Christmas Special The Snowmen

[Richards]

I don't know, Strax is still the most intimidating "potato dwarf" I've ever seen....

From the previews of this upcoming half-season, we'll get to see an armored Sontaran racing into battle, so I think any fun Moffat's had in this episode is directed solely at Strax, and not the entire Sontaran race.

I caught on from the first "souffle" reference that Clara was likely the same person as Oswin, and I was anticipating that the Doctor had just met her in reverse order, like he did with River Song, and that somehow this Victorian governess/barmaid would end up learning computer systems, end up on a starship, get trapped by the Daleks, and be converted to a Dalek herself. And then Moffat went ahead and killed her, so now I've got no idea what's going on (which is how he prefers his viewers, I believe).

Anyway, it was an enjoyable episode, and I'm looking forward to the start of the next half-season. Am I remembering correctly that it will start up again around Easter time?

Johnathan

 

[elawai]

There were also many Mary Poppins references in the episode. The ones I mainly caught were the umbrella catching the ladder, making her look like she is flying. My sister, who just read one or more of the books recently, cited that switching between accents was a major nod to Mary.

 

[Morrus]

There were also many Mary Poppins references in the episode. The ones I mainly caught were the umbrella catching the ladder, making her look like she is flying. My sister, who just read one or more of the books recently, cited that switching between accents was a major nod to Mary.

Well, yeah - I don't think the fundamental central conceit of Elizabethan Nanny + Umbrella was missed by anyone! In fact, in that scene, I thought it was going to be even more blatant than it was, and was glad it was toned down from what I was dreading!

 

[elawai]

Well, yeah - I don't think the fundamental central conceit of Elizabethan Nanny + Umbrella was missed by anyone! In fact, in that scene, I thought it was going to be even more blatant than it was, and was glad it was toned down from what I was dreading!

It looks like they went for more of the book feeling rather than the movie, which probably kept it from getting out of hand.

The children seemed well behaved, she must have really whipped them into shape over her tenure as governess

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I caught on from the first "souffle" reference that Clara was likely the same person as Oswin, and I was anticipating that the Doctor had just met her in reverse order, like he did with River Song, and that somehow this Victorian governess/barmaid would end up learning computer systems, end up on a starship, get trapped by the Daleks, and be converted to a Dalek herself. And then Moffat went ahead and killed her, so now I've got no idea what's going on (which is how he prefers his viewers, I believe).

I'm thinking he's borrowing a page from Michael Moorcock.

Just like there is the Eternal Champion who exists throughout time in all of the multiverse- Elric, Hawkmoon, Corum, etc.- there is also the Eternal Companion, who eventually finds his or her way to the Champion's side, for good or ill.

Oswin may just be a being who pops up through human history, a physical but not intellectual/spiritual duplicate- looking the same, acting the same, but not actually being a reincarnation of the same person.

 

[MarkB]

So, Oswin exists at multiple points in time, and if one (or two) of her gets killed, you can just go off and find another one?

I'm starting to see why the Doctor likes her.

 

[Janx]

I'm thinking he's borrowing a page from Michael Moorcock.

Just like there is the Eternal Champion who exists throughout time in all of the multiverse- Elric, Hawkmoon, Corum, etc.- there is also the Eternal Companion, who eventually finds his or her way to the Champion's side, for good or ill.

Oswin may just be a being who pops up through human history, a physical but not intellectual/spiritual duplicate- looking the same, acting the same, but not actually being a reincarnation of the same person.

I suspect Oswin is timeologically interesting and thus keeps getting reborn as she dies before her time. Reincarnation, rather than Regeneration that the doctor has.

I was hoping she'd join the doctor from the 1800s version of her, rather than taking a "current time" companion like normal.


It was still unclear on why she was both a governess and a barmaid. I must have missed that bit of dialog if it was explained.

 

[Silver Moon]

I really enjoyed the episode but was disappointed with the ending. I was really hoping that the companion would be the wonderful Victorian-era version of the character rather than another contemporary one.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

She might be the Dr Whoverse version of South Park's Kenny.

 

[Tonguez]

There were also many Mary Poppins references in the episode. The ones I mainly caught were the umbrella catching the ladder, making her look like she is flying. My sister, who just read one or more of the books recently, cited that switching between accents was a major nod to Mary.

heh her Governess role actually reminded me of Pratchetts Susan Sto Helit, which was of course a homage to Mary Poppins.

Not sure of if it was the fighting monsters or the Big Ben reference.

and did anyone see any significance in the Big Ben reference? Clara told the children that she was born behind the face of Big Ben thus "accounting for my acute sense of time"