Comments on: Rate & Discuss: Last Christmas /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/ Tue, 15 Sep 2015 00:45:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Grace Luer /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25727 Grace Luer Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:29:47 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25727 the math that Clara says is wrong! 304-17+20 is not 507, its 307, all the other math in the episode is correct, but that really bugged me! so i sent in a letter to DWM asking Moffat if he did that on purpose... the math that Clara says is wrong! 304-17+20 is not 507, its 307, all the other math in the episode is correct, but that really bugged me! so i sent in a letter to DWM asking Moffat if he did that on purpose…

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By: Hoody Lover /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25649 Hoody Lover Sun, 24 May 2015 23:59:45 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25649 I'm late to the party here, but I stumbled onto this website and enjoyed reading it. I loved Last Christmas. I'm an older fan and I go back as far as William Hartnell. I think it was the best Christmas Special to date and it actually felt like a mainstream episode, sort of part 3 after Dark Water and Death in Heaven. My friend and I, who viewed it together, were grinning like idiots at the end. I’m late to the party here, but I stumbled onto this website and enjoyed reading it. I loved Last Christmas. I’m an older fan and I go back as far as William Hartnell. I think it was the best Christmas Special to date and it actually felt like a mainstream episode, sort of part 3 after Dark Water and Death in Heaven. My friend and I, who viewed it together, were grinning like idiots at the end.

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By: @Millsy /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25469 @Millsy Tue, 03 Feb 2015 06:24:42 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25469 That was awesome. I loved the complex of the episode. AMAZZZZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait till new season starts. That was awesome. I loved the complex of the episode. AMAZZZZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can’t wait till new season starts.

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By: Clara McDougle /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25462 Clara McDougle Thu, 15 Jan 2015 18:41:16 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25462 Loved that episode, especially at the end where, when they fly off in the TARDIS you see the tangerine on Clara's window sill. Just the other night, I had a dream where I was at the mall and people with the "face huggers" on their head were chasing me but the twist was, instead of Peter Capaldi being the doctor, Matt Smith was. WHAT DOES THIS DREAM MEAN?! Loved that episode, especially at the end where, when they fly off in the TARDIS you see the tangerine on Clara’s window sill. Just the other night, I had a dream where I was at the mall and people with the “face huggers” on their head were chasing me but the twist was, instead of Peter Capaldi being the doctor, Matt Smith was. WHAT DOES THIS DREAM MEAN?!

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By: Jenna Cocoleman /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25456 Jenna Cocoleman Sat, 10 Jan 2015 16:05:44 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25456 That was so amazing! I must be dreaming! It had the perfect balance of sci-fi and fantasy, but i think Steven forgot that the show has moved on and is no longer for five year olds, but more for children of 8 or 9 and above, all throughout the season he got that message across but he slightly failed with this episode, to be honest the childish element in Robot of Sherwood would have been enough. or at least make Father Christmas a monster, don't just leave him t be the mystical and typical tale that he was (with a modernized twist). I am thankful he brought Danny back one last time because, lets face it, his ending in Death in Heaven wasn't the best. But overall i am happy with episode! And congrats to Peter on his first special, and thank god Jenna is staying! I must be dreaming! That was so amazing! I must be dreaming! It had the perfect balance of sci-fi and fantasy, but i think Steven forgot that the show has moved on and is no longer for five year olds, but more for children of 8 or 9 and above, all throughout the season he got that message across but he slightly failed with this episode, to be honest the childish element in Robot of Sherwood would have been enough. or at least make Father Christmas a monster, don’t just leave him t be the mystical and typical tale that he was (with a modernized twist). I am thankful he brought Danny back one last time because, lets face it, his ending in Death in Heaven wasn’t the best. But overall i am happy with episode! And congrats to Peter on his first special, and thank god Jenna is staying! I must be dreaming!

