The Time of the Doctor - What did you think?

[Matt Holden]

What did you think? Awesome episode of snore-fest? Fitting send off or was it found wanting?

Let us know!

You'll have to wait until the Journeys in Fandom review episode before you hear my thoughts

[Torchwood TeaBoy]

I feel relatively unmoved, and just a bit disappointed, in the Doctor Who Christmas Special. It had some good and interesting points, but there have been better Christmas specials and better regenerations. What hurts the most is that it did not leave a good first impression for Peter Capaldi, who I am still really looking forward to and hoping pulls things out of the tailspin.



I'm going to watch again in the next couple days, but initially I am feeling decidely meh about it.

[claireish]

I felt much the same way about it, though to be honest I wasn't really expecting much more. I do feel a lot more positively towards it than the rest of Moffat's recent episodes though, which I'm kind of glad about, but mostly I felt it was overall very meh. I'm not sure whether that's because of a lacking on the episode's execution or the fact that it kind of felt like a massive rehash and I've already felt anything I cared about (the good AND the bad) before so now I'm just kind of...empty.

I liked the end though, and I think it was a very nice send-off, especially with a certain someone's appearance. (Though poor Clara, I feel a bit bad that she sort of got pushed off to the side so close to the end and that I might've liked that more than the potential alternative.) I don't feel like there was much of Peter Capaldi at all even as just a brief introduction, but of course there'll be more to come for him so I guess we'll see how that is. Though honestly right now I'm just really embittered of so much about the show so I might end up taking a break until I either end up feeling better about it or until something changes.

[littlelottie]

OK...so...I have a lot of opinions on this but I've been biting my tongue on a lot of them. There's a lot of hate in the fandom right now and I definitely don't want to come across as a hater because, well, I'm not. That said...I sort of felt the episode had a LOT crammed into it. So much that it sort of felt a bit rushed and at times I felt a bit confused about what was going on.

The thing I like about the Christmas special is sitting down and watching it with my family, who aren't big Whovians. But the special has always felt sort of accessible to those who aren't hardcore viewers, making it something I don't feel like I'm forcing my family to sit down and watch just because I'm into it. This episode felt less accessible and more like you needed to know a lot of the backing from the past few seasons, I had to stop and explain some things at various points.

The regeneration, when I saw it (I had it recorded but the recording cut off the last ten minutes dammit), I actually loved. So, there's that.

(as an aside, I really dislike 11 going round snogging everyone...ahem).

[dreamer]

I'm a bit sad, not because of the episode, but because of the largely overwhelming dislike of the episode! I loved it. I mean, nothing is perfect, but I don't see all the flaws everyone else seems to. By the first commercial break I was very o.O! There were a lot of questions, but I knew that they'd be answered as I kept watching, so I just enjoyed the comedy team of 11/Clara and even 11/Handles. Handles! <3.  

And there was Tasha. I remember feeling a bit protective over River when the flirting started, although this was relieved eventually because I firmly believe that Tasha is some incarnation of River. The wig! lol, I died. It was corny but it was still funny and a great way to work the 'in' joke for those who knew he was in fact wearing a wig. But mostly I loved the rest of 11's life. He stayed. After all that time wandering and always running off...this one time, he stayed. He lived his life as the defender of a town and a children's toy maker--it's so 11. So many great moments, like him teaching the children the Drunk Giraffe, him filling his home with children's drawings, Clara helping him pull the cracker, and her resting on his lap as she read the poem--so many feels! 

I didn't feel lost with the plot either. It made perfect sense to me, so I don't get what people are talking about plot holes here. Gallifrey is still lost, now that the crack is gone, so there'll still be a season or a few to have to rescue it. Not only does the Doctor have to /find/ Gallifrey, he also has to find a way to ensure peace before he can ever bring it back. That's plenty of future plotty-ness!

