S7E12: The Crimson Horror (SPOILERS)

Low expectations story-wise but I can't wait to see more of Vastra, Jenny and Strax.

So, for series 7.2, Moffatt wrote 2 episodes, Neil Cross wrote 2 episodes, and Mark Gatiss wrote 2 episodes, with Stephen Thompson and Neil Gaiman only writing one episode each. Is there some shortage of writers writing for Doctor Who?

Also, I always like these fake movie posters. According to them, the only people you need to make a tv show is a writer, a director, and four producers.

I'm looking forward to this episode, I think, and at first it looked to me like a Happiness patrol sequal, with the red goo looking like fondant surprise. I hope they won't do many more Victorian episodes, or for that matter ones with Strax, vastra and jenny. While once in a while someone on the outside occasionally corresponding with the doctor is ok, I really hope they don't overdo it.

I can't wait to see Jenny, Vastra and Strax's reaction to seeing an alive Clara!

Oh good. The "Scooby Gang" again. :/

Why is it I never like the Showrunner's love children as much as the writers do? I got tired of Jack, Jackie, and Mickey fast, and I'm tired of this lot. About the only one I never object to seeing is River - but she's more a on-again-off-again companion then anything else.

Seriously, the Silurian Detective with the Sontaran Butler is a amusing set up...but this is getting seriously old. It diminishes the threat of both the Silurians and the Sontarans by reducing them to gag fodder.

That being said...the question scene from The Snowmen is still one of the highlights of this season for me. So maybe I'll be surprised.

They reduced the threat of the Silurians and Sontarans when they first remade them for Nu Who

To me, the Scooby Gang redeemed them because Vastra and Strax were individuals with a neat twist.

Supposed 'Spoiler Free' review of this ep:

http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/25442/doctor-who-the-crimson-horror-spoiler-free-review

Wow, sounds pretty good!

Ronpur wrote:

Wow, sounds pretty good!

Fingers crossed!

I voted 'Good'! Absolutely hilarious, too!

Vastra, Jenny and Strax were amazing. Especially Strax and his ever awesome lines. I really want them to do a spin-off series with these three. They're amazing.

I was a bit upset to see Jenny sexually objectified so much though. Once again, this is supposed to be a family show. Children ages 12 and under are watching this. I'm getting quite bored and sick of it. The scene where the Doctor looks at Jenny in the skin-tight catsuit, pulls a face and moves his sonic screwdriver in a suggestive way was just unsettling and cringe-y. It reminded me of that ghastly scene from 'The Cat in the Hat' film where his hat 'extends' in a suggestive way when he looks at a 'hot' picture of the kids' mum. What is wrong with the world.

Anyway, aside from that, I have no other complaints. The plot was perhaps a little unclear but I think I understand it now. I enjoyed it though, even when I did find myself thinking, "Um what's happening?" Strax, Vastra and Jenny are what made this episode for me, really. They were great. The old woman, Ada and Mr Sweet were entertaining, too. Also, the northern accents were HILARIOUS! LOVED IT! I was also quite happy with the lack of Clara; it made the episode far more enjoyable for me.

The ending was perhaps a bit dodgy though. I do not like the look of those kids at all. They look like they're gonna be quite annoying and ruin next week's episode. I didn't like the photos on their laptop, neither. They looked far too professional and good quality for images from between 30 and 150 years ago. But back to my point, I'm not looking forward to seeing the kids travel in the TARDIS. Lest I judge just yet though... Well, I'm trying not to, anyway.

All in all, a good episode. Hilarious, entertaining, but a bit dodgy and cringe-y at times.

6/10

i'd give it 10/10

It was just okay for me. I'd been looking forward to the story as soon as I heard Rachael Stirling & Diana Rigg were in it (I'm fond of them both), and I was looking forward to the return of that Silurian gentlewoman, her wife, and their Sontaran valet, not to mention a period piece. Just the opening had me intrigued. Unfortunately, most of the jokes fell flat for me (no pun intended), and despite being fond of some of Gatiss's writing (i.e., Unquiet Dead, Gaderene), this felt too rushed & too flawed (i.e., I'm not sure standing next to a launching rocket as close as they did is survivable, just as I feel safe to say the idea of a Soviet rating taking it upon himself to thaw a scientific specimen was pushing credulity). And as far as the end goes, alright, I read the synopsis for Nightmare a few days ago, but surely there was a more plausible lead-in, no? Right up to the end I was willing to give the story a B- based on Stirling's, Rigg's, Smith's, et al's performances, but that dragged the story down to a C for me. Maybe it would have done better as a 2-parter with more time to develop the story, rather than (seems to me) shortcuts having to be taken to wrap the story in 40-some minutes.

