Review: Series 9.0 Last Christmas

“Last Christmas” 

by Steven Moffat

Originally Aired: December 25, 2014

Blu-Ray/DVD Release: 04/05/2016 

“There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.”

What is it about? 

The Doctor and Clara, still unsure on how the feel about continuing to travel with each other, find themselves in an Artic Research station where half of the crew has been attacked by “Dream Crabs”. These small creatures attach to the victims face, lulls them into a dream state and dissolves them from the outside in. The situation seems doomed for all until help arrives in the most unlikely source: Santa Claus and his 2 elves.

What Works?

It should go without saying, but since this is my first review of this era, I need to put it out there what an unabashed Peter Capaldi fan I am. He just exudes an attitude that captures the essence of all the actors that have come before him, and yet make the role truly his own. His Doctor is all at once surly, caring, threatening and comical and can change on a dime and I love it. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, what else works? The whole set up is dynamite and feels like classic Who. It’s the classic trope of a group trapped inside a claustrophobic setting, this time some kind of station that is nearly impossible to escape (as we will also see more of later in Series 9) and a threat on the loose. Just add the Doctor and Companion and shake well for best results. The Dream Crabs, as they are called throughout are an interesting idea, use the images of themselves projected by others imaginations and thoughts to move around. Quite an interesting concept, even if the design is a bit of a rip off, a point that doesn’t even escape one of the stranded scientists. But what they lack in looks they make up for in idea, they attach to a victims face, bore into their heads and lull them to sleep and puts them in a dream stasis, all the while they attempt to destroy the wearer. Early on we are introduced to the idea that Santa Claus is a “real” thing in this world and already knows The Doctor (why wouldn’t he?) and that makes for a great payoff later on. Nick Frost is tremendous in the role of Santa and brings a real charm to him that is both classic and new,  and yet he also plays him as a bit of a bad ass, which I appreciated. Also I should mention that it was fun seeing Dan Starky, who normally plays Sontaran Strax play one of Santa’s elves sans major make-up covering his face.  And finally, I’d be remiss not to mention the overall theme of Christmas with this being the 2014 Christmas Special. I had always preferred Russell T. Davies’ Christmas Specials to Moffat’s on account of the fact they were regular Doctor Who stories that just happened to take place around the Holiday’s, where Moffat’s were fully entrenched in Christmas itself. This however felt more like Davies’ stories with the Christmas involvement restricted to Santa Claus, and a bit with Clara’s dream of staying with Danny, but those overall strengthened the story that was already being told.

What Doesn’t?

There’s really only a few things that don’t work for me, the first would be the ensuing twists that occur have become a bit redundant from Moffat. With everything going on, it becomes increasingly complicated to the point where I kind of gave up trying to figure out how everything fit together until the end. At that point, I understood, but it was a precarious situation, because if I thought about it too hard, the whole plot comes tumbling down. It’s almost as if he thinks if he makes it so complicated that audience won’t be able to see the plot holes. We still see them Steven, we just mind less when overall stories are good.  I also wish there would have been a little more with the cast to help us get to know them better. The research scientists are all really the same and other than gender  and skin color, there was nothing to separate them as different characters. In a bit of stunt casting, 2^nd Doctor Patrick Troughton’s other son, Michael is a member of the research team, but there was nothing really done with him to make him stand out, though if they had, that might have been worse. I’m undecided.

Final Thoughts: 

An excellent Christmas story that succeeds in many fronts: bringing the Doctor and Clara back together, having fun on Christmas with Santa, as well as making it a bit spooky with weird alien facehuggers that make dreams come true. The actors were all great, though I wish the scientists had more to do, and the story tries to get a little too clever for it’s own good, but is still a fun way to watch a Doctor Who at Christmas time.

3.5/5

DVD REVIEW

FOURTH DOCTOR REVIEW: THE HAND OF FEAR

STORY: 87

ORIGINALLY TRANSMITTED: 

OCTOBER 2-23, 1976

DVD RELEASED: NOVEMBER 7, 2006

 In my ongoing quest to watch all existing Doctor Who Stories in chronological order I had resisted watching "The Hand of Fear" for quite sometime, and to be honest, for a rather silly reason. I simply was not ready to say goodbye to the Fourth Doctor's companion, Sarah Jane Smith. While I understand that she comes back in the new series and then gets a spin off series of her own, this was the last regular appearance for the character, and the actress, Elizabeth Sladen in the original series. While it should be pointed out that she is my favorite companion thus fur, my reasons lie in her unexpected death this last April at only 65, just as the newest series of the show was about to air.

The Doctor and Sarah, fresh from their last adventure, arrive on modern day Earth and find themselves in the midst of a quarrying explosion which buries Sarah under rock and her holding on for life as well as a fossilized hand. Taken to a nearby nuclear plant, the hand is discovered to be an inert form of Eldrad, a traitor and criminal of the planet Kastria. Under hypnotism Sarah unknowingly helps Eldrad regenerate into human form, taking a form very loosely based on Sarah. Knowing that Eldrad is better off away from Earth, the Doctor allows he and Sarah to escort her back to Kastria, where she plans to, unbeknownst to the Doctor, assume her true form and ascend to the throne as ruler. 

