Current Status of the USS Hadhafang.
Jun. 15th, 2013 10:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianCurrently doing okay, really. Actually, I'm doing brilliantly, I think. Had a good day with a friend, for example -- went bookshopping with her, bought some new books, including THE MISTS OF AVALON, the novelization of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, a book on writing fiction for the twenty first century, and the first book of the DARK TOWER series, THE GUNSLINGER. (The most surprising thing being that my mom did not freak out at this because when I was younger, she would never have let me buy a Stephen King book. Then again, considering that I had trouble sleeping even hearing about the premise of the story CUJO, she was probably right) Overall, a success. (Well, other than leaving my fanny pack at her apartment, but she managed to call me in time so I could go back and retrieve it)
Also, got THE SNOWMEN (finally!) on DVD. How was it? Honestly, excellent! Can't believe I missed something like this!
If one's asking why I had to wait so long to watch THE SNOWMEN with my family, it was mostly because of a huge misunderstanding; when my mom was preordering Season 7b on Amazon, there was a review there that said that THE SNOWMEN came with Season 7b. Apparently, that wasn't the case. (Obviously) So yeah, huge misunderstanding there, glad that THE SNOWMEN got in.
First off, I suppose that it's really no surprise in regards to DOCTOR WHO, but Mr. Simeon was absolutely fantastic. It helps that Richard E. Grant himself was absolutely fantastic in the role -- he gave Simeon a sort of presence and absolute goddamn malice that I really enjoyed (which...yeah, I loved him as Simeon-as-the-Great-Intelligence, but I also really loved him as Simeon. And the fact he could play both those roles, the cold and cruel Simeon as well as the Great Intelligence...yeah, the man's good. *) and some really good lines, such as Vastra saying that she knows a man who can stop him and Simeon going "I look forward to meeting him", as well as, in the beginning, when the sentient snowmen ** attack and he says to the people outside, "I said I'd feed you; I didn't say who to." While funny in a bleak way, though, the line was also sort of awful and I swear I had flashbacks to Mr. Crane in "Rise of the Cybermen", really. *Shivers* And yeah, that got dark fast; here's some dancing Weeping Angels: http://cheezburger.com/7565787136.
I also really, really hated when he said that Sherlock Holmes would never succeed if the characters were female (basically, Vastra's the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes with Jenny, her wife, being Watson). I dunno; I guess it is the Victorian era, but it still made me want to reach through the TV screen and punch Simeon in the face. Which I think is a kind of first for me. Certain events in "Last of the Time Lords" kind of made me go numb from shock on occasion and the same goes for "Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel", "Midnight", and "The Waters of Mars", but I don't think I ever got the whole "I will reach through the TV screen and punch you" feeling. That might be a first. *Sighs* Really though, Simeon was really an asshole even before the Great Intelligence decided to use his body as a vessel. And even as a kid...well, let's say he was kind of anti-social and didn't like to play with the other children because he thought they were "silly". I think the really scary part was that I sort of saw a bit of a dark mirror of myself as a child in Simeon, at least for a moment. I was nowhere as bad as him (and there were no talking snowmen), but let's say I didn't really hang out with kids my age most because...well, I wasn't good at it. I was sort of better with adults. And I read a lot, really. I kind of preferred books to the company of people, though I've gotten better at talking to people. Actually, come to think of it, maybe I'm not like Simeon at all.
I also really liked Clara in this episode -- well, Victorian!Clara. Let's say that considering THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR and the revelation of Clara having multiple copies thanks to her trying to stop the Great Intelligence, calling her Victorian!Clara at this moment seems to be appropriate. I really liked her talk with Vastra and Jenny (and a very interesting revelation about how Vastra and co. feel about the Doctor's Heroic BSOD after "The Angels Take Manhattan" ***), as well as her relationship with the two children she played governess to (seriously, that was just an incredibly sweet relationship. Which really makes it all the more heartbreaking when Clara dies) -- stuff like trying to comfort the little girl having nightmares and talking about the Doctor in the clouds who keeps kids from having bad dreams (and there were some funny bits in there, like inventing fish so she won't have to swim alone). And the two kids running up to her and talking to her about the drawings and such (with a bit of funny in there as well). Although it gets scary with the ice incarnation of their previous governess ****, just yelling at the kids (I dunno, there's something about that combined with that whole the-monster's-about-to-bash-down-your-door thing that is probably one of the worst nightmares ever), and later, snatching Clara off the TARDIS and they both fall. I mean, there's that sweet scene with the Doctor giving her the TARDIS key with "I never know why; I only know who.", and then the ice governess shows up and ruins it. (Though seriously, Doctor, you're getting a bit sloppy. Defeat the monster first, then take off in the TARDIS, y'know?) Although it was heartwarming when, while sort of activating the technology to keep Clara conscious for a few more hours, Strax says, long after saying that the technology they have is far superior to any human technology (basically), "Try not to worry." That and his obvious sorrow when Clara dies...that was just heartbreaking. Then again, the whole scene was heartbreaking (with some heartwarming mixed in). I know stuff like the family's sorrow over Clara dying ultimately stopping the Great Intelligence (for the moment)...it could have come off as cheesy, but honestly? It was really well-done, that scene.
That and Eleven going off to ultimately find Clara. Honestly, after everything, it was just a really sweet, honestly hopeful ending.
I also really liked the bits of humor in there, like with Vastra, Jenny and co. entering the house to help defeat the snowmen, Eleven's way of entering (let's say puppets are involved. XD Only Eleven, I swear. XD), and a lot of what Strax does. And Eleven disguised as Sherlock Holmes (before he decides to get dangerous, of course). Honestly, it was a damn good episode. Only problem? When it ended.
* Also played the Doctor in that SCREAM OF THE SHALKA webcast, which makes this kind of funny in a meta way.
