The Giggle aka, The Vanquishers 2.0: Electric Boogaloo

It’s been nearly a week, and I’ve been busy, hence the delay in the review, but even if I did have time… WHERE WOULD I START?

The Giggle is such An Episode, it’s incredibly entertaining, fast paced, constantly shifting and changing locales and focus so you’re never bored, there’s a whole ton of incredible scenes and ideas… but oh my, how does all of this fit into anything? It’s a miracle it holds itself together and only really falls apart when you think about it, you’re so entertained whilst watching.

OK, to have some semblance of structure, let’s get all the unquestionably great stuff out of the way. Obviously the episode looks incredible, and the cast are on their a-game. Neil Patrick Harris as the Toymaker is immensely entertaining, and whilst we’ll get back to the character later, purely on a performance standpoint this is one of the best antagonists in years. I love the UNIT base, and the script is hilarious. Some standout scenes include the Toymaker’s puppet show, the Toymaker’s dance scene, the surreal dreamscapes in 1925 and the reunion between Mel and the Doctor.

Oh, and I liked the end, but once again, we’ll get back to that later.

Wild Blue Yonder is the best Doctor Who episode in years

Yeah, I’m gonna get straight to the point, Wild Blue Yonder really is THAT episode, the best since fellow December 2nd story It Takes You Away. No question. Not that there haven’t been strong episodes since, but in terms of true blue, unquestionable, one for the ages, must watch, quintessential Doctor Who in every capacity, firing on every cylinder… Wild Blue Yonder IS that episode. I like The Star Beast just fine, but to call this an improvement is a huge testament to how good the episode is.

The Doctor and Donna arrive on an empty spaceship with a slow moving robot… and that’s the premise. To say there’s a sense of dread is an understatement – not since Logopolis has so much nothing been so threatening, just the two characters walking down a corridor knowing *something* will happen, you just don’t know what or when, is enough to chill the bone. It’s the perfect example of Hitchcock’s bomb under the table theory – we know there’s a threat, it’s just a question of when it appears.

Doctor Who – The Star Beast – It’s Meeping Time

After a thirteen month absence, Doctor Who has finally returned for the first of three specials that promise to be an intense chapter in Who history, and The Star Beast kicks things off with a safe and familiar tone. If there’s one thing The Star Beast reminded me of, it’s The Force Awakens. After a long absence from the public eye, the franchise returns with a massive surge of fanservice, call-backs, familiar elements and conventional trappings in order to ease new or long-returning fans back in, and it does it well. This should mean that Wild Blue Yonder is a subversive, unexpected masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of what the franchise can do, and The Giggle… OK, maybe it’s not a perfect analogy, let’s hope that’s not what happens!

Obviously *I* don’t need a re-introduction to Who, nor do I think the show’s needed “saving”, but the return of David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Russell T Davies has massively boosted the show’s public spotlight for the anniversary year. The Star Beast therefore exists mostly as a fun runaround that evokes “Doctor Who” as defined by pop culture – monsters, explosions, camp and a lot of inherent British charm – before the next two specials dissect the relationships established further.

Why the Toymaker is a genius villain for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary

On Saturday, a long standing open secret was revealed – Neil Patrick Harris is playing the Celestial Toymaker in Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, joining an exclusive list of anniversary villains along with Omega, Borusa and the Zygons. There’s been speculation since he was cast, but with this confirmation… I’m actually way more excited than I’ve been in the past! Obviously I HAVE been excited, but now? I genuinely think this choice of villain is inspired beyond belief. Here’s why.