What works? Simply put: Tom Baker and Lis Sladen. Knowing that this would be the last story that they would work on together, they really put their all into their peformances. They have always had great chemistry, but it really shines here as they poke a little fun at each, all the while showing the truest love that they have for each other (though not in a romantic way, the Doctor doesn't get involved with companions in the early series). Also, the art direction and set design is quit amazing. Shooting at an actual nuclear power plant from the time really adds to the dimension of the story and feels quite epic in scope that sometimes doesn't always come through on the shows normal budget. And finally, the make up and performance of Judith Paris as the female version of Eldrad. Her look is quite severe, both alien and alluring at the same time. It's not hard to equally fear her and feel for her, all the while she is putting our heroes in danger.

What doesn't work? The last part of the 4 part tale has a lot to live up to, and it doesn't quite come all together. Judith Paris, so great as the female Eldrad has to exit to make way for the male version, played by Stephen Thorne. While Thorne is a capable actor, as seen as Omega in "The Three Doctors," it just doesn't feel right as we have gotten wrapped up in Eldrad's plight, only to see her become a more cliche'd megalomaniacal villian in the last part. I also did not feel his make up was nearly as effective as Paris'. And although it was always planned at the outset not to have Sarah's exit the main thrust of the story, it is a little off putting to have her suddenly leave the TARDIS in the last few moments of the story with the Doctor having to leave her behind as he is called home to Gallifrey. Knowing what is to come in the next story, it felt too convenient and Sarah Jane deserves better.

Overall: A great 4 parter that comes a little loose at the end, and while I'm very sad to see Sarah Jane Smith exit the TARDIS, I welcome what's to come and look forward to the new adventures with Leela.  The DVD is also a great set with some entertaining, if somewhat light extras that go into great detail around not only the making of this particular adventure, but the decision of Lis Sladen to leave the show at the peak of it's (and her) popluarity. Rounding out the disc is a great 11 minute period interview from the UK programme Swap Shop with Sladen and Baker, continuity trailers, and an audio commentary with Baker, Sladen, Paris as well as co-writer Bob Baker and producer Phillip Hinchcliffe.

Story: 3 out of 5 TARDIS'
DVD: 3 out of 5 TARDIS'

I've Regenerated

While I'm up a bit late, I just wanted to make a post and point out, that while I have not posted here in almost a year, I plan on putting some of my pictures up here soon. I took a whole bunch that I have yet posted as I finished off Series One and I'm planning on moving on to Series Two very shortly.

Dalek

From Episode 6, "Dalek," here is the Mutant Reveal Dalek. This one I tried to set up a certian mood, and while taken on the same day as the previous shots, as you can see, I was finding my way.  I knew I wanted a stone/brick background and I got this from my basement walls.  It wasn't till after the fact that when a friend pointed it out, it does in fact look like the stairwell scene from the episode, as much as I would like to say that I planned it, it was in fact a happy accident.

Aliens of London/World War III

From Episodes 4 and 5, "Aliens of London/World War III", Pig Alien and Jocrassa Fel-Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen. What does this background have to do with the episode? Not sure, I was still finding my way on this one as this was shot on November 22, 2010 along with the previous shots. I knew I wanted the backgrounds to start getting different, though not year realizing the lengths that I would soon be going to get the right shot and the right background.

The Unquiet Dead

From Episode 3, "The Unquiet Dead" The Gelth Zombie.  While it's still has the same background as the previous two pictures, this is the first time that the background fit the episode that the figure comes from. This is really where the germ of the idea started to take place about getting more themed backgrounds going.  The picture was taken on November 22, 2010.

The First Classic Companion

For the first time every, Character Options, the company that releases all Doctor Who action figures have announced their release of the first "Classic" Companion from the original series.  While I haven't posted much about the original series (because this blog is new and I haven't posted that much at all), I am a fan and have been dilligently making my way through the entire series (right now I'm on halfway through the 3rd Doctor's episodes).  While CO has released every version of the Doctor and most of the different TARDIS', they have been, for some reason, reluctant to release any companions to go with those doctors. Until Now.  Coming this month is Peri Brown and the villian Sil from the 6th Doctor adventure, "The Vengeance of Varos."

Peri is not the most obvious choice for a classic companion, that would be Sarah Jane Smith, Romana, Leela, or Jo Grant. However, Peri is a fan favorite to some, including myself. Played by Nicola Bryant from 1984 to 1986 and was a companion in the TARDIS from the very end of Peter Davison's run as the Doctor through most of Colin Baker's run. Sil is the villian of that 2 part episode (Story 138) and was portrayed by Nabil Shaban. "The Vengeance of Varos" is available now on DVD and the 2 pack figure set is to be released this month.