More Pics From The Name Of The Doctor

They just released a crap-load of new pictures from the finale. Who knows what to make of some of them until Saturday, but i for one can hardly wait.

The Name of The Doctor Promo Pics

You've probably heard about the mistake made over the weekend where some copies of season 7 part 2 were sent to people in America who pre-ordered them. From what I understand they got them Saturday, which means it had two un-aired episodes for them, one being this Saturday's finale! The BBC seem to have done a good job of removing it from some places, but I can't help think someone will rip it and put it on before Saturday. Not that I would reveal the secret, and I do end up watching it on TV and always buy the bluray anyway. But after the 2 trailers we've had so far, I don't think I want to know anything more about what's going to happen.

And along those lines the BBC have released some new images from "The Name of The Doctor" which don't appear particularly spoilery, but here they are to enjoy while I finish up reviewing "Nightmare In Silver".

Sad news and 50th Filming Pics

It made me sad to read today that David Tenannt is the only previous Doctor returning for the 50th. This was , or is in Doctor Who Magazine. I've read interviews with Steven Moffat where he talks about the 50th being about going forward, as opposed to looking back. But no recognition to any of them? Of course now that I really think about it it would be hard to explain Tom Bakers age, but he's so brilliant. Just to see him play the part again. And then I bet it's hard to insert completely different ideas into an ongoing story line, but it's a special. Oh well, what are we going to do?

As sad as I was to hear that, I was equally as much excited to see these pics from today's filming of the 50th special.

They are going back to where it all began in 1963. Totters Lane was where the TARDIS was parked. Coal Hill school is where The Doctor's granddaughter, Susan, went to school. Her teachers, Ian and Barbara, followed her home and were taken away for the shows first adventures. They literally were taken. The Doctor pretty much hijacked them. But that's not important. What's important is that this may fall right in with my theory of Clara being connected with Susan. Is it her? That would change the course of Who, as Moffat said, having his granddaughter back. Will The Doctor find a fob watch among her things? Or is it just a way of paying homage to where it all started? The Doctor has been back there. O the top of my head in "Attack of the Cybermen", and "Remembrance of the Daleks", the first being the one where The Doctor fixes the chameleon circuit and we see the TARDIS change her disguise.

Some other people spotted something that could also be interesting, if it isn't just a case of recycling a prop, which is not an alien concept to them. The seat that Oswin sat in as she talked to  The Doctor in "Asylum of the Daleks" is the same seat that Jenny sat in as she flew away in "The Doctor's Daughter", and I've already mentioned that Russel was going to kill her and Steven asked him to save her. 

Hopefully we will learn more, but surely filming must end soon. At any rate, by the finale we will know who Clara is. And now to bed, because...

10hours 17minutes 45seconds until "The Crimson Horror"

Review to follow

Cosplay, Roundups, and Wishful Thinking

You may have seen this picture floating around, but I just had to share it cuz it's such an awesome design. I guess now we don't say costume anymore, it has been traded in for the younger, edgier "cosplay". I just had to share it so maybe more people can see what a great job she did.

I have absolutely no idea if anyone notices, but just in case someone has my url written down or saved, I have gone back to my domain name, essentially dropping the "blogspot" from the addy, leaving it simply sheridanistics.com. I don't know why I changed and I hope this doesn't mess with anyone.

I just recently discovered the BBC America website's confusingly titled "Doctor Who's Day Roundup" , presented by Anglophenia. It is not a daily roundup but the day they do the roundup, which is every Tuesday, rounding up the week. Nit picking aside they post some great things. They're one of the places that posted this picture. But they also include links to some fun articles and Doctor Who lists. The roundup I linked for you includes videos of Karen Gillan on American talk show The Late Late show w/Craig Ferguson, behind the scenes of "Journey to the centre of the TARDIS", clips from "The Crimson Horror", and more. There is a list of top TARDIS moments and a really great list of 25 Who stories they feel didn't get enough credit. It covers the entire show, and even if you don't agree it's a fun read. There's more so go check them out. I also linked the 25 stories article if you just wanted to read that.

I'm working on getting it together to do my own roundups of the things that really interested me during the week, but until then I will share sites who do. We have 3 more episodes this series. Trying to add up all the clues and incidental occurrences with Clara, I'm not much further along with any theories. I am certain her reading the name in the book is going to come into play, even if now it's like it didn't happen. And I have been sort of watching episodes as my niece is working her way through the show for the first time (so proud) and last night was "The Doctor's Daughter". Jenna-Louise said Steven Moffat was bringing out plot points he laid years ago. What if one of those were Jenny. Moff said something about the finale changing the course of Who forever. I'm purposely ignoring the issue of his name.

That takes me back to a theory I read saying Clara is a future incarnation of The Doctor, leading him to his regeneration. Perhaps just calling to him. I can't really believe they would do that again ("Logopolis"). But what if they did and Jenna-Louise wanted to leave after next year. I'm still going to hold onto my idea that Clara is somehow The Doctor's granddaughter, Susan, or her descendant, WHO I JUST REALIZED WOULD BE PART HUMAN, because Susan stayed behind on Earth after falling in love. Well, The Doctor left her there. There may be something there? I need to go process.

