I searched and I can’t really believe I’m the first to post about this, but here’s my feeling:
Wow.
Just Wow.
The production values are worthy of a minor Hollywood flick, i.e. extremely high for tv. The action is top notch, the drama is poignant and it’s a wonderful combination of silly buggers and real suspense. Even if RTD stle the Angels from Moffat and some CGI is crappy, Tennant makes up for it and is truly a bad-ass.
Kylie *wóuld really * be a good companion.
You’re joking right? Yes the production values were very high but I thought this was possibly the weakest xmas special since they brought back the series.
The kid in the bridge gets shot but as the shows progresses fails to bleed to death. The end with the villain’s motivation makes no real sense. The whole bit where Astrid is brought back as an “echo” and flies out the window - puke!
I thought it was decidedly average. I can’t wait to see Catherine Tate as the next companion though, she’s going to be hi-larious.
Well, I was going to wait to hear Struan’s take on it, but what the hell.
I really, really enjoyed it. Which is an accomplishment, as another site I frequent had some not-so-nice things to say about it (they enjoyed the show, they just have…interests that were not served, I’ll say), and I was worried. All for naught, as it turned out. The story was a suspenseful Poseiden Adventure homage, the angels were CREEPY in a very fun and campy way (“Information: You are all going to die!”), I loved the couple in the cowboy getup who’d won tickets to the cruise. My only regret, and it is for the best considering the TARDIS is going to be a bit full in the upcoming season anyway, is that the sweet old Earth historian didn’t get an invite at the end there.
I liked Astrid a lot - Kylie did a great job, I enjoyed her character very much. She was passionate and flirty without being shmoopy (Martha, I’M LOOKING AT YOU), fiery without being annoyingly spunky, helpful and kind. I don’t know if I could have accepted her as a fulltime companion, so I thought her “death” was handled very well and very tastefully. The Doctor’s sweet little goodbye kiss reminded me a lot of his kiss on the forehead for Gwynyth in The Unquiet Dead - sort of Goodbye/Thanks for saving us.
Admittedly, I was sort of Meh on Balacafalata (sp?), but he did end up serving a purpose.
The preview for the upcoming first half of Season 4 looks brilliant. Ood! Giant Bees! Pompeii (I think…?)! Martha…well, she doesn’t get an exclamation point from me just yet, we’ll have to wait and see.
I kind of liked it. I wish Russell T Davies was a better writer and didn’t think running around like a crazy person under loud vigorous music was a good way to substitute for plot.
And I wish it wasn’t always the whole earth being destroyed, instead of maybe being just partially seriously damaged or inconvenienced. It seems unlikely to me that so many alien madmen seem intent on destroying this one particular planet, in its entirety every time, and always basing their operations somewhere within the borders of the UK. Russell needs to learn how to widen or narrow his scope occasionally.
Good episode overall. I mostly realized where the story was going around the 12-minute mark, though I was expecting an insurance scam rather than the revenge angle.
Did I see Sarah Jane Smith in the trailer for series 4, or is Catherine Tate just trying out a variety of new hairstyles? And who was that wrinkly person right at the end, just before the reaction shot to the vicar?
[QUOTE=Smapti]
Did I see Sarah Jane Smith in the trailer for series 4, or is Catherine Tate just trying out a variety of new hairstyles?
[/QUOTE]
It’s just Catherine Tate. Though Martha Jones was in a few shots, too.
[QUOTE=Smapti]
And who was that wrinkly person right at the end, just before the reaction shot to the vicar?
[/QUOTE]
That’s a Sontaran. Hurrah!
I liked it. I was picking the insurance motivation, too.
I liked how they let Kylie/Astrid be older - Kylie (pop princess) is a perpetual teenager. Astrid was a woman who had lived a bit, and it (only just) showed in her face. Really good.
Si
[QUOTE=NailBunny]
Well, I was going to wait to hear Struan’s take on it, but what the hell.
[/QUOTE]
Well I didn’t get to see it on Christams Day so I watched it this morning completely sober which isn’t really the ideal way to watch one of the specials but I still really liked it!
Big dumb fun, and that’s fine by me.
Highlights:
Bernard Cribbens! I see he’s also in the series 4 trailer. I reckon he’s Donna’s grandad.
The Queen! I just laughed at that whole scene, knowing how badly that would go over among some of the denizens of Outpost Gallifrey.
The Bodycount! Pretty grim for Xmas I thought, especially seeing as the characters (well caricatures I suppose) were drawn quickly and well enough to be sympathetic. I also liked that the survivors were the fraud tour-guide and the venal businessman rather than the rather nicer others.
OMG they killed Kylie! That was pretty moving…
Lowlights:
It dragged a little in places - I’m not sure that there was a great need for it to be 10 minutes longer than usual. But that’s minor really.
The series 4 trailer looked pretty good. Sontarans! UNIT!
Also the Torchwood trailer looked pretty good - I’ve got high hopes that they’ve fixed the show and it can live up to it’s potential.