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By: Calli Arcale /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25452 Calli Arcale Thu, 08 Jan 2015 16:54:40 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25452 Well personally, I loved it. But I like stuff like this. There were a lot of hidden gems inside of it -- like the stuff about tangerines, which calls back to the very first Christmas special, with David Tennant and the satsuma. I didn't find it confusing, and I felt the Dream Crabs were as well explained as they needed to be. There's lots more room for exploring them, but an episode doesn't have to be a documentary on an alien species. It can leave bits unexplored, for other writers to play with. And they *did* explain how everyone came to be sharing the same dream. Everybody who had been attacked was in the same dream, so logically, there must have been only six Dream Crabs involved in the invasion. And I don't know what other folks were watching, but I heard some great lines for the 12th Doctor, which Capaldi delivered perfectly. My favorite was definitely that bit about "You have a horror movie called 'Alien'? That's really offensive! No wonder you're always getting invaded!" It followed comedy's Rule of Three; prior to it there were two scenes where there were mild jokes about racism pertaining to the elves, and then this came as the third iteration with a twist. (Always have a twist in the third one.) And following the rule faithfully, that was the end of the joke. Try not to go into it expecting to hate it. If you do, you are almost certain to have your expectations met, regardless of the quality of the work because one crucial piece of any bit of art is what you the viewer brings to it. The cast and production team have no control over that, which is the most terrifying and the most exciting part about art. But it's why no work can be objectively awful. It can only be *subjectively* so, and people can come away with wildly different opinions despite none of them being morons or sycophants or haters or fanbois or anything like that. Perhaps the biggest strength of Doctor Who is its versatility. It can tell damn near any kind of story successfully. The upshot of that is that it has enormous staying power -- and also, you are guaranteed to not like every episode, because if there's something for everyone, sooner or later there'll be something that's not for you. I'm not sure it's possible to avoid that. Well personally, I loved it. But I like stuff like this. There were a lot of hidden gems inside of it — like the stuff about tangerines, which calls back to the very first Christmas special, with David Tennant and the satsuma. I didn’t find it confusing, and I felt the Dream Crabs were as well explained as they needed to be. There’s lots more room for exploring them, but an episode doesn’t have to be a documentary on an alien species. It can leave bits unexplored, for other writers to play with. And they *did* explain how everyone came to be sharing the same dream. Everybody who had been attacked was in the same dream, so logically, there must have been only six Dream Crabs involved in the invasion.

And I don’t know what other folks were watching, but I heard some great lines for the 12th Doctor, which Capaldi delivered perfectly. My favorite was definitely that bit about “You have a horror movie called ‘Alien’? That’s really offensive! No wonder you’re always getting invaded!” It followed comedy’s Rule of Three; prior to it there were two scenes where there were mild jokes about racism pertaining to the elves, and then this came as the third iteration with a twist. (Always have a twist in the third one.) And following the rule faithfully, that was the end of the joke.

Try not to go into it expecting to hate it. If you do, you are almost certain to have your expectations met, regardless of the quality of the work because one crucial piece of any bit of art is what you the viewer brings to it. The cast and production team have no control over that, which is the most terrifying and the most exciting part about art. But it’s why no work can be objectively awful. It can only be *subjectively* so, and people can come away with wildly different opinions despite none of them being morons or sycophants or haters or fanbois or anything like that.

Perhaps the biggest strength of Doctor Who is its versatility. It can tell damn near any kind of story successfully. The upshot of that is that it has enormous staying power — and also, you are guaranteed to not like every episode, because if there’s something for everyone, sooner or later there’ll be something that’s not for you. I’m not sure it’s possible to avoid that.