Okay, until the next post.

And we have 2days 22hours 58minutes 46seconds until "The Crimson Horror"

Doctor Who Review: Hide

Simply put i loved "Hide". I loved the way it made me feel. I love the way it was shot. I loved Jessica Raine as Emma and Dougray Scott as Alec. So a ghost story ended up being a love story, it didn't make the chills along the way any less real. And so it ended abruptly. Not everything needs to be neatly wrapped with a bow for you to get it does it? Everything resolved itself, we were just treated to an epilogue of sorts. This is an instant favorite for me and one I'm sure I will watch repeatedly for a while, so get ready Scott. It's been pretty quiet the past couple of days, with just a few shots from the filming of the 50th. I could mention that we will see Jessica later when she plays Verity Lambert, Doctor Who's first producer, in "An Adventure in Space and Time", the film they are making about the creation of the show. Now to the episode...

Sorry if you read this already without seeing the episode. I forgot to put the

****SPOILER ALERT**** ****SPOILER ALERT****

It starts like many a good ghost story on a stormy night in a big eerie house on the moors, Caliburn house.  Inside, two people, one man one woman, are setting up for ghostly studies. You can already sense the sexual tension. He records the date as the 4th night of the study, November 25, 1974, 11:04pm. Again we have elevens, like Clara's mention of chapter 11 in the book in "The Bells of Saint John". Another one is coming. Also only a couple of days off of the anniversary date, which was the birth date (not year) of Clara from "The Snowmen".  Okay, so they call out to the spirits, or she does. He wears big 70's headphones. The equipment goes wild and the spirit approaches in flashes, passing through the woman, who declares the spirit to be dead. There is sudden knock at the door. The Doctor is there and says he is looking for a ghost, and the man asks who he is and Clara pops around and says "ghostbusters".

This seems as good a time as any to bring up something minor, but it drives me crazy. In the theme of 'The Snowmen", there is an additional electronic noise in the music. It begins right about the time the TARDIS disappears and goes on through into the vortex and title. Ever since then we only get a tiny bit right after the logo disappears and the new vortex begins. I love it and wish they had kept it. This happened last series. In the credits for "A Good Man Goes To War", when the Doctor Who logo comes up you can clearly hear the TARDIS even as the TARDIS on screen flies off in the vortex. That was the only episode that series it happened. I think he does this shit just to fuck with us.

The Doctor knows who the two are already. He uses the psychic paper to establish an identity with the ministry of intelligence, health and safety division. (he likes that cover, "Partners in Crime") He calls the man Major Alec Palmer, and recalls his triumphs in espionage and for the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare. The Doctor's resume for him also include being a talented watercolorist, professor of psychology and a ghost hunter. The woman is his assistant, Emma Grayling, a psychic. The Doctor oohs and aahs over the equipment and asks to be shown the ghost. I love the candelabra  So far it has a really good ghost feel with creaks and bangs echoing. Clara is spooked by the noises and calls Alec brave for buying the house.

The Doctor is taking selfies and once again helping himself to any food and drink present. Alec shows him pictures of the Caliburn ghost. Good shots of what you'd expect a ghost to look like, white, wide eyed, open mouthed.  It has been there longer than the house and present in many legends and poetry. She is called the witch of the well but there is no well on the property, and her sighting is usually accompanied by a knocking. Clara notices the ghost is always in the same position, no matter the angle of the picture. Emma hears her calling for help. Something passes behind them in the doorway. Still carrying a good spooky vibe.

An adorable exchange between Clara and The Doctor as he tries to get her to come find the ghost. Emma tells them the music room is the heart of the house. Scary candlelit journey and wood creaking behind them. Somethings is also in the shadows. Elsewhere, Emma tries to express her feelings to Alec, but he backs away. In the music room, The Doctor finds a cold spot and draws a chalk circle around that space on the floor. As they leave the room Clara runs through it. Downstairs the equipment starts to react. There is a knocking sound. It gets colder and Emma says, "She is coming".

They did the old I'm not holding your hand bit, but it was effective and we saw more of a glimpse of the creature behind them in the shadows when lightning flashed. The chalk circle starts to vaporize into the air. I'm just going to tell you right now I don't understand the circle and it didn't get explained. Downstairs a large spinning black disc appears floating. The other way the ghost appears, and is clearly standing in a forest. The Doctor is snapping pics of both. As both disappear a ghostly "Help Me" is scrawled on the wall a few seconds before vanishing.

Here is the other eleven reference. Clara and Emma have some whiskey, but Emma says she'd prefer tea. Clara agrees, claiming whiskey is the 11th most disgusting thing ever invented. WTF is going on with the elevens? Anyway, in the darkroom, The Doctor and Alec are developing pictures and discussing Alec's missions. We can see a similarity to The Doctor in living after seeing so much death. The selfie The Doctor took has a ghost over his shoulder. He says she isn't what he thought she'd be. He thought she'd be fun. Now he didn't come for the ghost, so I wonder if that's what he was really talking about. The Doctor borrows Alec's camera. Emma and Clara discuss romance and Clara assures her the feeling is mutual with Alec, she can tell. But when Emma asks if there's something between Clara and The Doctor, she is relieved when Clara tells her no. She says not to trust him, he has a sliver of ice in his heart. Strange stuff.

