I enjoyed this immensely. It felt like very old-school Who, with some great little details.
At this stage, they must be considering Strax, Vastra and Jenny for their own spin-off series.
There was a really creepy vibe to the whole episode: kind of a gothic horror feeling that was really well done. Loved the old time movie feel of the Doctor’s flashback scene.
The Doctor was referred to as a monster again: remember “Every monster needs a companion” from Hide?
I expected the baddie to be The Great Intelligence again. I wonder if there’s something else going on: the origin of the poison was explained, but not the source of the rocket tech, or the preserving process.
Also: was that a difference engine behind the organ? And was Ada a nod to Ada Lovelace?
I enjoyed it as well. Kept me off balance for the most part. Strax is always fun (finally got the gender right with Mrs. G, of all people) and I love Victorian London… Yorkshire… whatever.
*Horse! You have failed in your mission. Do you have any final words, before your summary execution? *
Oh, great. Attack of the supermodels.
I’m going to go play with my grenades.
Yes, it was even called the Great Work.
I thought so. I was half expecting some kind of nod in the final scenes.
And the biggest twist, at the end.
Clara now knows there’s another incarnation of her as the Governess from The Snowmen.
And her daughter, too. As for Diana, bad hair, ugly clothes, no makeup, and being 74 will do that to ya. Plus acting old, because 74 was pretty old in 1893.
Oh, and did anyone catch the Sherlock Holmes reference?
The story revolves around a repulsive red leech, right? Well, “the repulsive story of the red leech” was one of the unrecorded cases Watson mentioned in passing in the intro to one of the stories.
The Doctor’s behaviour as the Monster was very Frankenstein-ish, especially since his head is very much that shape in the first place.
I liked this episode. It was fun, silly, exciting, had a decent plot without too many holes (not sure why everyone was being turned into display mannequins), and the performances were excellent. Definitely makes up for last week’s mess.
I loved the story. I loved the performances. I really, really loved Strax, and the shout-out to Tegan.
I’m sure the plot details won’t hold up if I think about it too much. So I won’t. And I’m excited that it looks like the kids are taking a ride on the TARDIS, because I don’t remember the last time there were kids on the TARDIS.
I don’t get the love for Vastra, Jenny, and Strax. I liked them when they appeared in “A Good Man Goes To War”. Keeping them together and putting them in more episodes as a goofy trio does nothing for me.
This was a good adventure. The reveal of the red leech was definitely a squick moment. I am getting a little tired, though, of the references to past adventures. Yes, I know it’s all a lead-up to the 50th anniversary, but it’s become a game of “Catch-The-Wink-Tip-Nod-Homage-Callback-Reference” with EVERY episode.
Next time, I’m looking forward to the return of the Cybermen, but I dread any story that involves precocious kids.
I was disappointed that the Doctor didn’t help the blind lady at the end. She saves his life and he does nothing for her situation? Millions of years of technology and there’s nothing he can do? Hard to believe eye implants wouldn’t be available sometime in the future.
I thought the lobster thing would be more dangerous. The lizard lady said it was the Silurian’s greatest enemy. Seemed pretty easy to kill with a blind woman’s cane.
