The Snowmen Grading and Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Doctor Who' started by The Nth Doctor, Dec 25, 2012.

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How do you rate The Snowmen?

  1. God bless us, every one! (Fantastic)

    45.3%
  2. Full of Christmas cheer (Very Good)

    32.4%
  3. Not a classic, but jolly good fun (Good)

    17.3%
  4. Not enough Robot Santas (Fair)

    2.9%
  5. Bah humbug! (Terrible)

    2.2%
  1. Procutus

    Procutus Admiral Admiral

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    Is that a katana that Lizard-Woman is using?
     
  2. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    Vastra's lips keep going from pink to green, back to pink.


    Why do I get the feeling Clara is going to be very complicated?
     
  3. Procutus

    Procutus Admiral Admiral

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    Not bad, not bad. I was hoping we'd find out who just who Coleman's character was, but I guess we'll have to wait until sometime in 2013.
     
  4. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Great Britain
    I think the modern day (YARRRR MOFFAT I WANTED A VICTORIAN COMPANION!) Clara is the "original" and that she'll get involved in some weird event that sends her consciousness throughout time and space.

    Amusingly, this reminds me of the Cwejen.
     
  5. Peacemaker

    Peacemaker Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Muuuuch better than last year's!

    Best line: "Hello, I'm a lizard woman from the dawn of time, and this is my wife. We're here to save you."
     
  6. Icemizer

    Icemizer Commodore Commodore

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    Dec 29, 2008
    I would love a Victorian era spin off. As for the special itself I was absorbed the entire time even with the horrendous commercial break positioning on BBCA. Strax is the breakout character of the year.
     
  7. Peacemaker

    Peacemaker Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Thank you! BBCA's commercial breaks were truly awful. They usually aren't that bad at all. It reminded me of the days when Who was on Skiffy.
     
  8. DalekJim

    DalekJim Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    He's the break-out character of last year ;).
     
  9. Alidar Jarok

    Alidar Jarok Everything in moderation but moderation Moderator

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    I gave it a Very Good. It was strong for the most part, it had a weak resolution, and an intriguing twist leading into next season. I'm looking forward to the mystery of Clara. The current writers want an explanation for why a Companion was chosen. The last "normal" companion without any reason besides "because" was Martha. While I generally think that's a pretty good reason, the mystery intrigues me so I'm fine with waiting this one out for the explanation. Throughout, the magic of the Doctor was present, so I liked that. I also enjoyed the "shocking Victorian sensibility" gags. The idea of the snow just being a mirror worked decently well. Really, it was just the resolution that fell flat (the fakeout resolution would have been better, imo), although it does follow the rules of the episode.

    Following this thread, I take it that the enemy is an old, returning enemy? I wonder if that would have changed the episode at all for me. But, even not knowing that, I appreciated the episode. Quite a fun Christmas episode.
     
  10. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I was reminded of Scaroth the Jagaroth in "The City of Death".

    BTW, when I first saw those cylinders with the Gallifreyan symbols in that "leaked" photo about the new console, I thought, "hmm...merry-go-round." Then I saw them rotate in the actual episode. "Oy, definitely a merry-go-round." I half expected to hear a carnival organ.

    Sincerely,

    Bill
     
  11. Captain Dago

    Captain Dago Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The Emerald City, aka The Promised Land
    I loved, loved, LOVED all the Second Doctor references! For those of you not familiar, that would be:
    The crumpled stovepipe hat
    The Great Intelligence
    The "snowmen"
    The London Underground map from '67
    and possibly some I've forgotten.

    Get ahold of the surviving fragments and descriptions of "The Abominable Snowmen" and, especially, "The Web of Fear" to follow the trail.
     
  12. Cutter John

    Cutter John Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    The ending was tolerable, but could have been better. Though it is interesting that its basically a set-up for The Abominable Snowmen and Web of Fear. Such a shame that that story is missing. Heck it seemed like this whole special was mostly setting up other stories.

    But this is a story that I really wish could have been longer. Having a more dejected, angry Doctor at the beginning would have made the story so much stronger.

