, I consider the stories to be of about equal quality. But Husbands of River Song does get me to mist up ever-so-slightly as its reaches it conclusion. The fact that it plucks at my heartstrings gives it that extra edge and causes me to like it that little bit more.
The Snowmen
This one almost shouldn't be in this category. In fact, it is nearly strong enough to measure it by "normal episode standards".
The Snowmen has a cracking little pace with a lot of fun characters in it. Clara is magnificently introduced in this story and is made into a very colorful and interesting character. Doctor Simeon is a magnificently chilling villain. And, while it's sad that Sontarans are now more of a comedy act, Strax is a great laugh, too.
The story is also chocked full of really imaginative and amusing sequences. Clara discovering the Doctor's secret base in the clouds is quite enchanting. The Doctor failing miserably at being Sherlock Holmes is hilarious. But my favorite moment is, easily, the Doctor saving Clara and the kids through puppetry. I love how he even smacks the puppet for kissing him. It's one of those beautiful scenes that works almost exclusively for that particular incarnation of the Doctor. Matt Smith is an absolute delight during that sequence.
Again, we have the Doctor going through a grieving process. Broken by the fact that he has lost Amy and Rory, the Time Lord seems to have withdrawn completely from the Universe. Once more, it's the Doctor dealing with difficult feelings in a way that doesn't seem like complete histrionics. Thankyou Steven Moffat for handling a personal loss in the Doctor's life in a way that doesn't get us to cringe.
Then, finally, we have the wonderful surprises of The Snowmen. This was supposed to be the proper introductory story of Clara but it's not. This version of her dies at the end and it's revealed that another Clara, somehow, exists in our time period. It's quite the shock and we need to learn more....
But, for this fanboy, the even bigger shock was the revelation that the Great Intelligence was behind it all. There it was, under my nose the whole time, and I missed it. The "GI" logo. The actual title of the story! The clues were everywhere and I did not catch any of them. As far as I'm concerned, that's some really damned clever writing. I was genuinely impressed.
So why is The Snowmen only considered half-decent if I'm singing so much praise for it? There are probably two key factors that drag it down into this category:
Like most Christmas Specials, the plot is just a little too simple. The Great Intelligence is about to build an army that will take over the world. He needs to be stopped. There's also the Doctor grieving the loss of two beloved companions. That's all we really get for a story. It's just not quite enough to make it a genuinely solid episode.
The other big problem is how the Great Intelligence is finally dispatched. It's a bit over-contrived and even slightly confusing. I think the Doctor's trick with the memory worm should have been the proper solution. After Doctor Simeon is drained, the Great Intelligence becomes a disembodied consciousness that will eventually find its way into Padmasambhava. Clara can still die and we can head into the second half of Series Seven with her mystery to solve. I really do think this would have been the better way to conclude it. All the other stuff that does happen seems just a bit "off" - for lack of a better term. It's not a terrible ending. But when you can clearly see a better one it does weaken the whole adventure.
These two problems are just bad enough to bring what was otherwise a great story down to something not quite as amazing as it could have been. It's a bit of a harsh judgement, I know. There were still a lot of awesome aspects to this story. But, in the end, it's ranked where it is because of a few crucial mistakes. It was still pretty good. But I am forced to admit: it could have been so much better.
And thus concludes our reviews of the Half-Decent Stuff. We have two more tiers to tackle in this countdown. Both of them will deal with stories that I felt were genuinely strong. So, as we move on, there will be far more praise than criticism.
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from_24.html
PART 3: BECOMING HALF-DECENT
By virtue of their lightness, a Christmas Special will seem a bit "vanilla". They're meant to be more of a fun experience on Christmas Day rather than a valuable contribution to the series. In some ways, I do actually lower my standards for stories of this nature. Truthfully, if these were episodes in the actual season, they would get much more harshly criticized.
Taken in their context, however, I can find this particular set of adventures quite enjoyable. Nothing spectacular - but enjoyable, nonetheless.
The Return of Doctor Mysterio
In my opinion, Moff actually took a pretty big risk in the writing of this tale. As I said in my last entry, part of what works against Voyage of the Damned is the fact that it is trying to pay tribute to a cinematic genre that is, essentially, pretty awful. When the source material you're paying homage to is poor, you stand a good chance of also creating a poor episode of Doctor Who. Stephen Moffat, however, doesn't seem to learn from this lesson.
The very first Superman movie back in the 80s was one of the best of all the attempts to make the comic book hero into a movie franchise (Superman Two is better - But One does well, too). However, it's still a pretty cheesy piece of 80s cinema. Truth be told, I just don't think Superman translates well into film. There are far better movies the Head Writer could have referenced from that era if he really wanted to do a tribute like RTD did.
Having said that, Return of Doctor Mysterio manages to turn out pretty good. Mainly because it only tries so hard to emulate Superman and still remembers to be a Doctor Who story. Voyage probably pushed the disaster movie theme harder than it should. The main mission of Mysterio, however, is to have the Doctor defeat a sinister alien plot to take over the world. It just happens that there is a secondary adventure that involves a superman-like character going on at the same time. The emphasis in this particular tribute story is better skewed.
I also think the Doctor and Nardole work great together in this story. This constitutes the only adventure we see where it's just the two of them. Which is a great pity, really. I love Bill in Series Ten, but I do wish we had seen more of this duo before she joins the crew. Nardole is a greatly underrated companion, in my opinion. I love that he has a whole side adventure in the TARDIS that we never see before he shows up to rescue the Doctor. It's a really fun moment. And he looks great in that outfit!
