Current State of the USS Hadhafang
Jun. 4th, 2013 09:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianCurrently doing all right. Really tired, though. (Let's say I've been feeling tired a lot lately, and I can't really say why) Also, the BluRay player downstairs appears to have broken down, so we're buying a new one. Suppose that really, it's no surprise. I mean, really -- it's a few years old.
So we had to watch the episode "The Crimson Horror" upstairs. How was it? Really, really good.
First of all, I loved that Strax, Jenny and Vastra came back. I sadly have yet to get around to watching "The Snowmen" (which no doubt means that I'm missing out on a lot considering how it sets up stuff like the Great Intelligence, Clara, and so on and so forth), but it was really good seeing the three in action again. I loved Jenny just straight up kicking the shit out of those people attacking her and the Doctor, along with a lot of what Strax said. I think Strax and Jenny were some of my favorites in this episode. I think what makes Strax work is how...well, utterly seriously he seems to take things (for example, the matter of the horse, as well as him seeming a bit gung-ho about certain things), and yet at the same time, when it's time to deliver, he really delivers (see also him ultimately helping to defeat Mrs. Gillyflower). So yeah, Strax kicks a lot of ass. And I loved Vastra telling him off much earlier when it's revealed that he's been sort of raiding Jenny's sherbet fancies -- that was pretty funny. XD Honestly, when the episode wasn't being absolutely horrifying, heartbreaking or whatever, it was really funny, so I'm glad that Mark Gatiss brought in Strax, Jenny and Vastra. Also helps that they were absolutely amazing. I think they've been elevated into the Favorite Characters Pantheon.
I also loved (well, she was a great villain, really) Mrs. Gillyflower. I think what made her really work was how she could switch from utterly diabolical to sweet in the same breath. There's definitely something chilling about how she welcomes the Doctor and Clara into the place where she works, especially considering that you know what happens to the Doctor after that, because it was sort of framed in that way. Basically, the Doctor gets paralyzed by the Crimson Horror and is kept as Ada (Mrs. Gillyflower's daughter) as sort of her personal monster as thanks to his Time Lord biology he's paralyzed, not dead. And Mrs. Gillyflower is just...really honestly awful. For example, being willing to basically cleanse the Earth of people who don't fit into her ideal of perfection (including her daughter, who's blind. Did I mention that Mrs. Gillyflower blinded her on purpose because she was experimenting on her with the venom?) and seeming almost gleeful during it. And trying to kill Ada. Just...ugh, poor Ada. What she went through in this episode just broke my heart. But I like how it ended on a hopeful note for her, with, now that her mother's dead, she's free to go out into the world. And the Doctor kissing her cheek and reassuring her that she'll be, in his words, "splendid"...that was really sweet. Honestly, the entire relationship between Ada and the Doctor was sweet. I also loved earlier, after Ada's distraught over her mother rejecting her, and the Doctor's been freed, how he comforts her and tells her basically that no, she's not black-hearted, and no, she is not a sinner. And I loved how Ada responds to Clara, when Clara says that she's a friend of the Doctor's. How Ada basically says that it's fortunate, because it's hard to be alone. So yeah, loved Ada. Seriously loved her. The actress who played her did a seriously fantastic job.
I also loved the atmosphere of the episode -- stuff like the people being lowered into the vats, for example -- that was seriously chilling. Also, the reveal of Mr. Sweet being a lobster sort of parasite living on Mrs. Gillyflower's chest. Yeah, let's say that my reaction was sort of like Barf and Lonestar's reactions in SPACEBALLS when they saw the singing and dancing chestburster -- "Check please!" Seriously, it freaked me out. Not to mention Mrs. Gillyflower's speeches and sermons and such. Those were really chilling.
I also loved the ending where Clara's dropped off at her house and the kids she's babysitting find out she's a time traveller. And when Clara sort of comes in contact with Victorian London Clara. Seriously, that was a really great moment. And a good set-up for the next episode, "Nightmare in Silver". Honestly, "The Crimson Horror" was amazing. Only problem? When it ended.