    The opening credits and theme could use some tweeking. Maybe less random swirls of color and a stronger bass line.

    A little pissed off that we didn't get our hoped for Victorian companion. Poor Clara. :( A bit surprised that the Doc didn't go back into sulk mode, having just lost another companion.

    More Strax please.

    "Automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines, and acid!"

    And my, Lady Vastra does seem to enjoy freaking out the hairless apes doesn't she?

    Tardis interior was small than I had expected. But I'm fine. Still looked great!
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2012
  13. Peacemaker

    Peacemaker Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yes, the enemy is the Great Intelligence - the animating mind behind the Yeti. The insinuation of the episode seems to be that this is it's first encounter with the Doctor.
     
  14. Cutter John

    Cutter John Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    And will spend the next 120 years beneath London re-energizing itself. Though I'm not sure how it ends up in Tibet.

    Anyway, I'm off to Gallifrey Base now. Pray for me.
     
  15. nightwind1

    nightwind1 Commodore Commodore

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    Des Moines, IA
    "...and this is my wife."

    :lol:
     
  16. Samurai8472

    Samurai8472 Admiral Admiral

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    Mar 27, 2007
    Is there a "Christmas Carol" analogy with Clara?

    Future
    Past

    and now present.


    10 bucks says The Doctor will make all Clara's come back alive and meet

    internet fanboys explode as THREE Jenna's interact.
     
  17. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

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    Loved it!!!!
     
  18. sidious618

    sidious618 Admiral Admiral

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    I really enjoyed it. It had more to it than most of the Christmas specials but still felt like a "special" if you know what I mean. Loved Starx.
     
  19. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
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    San Jose, CA
    Jenna Louise-Coleman can act, is attractive, and has a ton of great chemistry with Matt Smith. BEST. COMPANION. EVER. :D

    In all seriousness, with this episode I picked the third option, jolly good fun, as I liked the episode, but I've already forgotten about the snowmen plot. It seemed like that part of the episode kind of just stopped and they could have developed it a lot better.

    This episode was mainly getting to know Clara, and how she and the Doctor work together. I liked seeing Vastra, Jenny and Strax again, but Colemen and Smith carried this episode and did it really really well. I'm really excited about the exploits they will have together and while I wish she was just "normal", I'm not bothered by her "mystery".

    Oh, and when the Tardis lit up to show the new control room in all it's glory, I had a flashback in coolness factor to the first episode, Rose. Seeing the new Control Room was great, and this is a lot better than the old chaotic control room from the previous seasons. I really do wish they would explain the change though. I mean I know it's a desktop theme, but why does the Tardis change, and how? Just that entire scene when we see the Tardis again for the first time and everything is lit up and the look on Clara's face is one of my favorite Doctor Who scenes in a long long time. Really looking forward to the back half of the season.

    As for the theme song, I was a little disappointed it was the same theme as the previous two seasons but the visuals just changed. I loved the visual change, but I really wish the actual theme was a little more simplistic (Like during the RTD era) than what we've gotten.
     
  20. Aldo

    Aldo Admiral Admiral

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    I loved it. Of course my expectations were lowered as I didn't much care for the past two X-Mas specials (too much fluff, not enough meat). I also love Clara, she is one of the prettiest women I've ever seen, and the mystery they set up is going to be an interesting one.

    Speaking of the mystery, I could have sworn I read a few months ago that they wouldn't really mention the connection between Clara and Oswin in the Christmas special, and yet they brought it up a few times, plus including my favorite scene from 'Asylum' (Oswin saying "Remember" while looking straight into the camera). Then seeing present day Clara pop up outside her grave was the perfect icing on the cake, I was extremely annoyed that they chose to end of the episode there. Annoyed and intrigued, actually.

    And I have nothing bad to say about the new console room. I love it, it reminds me of the classic shows room and the room from the tv-movie. It does feel a bit more cramped, but I can't help but feel that's a bit on purpose (whether budgetary reasons, or due to them wanting to homage the old show).

    And oh yeah, the plot about the snowmen was decent, but this was more about introducing Clara, which was far more interesting.