The Snowmen Grading and Discussion Thread

[DalekJim]

The Christmas specials are always frothy, this was slightly more ambitious than the last one though.

[Mr Light]

I didn't particularly care for "Christmas Carol" or "Wardrobe" because they were just 'adaptations' of other stories, but this one was definitely better than those two. We had the mystery of Clara, we had temporary alien companions, cool monsters, and Ian McKellan!

[Saul]

Ghost Bones wrote:

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Absolutely rancid television. Possible candidate for worst Who ever, though that's a field growing more crowded by the year.

So what you're saying is that last years was better than this years which means there was something you liked about last years.

[The Mirrorball Man]

Saul wrote:

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So what you're saying is that last years was better than this years which means there was something you liked about last years.

Trying to defeat negativity with logic is pointless. It's very unlikely that someone who's been consistently negative will change their mind because you make a compelling argument.

On the other hand, it's very "Doctor Who" to try.

[Romulan_spy]

I enjoyed The Snowmen a lot. Clara is super hot and I loved her spunk and adventurous spirit. She will be a great companion. The Tardis in the clouds. was unique. There was a fairytale quality to the stairwell going up into the clouds like that. I love the new interior. It looks more like a spaceship, more futuristic. Considering that the Tardis is essentially a spaceship that is bigger on the inside and can travel through space and time, it should look advanced. The humor was great. Strax is hilarious! I do agree with some that the mopey Doctor did not make much sense unless we just chalk it up to this Doctor gets emotional. But you would think that a being that has lived hundreds of years and has seen the vastness of space and time would have a different perspective on things. He would know that everything has a beginning and an end. That is the order of the universe. It is interesting how the Doctor seems to get so attached to his companions that it tears him up when they die or leave. A human being's lifespan is pretty small in the grand scheme of things when stars are born and die over billions of years.

[Jim Steele]

Romulan_spy wrote:

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I loved her spunk

Good lord, this is a family show!

[Romulan_spy]

Jim Steele wrote:

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Good lord, this is a family show!

Is "spunk" British for something else? LOL

[Allyn Gibson]

Romulan_spy wrote:

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Is "spunk" British for something else? LOL

"Spunk" is slang for seminal fluid.

[JRoss]

Relayer1 wrote:

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I wouldn't go that far - the gorgeous Karen Gillan is an impossible act to follow, but the new girl certainly has something...

Oh you can't just go by looks. Karen is not a great actress.

[Pindar]

I thought was great Christmas Day entertainment. One of my favourite specials, not the best resolution but I'll forgive it as the rest was excellent.

[diankra]

Overnight ratings are in (can't spot any sign of them in the thread, but apologies if I've missed them): 7.6million, which is 1.3m down on last year, but not bad given the earlier slot.
It puts Who fifth on Christmas Day, within 0.2million of Royle Family and Strictly Come Dancing in the third and fourth slots, and ahead of both Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey, which were expected to come top or in the top three, but lost out to clashes with the soaps.
Of course catch-up viewing could change it all over the next week, but Who usually gains more from than most shows. So it could get up to third...

Full figures for those interested:
1) 9.4 million, Eastenders (BBC1, 8.45pm, clashing with Downton)
2) 8.6 million, Coronation Street (ITV, 7.30, clashing with Call the Midwife)
3) 7.8 million, Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 6.15pm)
4) 7.7 million, Royle Family (BBC1, 9.45pm, clashing with Downton)
5) 7.6 million, Doctor Who(BBC1, 5.15pm)
6) 7.3 million, Call the Midwife (BBC1, 6.30pm)
7) 6.8 milllion, Downton Abbey (ITV, 8.45pm, clashing with Eastenders & Royle Family)
8) 6.3 million, The Queen (BBC1/ITV, 3pm)
9) 6.1 million, BBC News (BBC1, not sure if this is the 5pm or 10.45pm news)
10) 6.0m, Emmerdale (ITV, not sure if this is the 5.30 or 7pm episode)

[The Mirrorball Man]

Jim Steele wrote:

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Good lord, this is a family show!

If you want a family, at some point you gotta have spunk.

[Yminale]

Pindar wrote:

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not the best resolution but I'll forgive it as the rest was excellent.

That pretty much summarizes all the Christmas specials. You can tell that all of Moffat's stories require more time to develop because they feel like the story ends when things are becoming interesting.

[MacLeod]

Romulan_spy wrote:

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Is "spunk" British for something else? LOL

In this case I would guess it meant spirit it can also mean courage.

[OmahaStar]

MacLeod wrote:

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In this case I would guess it meant spirit it can also mean courage.

That's how I took it. There's that famous line from the Mary Tyler Moore show. "You've got spunk. I hate spunk." It had nothing to do with, eh, reproductive things. It was about spirit, drive, ambition, personality.