We're sure you don't want a blow by blow account of the whole episode. Well of course you do but we don't want to abuse the Beeb's hospitality and a summary can't really do it justice - this is easily the best Christmas special since The Christmas Invasion and possibly Matt's finest episode yet.
If we say it's a mash up of Continuity Errors, A Christmas Carol and Jaws dedicated followers of this site probably won't be disappointed.
However, we can disclose:
1. Peter Bowles isn't in it. Laura Rogers and Bailey Pepper play Steve North's wife and son. Leo Bill sits on the bridge of the spaceship and doesn't say much.
2. Arthur Darvill appears in the opening credits in a font size that's bigger than his role in this story.
3. There are some really good jokes. We liked the one about kissing and screwdrivers .
4. Continuity geeks will notice nice nods to Pyramids of Mars and School Reunion.
5. Utah isn't this Doctor's first visit to the States.
6. You'll believe a shark can fly. Only the sourest of critics would say it's been jumped over.
7. Michael Gambon is so good he's in it twice.
8. The fez makes a cameo appearance.
9. Katherine Jenkins sings powerfully. Her lungs are set at 11.
10. Toby Haynes is a genius.
There'a wonderful trailer for series 6 at the end - we can't wait for the chance to pore over screencaps on Christmas Night (oh yes we know how to enjoy Christmas!) Unexpectedly there's an Ood and (in a separate frame) a squadron of Nazis. Nice glimpse of a big china doll and what looks like a grey alien (of the sort seen in Jose Chung's From Outer Space in the X Files, for instance). The trailer starts with Paul Critoph (who's in the opening story) wearing clothes that look like they're from the same sort of era as Girl in the Fireplace (but without the wigs and clockwork men). Both River and Amy are seen covered in the tally marks that were noticed during filming (so they weren't applied for an effect to be laid on to). Sure to get the net melting down with speculation were shots of a bearded Doctor and a naked River (well, bare shoulders but a boy can dream .). At first glance the trailer seems 1 and 2 heavy and we didn't notice anything from epsiode 3 but a repeat viewing will doubtless reveal things we missed first time round.
Posted by Timelord50 by Blackberry pin - 2200AEE8