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By: Pookie /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25446 Pookie Wed, 07 Jan 2015 15:13:34 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25446 Thank you, el_balk&kev and Valcoor, that's exactly how I feel. I, too, watched from the very beginning and I can remember the awe and excitement of those first William Hartnell episodes. We'd seen nothing like it before. It was an educational show where we absorbed knowledge with no effort. The 'special effects' were pretty rubbish and the tinfoil and rubber costumes risible but we overlooked all that because of the superb writing. Now, alas, I rarely watch Doctor Who. It all changed when Mr Moffat took over and having struggled through Matt's first season I gave up. I tried again when Peter Capaldi took over the role because he is a damn fine actor but alas, he has such very poor scripts to work with I have given up again. I am very sad that such a fine programme has been allowed to deteriorate so much from what it was. Hopefully when Mr M finally steps down a new showrunner will breathe life back into the show and we can pass off the Moffat era as 'all a dream/nightmare! Thank you, el_balk&kev and Valcoor, that’s exactly how I feel. I, too, watched from the very beginning and I can remember the awe and excitement of those first William Hartnell episodes. We’d seen nothing like it before. It was an educational show where we absorbed knowledge with no effort. The ’special effects’ were pretty rubbish and the tinfoil and rubber costumes risible but we overlooked all that because of the superb writing. Now, alas, I rarely watch Doctor Who. It all changed when Mr Moffat took over and having struggled through Matt’s first season I gave up. I tried again when Peter Capaldi took over the role because he is a damn fine actor but alas, he has such very poor scripts to work with I have given up again. I am very sad that such a fine programme has been allowed to deteriorate so much from what it was. Hopefully when Mr M finally steps down a new showrunner will breathe life back into the show and we can pass off the Moffat era as ‘all a dream/nightmare!

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By: Valcoor /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25445 Valcoor Wed, 07 Jan 2015 04:23:01 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25445 el_balk&kev, I couldn't have said it better. Like you, I've been watching the Doctor since the first episode and made sure I never missed it. Since Moffat took over, the series has gone downhill so much that I really don't care If I see another one. Capaldi is a GREAT actor and makes for a fantastic Doctor (at least he would if he had a half decent script) el_balk&kev, I couldn’t have said it better.
Like you, I’ve been watching the Doctor since the first episode and made sure I never missed it.
Since Moffat took over, the series has gone downhill so much that I really don’t care If I see another one.
Capaldi is a GREAT actor and makes for a fantastic Doctor (at least he would if he had a half decent script)

