@bluesqueakpip — thanks for that. Thought it was spot on and eloquently put.

@juniperfish — that’s also interesting, although I’d argue that the placing of the matrix in the notebook (much like the similar flourishes in modern Who) are just designed to mess with us rather than having a full-blown intention behind them. I’d say they stick them…[Read more]

@blenkinsopthebrave — the list (I thought) was of Sherlock’s latest pharmaceuticals of choice. And that the deal they had was that Sherlock would always furnish such a list in order to look out for his brother. I liked this as it added yet another layer of complexity to their relationship.

@bluesqueakpip — I liked your explanation of the…[Read more]

@bluesqueakpip — that Sherlock thread is particularly depressing. But really it’s just the usual suspects using it to give SM a kicking … just because.

I say it every year but I’m really going to try to give up the Graun in 2016. It just depletes my faith in human nature too much.

Thought that was first class. What with s9, Husbands of River Song and this, SM has had a really great year and has hit a real creative peak. It looked beautiful, was very funny and managed to drive the main narrative forward rather than just being a cute little detour. Great to see Andrew Scott back as Moriarty and Mark Gatiss continues to make M…[Read more]

@juniperfish, @pedant and @puroandson—

I’m kind of swithering between the two camps on this one — and this too will be my last utterance on the matter (I think Puro is right that this is a deeply complex subject for the forum. Perhaps a blog at some time in the future…).

I think @juniperfish is right that there is a tendency to conflate all…[Read more]

Just popping in to say that was absolutely fab. Probably counts as the best Christmas episode I reckon and a fitting in to what has been a terrific year of Who. SM has really knocked this one out of the park.

Capaldi and Kingston were as great as I expected them to be and it is, I think, the perfect pairing for 12’s Doc. I still wouldn’t be at…[Read more]

Off to download that now. Good call from @pedant too….

Well, it’s taken a while to wade through all these posts. But critical theory — we’re going there again? Really? I shan’t wade into this again because I think I did so during the Buffy threads earlier in the year but thought I’d just say that @juniperfish‘s posts on the subject have been some of the most measured, thoughtful and just plain right…[Read more]

SPOILER, SPOILER, SPOILER...

Well, that was all kinds of excellent. A brilliant rejoinder to Donna’s fate in Journey’s End. Not crazy about the return of the Time Lords though — hopefully they won’t be making their presence felt that much. But in general as nice a bit of mythology resetting as in The Name of the Doctor.

More thoughts later. But opening with Skaro and ending…[Read more]

@craig—

He was the creative writing fellow at Aberdeen uni when I was there and I was lucky to share a few pints with him. He was a first-class guy — insightful, funny and always incredibly generous.

And, yes, one of those very few blokes who can totally get away with unabashed, old-school moustache action….

This possibly won’t mean that much to anyone not of the Scottish persuasion but William McIlvanney has just died. He was a towering figure in Scottish literature, virtually invented Tartan Noir all on his ownsome and was a formidable but deeply compassionate intellect. His is a deep loss not just for Scotland but for literature in general.

@Phaseshift (and everybody else) — I’m still slightly clinging to my Clara as agent of Missy theory too. Certainly think that we’ll see Missy tonight.

My main concern is that an enormous can of worms has been opened by the return of Gallifrey — possibly more than can be resolved in one episode — the last time we really saw them RTD rather…[Read more]

He’s definitely in burgundy when picking up the dial from the sand, so it’s either just the lighting or a continuity error in that one shot that they hoped no-one would notice.

I’d have to watch again to be sure but that’s a pretty massive continuity error so unlikely they’d let it slide. And let’s remember how significant an assumed con…[Read more]

@janetteb —

I however was rather disturbed by the blurb for part two which includes those dire words, “his plans to leave Doctor Who.” I hope those are long term plans.

Well, he’s there for s10 at the very least. After that, I wouldn’t be surprised if was thinking about moving on. (I wouldn’t be massively surprised if the show took a break aft…[Read more]

BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

@bluesqueakpip — well, certainly no one can say you didn’t give Capaldi a fair go. I guess there are always just some Doctors we don’t warm to. I do kind of know what you mean though. I think regardless of how well it was done the ‘regeneration crisis’ plot line of last year might have fatally ‘holed’ Capaldi’s Doctor in some way for some, in the…[Read more]

Much trailed but really rather splendid interview with Steven Moffat in the RT….

Well, worth a look.

@miapatrick — personally, I think of his mainstream books, he never really again hit the heights of Complicity or The Crow Road but I didn’t really get into his SF books until pretty recently. And I’m really enjoying them at the moment….

@pedant — the campaign for Nifti starts here….