And then the end. The whole regeneration scene was beautiful. Such a farewell, and not just to 11, but to Matt. And thank goodness they gave Amy her spot. I would have been so disappointment if she hadn't been there, but she was and I cried! The actual regeneration into 12 was surprisingly quick, but, I imagine it was a choice of editing and time constrains. Honestly, I'd rather have that quick regen and a few more seconds with Matt than a longer bit of hand sparklers. I can live with it. I did think 12's line about kidney's was cheesy..maybe trying a bit too hard to be funny, but the amnesia thing should be interesting! Somebody better figure out how to fly her! lol. 

Anyway... Time of the Doctor for me, was a win. <3

[Moonflower]

I really enjoyed it. When Clara came back the second time, I was almost continually crying. It broke my heart to see him that old. There was a few things I didn't like as much (the antagonist of this episode, for instance. Was it supposed to be Daleks? Cybermen? I would've liked to have seen more of the weeping angels, personally. Also, the Silence. I would've liked to have seen that fleshed out more.)
But I guess with all the aliens they were trying to cram in it, it makes sense.
I'm still not a fan of Tasha, no I'm not. I thought, and I still feel, that the Silence and the Church should've been more against the Doctor. Because isn't that what series 6 was all about? The Silence vs. the Doctor... I feel like that should've been involved more.
I was alright with the regeneration, but it was definitely not my favorite. With 11, it was heartbreaking, but when Capaldi appeared...it just seemed too rushed. Like a lightswitch had been flipped. I loved Amy and Amelia's little appearance, though (Amy's hair bothered me so much), but I feel like Clara was pushed to the side, which isn't fair to her, considering that she is the reason he was even able to regenerate again. But I'm also a huge Clara/Doctor shipper, so that might have some more to do with that, especially when she admitted that she fancied him. It broke my heart when he sent her back. And when he took off the bowtie. That hurt me in so many ways.
The thing with this regeneration...the Doctor usually has a pretty memorable line. But this time...I can't even remember it. 10's was great. 11's was hilarious. But this one...the memorable bit was asking if she knew how to fly the TARDIS, which I'm not very sure if that'll end well. I guess it'll depend if he actually taught her, way back in JttCotT.

I'm really confused about Clara's memory though. Sometimes she sees like she remembers her echo lives (in DotD when 11 asked her if she remembered 10, and she said yes), but if she did, wouldn't she remember these other monsters? Like the weeping angels. Even if she didn't save him from them at one point, in at least one of her lives she had to have at least heard of them and known what they could do. Sorry, that's just a general thing that bothered me.

I loved Clara's family though. The one woman (her aunt, I think) reminded me of Donna's mum. And her grandmother was so wonderful.
Speaking of Donna, I loved the bit referencing her at the beginning. I had a fangirl attack. "You're naked!" I died laughing.

Overall I thought it was a great episode. The Snowmen is still my favorite Moffat Christmas special, but this one was very good, other than the few bits I mentioned.

[Snowy]

I liked it more on the second viewing. During the first I thought the light hearted Christmas parts and the darker Siege parts didn't gel together very well.

I'd have probably cared more for Tasha Lem and Clara's family if we'd seen them before now. Also the Doctor being on his last life should have had a bigger feel to it, but as it only recently became apparent due to the War Doctor's appearance (and I must admit I didn't count 10s aborted one as a full regeneration) that also seemed to be a little rushed. Especially as Matt had been shown dying mid-regen during Impossible Astronaut as at that point he was still No.11 in every way

Loved Handles and the idea of 'apps' on the Sonic Also the idea of the Doctor being protector and Toymaker for the town. I can't really picture any of the other Doctors being so good with children.

Matt was great and I will miss him in the role (Wish he'd got one more year so he could have had a full series shown in one go and better use of Clara now she's not a mystery, the Siege would have made a great multi-part finale to go out on)

If Peter Capaldi is going to speak so softly though, they are going to have to lower the background music so we can hear him. I already have to put the subtitles on to catch some of Matt and Jenna's quick conversations :-)

Only issue, and its been a personal bugbear for a while for me, is I wish they'd do something different to the glowing hands/head regeneration. I liked it for Chris as it appeared to be him releasing the Tardis energy he absorbed from Rose, but as it's now become the only way to regenerate I'm hoping for a time like some of the Classic regenerations that changed it up.