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By: el_balk&kev /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25443 el_balk&kev Sat, 03 Jan 2015 18:09:32 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25443 Moffat's Doctor Who is Prettier on the Outside but Stupider on the Inside. I have been watching Doctor Who almost my entire life from the first episode with the first Doctor (William Hartnell – 1963). The original concept of the show was to be a children’s’ science show. As it matured, Doctor Who became the thinking person’s sci-fi show. It had almost no budget and no special effects but it did have incredibly good writing with meticulous internal logic. This is what saved the show from its reliance on tinfoil and toilet plungers. Now the show appears to be in the opposite situation. The reboot of Doctor Who (2005 to present) has all the resources of modern CGI technology and a decent budget but the writing for the past four years has been desperately in need of a toilet plunger. Episode after episode, logic is thrown out into the vortex leaving massive plot holes in the fabric of space and time. Situations that could be explained logically in one or two lines are simply left unexplained or attributed to vague miracles, mysteries or happenstance. Characters repeatedly die and come back as if they were soap opera stars. Why the absence of coherent plots? Why the lazy short cuts? Why write the show into crazy corners in the first place? One needs only to go back and watch a few episodes of the Troughton or Pertwee or Tom Baker or Tennant series to appreciate how the writing was mostly consistent with the show’s canon and the characters. Under Moffat’s leadership there hasn’t been a single episode that has been free of logical gaps, implausible twists and unbelievable resolutions. The key to good fantasy/science fiction is helping your audience suspend their disbelief. I’ve tried really hard to be carried along by the story and the superb acting performances but the clumsy writing and jarring plot holes keep throwing buckets of water on my suspended disbelief bringing it crashing to the ground. In contrast, the seasons helmed by Russell T. Davies (2005-2010), though not without flaws, were consistently logical. The 9th and 10th Doctors (Christoper Eccelston and David Tennant) explained the science (or imagined science) behind even the most complex and bizarre situations – often at lightening speed. Belief was not only easy to suspend it was positively buoyed up by the combination of well-crafted scripts and brilliant performances. Then Davies left and took his beautiful, logical, lightening prose and gave it to Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes (2010 – 2014). Doctor Who has been a tongue-tied, fumble-footed shadow of its former self ever since. Most recent case in point – the 2014 Christmas special. The mash-up of Alien/the Thing/Inception/Miracle on 34th Street – self-consciously acknowledged in the leaden dialogue – featured face-hugging dream crabs that drink your brain while placing you in a dream state within a dream state within a dream state. There was no effort made to explain the basic premise of the episode: there are dream crabs – only six of them – on earth – on Christmas day. What are these dream crabs? Where did they come from? Why did they suddenly show up on earth and why did they attack only these six people? None of this is ever explained. The season finale before this special saw the grand villain, Missy, revealed as the Master – in the form of a woman (a sop to those disappointed in the casting of yet another white male Doctor) transferring the consciousness of the newly dead into cybermen (the go-to re-hash threat for the uninspired). How the Master survived his/her apparent destruction several seasons back was never explained. He/she apparently was destroyed this time but who knows – maybe it was all a dream-crab induced fantasy. The question is why has the show been allowed to disintegrate to this point? The reason Doctor Who became relevant was because the plots were so strong and the premises were airtight. It stood the test of time because the internal logic was respected. What the show has gained in techno-wizardry it has lost in essential good sense and plausible scientific foundations. It is coasting on the fumes of bizarrely uncritical fan adulation. Moffat has offered good scripts in the past under the direction of Davies. Is he stretched too thin as the director and show-runner? Is he farming the scripts out? Or has the show been purposely dumbed down to appeal to a more mainstream (i.e. North American) audience? Perhaps Moffat has been attacked by the mysterious dream crabs and is incapable of writing himself out of the dream state. Here’s a new year’s resolution for Steven Moffat that I hope he will take to heart: Hire a serious writing team and bring back the science and logic of Doctor Who. Moffat’s Doctor Who is Prettier on the Outside but Stupider on the Inside.

I have been watching Doctor Who almost my entire life from the first episode with the first Doctor (William Hartnell – 1963). The original concept of the show was to be a children’s’ science show. As it matured, Doctor Who became the thinking person’s sci-fi show. It had almost no budget and no special effects but it did have incredibly good writing with meticulous internal logic. This is what saved the show from its reliance on tinfoil and toilet plungers.

Now the show appears to be in the opposite situation. The reboot of Doctor Who (2005 to present) has all the resources of modern CGI technology and a decent budget but the writing for the past four years has been desperately in need of a toilet plunger. Episode after episode, logic is thrown out into the vortex leaving massive plot holes in the fabric of space and time. Situations that could be explained logically in one or two lines are simply left unexplained or attributed to vague miracles, mysteries or happenstance. Characters repeatedly die and come back as if they were soap opera stars. Why the absence of coherent plots? Why the lazy short cuts? Why write the show into crazy corners in the first place? One needs only to go back and watch a few episodes of the Troughton or Pertwee or Tom Baker or Tennant series to appreciate how the writing was mostly consistent with the show’s canon and the characters.

Under Moffat’s leadership there hasn’t been a single episode that has been free of logical gaps, implausible twists and unbelievable resolutions. The key to good fantasy/science fiction is helping your audience suspend their disbelief. I’ve tried really hard to be carried along by the story and the superb acting performances but the clumsy writing and jarring plot holes keep throwing buckets of water on my suspended disbelief bringing it crashing to the ground. In contrast, the seasons helmed by Russell T. Davies (2005-2010), though not without flaws, were consistently logical. The 9th and 10th Doctors (Christoper Eccelston and David Tennant) explained the science (or imagined science) behind even the most complex and bizarre situations – often at lightening speed. Belief was not only easy to suspend it was positively buoyed up by the combination of well-crafted scripts and brilliant performances. Then Davies left and took his beautiful, logical, lightening prose and gave it to Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes (2010 – 2014). Doctor Who has been a tongue-tied, fumble-footed shadow of its former self ever since.