Clara tells The Doctor she doesn't think the TARDIS likes her. He says she's like a cat, and is slow to trust. Why doesn't Clara have a key yet? The Doctor has to let her in. I love the mention of needing a coat rack and The Doctor trying to remember if he had one at some time or if he was going mad. Doctor Who is the reason I got a coat rack years ago. Cute when Clara whispers "sorry" to the TARDIS after shaking out her wet umbrella inside. The Doctor brings out the orange spacesuit again and tells Clara they are not going anywhere but they are staying in the same spot, but going always. As the TARDIS dematerializes, Emma and Alec look out the window. When the lightning flashes there's an eerie reminder of a ghost story as we see a ghost off to their side. Great jump out of your skin moment.

The Doctor starts 6 billion years ago on a molten Earth taking pictures through time, all the way to what must be about the time The Doctor and Rose were on the observation platform in "The End of the World". Clara is greatly effected by seeing the entire life cycle of the planet. Probably picking up on his speech in "The Rings of Akhaten", she says they're all ghosts to him, they must be nothing. What can we possibly be she asks. The Doctor tells her, "The only mystery worth solving".

When they return, Emma sees Clara is shaken. Clara says she saw that everything dies. Emma says "Not everything, not love, not always" The Doctor says this later, but I feel it might be significant, since The Doctor told Clara they were going 'always' in the TARDIS. Here it turns from ghostly to sciency. The ghost is not a trapped spirit but a girl in a pocket universe where time runs 1 second for her and 100,000 years for us. She is a time traveler named Hilla something, i couldn't catch it and haven't found it printed yet. To Hilla, she crash landed 3 minutes ago and she is running from something. In a picture we see an odd dangerous looking creature not quite in focus. But Emma is a lantern drawing Hilla to this world and only Emma can save her.

In the plan, The Doctor uses a blue crystal from Metebelis 3, one was last used by the third Doctor, and pronounced differently. He also has a lit crystal thing he says is a subset of the eye of harmony. Alec asks Emma not to do it, fearing for her safety. we see her finally get through to him the feelings they share. Emma opens the doorway. The well is a reality well, a wormhole. The Doctor delivers a funny "Geronimo" and dives into the well attached to a harness.

Here we jump back to the creepy. The woods are foggy, creepy glimpses of the creature, the edge of this crumbling pocket universe was amazing looking. He finds Hilla, they get lost trying to find the harness. Emma calls out and projects an echo house from an echo universe to guide them. Inside they tie the door closed. The Doctor sends Hilla up in the harness. He hears the creature knock and realizes that is the knocking sound they've been hearing. With Hilla back, Alec takes the device off Emma's head and the well closes. Clara demands she reopen it. The floor under The Doctor disappears, replaced by forest floor. We hear the TARDIS cloister bells.

Clara tries to get into the TARDIS, who projects the voice visual interface in the form of Clara herself to argue that landing in the pocket universe would drain her. Clara won't listen, intent only on saving The Doctor. The TARDIS agrees and lets her in. Emma opens the doorway again. We see the TARDIS fly through the new vortex finally and I must say I approve. I'm still a great fan of the original (2005-2009) but this one is pretty damn good. In the woods The Doctor admits to being afraid. We get better glimpses of the creature and it's looking scarier each time. They way they shoot it as if in motion and standing still at the same time, just creepy. The Doctor knows the creature wants to piggy back over to the other world and begins to run. He's tackled by the creature and it's just even scarier this time with a good look. Here comes the TARDIS, flying by and not landing. One of those hilarious moments, like in Rat Race, when Rowan Atkinson was standing by the Amtrak tracks and when a train went by he just reached out and grabbed hold and ZIP was gone in a flash. That's how The Doctor did as the TARDIS whizzed by. The TARDIS makes it through Emma's doorway. The Doctor, who had been holding on outside the TARDIS, and Clara, who had been holding on for dear life inside, did a comical exhausted high five. It looks like it's over.... but it's not.

Remember I said The Doctor didn't come for the ghost? Emma figured it out. He came for her. He asks her what Clara is. She acts all innocent and passes her off as a perfectly ordinary girl, throwing out general descriptions like pretty and clever, a girl more scared than she lets on. But Emma doesn't trust The Doctor as we saw. She asks him isn't all of that enough? Goodbyes all around. The Doctor reveals the psychic link between Hilla and Emma was so strong because Hilla is Emma and Alecs great great great great great granddaughter. Here The Doctor says not everything ends, not love, not always. He remembers bits of conversation from the night and figures out the creature wasn't a threat, and not one creature. It's not a ghost story, it's a love story. These two got separated and trying to get back together. The Doctor asks Emma for a tiny favor.

The Doctor lands in the pocket universe and lets the creature know he understands and he can take the two of them somewhere safe. The creature comes and we get the best look. What a creation. Brilliant in that who would come up with that big hot mess? And a bit sad to think all this time it was a love struck boyfriend not a menacing killer. So misunderstood.  The Doctor was sweet when he called him "you old Romeo, you" and as the TARDIS comes flying through the air The Doctor ends it by saying "Get ready to jump". Yes, the abrupt ending, but I think I can figure out on my own what happens and it is fun to leave things at an exciting (safe) moment.

