Council of Geeks has their episode review up:
As does Jessie Gender:
So, here are my initial thoughts before listening or hearing anybody elses.
I really liked this overall. It definitely has all the hallmarks of a Moffat script, but that writing style brings more good here than bad. His heavy use of sentimentality and fairy tale romance work well for Doctor Who, especially at Christmas. And I found the atmosphere pretty pleasant and fun throughout. It’s a creative setting and story. A lot of characters really stood out, some even moreso than Joy. I really connected with Antia and Trev’s characters.
Right now I’m thinking it’s a 10/10 for me. Even if some parts were a bit cheesy or overly saccharine, it moved me and was a pretty fun adventure overall. Maybe improved on as an experience by me taking a break halfway through watching it
I see people online talking about how bad it looked once Joy took in the star, and I can’t for the life of me understand what is supposedly wrong with the effects.
The effect were pretty much flawless in this one. Even the dinosaur looked really good. It’s evident what the extra money brings to the show.
Also, Joy’s transformation might have been made to look a bit “fake” deliberately, to underline it’s magical/fairy tale quality?
If James Bond and Doctor Who are canonically in the same universe, is James Bond a rogue time lord to explain why his face keeps changing?? Even further are James Bond and Rassilon with Timothy Dalton’s face the same person?? Is James Bond an alter ego Rassilon plays in his spare time?? /lh
And if James Bond and Star Wars are in the same universe with Doctor Who, we suddenly realise that the Jagaroth took on many other personalities than the ones seen in City of Death. He went up against James Bond (and lost) and worked alongside Darth Vader (and lost again)…
He also chose unwisely…
Well there you have it, folks. Doctor Who saves lives.
This has been the longest I’ve ever gone I think in not rewatching a new episode of Doctor Who. Almost a week later and I just don’t want to, which is unusual.
Even Legend of Ruby Sunday and Empire of Death, which I loathed, I still had another go to give them a fair shot, and wanted to.
I do need to rewatch it to give it a fair shot as well but for some reason I just can’t be arsed. I think it might be down to this being, by quite some margin, the farthest I’ve from general consensus on a new episode in years. And it’s usually the other way, in that I’m loving one loads didn’t. And sure, last season’s finale was divisive but that meant there almost wasn’t a consensus.
Not that it doesn’t have its critics (because it does) but this one seems quite highly thought of in general whereas I just couldn’t see the fuss on my first watch. So feeling quite so out of step this time is jumbled up with my apathy towards the episode itself.
I need to review it so I need to rewatch at some point but if this continues I will actually have to force myself to do it.
It’s ok to not like an episode and not have the motivation to rewatch and review it as a result. If it feels like you have to force yourself to do it, what’s the point? Maybe it will just take more time until you feel up to it.
I am just the same Chris.
Last night I thought, okay now I have to give it a second go, but I shut it off after maybe 7 or 8 minutes. I can’t quite put my finger on why I neither, as you put it, can be arsed to watch it all the way through at the moment.
I’ll look forward to your review when it eventually drops
I’ve not yet written down my thoughts but, in brief, I did enjoy it but there was one part everyone is raving about which, actually, I didn’t really like that much.
It’s the year spent with Anita isn’t it?
A rather underwhelming Christmas in Doctor Who terms for me, what with not taking to either Joy to the World or The War Games in Colour.
Still, lots of Big Finish to catch up on!
There’s always so much Big Finish to catch up on
I quite liked War Games in Colour, but I went in with very low expectations after the Daleks one.
The full transcript is now available!
Ah, you do transcripts. This must be how the Chakoteyo-TARDISGuide war begins.
Just checking you’re still awake. Fixed!
Actually we use Chakoteyo’s transcripts, with permission!
I edit them though, sometimes remove some of the funny comments, and also I fix the accuracy of them - I’ve made loads of changes, so hopefully you’ll find the ones I’ve checked are the most accurate