Christmas Specials 2014

[birdienl]

My thoughts on the Christmas Specials from our beloved British shows from this year:

Beware, there are spoilers here!

Downton Abbey: A Moorland Holiday:
I was just reading my thought's on last year's Christmas Special and the funny thing is: I largely want to say the same thing for this year!  I found it a bit boring and also unconnected in a way. Like, what was the connection exactly between the grouse shoot holiday part and the Christmas part, other than needing both to fill the 90 minutes? I loved seeing Matthew Goode, he's a great actor and he looks very great in period dramas, but he was poorly used here. Seriously, another single man to be snappy with Mary? Thomas being his scheming self again was just over-the-top and the Bates' storyline felt sooo repetitive: are they going to be in prison together next Christmas Special? It was fun however that they filmed the first part of the Special at Alnwick Castle because it looked absolutely gorgeous and I've visited this castle! (it's always great fun to see places you've visited pop up in tv series). I also liked the scene between Robert and Edith and I thought they handled Branson's farewell very good. I'm going to miss him and Sybbie :-( That ending of Carson and Mrs. Hughes storyline though! I squeed like crazy, but it also felt a little bit sudden to me?

Call the Midwife:
An absolutely charmer and the most 'Christmassy' of the three Specials, if only for the way it shows us stories about real human beings and real love. There was, as is Call the Midwife's forté, a good balance between touching and lighthearted moments. I loved the storyline taking place at the 'mother-and-child' home best, very poignant and with great acting from Louise Connoly (who played pregnant teen Avril). The storyline with the couple with psychiatric problems also was very well done, I marvel at how this series can highlight societal problems with one simple well-chosen personal story. I felt like in this episode Patsy really took her place among the other midwifes and I also really liked Cynthia's storyline, even though I would have preferred for it to have stretched over multiple episodes. I also could have done without the framing commentary of older Jenny, it felt like this would have been more suitable for the last episode of series 3 and it didn't add a whole lot here.

Doctor Who: Last Christmas:
This story had an interesting idea, but I found it badly executed. It left too many questions unanswered for me (yes, even in comparison to Doctor Who in general), especially about the 'alien-of-the-week': are there many more Dream Crabs on earth, where do they come from, what do they gain from attacking people etc. etc. Also, Twelve (and Clara) having to wake up from the dream 4 or 5 times was maybe a bit too much. The exploration of dreams really is a Moffat thing: dreams, thoughts, conciousness etc. are all things he often explores in his stories and to be honest: I'm quite done with it. After four seasons, most of his episodes feel repetitive and 'in-your-face'. Really, give us a new head writer already! I was quite surprised to see Clara is going to stay on as companion. I do like her and Twelve together, but she had such big stories already, it might be time for a new face. I liked the inclusion of Santa Claus and how his presence was explained, the scene with the characters flying in the sleigh over London allowed for some really pretty visuals.

Comments

[watching-ghosts.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed Downton Abbey this year. I have no clue why they included both the holiday and Christmas in the same episode, though, without an actual connection of sorts. I found myself laughing a lot over the broth story line. And Carson and Mrs. Hughes were super cuuuute <3 I didn't think they'd actually ever go there with those two, but I'm so glad they did. And I agree, they handled Branson's departure really well. I loved all the mentions of Sybil, and I shed a few tears at the scene in the children's bedroom. I'm going to miss him a lot.

I didn't catch much of Doctor Who, because we had guests who insisted on talking through the episode, but I did see the end and the amount of times people were waking up from a dream, thinking they were awake, only to find out they were still dreaming and wake up again, did seem pretty over the top. I'll have to watch it again though, to understand the rest of the episode.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to see the responses from the rest of the characters, up- and downstairs, when they hear about Carson and Mrs. Hughes plans!

Ugh, people who talk through television are so annoying!

[elysium-22.livejournal.com]

I enjoy reading your reviews! Thanks for posting! :)

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

Now that I've caught up on Call the Midwife I can come back here and read your review! :)

I agree with everything you said! This was a sweet episode and so touching! The way the writers balance the depressing reality and the happier touches works so well! You cry but you smile too.

I also found the older Jenny's scenes to be rather unneeded. I was so sad when Jessica Raine decided to leave and I was very nervous about how it might affect the show but it didn't bother me as much in this episode as I thought it would. Do you think they will show more of older!Jenny instead this season?

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I don't think they will show more of older!Jenny, I had a feeling this would be the last we saw of her? Also because the storylines will no longer be coming from her memoirs, but I don't know.

[msantimacassar.livejournal.com]

Oh, ok! So the next series is going to be a blank page for the screenwriters, I wonder what they'll do with it!