Not sure what Ncuti's sexuality has to do with anything?

 

I enjoyed the episode, it was heaps of fun. Will it go down as a classic? No, not at all. It was very light on plot, but it was clearly meant to be a fun, light vehicle to introduce 15 properly as well as Ruby, and it succeeded in that respect. The singing *was* a bit cringe but otherwise I enjoyed. Ncuti and Millie have HEAPS of chemistry and I can't wait for them to have some meatier stuff to get stuck into! I liked Ruby's family too, would be happy to see more of Carla and Cherry. Also, I have NO idea who Mrs Flood might be :o she knows of TARDISes but didn't seem to recognise it in the blue box form :thinking:

Ok i could give a thorough analysis of the many reasons i hated this xmas special. Most of them would be spoilers though and im not going to waste my time on listing them all.

Gravity creating gloves. Baby eating elves on flying magic time travelling pirate ships. Preaching without any basis in reality and ignoring health and safety like carer of a bed ridden senior taking on a foster child. Parking the tardis on a road junction. Time travelling back to an event and not making sure you got there early enough. Hyperactive personal space invading touchy feely kissy male who can only get away with it cos the actor is gay

 

 

Im not prone to hyperbole when it comes to Who but i think the sickening strings during soapy moments says it all. Its been Disneyfied. The writing was not good. Need to go back to the 80s to find anything this poor. What a disappointment.

 

Literally nothing you’ve listed bothered me in the slightest. ‘Getting away with being touchy feels because he’s gay’ is such a loaded and telling comment, no wonder you put all those non spoilers in needless spoiler tags on here. Do better.

 

I thought it was good. I like 15 and I like Ruby and I like her family too. Davina’s part was quite good too and nowhere near as cringe as it could have been. Anita Dobson’s character is also intriguing. It was a basic intro episode and that’s fine. 15 and Ruby joining in the singing was the only part I really wasn’t that fussed with but generally a promising start.

Absolutely loved the David Tennant specials but this was horrendous tonight. The plot was very weak, the acting was poor and the singing was even more cringe. I want to get on board with Ncuti but I thought this was the wrong episode to launch him properly. Hopefully can redeem itself in May.

The singing was incredibly naff, but apart from that I enjoyed it. The Christmas specials have never been particularly plot-heavy and this was no different. It was a good introductory episode for the new team. I'm intrigued to know more about Mrs Flood. What is it about water? River Song, Amy Pond and now Mrs Flood.

Absolute SHITE

 

I'll be bsck for Moffat and the next Doc, assuming she's a woman or David Tennant, ta

It wasn’t great but the Christmas specials often aren’t. It had it’s moments at least and most importantly I got a pretty good first impression of Ncuti’s Doctor and Ruby even with a weaker script so looking forward to watching their series.

 

As far as the goblin signing is concerned, yeah it was very naff.

Edited December 25, 20231 yr by Feliz Navidot

I am so intrigued by Anita Dobson's character :o

 

Think it needs another watch to be certain of it. The plot was all over the place really but generally a light/enjoyable episode

And god, she is the worst companion ever. Even worse than the fam! Shoulda stuck to the cobbles! I am also shocked by the low level of writing. It's just RTD at his worst. Also, Doctor Who does NOT go clubbing. He just doesn't. Ever. I just don't get how RTD has forgotten that the Doctor is meant to be SOCIALLY AWKWARD!!, not a social butterfly, which is a very important part of his character. He also seems to have forgotten that it's meant to be a sci fi, not high fantasy, show? That's IGNORING the shoddy level of writing throughout, and the absolute mess of a plot. I was expecting a bad plot, from the goblins element, but this was Chibnall levels of bad writing. I want Jo Martin as the Doctor :( ...But with Moffat-quality writing, of course. Maybe next time? And again with MOFFAT! RTD is just not doing it. This writing quality will see this show axed, as will the acting, especially from that woman from Corrie. Doc Who right now feels like cheesy Chibnall.

'Disneyfied' is what comes to mind as well I must say, I know I sound like a broken record but I REALLY hate the tired Disney formula, it's what put me off Star Wars and I do worry it will happen here too, I'm giving it a chance as it's not really started yet, but I am worried it's going to go in a direction that's just not for me.

 

But it wasn't all bad, the last fifteen minutes had some decent tension and honestly I really quite enjoyed Jabba the Hutt's minions recreating Return of the Jedi to a point, I also missed how killing the king makes them literally disappear though and I'm not going to question it as they clearly started the Christmas drinks a bit too early when writing this x

 

Ncuti is clearly game for this and did all he could, but these scripts aren't doing him justice yet, though he did get a lot better at the end. Ruby seems to have a lot more personality than the last three put together, and I'm hoping the question of her upbringing does come up again.

 

I appreciate they're keeping the mysteries going with Mrs. Flood, I'm certainly wondering if the water connection is coincidental, the other thought was linked in some way to the Master as there's just been a few too many references to him now...

Disneyfied, yes!!!! But at its worst. That is VERY RTD; when he's bad, he is very, VERY cheesy Disney. The scripts, and writing, just aren't doing it.

I didn't quite hate it but frankly it was crap. The consensus in the room agreed too, which included my kids whove grown up with the dhow.