The preview for "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS" look great. That looks strongly like the pool through that doorway Clara is in front of. It looks massive and the roof looks like a starlit sky. And what's that about keeping lifeforms in the TARDIS? What are those claw marks? And why is The Doctor asking Clara "What are you, eh? A trick, a trap?"

4days 13hours 58minutes 22seconds until "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS"

Doctor Who Review: The Bells of Saint John

I found "The Bells of Saint John" to be entertaining and satisfying as both a (semi)series opener and as the first episode of a new companion. In the big mystery behind Clara we get a little bit of information that spawns many new questions. Set in modern day London this episode explores how connected we as people are to wifi. It opens with a warning against an odd wifi name and the dangers that can come from selecting these symbols. They can see you, they take you and trap your soul by uploading it, and your body eventually dies. We see a wall of screens with faces and we realize the warning is coming from someone trapped in the wifi already.

It looks like they are going to stick with a brushed metal type finish to the letters of the logo, and after the titles, begin the scene by going through the opening TARDIS doors, which I like. This one opens in 1207 Cumbria, where The Doctor is staying with monks. They come to tell him the bells of saint john are ringing. As he readies himself to go, we see a painting of Clara from "The Snowmen" with her final words "Run you clever boy, and remember" The monks seem to know of her as the girl twice dead, and to decipher the meaning behind her last words is why The Doctor has withdrawn to the monastery. I was so excited to find out what the bells were, the TARDIS exterior phone ringing. The monks were using the name of the Saint John's Ambulance symbol on the TARDIS door.

Now this whole time we have also been seeing Clara trying to connect with a help line for the internet. She seems to be once again watching children with a single father. The younger has a book called "Summer Falls", curiously authored by Amelia Williams. The boy tells Clara he is on chapter ten and she says, "chapter eleven is the best, you'll cry your eyes out." Is there meaning here in reference to the 10th and 11th Doctors? There is interesting speculation of a Rose connection with Clara, especially with Billie Piper coming back. Oswin wore a rose in her hair, Clara in "The Snowmen" worked at the rose and crown pub, and you'll see more references later and in the next 2 episodes.

The TARDIS is in a crypt(?) somewhere near the monastery and when he answers who is on the other line? Clara, whose been on hold this whole time waiting for him to pick up! He doesn't realize it's her and she's just looking for internet help. When The Doctor asks where she got the phone number she tells him some woman in a shop said it was the best help line in the universe. Could it be Rose? Or River? River is coming back for the finale. The Doctor tries to help her, and we see she knows nothing about computers. When she gets the password, rycbar123, she says aloud the mnemonic device to remember it "Run you clever boy and remember" which immediately stops The Doctor in his tracks. I don't know if this means anything, but she typed "1" and they showed Oswin, then she typed "2" and you see Victorian Clara, and when The Doctor blurts out "What did you say" she, instead of hitting "3", accidentally hit "4" and they show this Clara. But then she clicks the strange symbol on the wifi and we can see her face on the wall of screens, and see her turn away from the screen and walk off...

... to answer the door where The Doctor has arrived already. That cracked me up. They do the "Doctor Who, Doctor who?" things and when he says her name "Clara Oswin Oswald" she says it's just Clara Oswald and asks what that middle one was. Then finally we get a glimpse of the group behind this in their fancy offices. They seem to like Clara, wanting to upload her and splice her with a computer skills package. Send for the server, or "Spoonhead." The group is preserving minds in the cloud for their mysterious client. The head of the group, Ms. Kizlet, shows the control they have by adjusting qualities on her employees via her tablet, creating more obedience or less conscience and so on.

Meanwhile, Clara thinks The Doctor is crazy and won't talk to him. She hears a noise upstairs. An oddly familiar girl comes down the stairs and after strangely blank responses her head begins to turn and we see our first Spoonhead. Pretty cool effect and very creepy. The back of the head is concave with circuits and a beam to upload their victims souls. Oh, and it was the girl from the book cover earlier. The Doctor changes clothes (love the waistcoat) and finds Clara incapacitated, but calling out confused from the Spoonhead. The Doctor stops the upload (crazy fast typing skills), to the surprise of Ms.  Kizlet. When she finds out who he is she alerts the client that The Doctor had arrived as was warned.

The Doctor has put Clara to bed and is setting things up for her like a glass of water and some flowers (ROSES) and sees a book of hers "101 Places to See" that she has had since the age of 9. Every age is marked out but two are missing, 16 and 23. 24 is the oldest age. There is also a leaf in the front that The Doctor gives a good sniffing then a lick. He looked a bit confused as he placed the leaf back. There's going to be more to this next episode. The leaf was a Norwegian Maple. Norway is where Bad Wolf Bay was.

