So, Xmas

For those bothered about material stuff at Xmas, Lesley, having noticed that I've had the appropriate leather coat and waistcoat - and beard - for the War Doctor years before the character was thought of, has cheekily given me the gaiters/half-chaps and bandolier to complete the outfit...

Also, a nice chunky Dalek belt buckle, and Assassin's Creed 3, Black Flag, and Saint's Row IV.

We'll be exchaning presents with her mum later - or at least she will, as her mum usually gives a bag of goodies to each of us, but the stroke interrupted before she got to mine, so it's just as well that all I give a shit about is more... what's the word, mental? Conceptual! That's the word.

We'll be back for Dr Who though.

Dr Who Xmas episode

If you can't wait till tonight for Time Of The Doctor, perhaps this will tide you over.

"s03e04p07 The Feast of Steven reconstructed" (Watch on YouTube)

Dalek Xmas

A bit of a mixture, this Dalek - Day of The Daleks base with an NSD top...

"A Very Dalek Christmas" (Watch on YouTube)

Time Of the Doctor non-spoiler reaction

Well that was... a bit of a mess. There have been worse episodes, but I'd say it was probably the worst regeneration since Time And The Rani, which is shocking considering how good Day Of The Doctor was.

Basically, the real problem with it is that it was a shopping list of elements for a story arc that would have made a good arc for a season, devoting an episode to each bit or element, but which totally fucking didn't work as a single hour.

Lesley being pissed and moaning "this is awful" all fucking through it didn't help, so I may be underrating on the ground of being well sick that, but really it was a structural mess. Oh, yeah and way too much plot exposition via narration. And was the Papal mainframe meant to be someone we know - a different incarnation of River or something?

Oh, yeah, and too many retcons of even stuff from Eleven's own era - what the Silents are, for example. The "Doctor Who?" gag has been done too many times, the nature of the Silents changes again...

Oh, I also seriously wonder how much was shot but cut from the episode - It really felt that we getting just parts of scenes a lot of the time, and I *know* they had the Doctor's leg getting petrified by an Angel but we never saw that...

Still, it's Xmas, there's supposed to be a turkey...

Oh yeah

We did discover, when indulging in a spot of rapier practice on the terrace and were talking to their neighbours, that where we have a collection of swords and the like, next door has a militaria collection including a couple of deactivated Lee Enfield rifles, a Kar 98K, a Bren gun that I really want to nick...