So overall? Loved it. Very much recommended.
So we had to watch the episode "The Crimson Horror" upstairs. How was it? Really, really good.
First of all, I loved that Strax, Jenny and Vastra came back. I sadly have yet to get around to watching "The Snowmen" (which no doubt means that I'm missing out on a lot considering how it sets up stuff like the Great Intelligence, Clara, and so on and so forth), but it was really good seeing the three in action again. I loved Jenny just straight up kicking the shit out of those people attacking her and the Doctor, along with a lot of what Strax said. I think Strax and Jenny were some of my favorites in this episode. I think what makes Strax work is how...well, utterly seriously he seems to take things (for example, the matter of the horse, as well as him seeming a bit gung-ho about certain things), and yet at the same time, when it's time to deliver, he really delivers (see also him ultimately helping to defeat Mrs. Gillyflower). So yeah, Strax kicks a lot of ass. And I loved Vastra telling him off much earlier when it's revealed that he's been sort of raiding Jenny's sherbet fancies -- that was pretty funny. XD Honestly, when the episode wasn't being absolutely horrifying, heartbreaking or whatever, it was really funny, so I'm glad that Mark Gatiss brought in Strax, Jenny and Vastra. Also helps that they were absolutely amazing. I think they've been elevated into the Favorite Characters Pantheon.
I also loved (well, she was a great villain, really) Mrs. Gillyflower. I think what made her really work was how she could switch from utterly diabolical to sweet in the same breath. There's definitely something chilling about how she welcomes the Doctor and Clara into the place where she works, especially considering that you know what happens to the Doctor after that, because it was sort of framed in that way. Basically, the Doctor gets paralyzed by the Crimson Horror and is kept as Ada (Mrs. Gillyflower's daughter) as sort of her personal monster as thanks to his Time Lord biology he's paralyzed, not dead. And Mrs. Gillyflower is just...really honestly awful. For example, being willing to basically cleanse the Earth of people who don't fit into her ideal of perfection (including her daughter, who's blind. Did I mention that Mrs. Gillyflower blinded her on purpose because she was experimenting on her with the venom?) and seeming almost gleeful during it. And trying to kill Ada. Just...ugh, poor Ada. What she went through in this episode just broke my heart. But I like how it ended on a hopeful note for her, with, now that her mother's dead, she's free to go out into the world. And the Doctor kissing her cheek and reassuring her that she'll be, in his words, "splendid"...that was really sweet. Honestly, the entire relationship between Ada and the Doctor was sweet. I also loved earlier, after Ada's distraught over her mother rejecting her, and the Doctor's been freed, how he comforts her and tells her basically that no, she's not black-hearted, and no, she is not a sinner. And I loved how Ada responds to Clara, when Clara says that she's a friend of the Doctor's. How Ada basically says that it's fortunate, because it's hard to be alone. So yeah, loved Ada. Seriously loved her. The actress who played her did a seriously fantastic job.
I also loved the atmosphere of the episode -- stuff like the people being lowered into the vats, for example -- that was seriously chilling. Also, the reveal of Mr. Sweet being a lobster sort of parasite living on Mrs. Gillyflower's chest. Yeah, let's say that my reaction was sort of like Barf and Lonestar's reactions in SPACEBALLS when they saw the singing and dancing chestburster -- "Check please!" Seriously, it freaked me out. Not to mention Mrs. Gillyflower's speeches and sermons and such. Those were really chilling.
I also loved the ending where Clara's dropped off at her house and the kids she's babysitting find out she's a time traveller. And when Clara sort of comes in contact with Victorian London Clara. Seriously, that was a really great moment. And a good set-up for the next episode, "Nightmare in Silver". Honestly, "The Crimson Horror" was amazing. Only problem? When it ended.
So overall? Loved it. Very much recommended.
