I don't know. I was entertained, but at the same time I didn't think it was that good. Or rather, it has several good moments, but the overall product isn't really all that satisfying.
I'm not quite sure what to make of Dr. Simeon. Are we supposed to hate him because he's the willing accomplice of evil? Feel sympathy for someone who had a lonely childhood and grew up a villain as a result of being manipulated by the only thing he could relate to, which turned out to be an evil alien entity? Sometimes it's a good idea to leave this issue vague, let the audience make their own desicion. But this time, the way it played out it just felt like Moffat couldn't decide for himself which Simeon was supposed to be.
The Snowmen themselves were rather underplayed despite being the titular bad guys, the fozen governess really didn't serve any point, the daughter with the nightmares was a plot point that didn't really go anywhere. And the less said about the annoyingly sentimental "snow melts because a family is crying on Christmas Eve" the better.
Vastra and her gang were overhyped and didn't really stand out as much as they did in A Good Man Goes to War, though I have to admit their scenes were the highlight of the episode, especially Strax.
I did enjoy the Doctor's character arc as a depressed loner brought back to the fold, and Clara's story and background was quite good even if she is another Moffat trope of someone overly complex with the wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey. Based on the trailer, the issue of Clara's identity seems to be ongoing for the rest of the season. The next River Song?
And given how often everyone kept talking about the pond, it was too damn obvious there would be some sort of reference to Amy thrown in. Especially when Vastra and Clara play the "one word answer" game I knew damn well she was evetually say Pond and that would set the Doctor off.
The new opening credits aren't as impressive as I was lead to believe. It's still the same basic variation of the theme we've had since Smith's run began and the floating head wasn't done properly.
The Doctor says Strax was resurrected by "a friend." Who was this friend? I'm guessing Vastra or Jenny, otherwise why else does Strax choose to be their butler?
So, the loss of Amy and Rory has made the Doctor into a chronically depressed loner who has parked the TARDIS on a cloud above Victorian England. If he really wants isolation, there are better places he could have gone. Hell, there's a greater percentage of planet or moons without life on them than with life. But okay deep down he wants to stay in contact with someone. What's so special about Vastra and her gang that he chose them?
