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
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