Clara wakes up, doesn't remember what happened, sees The Doctor camped outside guarding her, he suggests sleep but she joins him with a cup of tea. Ms. Kizlet sees the TARDIS in a view of Clara's house. They still want her. She increases the IQ of a worker on her tablet to devise a plan of attack. The Doctor explains the wifi problem, having worked some of it out, and Clara makes a Twitter joke which alerts him that Clara is suddenly computer savvy. The Doctor sees a Spoonhead (or walking wifi base station) and tries to get Clara in the TARDIS, which leads to a comical exchange where she wonders if it's his snog box. But something new has started. All the lights on the street are coming on. Then all the lights of the surrounding town start to go out. Then they see the plane coming towards them, in the middle of a lit target. IN THE BOX, a very quick bigger on the inside as Clara stumbles around amazed, not letting go of that tea cup. Shocked The Doctor is going out, Clara is even more shocked when the doors open to reveal they are in fact inside the airplane, where all passengers are asleep. . "It's all very sciency" explains The Doctor as they struggle their way to the cockpit. After pleas for explanation The Doctor reveals to Clara he is an alien with two hearts who is 1000 years old but can't fly a plane. Together they raise the plane to an upright position and The Doctor switches off the wifi allowing the crew to resume control. The Doctor snatches a dazed Clara, still holding that tea cup, away.

Quick scene of Ms. Kizlet confused at the TARDIS' disappearance. In the TARDIS, Clara wants more explanations and can't wait until the suggested breakfast discussion, again getting surprised when the door opens to reveal morning. We can see The Doctor popping down another hall of the TARDIS on his way to the garage, soon he comes out riding a motorcycle. Now a nice little spring zoom around London on motorbike. People taking pictures have alerted Ms Kizlet to the TARDIS' whereabouts as well as Clara's.

The Doctor can't hack the system to find out where these people are. He learns Clara has been watching the children about a year, since their mother died. Also a year for Oswin in "Asylum of the Daleks", and a year as governess in "The Snowmen". Clara notices how The Doctor keeps looking at her. She says she can hack in and get the location. In the coffee shop, The Doctor can't get coffee because Ms. Kizlet keeps talking to him through the people there, telling him he has no hope of saving Clara, so he goes to check on her. Meanwhile Clara just needs a password to set up what shes setting up. She says aloud "Oswald for the win" Then, "Oswin!" Again this jars The Doctor, and he goes back to the shop.

Clara uses the webcams of the workers at the, I don't even know what to call it. Organization? Anyway, she snaps all their pics and uses a face matching software to find them on social media, leading her to their work location, The Shard building in London. Clara tells The Doctor when he returns but it's actually a spoonhead and she gets properly uploaded this time. The real Doctor finds The Doctor spoonhead with Clara's face in it and aims his sonic screwdriver.

Ms Kizlet and company discuss Clara being fully integrated and how she can't be downloaded now, and also that The Doctor is coming, on the motorbike. Speaking through a bum, Ms Kizlet scoffs at The Doctor's attempt to enter the building. He shows her his motorcycle he rode in the anti-grav Olympics of 2074, where he came in last. But she tells him the building is on lock-down and he says wonderfully, "did you even hear the word anti-grav?" He hits a big button and zooms off and up the side of the Shard, crashing into Ms. Kizlet's office. He tells her to download Clara. She says they'd have to download the whole cloud and many have no bodies to go to. He then motivates her by revealing he never came, but sent the spoonhead, which hoovered Ms. Kizmet right up. The Doctor spoonhead then uses Kizlet's tablet to increase her aide's obedience to 100, so when her face on the wall of screened faces calls out to download her, he obeys and they all go back, but some to death. Still, better than frozen on that wall.

Then something funny happens. UNIT comes to secure the building, but nobody knows who UNIT are. Even Ms. Kizlet tells the client they must be friends of The Doctor. The client confirms because he does know UNIT.  The client ends up being The Great Intelligence again, this time using Simeon's face on the screen. He withdraws from their minds and she is reverted back to before he had control of her, a scared little girl looking for her mummy and daddy.

The Doctor shows up at Clara's. She comes in. Talks about how she was going to travel when she came here and their mother died. The Doctor says it's a time machine, they can always get back in time for anything and still see all of time and space out those doors, which cracks Clara up. She asks if his little act works to get people in his snogging booth. She says to ask her again tomorrow, then she might say yes. Before she goes he asks about the leaf she has in the book. She tells him it isn't a leaf, it's page one. The Doctor does look a bit confused at that. I hope so because I kind of am, especially given what happens in the next episode.

Up next, "The Rings of Akhaten"

Doctor Who review: The 2012 Christmas Special: The Snowmen

HUGE NEWS today coming out of Doctor Who Magazine that I HAVE to mention first. Both David Tennant AND Billie Piper are confirmed to be in the 50th anniversary. I haven't read the article but the post I read noted the special will be 90 minutes. It will remain to be seen if it is the actual Doctor or 10.5 who was left with Rose in the parallel universe. And if it is 10.5, will he be wearing different clothes? Okay, there's lots of review unless I can pare it down, sorry in advance, but here goes...

