2011 xmas special
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 6:21 pm
Did anyone else find this years xmas special completely worthless?
Huh? Why wouldn't there be a Lancaster around in the middle of World War II?Captain Seafort wrote:it looks like time is still in less than ideal condition given the presence of a Lancaster.
You call it a ripoff, Moffat would probably call a homage. It's no different from last year being a slight adaptation of A Christmas Carol.GrahamKennedy wrote:For one, the whole premise was a blatant ripoff of the Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. But why? Can the Who writers no longer come up with ideas of their own?
Just the Doctor being the Doctor - mad as ever.Did we really need a good ten minutes of screentime devoted to the Doctor showing them around the funhouse of lemonade taps and spinning trees? What did that contribute, exactly?
The point was a) to demonstrate that the Ents were taking active steps to try and rescue their species rather than simply leaving the headgear around and hoping someone stumbled across it and b) to provide exposition on what exactly was going on. They weren't just standing around gawping,Or the idea of the trees giving "birth" to something that grows big and dangerous... like that, as a concept. But what came of it? They spend a BIG chunk of screentime on that and in the end, what we get is a pair of wooden statues whose only real action was to stick a ring on somebody's head. You could just as easily have the Doctor find the ring in the tower and put it on his own head.
The setting was Christmas 1941. The first Lancaster squadron only started converting in December '41, and the first operational sortie wasn't until March '42.Huh? Why wouldn't there be a Lancaster around in the middle of World War II?Captain Seafort wrote:it looks like time is still in less than ideal condition given the presence of a Lancaster.
No doubt he would - they weren't being subtle about it given the title and all. But the two examples serve to show the big difference between homage and ripoff, IMO. Last years took a story and twisted it in an interesting and unique way, using the time travel aspect and how the older and younger selves affected one another. This year they just adopted the setting and then just kinda left it there doing nothing.Captain Seafort wrote:You call it a ripoff, Moffat would probably call a homage. It's no different from last year being a slight adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Yes, but their active steps were absurd. Their plan was to create a tower, put a relay into it, and then hope that somebody would stumble along who could rescue them? It's a stupid plan. What if nobody came? What if nobody "strong" enough came? And even then, the whole wooden statue thing contributed virtually nothing to the plan. They entire role could have been replaced by a couple of signs reading "This way!" and one reading "Put this on."The point was a) to demonstrate that the Ents were taking active steps to try and rescue their species rather than simply leaving the headgear around and hoping someone stumbled across it and b) to provide exposition on what exactly was going on. They weren't just standing around gawping,
I suspect that's more cockup than timeline alteration. I imagine they just decided to go with a recognisable WWII aircraft, and as there's a genuine Lancaster still in flyable condition...The setting was Christmas 1941. The first Lancaster squadron only started converting in December '41, and the first operational sortie wasn't until March '42.
Then they're still no worse off than if they didn't do anything, and the fact that the second Ent didn't hatch until after the boy showed up suggests that they were reacting to his presence rather than having a set plan all along, It does raise the question of what the other one was doing - presumably someone else showed up and proved incompatible.GrahamKennedy wrote:Yes, but their active steps were absurd. Their plan was to create a tower, put a relay into it, and then hope that somebody would stumble along who could rescue them? It's a stupid plan. What if nobody came? What if nobody "strong" enough came?
Other than a) forcing whoever showed up to put the thing on b) providing a degree of exposition and c) deciding who was compatible and who wasn't.And even then, the whole wooden statue thing contributed virtually nothing to the plan.
In what language? Moreover, why would anyone put it on simply because some sign told them to? How would a random individual know what characteristics were required to operate the ship.They entire role could have been replaced by a couple of signs reading "This way!" and one reading "Put this on."
OOU, true, although I think it's more a matter of finding any WW2 bomber for the ground scene rather than an airworthy one - all the airborne scenes were CGI. They were originally planning to just do a cockpit mockup until they found a Lanc at East Kirkby. Unfortunately there are no Hampdens or Wimpies in suitable condition.I suspect that's more cockup than timeline alteration. I imagine they just decided to go with a recognisable WWII aircraft, and as there's a genuine Lancaster still in flyable condition...
In universe, yes, it's a bad plan that's mildly better than no plan. But as a piece of writing, it comes across as rather thin and weak. I'd far rather they flesh this whole section out and give it a bit more body. For instance have the kid release the thing and run back through the hole, scared, only for it to come through and kidnap the kids. Something that shows the forest is being proactive and actually working for its own ends, rather than just sitting there hoping for the best.Captain Seafort wrote:Then they're still no worse off than if they didn't do anything, and the fact that the second Ent didn't hatch until after the boy showed up suggests that they were reacting to his presence rather than having a set plan all along, It does raise the question of what the other one was doing - presumably someone else showed up and proved incompatible.
Only there wasn't any real need to force them or give even the very minimal exposition they did. And the rings "decided" by reacting as they did, not the statues.a) forcing whoever showed up to put the thing on b) providing a degree of exposition and c) deciding who was compatible and who wasn't.
In any language, the Doctor can read them all.In what language?
Again, this is the sort of thing the Doctor works out all the time on his own. Wave the screwdriver at it and say "oh, it's a relay! I wonder what will happen if..."Moreover, why would anyone put it on simply because some sign told them to? How would a random individual know what characteristics were required to operate the ship.
Yeah, I wasn't meaning to suggest that they were actually flying in it. Rather that it was in good condition to be filmed.OOU, true, although I think it's more a matter of finding any WW2 bomber for the ground scene rather than an airworthy one - all the airborne scenes were CGI. They were originally planning to just do a cockpit mockup until they found a Lanc at East Kirkby. Unfortunately there are no Hampdens or Wimpies in suitable condition.