The writing was beyond terrible, the plot was pathetic and full of logicsl inconsistencies and plot holes.

Xmas episodes are usually poor so I'm still reserving judgment but this felt like it was written for infants.

 

On the positives I think Gatwa has potential and was likeable but could veer in to irritating with RTD's writing. Needs to be given a half decent script to see for sure. Still not showing any complexity or depth yet. Overall, likeable but shallow to date.

Same for Ruby so far. Engaging to a degree but written as stupid and lacking situational awareness.

 

Mrs. Flood immediately brings to mind The Rani (she does know Albert Sq sfter all) but maybe too obvious a connection.

I would love for them to bring The Rani back, someone who just disappeared and has never been revisited. I think it was also a prominent scene for Mrs Flood to mention the police box being parked outside her house as usually we're told that people just ignore it and don't notice it. There were subtle flecks of greatness in the episode but I think it's been drowned out by some of the sillyness. They've got to revisit Ruby being abandoned otherwise why even pay double attention to the hooded person walking away from the church.

Edited December 26, 20231 yr by lewis🎄green

As a casual fan, the Christmas episode was not good.

We need Moffat back in order to save the show, and to stare down Disney over the cheese. RTD will just play into the Disney cheese and low-stakes angle.

Meekul pls x

Id rate it as maybe an 8/10 in Christmas specials and 6/10 in companion introduction episodes.

 

I really enjoyed this as a light, fun episode and the only criticism I mirror from others on here is the singing. The goblin song was funny and genuinely would’ve been my favourite part of this if not for the Doctor and Ruby then singing along. It just felt a bit strange that Ruby who was about to see a baby get eaten alive by Jabba The Hutt didn’t have an issue jumping into song and dance along with a stranger she had only just met. A man who she met at a club who then mysteriously appeared at her house the next day.

 

15 is fantastic so far, as is Ruby to be honest despite the above thing. But now they’ve met and assuming with a proper introduction at the beginning of episode 1 I’m all here for the new era. I’m also loving the fact that Ruby doesn’t seem to have a huge overarching “most important person in the universe” shtick like other companions have had. I’m rewatching older series right now and going Donna->Amy->Clara it’s just everyone one upping each other with who has the biggest impact on the rest of the world lol

Id rate it as maybe an 8/10 in Christmas specials and 6/10 in companion introduction episodes.

 

I really enjoyed this as a light, fun episode and the only criticism I mirror from others on here is the singing. The goblin song was funny and genuinely would’ve been my favourite part of this if not for the Doctor and Ruby then singing along. It just felt a bit strange that Ruby who was about to see a baby get eaten alive by Jabba The Hutt didn’t have an issue jumping into song and dance along with a stranger she had only just met. A man who she met at a club who then mysteriously appeared at her house the next day.

 

15 is fantastic so far, as is Ruby to be honest despite the above thing. But now they’ve met and assuming with a proper introduction at the beginning of episode 1 I’m all here for the new era. I’m also loving the fact that Ruby doesn’t seem to have a huge overarching “most important person in the universe” shtick like other companions have had. I’m rewatching older series right now and going Donna->Amy->Clara it’s just everyone one upping each other with who has the biggest impact on the rest of the world lol

 

Are you sure? Abandoned at a church as a baby, supposed mother’s face not seen, no DNA matches to anyone else on the databases and a neighbour who knows what a Tardis is? There’s definitely something going on!

 

Are you sure? Abandoned at a church as a baby, supposed mother’s face not seen, no DNA matches to anyone else on the databases and a neighbour who knows what a Tardis is? There’s definitely something going on!

 

I suppose that’s true, mystery around companions is nice. But if it turns out that Ruby is an orphaned timelord and the neighbour is an exiled timelord that’s in hiding to protect the child I will riot in Star Wars

 

Season finale is the Master saying “Ruby, I am your father”

Edited December 26, 20231 yr by Dexton

Id rate it as maybe an 8/10 in Christmas specials and 6/10 in companion introduction episodes.

 

I really enjoyed this as a light, fun episode and the only criticism I mirror from others on here is the singing. The goblin song was funny and genuinely would’ve been my favourite part of this if not for the Doctor and Ruby then singing along. It just felt a bit strange that Ruby who was about to see a baby get eaten alive by Jabba The Hutt didn’t have an issue jumping into song and dance along with a stranger she had only just met. A man who she met at a club who then mysteriously appeared at her house the next day.

 

15 is fantastic so far, as is Ruby to be honest despite the above thing. But now they’ve met and assuming with a proper introduction at the beginning of episode 1 I’m all here for the new era. I’m also loving the fact that Ruby doesn’t seem to have a huge overarching “most important person in the universe” shtick like other companions have had. I’m rewatching older series right now and going Donna->Amy->Clara it’s just everyone one upping each other with who has the biggest impact on the rest of the world lol

 

I understand that criticism, but it's not major. If not for mysteries with the companions, we get ... the Timeless Child nonsense and destruction of the canon!! Give me super important/ powerful companions over that any day! It also balances out the dynamic betwedn a super powerful male being and a female companion, often damselling.

 

Maybe Mrs Flood is Ruby’s grandmother.