** Long story, telepathic snow and all, snowmen coming to life...yeah, I think I might be more than a little antsy around snowmen, really.
*** Because really, ouch. Poor Doctor.
**** Seriously, how she died was scary enough, but her incarnation is also pretty scary, even if the effects are a tad cheesy.
So overall? Loved it. Very much recommended.
Also, got THE SNOWMEN (finally!) on DVD. How was it? Honestly, excellent! Can't believe I missed something like this!
If one's asking why I had to wait so long to watch THE SNOWMEN with my family, it was mostly because of a huge misunderstanding; when my mom was preordering Season 7b on Amazon, there was a review there that said that THE SNOWMEN came with Season 7b. Apparently, that wasn't the case. (Obviously) So yeah, huge misunderstanding there, glad that THE SNOWMEN got in.
First off, I suppose that it's really no surprise in regards to DOCTOR WHO, but Mr. Simeon was absolutely fantastic. It helps that Richard E. Grant himself was absolutely fantastic in the role -- he gave Simeon a sort of presence and absolute goddamn malice that I really enjoyed (which...yeah, I loved him as Simeon-as-the-Great-Intelligence, but I also really loved him as Simeon. And the fact he could play both those roles, the cold and cruel Simeon as well as the Great Intelligence...yeah, the man's good. *) and some really good lines, such as Vastra saying that she knows a man who can stop him and Simeon going "I look forward to meeting him", as well as, in the beginning, when the sentient snowmen ** attack and he says to the people outside, "I said I'd feed you; I didn't say who to." While funny in a bleak way, though, the line was also sort of awful and I swear I had flashbacks to Mr. Crane in "Rise of the Cybermen", really. *Shivers* And yeah, that got dark fast; here's some dancing Weeping Angels: http://cheezburger.com/7565787136.
I also really, really hated when he said that Sherlock Holmes would never succeed if the characters were female (basically, Vastra's the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes with Jenny, her wife, being Watson). I dunno; I guess it is the Victorian era, but it still made me want to reach through the TV screen and punch Simeon in the face. Which I think is a kind of first for me. Certain events in "Last of the Time Lords" kind of made me go numb from shock on occasion and the same goes for "Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel", "Midnight", and "The Waters of Mars", but I don't think I ever got the whole "I will reach through the TV screen and punch you" feeling. That might be a first. *Sighs* Really though, Simeon was really an asshole even before the Great Intelligence decided to use his body as a vessel. And even as a kid...well, let's say he was kind of anti-social and didn't like to play with the other children because he thought they were "silly". I think the really scary part was that I sort of saw a bit of a dark mirror of myself as a child in Simeon, at least for a moment. I was nowhere as bad as him (and there were no talking snowmen), but let's say I didn't really hang out with kids my age most because...well, I wasn't good at it. I was sort of better with adults. And I read a lot, really. I kind of preferred books to the company of people, though I've gotten better at talking to people. Actually, come to think of it, maybe I'm not like Simeon at all.
I also really liked Clara in this episode -- well, Victorian!Clara. Let's say that considering THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR and the revelation of Clara having multiple copies thanks to her trying to stop the Great Intelligence, calling her Victorian!Clara at this moment seems to be appropriate. I really liked her talk with Vastra and Jenny (and a very interesting revelation about how Vastra and co. feel about the Doctor's Heroic BSOD after "The Angels Take Manhattan" ***), as well as her relationship with the two children she played governess to (seriously, that was just an incredibly sweet relationship. Which really makes it all the more heartbreaking when Clara dies) -- stuff like trying to comfort the little girl having nightmares and talking about the Doctor in the clouds who keeps kids from having bad dreams (and there were some funny bits in there, like inventing fish so she won't have to swim alone). And the two kids running up to her and talking to her about the drawings and such (with a bit of funny in there as well). Although it gets scary with the ice incarnation of their previous governess ****, just yelling at the kids (I dunno, there's something about that combined with that whole the-monster's-about-to-bash-down-your-door thing that is probably one of the worst nightmares ever), and later, snatching Clara off the TARDIS and they both fall. I mean, there's that sweet scene with the Doctor giving her the TARDIS key with "I never know why; I only know who.", and then the ice governess shows up and ruins it. (Though seriously, Doctor, you're getting a bit sloppy. Defeat the monster first, then take off in the TARDIS, y'know?) Although it was heartwarming when, while sort of activating the technology to keep Clara conscious for a few more hours, Strax says, long after saying that the technology they have is far superior to any human technology (basically), "Try not to worry." That and his obvious sorrow when Clara dies...that was just heartbreaking. Then again, the whole scene was heartbreaking (with some heartwarming mixed in). I know stuff like the family's sorrow over Clara dying ultimately stopping the Great Intelligence (for the moment)...it could have come off as cheesy, but honestly? It was really well-done, that scene.
That and Eleven going off to ultimately find Clara. Honestly, after everything, it was just a really sweet, honestly hopeful ending.
I also really liked the bits of humor in there, like with Vastra, Jenny and co. entering the house to help defeat the snowmen, Eleven's way of entering (let's say puppets are involved. XD Only Eleven, I swear. XD), and a lot of what Strax does. And Eleven disguised as Sherlock Holmes (before he decides to get dangerous, of course). Honestly, it was a damn good episode. Only problem? When it ended.
* Also played the Doctor in that SCREAM OF THE SHALKA webcast, which makes this kind of funny in a meta way.
** Long story, telepathic snow and all, snowmen coming to life...yeah, I think I might be more than a little antsy around snowmen, really.
*** Because really, ouch. Poor Doctor.
**** Seriously, how she died was scary enough, but her incarnation is also pretty scary, even if the effects are a tad cheesy.
So overall? Loved it. Very much recommended.