I agree on that... would have been better as a 2 parter.

I had high hopes for Nightmare in Silver, but now with the kiddie factor... not so sure now. Hopefully Gaiman can still bring it.

I thought this was a good episode, but probably better with more time to develop.

My only complaint was the 'baddie'. Seemed way too much out of left field, and a rather weak one. I was thinking she had found a Silurian, and it played on her beliefs and was manipulating her into using the old poison. Then that would set up a a nice old v new school confrontation between a Silurian Mr Sweet and Vastra.

I, too, was thinking Mr Sweet was something more, too. And I have the same anxieties (I can't think of another word--may be stretching it a bit, but you know what I mean) re: the kids next week, but also have hopes that Gaiman's skills can pull off an above-average story. If it was nearly any other writer, I doubt I'd feel even a little optimistic, but since it is Gaiman, I am. Optimistic, that is.

Ehhh...

I agree with Scary. And we're back with the Doctor kissing people again.

Also, I like how the kids went straight to blackmail to get on the TARDIS. Great role models for a family program.

Was it me or was that a vintage Galvatron transformer on the counter? How random.

I said Good. Not my favorite ever, but a pretty fun episode that kept me engaged. I liked the Victorian setting and more Vastra/Jenny/Strax is good for me. Mr. Sweet looked a bit silly.

I liked it. Was not at all what I expected. Far more doctor than I thought it would be, plus the whole bringing clara to the a time period where her previous version had been and then met her. . .very freaky. . .next weeks looks good too.

Did anybody get a good look at Clara's hair in the old photo?
I do not think it was curly. It looked like her Snowman's hair.

KIRKESS wrote:

Did anybody get a good look at Clara's hair in the old photo?
I do not think it was curly. It looked like her Snowman's hair.

that's what I thought too. . .

KIRKESS wrote:

Did anybody get a good look at Clara's hair in the old photo?
I do not think it was curly. It looked like her Snowman's hair.

I think that was the point...

I, of course, voted awful, as I despise the Vastra/Jenny/Strax characters.

I also tend to hate villains who know they're villains, "Know what these are? The wrong hands!"

I actually thought, "Well, it won't be hailed as a landmark episode, but it wasn't too bad." That being said, I don't think Mark Gatiss does his best writing for Doctor Who anymore.

I was a little concerned about the Doctor healing himself with the sonic screwdriver almost instantly. Of course, as he pointed out, the poison didn't kill him because he wasn't human, and I had a theory cooked up by the time the episode was over: the poison either slows down blood causing death or paralysis. Since the Doctor had two hearts, he didn't die, but he was only partly paralyzed. And supposedly, he could use the sonic to jumpstart his hearts, getting his blood to flow normally again.

Rocco wrote:

KIRKESS wrote:

Did anybody get a good look at Clara's hair in the old photo?
I do not think it was curly. It looked like her Snowman's hair.

I think that was the point...

That was definitely the point. It was Clara realizing it couldn't be her because she wasn't in London. Of course, the picture could be from some adventure she hasn't had yet... (I mean, we know it isn't but she doesn't.)

BAD!

Like Calixar, I hate the Victorian "Scooby" gang! NO NEED!!!

Looks like next week will grind my gears with those "darling" drama school children tagging along & hamming up their lines! Hopefully there will be LOTS of Cybermen involvement (perhaps taking out the little darlings early on would be a nice twist - either that or floating off into space........forever!)

I hate child actors in shows - awful, just awful!

Doctor Who has been pretty lucky with child actors. The SJA gang was great, for instance, but yeah those two looked like they escaped from a bad Disney Channel show. Scared for the next episode to be honest.