Since opinions about Doctor Who seem to have degenerated into polemics, consisting of either uncritical adoration or irrational hatred, a moderate view of Moffatt's final episode seems like a helpful offering.
This episode was okay. It wasn't horrible. It didn't make me want to throw things at the television, like some of Moffatt's episodes. But it wasn't thrilling either, and I was surprised to find - just as I was thinking that the main plot must be about to kick in - that in fact the episode was almost over, and what I had just watched WAS the main plot. That was a bit of a let-down. Compared with previous Christmas specials, this one featured no cataclysmic disaster for the Doctor to avert at the last minute. What we expect to be the monster in fact turns out to be benign. On the upside, this is a refreshing idea, something unexpected. But it does make the episode quite anti-climactic. The story was also notably simpler and more straightforward than Moffatt typically is, and there was no "timey-wimey" stuff. That too is a positive. One just wishes that the gap left by those things had been filled with something a little more engaging and dramatic than what we got. As a send off for Capaldi, it was a bit of a whimper. Heaven Sent it was not, alas.
That said, the episode, had some very enjoyable aspects: David Bradley put in a thoroughly charming performance as the first Doctor, almost making you wish that 12 might just regenerate back into him. The banter between the two doctors was very engaging, and Bradley and Capaldi played off one another brilliantly ("I AM younger" - hilarious). More problematic was Moffatt's decision to make the first Doctor into a raging chauvinist (which he never really was ) - funny at first, perhaps, but the gag went on far too long. More structurally, there didn't turn out to be any real reason for both of them to be in this episode - it had nothing to do with the central plot - it seems Moffatt just though it would be "cool" to have the first Doctor in an episode.
Gatiss put in a quality performance as the confused WWI soldier - proving yet again that he's a better actor than writer. I wasn't thrilled to see Bill back again - not because I didn't like her character, but because I think continually bringing back old companions (under any pretext) nullifies the emotional effects of their leaving in the first place, and is frankly just cheap fan service. (In that connection, I now realize that I DID almost throw something at the TV when she-who-shall-not-be-named put in a brief appearance as well...)
It's hard to say anything good about Capaldi's final speech and regeneration scene: the speech was forced, cheezy, meaningless, and yet another example of how Moffatt can't write human (or alien) emotion. The regeneration itself was brief, and exactly the same as the previous two. Could have used a little more imagination there.
As far as the next Doctor's introduction goes - it was brief, but looked good. Not a lot to go on, but there was certainly nothing to object to in her performance or look so far. The episode ending with her falling out of the Tardis was a nice touch. I have to say, I'm feeling optimistic about her portrayal at this point.
In sum, weak plot, great performances, not much drama. I'd give it 6.5, but IMDB doesn't allow half points, and 7 seems a bit high for this episode.
This episode was okay. It wasn't horrible. It didn't make me want to throw things at the television, like some of Moffatt's episodes. But it wasn't thrilling either, and I was surprised to find - just as I was thinking that the main plot must be about to kick in - that in fact the episode was almost over, and what I had just watched WAS the main plot. That was a bit of a let-down. Compared with previous Christmas specials, this one featured no cataclysmic disaster for the Doctor to avert at the last minute. What we expect to be the monster in fact turns out to be benign. On the upside, this is a refreshing idea, something unexpected. But it does make the episode quite anti-climactic. The story was also notably simpler and more straightforward than Moffatt typically is, and there was no "timey-wimey" stuff. That too is a positive. One just wishes that the gap left by those things had been filled with something a little more engaging and dramatic than what we got. As a send off for Capaldi, it was a bit of a whimper. Heaven Sent it was not, alas.
That said, the episode, had some very enjoyable aspects: David Bradley put in a thoroughly charming performance as the first Doctor, almost making you wish that 12 might just regenerate back into him. The banter between the two doctors was very engaging, and Bradley and Capaldi played off one another brilliantly ("I AM younger" - hilarious). More problematic was Moffatt's decision to make the first Doctor into a raging chauvinist (which he never really was ) - funny at first, perhaps, but the gag went on far too long. More structurally, there didn't turn out to be any real reason for both of them to be in this episode - it had nothing to do with the central plot - it seems Moffatt just though it would be "cool" to have the first Doctor in an episode.
Gatiss put in a quality performance as the confused WWI soldier - proving yet again that he's a better actor than writer. I wasn't thrilled to see Bill back again - not because I didn't like her character, but because I think continually bringing back old companions (under any pretext) nullifies the emotional effects of their leaving in the first place, and is frankly just cheap fan service. (In that connection, I now realize that I DID almost throw something at the TV when she-who-shall-not-be-named put in a brief appearance as well...)
It's hard to say anything good about Capaldi's final speech and regeneration scene: the speech was forced, cheezy, meaningless, and yet another example of how Moffatt can't write human (or alien) emotion. The regeneration itself was brief, and exactly the same as the previous two. Could have used a little more imagination there.
As far as the next Doctor's introduction goes - it was brief, but looked good. Not a lot to go on, but there was certainly nothing to object to in her performance or look so far. The episode ending with her falling out of the Tardis was a nice touch. I have to say, I'm feeling optimistic about her portrayal at this point.
In sum, weak plot, great performances, not much drama. I'd give it 6.5, but IMDB doesn't allow half points, and 7 seems a bit high for this episode.