"The Snowmen" was shot beautifully, and the music throughout was incredible. I'll just get that out of the way. I have been so happy with the quality of the episodes this series. It starts with bitey snowflakes in space falling towards the Earth. In 1842 England a young boy builds a snowman, not joining in with the other kids. The snowman talks to him, says he doesn't need the others and that he can help the boy. Flash forward 50 years to a grown Dr. Simeon supervising men who are scraping snow into jars off the snowmen in the yard. The jars make their way to the G.I (Great Intelligence) where Simeon feeds them into a large snow globe with swirling snow and the voice of Ian McKellan, the same voice that spoke to Simeon as a boy. The workers are fed to the snowmen, who are now animated with icy shark teeth.

The last time we saw Jenna, she was Oswin Oswald, junior entertainment director for the starship Alaska, who was turned into a Dalek. Now we find Clara working as a bar maid in the Rose & Crown pub. Out back a snowman appears instantly and she asks The Doctor, who happens to be passing, about it. Here we have gloomy Doctor, wearing Amy's glasses. It sparks his interest, but he passes on the mystery, tells Clara she should keep her name, and leaves. Clara chases. In a carriage The Doctor is speaking with Madame Vastra via an interesting victorian looking microphone that has no doubt been sonickd up. She is mocking The Doctor about meeting new people, saying it always starts with the same two words. When The Doctor claims Clara doesn't even know the name, Doctor, Clara pops through the roof of the carriage and asks those two words, "Doctor who?"

The new credits are crazy. I don't even know where to start. There's just so much going on. I see elements of more than one classic credits. It was great seeing Matt's face. It felt bigger, grander. In a way like the tv movie. The theme had an eerie element to it, and I loved that. The tradition this series continued and the title letters had a frosted look to them. I actually hope they keep at least the music, but all in all I really like it better than the last opening.

Dr. Simeon visits a home with a pond where the year before a governess had drowned in and been frozen. Simeon wants what's in the ice. Vastra and Jenny confront Simeon and discuss this new snow that has memory and can learn. Vastra hopes it's listening to the right people, since it would make a great weapon. Simeon makes a cute comment about the rumor that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based Sherlock Holmes on Madame Vastra, who fails to elicit a reaction when he sees her skin. Here I'm going to say that I'm gay and even I'm getting a bit tired of Vastra and Jenny constantly announcing the fact that they are a couple. We get it. We got it way back on the first time. Anyway, madame Vastra threatens to enlist help, but Jenny reminds her that The Doctor never helps anymore, but they need him.

Strax and The Doctor are spying on the G.I. and what their interest is in the snow. Strax is so silly, and most of the time it works. The Doctor won't investigate and then we start hearing a commotion coming from the carriage, reminding us about Clara. The Doctor wants to use the memory worm on her. One touch and you lose the last hour of memory, a bit and you could lose decades. Clara's amused while Strax comically struggles to find the worm. Then the snowmen pop up instantly. The Doctor says they're feeding off her thoughts because she was thinking about them, so imagine them melting. It worked, they melted. Since she needs this knowledge to fight possible future encounters, The Doctor cannot use the memory worm on Clara. I love Clara. I loved her instantly in Asylum. She's so brilliant and strong and smart and clever and more than a verbal match for The Doctor. and she's just so adorable.

So Clara gives Strax the slip and follows The Doctor to the park and sees him reach up to pull down a ladder that appeared out of nowhere. My heart skipped a beat when she jumped up and was able to grab hold of the ladder. The music for Clara I also love. The invisible spiral staircase into the clouds was beautiful and felt like a fairy tale. I loved it when she reached the top and they panned around until the TARDIS was shown behind her. I'll say here that aside from some scuffs the TARDIS looks normal and come back to that later. She came so close, missing the opportunity to go inside when chased around the TARDIS. But she goes back down the stairs, leaving her shawl behind.

Back at the G.I. the snow globe says the snow will thaw and the drowned woman and screaming child will give them form. In the morning Clara wakes up, leaves the pub, noting the absence of snow. She won't share what her other job is, but in a carriage she changes into posh clothes and arrives at the house with the frozen pond as Miss Montague, the governess. She encourages the father, Capt. Latimer, to be more involved with his children, which seems to frighten him. The daughter, Francesca, is having dreams about the old governess. She had fallen into the pond, it froze, and she was trapped for many days. She tells her in dreams she is returning that night, Christmas eve. They keep showing ice crystals forming together in the pond, which despite the thaw is still frozen. Her brother, Digby, says casually that maybe Frannie needs a doctor.

Clara goes back to the park and calls out to the sky for The Doctor, attracting attention. Jenny sees her and takes her to Vastra, who gives her a one word test to tell The Doctor of the danger and why he should help. She tells Clara The Doctor used to be a hero, the savior of worlds, but after suffering losses prefers to be isolated. Clara thinks hard about the one right word, and decides on one that can do nothing but grab The Doctor's interest, "Pond."

The Doctor goes to the G.I., posing as Sherlock Holmes. It was great using the music from "Sherlock" when he came in. They didn't have to go far to get that permission. He rattles off a series of Sherlock style deductions but all prove to be wrong. The Doctor doesn't remember the Great Intelligence yet. He battled them twice as the second Doctor in the 60's. But he does figure it all out with his Doctor style deducing. they need a new form, more human, something that won't melt, and they need a frozen example of human DNA, which leads The Doctor to the pond.  At the pond there was a sweet little hello moment between The Doctor and Clara. But the ice also cracks and the governess comes out.