Another really strong point to this episode is the contribution it makes to the show's canon. The Doctor is on the road to recovery from losing his wife. This is handled with far more maturity than the incredible angstiness we endured when he lost Rose. I also like that we learn more about the Winter of Harmony Shoal that we first saw in Husbands of River Song. It was great to see them get expanded upon a bit. The tease we get that they might return for a third appearance was very nicely ominous. I would like to see more of them. They're a fun alien species.
The Husbands of River Song
It's pretty evident that this Special and Return of Doctor Mysterio were written in that gap year where Moff was taking time off from Who to concentrate on Sherlock. Both tales are acceptable - but a bit below his standards
.
Husbands of River Song comes across as a bit of a tribute, too. Although it doesn't try as hard as Mysterio to imitate what it's referencing, it is still attempting to be a bit of a "caper movie". Perhaps, even, a second stab at doing something like Time Heist. It's just not so convoluted and focuses harder on rompiness.
I suppose your enjoyment of such a tale hinges greatly on how you feel about River Song, herself. There are quite a few fans out there who can't stand her. If you're one of those people, you're really going to hate this one. Some River Song stories put her more in the background. Husbands, however, really brings her to the forefront. In many ways, the plot really is all about her. The Doctor almost takes a back seat in the whole thing.
Since I quite like her, the story sits well with me. There's some nice dramatic irony going on throughout the better part of the adventure. River has never met this particular incarnation of the Doctor and he ends up having a bit of fun with that. The Doctor also discovers just how much River gets up to behind his back. This also makes for quite a bit of fun.
There is just a bit of Runaway Bride effect going on in places. The comedy does feel like it's being pushed a little too hard sometimes. Hydrofax is the biggest culprit, here. He's just a little too over-the-top in places. But it's hard not to go there when you're being asked to play an angry decapitated intergalactic tyrant. The role lends itself to campiness
.
Like Mysterio, this tale also earns extra points for what it does for the Greater Scheme of Things in the show. This one's a doozy. The famous last date of the Doctor and River is finally upon us. The Time Lord gifts her the sonic screwdriver that will save her (quite literally) during his first encounter with her. The cycle is finally complete.
It's a genuinely touching ending. Which makes it beat Mysterio in this particular ranking system. Up until that final scene, I consider the stories to be of about equal quality. But Husbands of River Song does get me to mist up ever-so-slightly as its reaches it conclusion. The fact that it plucks at my heartstrings gives it that extra edge and causes me to like it that little bit more.
The Snowmen
This one almost shouldn't be in this category. In fact, it is nearly strong enough to measure it by "normal episode standards".
The Snowmen has a cracking little pace with a lot of fun characters in it. Clara is magnificently introduced in this story and is made into a very colorful and interesting character. Doctor Simeon is a magnificently chilling villain. And, while it's sad that Sontarans are now more of a comedy act, Strax is a great laugh, too.
The story is also chocked full of really imaginative and amusing sequences. Clara discovering the Doctor's secret base in the clouds is quite enchanting. The Doctor failing miserably at being Sherlock Holmes is hilarious. But my favorite moment is, easily, the Doctor saving Clara and the kids through puppetry. I love how he even smacks the puppet for kissing him. It's one of those beautiful scenes that works almost exclusively for that particular incarnation of the Doctor. Matt Smith is an absolute delight during that sequence.
Again, we have the Doctor going through a grieving process. Broken by the fact that he has lost Amy and Rory, the Time Lord seems to have withdrawn completely from the Universe. Once more, it's the Doctor dealing with difficult feelings in a way that doesn't seem like complete histrionics. Thankyou Steven Moffat for handling a personal loss in the Doctor's life in a way that doesn't get us to cringe.
Then, finally, we have the wonderful surprises of The Snowmen. This was supposed to be the proper introductory story of Clara but it's not. This version of her dies at the end and it's revealed that another Clara, somehow, exists in our time period. It's quite the shock and we need to learn more....
But, for this fanboy, the even bigger shock was the revelation that the Great Intelligence was behind it all. There it was, under my nose the whole time, and I missed it. The "GI" logo. The actual title of the story! The clues were everywhere and I did not catch any of them. As far as I'm concerned, that's some really damned clever writing. I was genuinely impressed.
So why is The Snowmen only considered half-decent if I'm singing so much praise for it? There are probably two key factors that drag it down into this category:
Like most Christmas Specials, the plot is just a little too simple. The Great Intelligence is about to build an army that will take over the world. He needs to be stopped. There's also the Doctor grieving the loss of two beloved companions. That's all we really get for a story. It's just not quite enough to make it a genuinely solid episode.
The other big problem is how the Great Intelligence is finally dispatched. It's a bit over-contrived and even slightly confusing. I think the Doctor's trick with the memory worm should have been the proper solution. After Doctor Simeon is drained, the Great Intelligence becomes a disembodied consciousness that will eventually find its way into Padmasambhava. Clara can still die and we can head into the second half of Series Seven with her mystery to solve. I really do think this would have been the better way to conclude it. All the other stuff that does happen seems just a bit "off" - for lack of a better term. It's not a terrible ending. But when you can clearly see a better one it does weaken the whole adventure.
These two problems are just bad enough to bring what was otherwise a great story down to something not quite as amazing as it could have been. It's a bit of a harsh judgement, I know. There were still a lot of awesome aspects to this story. But, in the end, it's ranked where it is because of a few crucial mistakes. It was still pretty good. But I am forced to admit: it could have been so much better.
And thus concludes our reviews of the Half-Decent Stuff. We have two more tiers to tackle in this countdown. Both of them will deal with stories that I felt were genuinely strong. So, as we move on, there will be far more praise than criticism.
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/11/book-of-lists-christmas-specials-from_24.html
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