"Last Christmas" reaction post

[dbskyler]

I liked it!



Well, that was definitely my favorite Twelfth Doctor episode so far. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, but it was also funny, and scary, and sci-fi, and base-under-siege, and Doctor-putting-himself-in-danger-to-save-the-day, and cool things like messages-via-a-dream-chalkboard, and messages-via-dream-manuals. Basically, it was just very good Doctor Who.

By the way, who else was sure the message was going to be "you are all dreaming" only to jump at "you are all dead"?

This episode was a great one for Twelve and Clara together, too. I loved Victorian Clara, and Oswin Clara, but regular old modern-day Clara just never seemed to "click" with Eleven the way she does with Twelve. You could really see it in this episode, with all sorts of wonderful Twelve-and-Clara moments.

I also especially loved when Santa and the elves totally made fun of the Doctor, and also when the Doctor said that Santa wasn't allowed to give the scientific explanations. : )

Oh, and that fake-out with old!Clara? I was certain that this was how she was getting written out of the show. But she's not! She's back! And I can honestly say that I am now looking forward to series 9.

Comments

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

I could watch the interaction between Twelve and Clara in this episode over and over. Their bits of the story were the most entertaining parts for me. I don't know what it is about the two of them. Their friendship, their partnership, is just so compelling and endearing.

Before it was revealed as a fake-out, I totally believed that old!Clara was how they would write out her character. It would have been an effective, and kind, way to do it. Clara still lived a good, long life without the Doctor but he eventually came back for her final moments. What really pulled at the heart strings was the callback to the Christmas cracker moment between Clara and Eleven at the end of "The Time of the Doctor". That really got me. But I'm still glad it was a fake-out. Clara deserves another season of exciting adventures with Twelve.

But now I'm kind of worried that they used up a good ending for Clara. How will Moffat write her out now? Would Clara just give up the Doctor and time travel?

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I don't even remember the Christmas cracker scene from "Time of the Doctor," but then again, I've tried to repress most of that episode.

But now I'm kind of worried that they used up a good ending for Clara. How will Moffat write her out now? Would Clara just give up the Doctor and time travel?

Yes, that thought has occurred to me as well. I'd rather not get another forced parting such as we got with Amy and Rory, but a voluntary "well, see you later!" does seem OOC for Clara, especially now. I guess we'll find out?

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

You can tell I liked it - I've seen it twice and was actually considering buying it on DVD once it's out!

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it too! I would consider owning it myself.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

It's funny - I thought I'd given up shipping anyone in DW after the Doctor and Martha, but I find myself shipping Twelve and Clara (at least in my head!)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

There were definitely some shippy moments!

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

The entire episode was full of romantic tropes. It's like Moffat looked at TVTropes and found all the ones he liked the most!

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

I don't even remember the Christmas cracker scene from "Time of the Doctor," but then again, I've tried to repress most of that episode.

The Christmas cracker scene was my favourite part of the episode, but I'm also a big nerd when shows reference back to things, so it would have made me immensely happy either way.

I'd rather not get another forced parting such as we got with Amy and Rory, but a voluntary "well, see you later!" does seem OOC for Clara, especially now.

Problem is, we do seem to get a lot of forced partings. Martha was the only one who actually made the choice to leave. So unless something major happens in Clara's life, like a baby or something, I don't see Clara giving up the life willingly, either.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Well, there are really only two ways for a companion to leave: forced parting, and unforced parting.

For forced parting, we have your parallel-universe scenarios (Rose), your metacrisis scenarios (Donna), your Weeping Angel scenarios (Amy, Rory), your external-factor-forces-the-Doctor-to-dump-you scenarios (Jack, Sarah), and your deaths (Adric, River, and, um, Clara).

For unforced parting, we have your I-don't-want-to-do-this-anymore scenarios (Mickey, Tegan), your I've-suddenly-found-a-husband scenarios (Leela, Jo, Susan), and you're it's-better-if-we-part scenarios (Martha, and, um, Clara).

The old!Clara leavetaking would have been a nice combination of forced and unforced -- she could still come along, but probably not the best idea. But since Moffat's not doing that, and since he's already given us Clara leaving through death and leaving through deciding it was the best thing for the Doctor, now I really don't know which way he's going to go for the final ending.

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

Right, I totally forgot about Victorian!Clara and her death. So Moffat has already used up two common scenarios. I'm worried now that we're going to get something horribly timey-wimey because he needs something completely different.

I did see one notion online. Rather than Clara forgetting the Doctor, what if the Doctor somehow forgets Clara? That, for whatever reason, he can't remember her and that's how it ends. It'd be a forced parting, but it's going to have to be one with a Companion like Clara. So that gets her out of the TARDIS and you get the feels, too.

But we'll see. Her last episode is still a long way away.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Rather than Clara forgetting the Doctor, what if the Doctor somehow forgets Clara?

Ooooh! Now that would be very interesting. Really sad, but also really new and interesting.