I swear I'm trying to condense. Clara is telling her definitely true stories to the children. They mention the one where she was born behind the clock face of Big Ben, accounting for her accute sense of time, and how she created fish because she dislikes swimming alone. This time she was telling them about The Doctor. What if her other stories are true too? Oswin means something like friend of God. Then the governess comes in and they run. The Doctor sonics her and she melts. he noticed in the mirror that without realizing it he had put on his bow tie, something he hadn't felt like in a while, and mumbles something about old habits. Outside Simeon turns on a machine to freeze the house and create an army of snowmen. The governess refreezes and they run.

Suddenly everything seems to be happening, The Doctor and others running downstairs chased by the icy form of the previous governess, Vastra and Jenny at the front door sending a screaming maid right into Strax, and she faints. Capt. Latimer looks so confused. Jenny throws up a force field to keep the governess at the top of the stairs. Vastra sees how The Doctor has missed this.

Clara doesn't listen to The Doctor when he leaves the room, follows him and kisses him. I wonder what that's about. Clara doesn't seem the type to be bawdy, but is very aware of her effect on men, like Capt. Latimer. He hands Clara an umbrella, saying it will get them out or something. He sonics the force field to let him through and Clara follows. The Doctor pretends to be upset. To the roof. Clara follows. Actually she doesn't follow but grabs The Doctor's hand and drags him along. Clara works out the umbrella test, it's for her to pull down the ladder to the TARDIS staircase. One of my favorite 2 lines was as they went up the staircase and Clara asked how they got up so high so quick, to which The Doctor tells her it's a clever staircase, taller on the inside.

Okay, when they reach the top and you see the TARDIS, doesn't it look filthy? Not like it did earlier. What's that all about?  But forget that because I LOVE the new TARDIS interior. The console is sooooo classic. The spinning discs above the console are awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing more in a few weeks. Here we come to my favorite line in the episode. I love Steven Moffat for this line. When Clara sees the TARDIS, runs around it, comes back inside and says, "It's smaller on the outside." Brilliant. And then we get reminded. Clara asks if there's a kitchen because she likes to bake souffles. There's recognition, but not full awareness of the signifigance of those words. Clara asks him why her, he could've reached the ladder, so the umbrella was for her, to which he says he never knows why, only who, and gives her a key to the TARDIS. She cries, not knowing why, and The Doctor tells her to remember, remember this moment. There's that word again. The Doctor told Amy in Asylum, then Oswin used it. This isn't the last time, either. Suddenly from the open TARDIS door the governess grabs Clara, dragging her out as The Doctor chases, but not fast enough to stop them going over the edge of the cloud, falling to the ground below.

The Doctor materializes around Clara's body, and the broken pieces of the governess, and brings them inside. Some device Strax has is holding her alive, but it's only temporary. The Doctor offers to bring a piece of the ice lady to the G.I. He carries it in a tin that has a map of the 1967 London underground, essentially giving them the idea they used to attack in the 1968 story "The Web of Fear' with the second Doctor.

The Doctor strips away the snow globe's disguise, revealing the voice of the child Simeon. Instead of a piece of the ice lady, The Doctor brought the memory worm, which bites Simeon, erasing his memory of the G.I. But the snow globe survives and raises a larger army of snowmen. Suddenly the snow melts everywhere. The critical mass of snow was at the Latimer house and mirrored something so strong, a whole family crying on Christmas eve.

Clara has moments left when The Doctor returns  She closes her eyes and he begins to turn. She speaks. "Run, run you clever boy," opens her eyes and finishes, "and remember." The Doctor's confusion on his face is not something you see often. The Great Intelligence begins to ring a bell for The Doctor, but his attention is diverted when he sees Clara's name on her tombstone, Clara Oswin Oswald. He puts it together that it was souffle girl... again... and she died both times! Something impossible is going on. He goes to find Clara. Fast forward to present day in the same graveyard where Clara is taking a shortcut past her own grave, declaring she doesn't believe in ghosts.

I don't know if Clara is tied in with the 50th, other than just being in it, but consider this. The date of birth on Clara's grave was November 23, 1866. November 23rd is the anniversary of the show. More important right now is what was written on her tombstone. "Remember me, for we shall meet again" and that is going to happen today!

Up next: "The Bells of Saint John"
I'm going to need to watch it a few times, but it should be up tonight, possibly before airing on BBCAmerica.
54Minutes 10Seconds to "The Bells of Saint John"

Doctor Who: Asylum of the Daleks, Review pt.2: The Review

If you haven't already read pt.1 of this review click here.

Thanks to the unsurprising build of success since the show returned in 2005, the BBC has really stepped up the budget and production value of the show. In the beginning there were times when you had literally no budget for an episode and had to make do with old sets and costumes. Steven Moffatt was right when he promised we would be seeing 5 short movies, and not just in the resemblence of episode titles to the names of movies. The shot through the porthole in the floor of the parliament ship to reveal the Asylum planet alone was worth watching. The locations lend themselves very well to the grandeur the scenes of the show now hold. How else without camera tricks and attempts at special effects could they hope to reproduce an icy planet, or in a later episode, a full on town from the old west. (Both were actually found in Spain).

