The Snowmen (2012)

It’s amazing how an episode on Christmas Day has become a tradition just like misery on Eastenders or the Queens speech. This is the ninth time that an episode of Doctor Who has aired on Christmas Day. The Feast of Steven was the first way back in 1965, it wouldn’t be until 2005 when David Tennant debuted as the Tenth Doctor that we got another Christmas Day offering. Since then its been a regular thing and The Snowmen doesn’t just mark Matt Smith’s third Christmas Special but it sees Jenna-Louise Coleman make her official debut after he surprising appearance in Asylum of the Daleks in September. The previous story was what I described as perfectly fine though I do think that there were things wrong with it. Here I had high expectations because

a)      we get a new companion

b)      we get a new TARDIS console

c)       we get killer snowmen at 5.15 on Christmas Day

d)      we get Richard E Grant in a Doctor Who story and finally

e)      Gandalf…sorry Sir Ian McKellen voices the snowmen

Now its quite a good thing that McKellen is voicing the Snowmen as he is currently reprising Gandalf in The Hobbit.  Right, in order to review this story I am going to have start from the beginning. This story seems to mark the beginning of the celebrations for Doctor Who’s 50^th Birthday. We get a new a new title sequence which had a nice brief image of Matt Smith’s face which is clearly a nod to the 1980’s title sequences where Doctors 4-7 had their face appear in the title sequence. I really liked it but then there is the small matter of the new TARDIS console room. I thought I liked the previous console room but when I saw this one I thought that it was much improved. It looks like its leaning towards the past of previous console rooms yet still feeling rather modern. It has the vibe of the original console room because it has a good kind of restrictive sense to it. The revelation was something that was held back. Most people would have known before this episode aired that there would be a new console and the wait was at times unbearable. It was one of those things that you just wanted to be done with so that the story could continue.

Speaking of the story it was nothing outstanding but that might come across as a critiscm. It’s not, sometimes in a Christmas Special I don’t want  an outstanding story because the specials are different from the rest. What we get in this story are killer snowmen which managed to come across as quite sinister everytime they were on screen and an ice sculpture of the Governess was another great creation.  To be honest I was more interested in what was going on with the Doctor and Clara to really worry about the strength or weakness of the plot. The plot does have some comedic moments in particular with the Doctor and Punch. It was a moment that makes you chuckle. Another was when the Doctor came in as Sherlock Holmes which is made all the more funny because of Steven Moffat’s involvement in the revived UK version of Sherlock. I suspect in 20 years time this joke may be lost on people but here and now, it works and works rather well. The humour isn’t over bearing but it does raise the spirits after a rather glum episode where the Ponds leave.

Now, if I have one issue to take with the production team it is the constant dumbing down of the Sontarans and Silurians. Ok they are not the greatest creations ever but I do get frustrated when they come across in the manner that we have in this story. Ok so Madam Vastra comes across rather well in the female equviliant of Jago and Litefoot but Strax is reduced to a comedic prop. I cant say that I didn’t find some of the scenes with him in it funny but I want a story where Strax (or any Sontarans for that matter) come and turn on the Doctor. That would be a good episode for the 50^th year.

Richard E Grant was very good in this as Dr Simeon. Throughout he had a look on his face of disdain for everyone which is what the young Simeon pretty much said in the first scene. It’s a shame that he wasn’t in more of the story but its difficult (impossible) to find fault in his performance. Sir Ian McKellen was great as The Great Intelligence. Is this Great Intelligence the same Great Intelligence from The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear? Time will tell but despite only having a vocal contribution to give to the story I thought that he was very good. He has a very strong voice which worked really well in this story.

Clara hasn’t officially joined the Doctor so when the second half of series 33 returns in a few months then we will know whats going on. I have my theories but time will tell if I am right. What I did like what they did at least acknowledge the fact that Clara looked like Oswin from Asylum. It would have been rather frustrating had this not happened. Overall I really liked this Christmas Special, a much improved addition on last year. The 50^th Anniversary celebrations are officially underway and it looks like its going to be rather good.