Most recent case in point – the 2014 Christmas special. The mash-up of Alien/the Thing/Inception/Miracle on 34th Street – self-consciously acknowledged in the leaden dialogue – featured face-hugging dream crabs that drink your brain while placing you in a dream state within a dream state within a dream state. There was no effort made to explain the basic premise of the episode: there are dream crabs – only six of them – on earth – on Christmas day. What are these dream crabs? Where did they come from? Why did they suddenly show up on earth and why did they attack only these six people? None of this is ever explained. The season finale before this special saw the grand villain, Missy, revealed as the Master – in the form of a woman (a sop to those disappointed in the casting of yet another white male Doctor) transferring the consciousness of the newly dead into cybermen (the go-to re-hash threat for the uninspired). How the Master survived his/her apparent destruction several seasons back was never explained. He/she apparently was destroyed this time but who knows – maybe it was all a dream-crab induced fantasy.

The question is why has the show been allowed to disintegrate to this point? The reason Doctor Who became relevant was because the plots were so strong and the premises were airtight. It stood the test of time because the internal logic was respected. What the show has gained in techno-wizardry it has lost in essential good sense and plausible scientific foundations. It is coasting on the fumes of bizarrely uncritical fan adulation.

Moffat has offered good scripts in the past under the direction of Davies. Is he stretched too thin as the director and show-runner? Is he farming the scripts out? Or has the show been purposely dumbed down to appeal to a more mainstream (i.e. North American) audience? Perhaps Moffat has been attacked by the mysterious dream crabs and is incapable of writing himself out of the dream state.

Here’s a new year’s resolution for Steven Moffat that I hope he will take to heart: Hire a serious writing team and bring back the science and logic of Doctor Who.