The poor Doctor. He was finally going to have a companion that was funny, smart, super cute and was happy to have great Kylie sex all the time and she had to go and die. Booooo :smack:
I liked it. Too many people died IMO but it was watchable.
Was it shown over here in the US? Is it on YouTube or something yet?
[QUOTE=Struan]
The Bodycount! Pretty grim for Xmas I thought, especially seeing as the characters (well caricatures I suppose) were drawn quickly and well enough to be sympathetic. I also liked that the survivors were the fraud tour-guide and the venal businessman rather than the rather nicer others.
[/QUOTE]
Apparently this is a big gripe from a lot of folks about the Christmas Special this year. shrug The show’s seemed pretty dang diddly-darned dark to me all along. I was sad to see Foon and her husband go, though.
That was an interesting quote there at the end, too, wasn’t it? “If you could decide who lived and who died, you’d be a monster.” Seemed to be the first time that RTD wasn’t implying that the Doctor is Jesus but, potentially, something much more sinister, if he’s not careful.
And I’m just happy the Doctor finally met someone named Alonzo. 
Forgot to ask before, what did everyone think of the new music?
Moderator’s note: since (I presume) this hasn’t been shown in the US yet, I’ve added “open spoilers” to the title.
[QUOTE=NailBunny]
That was an interesting quote there at the end, too, wasn’t it? “If you could decide who lived and who died, you’d be a monster.” Seemed to be the first time that RTD wasn’t implying that the Doctor is Jesus but, potentially, something much more sinister, if he’s not careful.
[/QUOTE]
Well, that’s pretty much what the seventh Doctor was all about, no?
I’m, tragically, with Illuminatiprimus. The Hosts are deadly killing machines, except when they’re not. The crewman is painfully wounded, except when he’s not. There’s no way to stop the ship, except when there is. There’s no way to enter the bridge, except when they can.
I also still have sledgehammer marks where RTD hit me with the “Even cyborgs have the right to marry now!” speech. :rolleyes: Somebody please, please, please take away his pencil and paper. Always remember, kids, in RTD-land, all rich people are evil and selfish.
In 1996, hell was raised when the 8th Doctor kissed Grace. I wonder what the reaction here was (I haven’t checked Outpost Gallifrey yet). My wife, when it was over, said she’s done with Doctor Who. She was really pissed off with the Doctor’s callous dismissal of the old guy. “I travel alone…unless you’re a young, hot chick.”
There were a number of great moments, but the moments of groaning overwhelmed them:The Doctor’s slow-motion walk through the fire.
The twirl of space dust at the end.
His little pep talk speech.
The over the top rich guy.
The Queen.All that said, I’m still looking forward to season 4, but this episode did nothing to alleviate my disappointment with the writing of RTD.
The new theme was pretty cool, though.
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach]
Well, that’s pretty much what the seventh Doctor was all about, no?
[/QUOTE]
I’ll have to take your word for it, I’m not caught up with the Seventh Doctor yet.
I guess I’m alone, but I absolutely loved the slow-mo walk through explosions and then ascending with the hosts. My favourite part.
The sledgehammer subtlety of the events leading up to the “If you could decide who lived and who died, you’d be a monster” line seemed a pretty clumsy attempt to imitate Joss Whedon (the current front-runner for killing off characters). It jarred a fair bit against the godawful tackiness of the Queen waving.
I had fun, though Astrid’s twinkles were too cheesy and I was bummed that Foon and her husband died. It was pretty cool that the rich jerk lived, but I still liked Foon better. I was also annoyed by the progressively healing midshipman.
I was surprised that I didn’t hate Kylie Minogue!
Is there some particular reason why it’s interesting that the Doctor met a guy named Alonzo? If someone could explain that one I’d appreciate it.
[QUOTE=dangermom]
Is there some particular reason why it’s interesting that the Doctor met a guy named Alonzo? If someone could explain that one I’d appreciate it.
[/QUOTE]
In the second season episode Army of Ghosts, the Tenth Doctor developed a fascination with the phrase “Allons-y!” (meaning, I think, “Let’s go!” in French), and was babbling, as he does, to Rose how fantastic it would be if he met someone named Alonzo, so that then he could say “Allons-y, Alonzo!”
So, he finally got to say it. Although, it did perplex me that he was so excited about getting to say “Take me to your leader” when he in fact said in the first season episode Aliens of London, just before he and Rose were escorted to Downing Street.
God I need a life.
I think it was just a rubbish pun based on his constant use of Allons-y! (“let’s go!”, more or less).
I had a bit of a Jane from Firefly moment.
Doctor: You should see me in the morning
Kylie: OK
Me: I’ll be in my bunk 
[QUOTE=NailBunny]
. . . I guess I’m alone, but I absolutely loved the slow-mo walk through explosions and then ascending with the hosts. My favourite part.
[/QUOTE]
And his riff after being asked who he was (to be telling people what to do). Great posing.