Last Christmas

"I gave you my heart and the very next day, you gave it away..."

Sorry, sorry, sorry...randomly broke out in song there. 

This isn't about music or Christmas...well kind of about Christmas.  It's about that Christmas special that aired on Christmas.

***SPOILERS*** (But come on its been 4 days, watch it already!)

Where to begin.  Hmmm I think this may be my fav episode of the Season and solidifies my adoration for the "new" Doctor.  It pays homage to both  Alien and  Inception while staying mostly Doctor Who-ish.  Seriously, there were freaking FACE HUGGERS, OMG!  Of course there were called something more like crabs...which gives a whole new meaning to "you got crabs".  These require more than purging of hair and a medicated wash.  Then when they make a reference to Alien the movie, the Doctor saying "There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive; no wonder you get invaded all the time," I burst into a fit of giggles. Of course Inception was represented by the dream within a dream within a dream...and so on.

The whole premise behind Saint Nick's character was wonderful!  I love Nick Frost and him as a snarky Santa was perfection.  I kind of hope he makes another appearance but not as their ever diligent subconscious, as the actual Santa, oh and don't forget the sassy elves!  I know some were pissed that they addressed "Santa not being real", stating that its a kids show. But they hid it well.  How many times throughout the show did Clara say she believes in Santa?!?!?  It was more of an adults stopped believing because they are stupid, rather than "Hey kids Santa isn't real".  They even let Santa say over and over how he can do all he does in one night.  He might be a manifestation of their subconscious but he is hope.  Santa saves the day.  That isn't a bad thing to show kids.  Are you going to get mad at Miracle on 34th Street?!?!?  The whole premise of that movie is adults don't believe in Santa and it IS a kids movie so hush! At least that is my take on it.

I know I am not the only one who caught the first dream.  Or well we thought it was the 1st.  After the initial attack in the infirmary, I was like wait...the aliens were dropping form the ceiling how'd they get out?!?!!?  Even with Santa's help it shouldn't have been possible.  But it is Doctor Who so I just rolled with it. 

I've made it clear the Danny/Clara thing never sat well with me but I was happy that they didn't make him a bad guy in her dream.  I am glad it ended up with him still being the noble man he was in life, even if it was a manifestation of her subconscious.  I love that her subconcious in the form of Danny tells her she is only allowed to be sad 5 minutes per day.  I dunno, it's a sort of closure for her.

I really really really liked Shona.  She was normal.  She was real.  She was funny.  I think she'd make a fun companion, possibly, so I am glad she lived.   

Anyone else feel like they were also referencing The Christmas invasion here?  Clara in her PJs (very Arthur Dent) and the freaking tangerines.  He called it something else in The Christmas Invasion but he pulled a freaking orange thing out of his dressing gown and used it to kill the alien baddie because "no second chances".   Maybe it was a quinkie dink but I made that connection.

They addressed the lies the Doctor and Clara told each other.  And it looks like from here on out they will have a better friendship.  It is clear the Doctor cares deeply for his companion.  Like I've said before whether you think it is the remnants of romantic love or familial love, it is there, he's just rubbish at showing it.  His first thought when waking is Clara, he goes running when he realizes Clara is in danger.  I was in a tears at the end.  I really thought they were getting rid of Clara and it would have been a wonderful/sad send off.  He missed his mark, he missed 62 years of her life.  She's old now and its over.  But according to him he still saw her as the same.  She was still his Clara.  And because it isn't a Christmas Special without a Christmas Cracker thingy they ripped our heart out and stomped it just a little bit more.  In a mirror of how she helped him on Trenzelor, the Doctor helps the feeble Clara pull the cracker. OMG yep, still crying. 

The rest was rushed.  While I am glad it was still a dream, the whole it's not real Santa saves the day yet again seemed more of an after thought.  Like they filmed the special and then she decided to stay so they added a new ending.  But I am happy to see them together again, in the TARDIS, going on at least one more adventure. 

P.S.  I knew the 1st episode of Season 9 was called the "magician's apprentice" so I giggled every time they said something about the Doctor being a magician or being dressed like a magician.  It was said more than once by Shona so maybe she will be coming back...hmmmmm.

P.P.S. I didn't know tangerines on Christmas was a thing...we don't do that in the South so I was a bit confused.