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By: el_balk&kev /2014/12/rate-discuss-last-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-25442 el_balk&kev Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:34:35 +0000 /?p=105279#comment-25442 Doctor Who – Prettier on the outside - stupider on the inside The 2014 Christmas special was the last straw. I do not normally join forums or post comments but after reading reviews of this episode from sentimental apologists, I felt I had to speak up. I have been watching Doctor Who almost my entire life from the first episode with the first Doctor – William Hartnell (1963). The original concept of the show was to be a children’s’ science show. As it matured, Doctor Who became the thinking person’s sci-fi show. It had almost no budget and no special effects but it did have incredibly good writing with meticulous internal logic. This is what saved the show from its reliance of tinfoil and toilet plungers. Now the show appears to be in the opposite situation. The reboot of Doctor Who (2005 to present) has all the resources of modern CGI technology, a decent budget and enough time for the actors to establish and perfect their performances. However, the writing for the past four years has been desperately in need of a toilet plunger. Episode after episode, logic is thrown out into the vortex leaving massive plot holes in the fabric of space and time. Situations that could be explained logically in one or two lines are simply left unexplained or attributed to vague miracles, mysteries or happenstance. Characters repeatedly die and come back as if they were soap opera stars. Why the absence of coherent plots? Why the lazy short cuts? Why write the show into crazy corners in the first place? One needs only to go back and watch a few episodes of Troughton or Pertwee or Baker or Tennant series to appreciate how the writing was mostly consistent with the show’s canon and the characters. Under Moffat’s leadership there hasn’t been a single episode that has been free of logical gaps, implausible twists and unbelievable resolutions. The key to good fantasy/science fiction is helping your audience suspend their disbelief. I’ve tried really hard to be carried along by the story and the superb acting performances but the clumsy writing and jarring plot holes keep throwing buckets of water on my suspended disbelief bringing it crashing to the ground. In contrast, the seasons helmed by Russell T. Davies (2005-2010), though not without flaws, were consistently logical. The 9th and 10th Doctors (Christoper Eccelston and David Tennant) explained the science (or imagined science) behind even the most complex and bizarre situations – often at lightening speed. Belief was not only easy to suspend it was positively buoyed up by the combination of well-crafted scripts and brilliant performances. Then Davies left and took his beautiful, logical, lightening prose and put in the mouth of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes (2010 – 2014). Doctor Who has been a tongue-tied, fumble-footed shadow of its former self ever since. Most recent case in point – the 2014 Christmas special. The mash-up of Alien/the Thing/Inception/Miracle on 34th Street - self-consciously acknowledged in the leaden dialogue - featured face-hugging dream crabs that drink your brain while placing you in a dream state within a dream state within a dream state – many of which involve a smart mouth Santa Claus. There was no effort made to explain the basic premise of the episode: there are dream crabs - only six of them - on earth - on Christmas day. What are these dream crabs? Where did they come from? Why did they suddenly show up on earth and why did they attack only these six people? None of this is ever explained. The season finale before this special saw the grand villain, Missy, revealed as the Master – in the form of a woman (a sop to those disappointed in the casting of yet another white male Doctor) transferring the consciousness of the newly dead into cybermen (wow - that never gets old, does it?). How the Master survived his/her apparent destruction several seasons back was never explained. He/she apparently was destroyed this time but who knows – maybe it was all a dream-crab induced fantasy. After the end of this episode and its several fake endings I was curious to know what others thought. I read review after review of the Christmas special pointing out the problems with the plot and yet saying they liked it anyway for the sentiments it expressed. The cognitive dissonance was deafening! Is it that people have simply given up expecting any logic from Doctor Who or from any media in general? Is it that people are so easily impressed by rich visual content that they are willing to overlook the sloppy writing? Or are people so distracted by their various devices and their need to tweet and blog and FB their every waking moment that they simply don’t notice the disjointedness of poorly thought-out scripts. I suspect that they assumed they missed something while texting during the show and didn’t want to admit it. Well, I’m here to say that some of us are paying attention. Some of us are just plain offended by the sub-standard writing and by the waste of the talents of Capaldi and Coleman and the many excellent guest stars and supporting cast. The question is why has the show been allowed to disintegrate to this point? The reason Doctor Who became relevant was because the plots were so strong and the premises were airtight. It stood the test of time because the internal logic was respected. What the show has gained in techno-wizardry it has lost in essential good sense and plausible scientific foundations. It is coasting on the fumes of bizarrely uncritical fan adulation. Moffat has offered good scripts in the past under the direction of Russell Davies. Is he stretched too thin as the director and show-runner? Is he farming the scripts out? Or has the show been purposely dumbed down to appeal to a more mainstream (i.e. North American) audience? Perhaps Moffat has been attacked by mysterious dream crabs and is incapable of writing himself out of the dream state. Here’s a new year’s resolution for Steven Moffat that I hope he will take to heart: Hire a serious writing team and bring back the science and logic of Doctor Who. Doctor Who – Prettier on the outside – stupider on the inside

The 2014 Christmas special was the last straw. I do not normally join forums or post comments but after reading reviews of this episode from sentimental apologists, I felt I had to speak up. I have been watching Doctor Who almost my entire life from the first episode with the first Doctor – William Hartnell (1963). The original concept of the show was to be a children’s’ science show. As it matured, Doctor Who became the thinking person’s sci-fi show. It had almost no budget and no special effects but it did have incredibly good writing with meticulous internal logic. This is what saved the show from its reliance of tinfoil and toilet plungers.