Besides "Pond Life", they also released a prequel for Asylum. I love the prequels because, tho short, they usually contain something meaningful. In this one, a mysterious hooded figure calling himself The Messenger, comes to The Doctor in his dreams telling him a woman needs his help. The Doctor doesn't want to go until The Messenger writes the coordinates of the planet in Gallifreyan, alone worth watching the 2 1/2 minute video.

The episode opens on Skaro, home planet of the Daleks, but let me skip that for a second. The new Dalek hybrid people are cool and well done. Part Dalek but unknowing of this until activated makes them the perfect traps. It was chilling when The Doctor tried to remind Darla she had a child and she leaned in and coolly replied "I know, I've read my file." In fact the Daleks in general are good and proper creepy in this episode. From unknowing pawns having an eye stalk emerge from their forehead to thousands of Daleks surrounding you speaking in unison, lighting up the room as they beg The Doctor to help them destroy the Asylum. And the asylum itself is an even creepier idea, a place where all the damaged and mad Daleks are kept. But theres someone else in the asylum.

Tricksy you are, Steven Moffatt. It was revealed before the airing that we would get to see Skaro. I understand why it needs to be in desolation, thanks for the continuity Moff, but barring the monument The Doctor was in they showed the actual planet for about a collective 10 seconds. Why wasn't the asylum there? Maybe because it was more exciting on the entire planet that filmed beautifully, unlike filthy Skaro. The second trick was amazing. Most amazing in that it wasn't, widely anyway, leaked that Jenna-Louise Coleman, to be The Doctor's next companion, would be in this episode. Trapped in the wreck of a cruise liner inside the asylum. Jenna is brilliant. Shes charming, witty, intelligent, brilliant in fact and actually Im describing her character. Now Steven Moffatt revealed the name of the new companion as Clara* Oswin, so I knew something was up when she introduced herself to The Doctor as Oswin Oswald.

*As a side note, Clara got her name from the middle name of Elisabeth Sladen, the amazing actress who played the beloved companion Sarah-Jane Smith, who met the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th and 11th Doctors.

Of course, Amy and Rory are also collected, separately, to assist The Doctor. Amy is still doing the modeling thing we saw introduced in "Closing Time" and it is so apparent that she and Rory still care for each other. One of my first big questions comes early on when they arrive in the parliament and Amy asks what do they do. The Doctor replies, "make them remember you". I cannot make a connection with this, so if anyone got it please let me know. As far as I saw it never got explained, and perhaps it just hasnt yet. (Tricksy, remember)

Rory gets separated as the beam burrows through the planet into the heart of the asylum itself. The tension as you stare at the dozen or so absolutely still Daleks. Old and cob-webbed, there seems to be no reaction when Rory inspects one. But then the one corrects its eye-stalk from where Rory moved it and I knew it was on. I didn't care for the conveniently placed pipe behind Rory, but seeing the Daleks gradually come alive and react helped me forgive it. It was such an interesting idea to have all the types of Daleks represented, and I especially loved seeing the special weapons Dalek during this scene. I am a huge fan of Resurrection of the Daleks, but I can say that this is my favorite Dalek story of the new series.

Okay, here's my other beef with this episode. When they are in the Alaska landing shuttle and the dead crew are waking up as Dalek hybrids, why didn't they go up the ladder they were standing at and go out? They didn't know about the hatch so why would they risk kicking through the advancing zombie Dalek army to lock themselves inside a room? At any rate it gives us the setup for The Doctor learning of Amy and Rory's split, and with Amy's bracelet gone, a way to reconnect her and Rory later.

They beautifully shot the scene where Amy is hallucinating, seeing a small group of people, including a young ginger ballerina in white turning. Then when she is shown they are Daleks and you see the white Dalek spinning around in a circle, well it was madness and I loved it. I think Moffatt did a good job of making the Daleks creepy and scary in brand new ways.

Okay, let's wrap this up. Putting the Dalek in reverse to destroy them all was genius. I just don't know if I buy the baby thing and Amy giving Rory up. It feels as out of place as her being a model. But there it is. We saw the connection was there so I was fine and even happy that it was resolved by the end of the episode.

I had no idea that Oswin would end up being a Dalek. I figured something would happen, since she wasn't coming back until Christmas. But that was good. It broke my heart a little. The way they went back and forth as she spoke between human and Dalek was great. And if I hadn't thought before something was up with her, I knew it when she looked at the camera and said "remember." Oh yeah, and she hacked the Dalek's pathweb and made them forget The Doctor. Every last one of them. Which leaves us with the reminder of where this series is going. The answer of the question that should never be asked. Doctor who? After dropping Amy and Rory off at home, The Doctor seems pleased, at least that the Daleks are asking that question. Frankly, I'm worried. I don't think we need to know his name. I like the mystery of it we've had in this series, just please be leading to something else more clever than just revealing his name. Even if it is the 50th.

Next up is "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship". only 14 days to the new episode!