So how long till the Capaldi costume reveal? As filming starts in January there can't be any way that the press won't take a photo during outdoor shooting so heres hoping for a official reveal soon.

[frankiewilliams]

I cried twice. An awesome episode to go out on. This really is the best piece of acting Matt has done in Doctor Who. Fantastic piece of tv viewing. Loved it.

[rassilon]

I was very happy with it.

Tying up some of the past issues, not least of all drawing a big fat line under the number of regenerations count (see! I KNEW that false Tennant one counted!) but also some very nice, subtle nods to the past.

I agree, having the Doctor as protector of the village and toy maker is very fitting, but i can easily see Troughton or even Hartnell getting along beautifully with the children.

Wonderful to see the ageing of Smith executed so well by the make-up team, way more convincing than Tennant's (IMHO).

Where i think it fell down was the 'monster-mash' once again. the idea of ALL of the Doctor's adversaries returning at the same time is getting a little commonplace and looses it's power i feel. it's also dangerous writing. hard, perhaps impossible, to give everyone enough development in the script to make a valuable contribution.

The Christmas episodes have, for me, been disappointing every year. with exception to the first with David Tennant. I think the primary reason for this is the need to have it so much ABOUT Christmas (stupid as that may sound) I enjoyed the story when an adventure happened at Christmas, as opposed to being the reason for most of the script.

That said, i think the old toy maker/protector in a snowy village was beautiful for the season (did the place HAVE to be called Christmas? over signposting for me. LITERALLY).

Handles made me VERY happy. I expect many of you are too young to remember Kroton? he was a companion of the Doctor's in comic book form many yeas ago. He was a cyberman with a soul. a nod to that I felt and wonderful it was too.

As far as the Doctor and the church is concerned I agree it was confussing. certainly it seemed he was rather anti-religion in the past, but to include it in a Christmas episode? He REALLY couldn't be too opposed to the church on Christmas day surely?

I was disappointed by the speed of the regeneration, but then it was similar to the introduction of David in that respect. He had hardly any screen time before the credits. i was hoping, when we saw clothes on the control room floor, that the Doctor would have already regenerated into Capaldi and was wearing a Smith hologram to 'ease' Clara into his new personna a little more gently. NOT a good first line for him and such a shame. Having to now wait until August perhaps the majority of the audience will have forgotten by the time we next see him?

The Acid test really has to be my family's reaction to it.

As stated by littlelottie, it's great to gather the family and enjoy it together. most of my family are now not that interested in the program (possibly as they see so much of it with me around!) and it's rare they'll sit through an entire episode. Laila hasn't really gotten over the loss of 'her' doctor (Tennant) yet, but she really enjoyed it. She even stated "that's one of the best episodes I've watched. I really enjoyed it".

best of all about it is the ease with which we can now cosplay for this episode. simply turn up in our birthday suits!

[littlelottie]

I can see it now, as you're all escorted from the premises shouting "but I'm going to church!"

[comealongpond]

I thought it was the send off that Matt deserved. In this fandom, obviously they are never going to make everyone happy. But I absolutely adored it.
One of the main things I liked about it over David's regeneration is that the more you watch it, you realise that it is isn't sad. Don't get me wrong, I cried my eyes out, and when Amy walked down the stairs I broke into a million pieces! But he was ready to go. He had lived his time, he knew his end was coming and he was ready to accept it. With 10's exit, it was the opposite. It was thrown on him and he didn't want to go, but 11 welcomed it and I thought that made it just brilliant.
And obviously they had to find away around the regeneration limit, and even if it did seem a little random in that Clara basically said 'please' and the timelords went "aah, alright then! Have some more!" it somehow works!
The little look Matt gave to the camera at the end, also, as if he was saying goodbye to us, I think, was just beautiful. The only thing that slightly annoyed me was that he looked at Clara before regenerating. As much as I love Clara, I did want Amy's face to be the first and last face that face saw. But either way, it's a 10/10 for me.
I am still not ready to say goodbye to Matt, but I cannot wait for Peter Capaldi to start, I think he is going to be fantastic!