Now the show appears to be in the opposite situation. The reboot of Doctor Who (2005 to present) has all the resources of modern CGI technology, a decent budget and enough time for the actors to establish and perfect their performances. However, the writing for the past four years has been desperately in need of a toilet plunger. Episode after episode, logic is thrown out into the vortex leaving massive plot holes in the fabric of space and time. Situations that could be explained logically in one or two lines are simply left unexplained or attributed to vague miracles, mysteries or happenstance. Characters repeatedly die and come back as if they were soap opera stars. Why the absence of coherent plots? Why the lazy short cuts? Why write the show into crazy corners in the first place? One needs only to go back and watch a few episodes of Troughton or Pertwee or Baker or Tennant series to appreciate how the writing was mostly consistent with the show’s canon and the characters.

Under Moffat’s leadership there hasn’t been a single episode that has been free of logical gaps, implausible twists and unbelievable resolutions. The key to good fantasy/science fiction is helping your audience suspend their disbelief. I’ve tried really hard to be carried along by the story and the superb acting performances but the clumsy writing and jarring plot holes keep throwing buckets of water on my suspended disbelief bringing it crashing to the ground. In contrast, the seasons helmed by Russell T. Davies (2005-2010), though not without flaws, were consistently logical. The 9th and 10th Doctors (Christoper Eccelston and David Tennant) explained the science (or imagined science) behind even the most complex and bizarre situations – often at lightening speed. Belief was not only easy to suspend it was positively buoyed up by the combination of well-crafted scripts and brilliant performances. Then Davies left and took his beautiful, logical, lightening prose and put in the mouth of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes (2010 – 2014). Doctor Who has been a tongue-tied, fumble-footed shadow of its former self ever since.

Most recent case in point – the 2014 Christmas special. The mash-up of Alien/the Thing/Inception/Miracle on 34th Street – self-consciously acknowledged in the leaden dialogue – featured face-hugging dream crabs that drink your brain while placing you in a dream state within a dream state within a dream state – many of which involve a smart mouth Santa Claus. There was no effort made to explain the basic premise of the episode: there are dream crabs – only six of them – on earth – on Christmas day. What are these dream crabs? Where did they come from? Why did they suddenly show up on earth and why did they attack only these six people? None of this is ever explained. The season finale before this special saw the grand villain, Missy, revealed as the Master – in the form of a woman (a sop to those disappointed in the casting of yet another white male Doctor) transferring the consciousness of the newly dead into cybermen (wow – that never gets old, does it?). How the Master survived his/her apparent destruction several seasons back was never explained. He/she apparently was destroyed this time but who knows – maybe it was all a dream-crab induced fantasy.

After the end of this episode and its several fake endings I was curious to know what others thought. I read review after review of the Christmas special pointing out the problems with the plot and yet saying they liked it anyway for the sentiments it expressed. The cognitive dissonance was deafening! Is it that people have simply given up expecting any logic from Doctor Who or from any media in general? Is it that people are so easily impressed by rich visual content that they are willing to overlook the sloppy writing? Or are people so distracted by their various devices and their need to tweet and blog and FB their every waking moment that they simply don’t notice the disjointedness of poorly thought-out scripts. I suspect that they assumed they missed something while texting during the show and didn’t want to admit it.

Well, I’m here to say that some of us are paying attention. Some of us are just plain offended by the sub-standard writing and by the waste of the talents of Capaldi and Coleman and the many excellent guest stars and supporting cast. The question is why has the show been allowed to disintegrate to this point? The reason Doctor Who became relevant was because the plots were so strong and the premises were airtight. It stood the test of time because the internal logic was respected. What the show has gained in techno-wizardry it has lost in essential good sense and plausible scientific foundations. It is coasting on the fumes of bizarrely uncritical fan adulation.

Moffat has offered good scripts in the past under the direction of Russell Davies. Is he stretched too thin as the director and show-runner? Is he farming the scripts out? Or has the show been purposely dumbed down to appeal to a more mainstream (i.e. North American) audience? Perhaps Moffat has been attacked by mysterious dream crabs and is incapable of writing himself out of the dream state.

Here’s a new year’s resolution for Steven Moffat that I hope he will take to heart: Hire a serious writing team and bring back the science and logic of Doctor Who.

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