I saw it as soon as I posted it and couldn’t figure out how to change it. I spent so much time double checking that I’d written all the specials down that I forgot to spell check the titles lol.
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I think it crosses the line from sentimental to saccharine. It ends up being just too much for my tastes. I prefer more of a balance. Don’t think it’s outright terrible, but I do prefer most Christmas specials over it.
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I went back to my review and I confirmed my memory that I find Mysterio overwhelmingly dull. Harmony Shoal are possibly Who’s most forgettable monsters - which is quite a achievement for head-splitting aliens with brains in jars. I didn’t even remember them from Husbands! Justin Chatwin is dull as the Ghost and Lois Lane-lite is only marginally better. The Doctor and Nardole are the best thing about this.
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Well, sorry it’s not one for you, it works for me though.
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The Return of Doctor Mysterio isn’t my favorite, but there are bits of it I really love. The whole sequence at the beginning with the doctor and Grant on the rooftop is super fun! Although I wasn’t a huge fan of Lucy, I liked Grant a lot, and I liked how the doctor interacted with the two of them. I agree that it helps put a cap on what happened in the previous special, and serves as a good transition/explanation going into series 10.
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God I hope I didn’t come across as trying to piss on your parade!
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Ah didn’t realise I had two votes! In the end I went for Runaway Bride, but I did have a bit of a tough time picking it out from Last Christmas, Husbands of River Song and Christmas Carol. What cinched it for Runaway Bride is just its casual rewatch value, Its funny enough I can stick it on tv in the background while I’m half paying attention and still enjoy it, while I think the others’ strengths lie in maybe less frequent but more involved viewing.
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Oh no. You’re just fine, don’t worry.
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A Christmas Carol is an episode that takes the most famous Christmas story of all time and improves it ten-fold, easy first place.
But The Husbands of River Song is also a 10/10 episode. Perfect ending to a great character that just falls short of the emotional highs of A Christmas Carol.
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The twists on the three ghosts are incredible, future especially is just so good, so obvious in hindsight, and just something you don’t see coming until it hits
Perfect Moffat twist
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A Christmas Carol takes a lot of beating for me. Absolute perfection.
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I really liked that one initially. But it has gone down a few notches on subsequent rewatched.
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I rewatched Mysterio yesterday and didn’t dislike it as much as before. Probably won’t be rushing to watch again soon, though.
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A bit late on here (but oh well) I think my Answer has to be Husbands of River Song and Last Christmas. Both excellent Stories in their own rights and really the ones I can see myself revisit plenty of time.
The former is just a very lovely Conclusion to the River Song ‘Arc’, 12 and her have such good Chemistry, and it ends on such a bittersweet note.
The latter is my favorite Special, which uses Christmas Imagery and/or Themes. I really like how it explores Clara’s Grief about Danny and in general it’s very enjoyable.
Of course, we all know the OBJECTIVELY right answer would be The Feast of Steven (or you know if we include EU Material, Chimes of Midnight and Death in Blackpool).
Admittedly, if you ask me about the Christmas Special Slot, you’d realize quickly how many ‘hot takes’ I have on plenty of them. (Yes, Doctor Mysterio is good, for me, at least.) But anyway, I am happy for anybody who absolutely adores the Slot!!
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