The Fuggin Snowmen
I almost feel like I'm cheating on the Ponds how quickly I'm falling in love with Clara and the Clara/Doctor dynamic. I mean, I already ship it. That's pretty quick, right?
But, Kate! What about River/Doctor? I mean, they're married and all and I know you love them!
You bring up a good point, dear reader. It's the same "La la la not listening" stance that I took with Amy/Doctor. I consider myself as having an OTC- One True Character of the Doctor. I ship him with just about anyone. Relationships in Doctor Who become 50% less interesting to me when the Doctor is removed from the equation.
But besides shipping, OMG OSWIN. I mean, WHO THE FRICK IS SHE. I love mysteries. Maybe not everyone is a fan of the companion taking the spot light over the Doctor, but I love it. We already know the Doctor (kinda). Clara is new and exciting and mysterious and HOW THE FRICK CAN SHE DIE TWICE??? It's like River Song all over again and while I could see other fans getting up in arms about another Mysterious Back Story Companion, I'm eating it up. Bring it, Moffat. I'm ready to be Moffucked.
"What did she say?"
"Pond."
al;jflakjwfldakjfadlkj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I flailed over the remaining episode from that one word and his reaction.
New TARDIS design? I think it will have to grow on me as I don't immediately love it, but I like it. Just reminds me what a Tumblr user said, something to the effect of, "Even the TARDIS lost her ginger." D=
New opening credits? Now these I sort of love. A lot. I think it's trippy and spacey and a nice touch of a throw back with Matt Smith's face. Call it cheesy, but I love it.
The plot itself, I could give or take. Episodes like The Snowmen, I'm watching more for the Doctor and Clara's interactions than the actual story line. Sorry, Richard E Grant (though I thought he acted well in the episode!).
Madame Vashtra (sp?), Jenny, and Strax could also have either been in there or not and it wouldn't have affected my reception of episode much. I did like Strax's comedy relief but when a character is so obviously there for comedy relief, it turns me off from them a smidgen. That being said, I did enjoy their interactions in the episode and the additional depth to the Doctor's self isolation & etc.
But back to happy shipping: OMG DAT KISS. DID HE KISS HER BACK???!!/? AND WHEN SHE FELL ON TOP OF HIM AND THEY STAYED LIKE THAT FOR AAAAAAGES. OMGOMGOMGOMG AND THEN THE KEY. AND BEFORE THE DANCING AROUND THE TARDIS. AND THE FLIRTING. AND ATAHLKHEJLTKJAAA. I was slightly perturbed about the forehead kiss because that's HIS AND AMY'S THANG but maybe it's just an Eleventy thing.
My Mom and I agreed: This episode was less like previous Christmas specials in that it was not a clean-cut one off that any non-Who viewer can watch and be on with their day. It stuck by this formula until about the last ten minutes when it really grabbed the viewer and made it look more like a season opener than a one-off. I think it was good writing because it can potentially create new viewers. It's frustrating as all, too, but hey. That's Moffat for you.