This one was pretty well timed really. It's just passed Christmas Day 2013 and it's time to watch the 2007 Christmas special.
I was very excited about this one when it was first broadcast as I've always been really interested in the Titanic. Therefore when I discovered that this wasn't the real Titanic but a space ship replica then I must admit to being a little disappointed. But then again I suppose showing a tragedy where approximately 1500 lost their lives may not exactly be festive viewing!
So as I've said the Doctor finds himself mingling amongst the many alien races who have come to experience the human tradition of Christmas in orbit around the Earth in a replica of one of the Earth's most famous ships. Not sure how much research was put in to deciding the name and style of the ship but the name Titanic wouldn't fill me with confidence. Then again I believe some wealthy Australian guy is at this very minute pouring money into a project to rebuild the famous liner so maybe people would be mad enough to sail on another Titanic.
The captain of the ship is none other than Geoffrey Palmer, making this his third appearance in Doctor Who! It's also his third death in Doctor Who as the Titanic is hit my some flaming balls of rock. This guy has the worst luck ever in Doctor Who. Please let him star in one more episode and have him survive to the closing credits! Don't feel to sorry for him though as it was his fault for purposefully steering the ship into the path of the rocks having been bribed to do so.
Last Christmas we had special guest Catherine Tate and this year it's Kylie Minogue turn to be the Doctor's temporary companion in what must have been the biggest celebrity to have appeared in the show since Hale and Pace guest starred in Survival! She's pretty good in the episode but it basically is stunt casting but I think you can forgive that for a Christmas special. Here she is playing a waitress on the Titanic, but one who dreams of properly getting out and exploring the stars. Sounds like a perfect companion. Unfortunately she tragically does not survive the events of the episode. Which is probably just as well as I can't really imagine a full series with Kylie Minogue as the companion. But then I probably thought the same with Billie Piper.
So basically the ship is hit by asteroids and then it's only a matter of time before it falls to Earth and destroys all life on the planet. It's the Poesidon Adventure in space more than it is the Titanic really.
As if things weren't bad enough the robot servants of the ship have been programmed to kill everyone on board. These robots (known as Hosts) are pretty creepy looking with their blank expressions. I remember when they were first sighted everyone got really excited that the Axons were coming back as they look very similar. But I'm afraid that wasn't to be.
The captain of the ship is none other than Geoffrey Palmer, making this his third appearance in Doctor Who! It's also his third death in Doctor Who as the Titanic is hit my some flaming balls of rock. This guy has the worst luck ever in Doctor Who. Please let him star in one more episode and have him survive to the closing credits! Don't feel to sorry for him though as it was his fault for purposefully steering the ship into the path of the rocks having been bribed to do so.
Last Christmas we had special guest Catherine Tate and this year it's Kylie Minogue turn to be the Doctor's temporary companion in what must have been the biggest celebrity to have appeared in the show since Hale and Pace guest starred in Survival! She's pretty good in the episode but it basically is stunt casting but I think you can forgive that for a Christmas special. Here she is playing a waitress on the Titanic, but one who dreams of properly getting out and exploring the stars. Sounds like a perfect companion. Unfortunately she tragically does not survive the events of the episode. Which is probably just as well as I can't really imagine a full series with Kylie Minogue as the companion. But then I probably thought the same with Billie Piper.
So basically the ship is hit by asteroids and then it's only a matter of time before it falls to Earth and destroys all life on the planet. It's the Poesidon Adventure in space more than it is the Titanic really.
As if things weren't bad enough the robot servants of the ship have been programmed to kill everyone on board. These robots (known as Hosts) are pretty creepy looking with their blank expressions. I remember when they were first sighted everyone got really excited that the Axons were coming back as they look very similar. But I'm afraid that wasn't to be.
I enjoyed how they play up the fact that something terrible always happens in London every Christmas. In this episode the city has been pretty much abandoned as people fear another alien invasion. And guess where the crashing Titanic is aimed for??
We don't meet the true villain of the story till right near the end. He is Max Capricorn and the former owner of the company who made the ship. He's annoyed at being kicked out so plans to crash the ship into the Earth and get the rest of the board thrown into jail for mass murder. I quite like that. It's nice to have a villain whose motives aren't world domination etc. Here it is pure and simply spiteful revenge. Also I'm sure there has to be some kind of anagram including the word Axon in Max Capricorn's name which further drove the fans mad in the prelude to the episode. Seriously, why haven't the Axons come back yet??
Overall I enjoyed this episode but not as much as I'd hoped. I used to really like it but for some reason it does not seem to have aged well. The effects are great and the part where the ship nearly crashes into Buckingham Palace is exciting, with the Queen waving and wishing the Doctor a happy Christmas (yeah that's a little cheesy). I'm not sure why I didn't really enjoy it this time. I think I was in post Christmas blues, plus I had a terrible cold and was therefore generally feeling miserable. Which is a shame because this is the last Doctor Who that I will be watching for a while as it's now time for season 2 of Torchwood!
Overall I enjoyed this episode but not as much as I'd hoped. I used to really like it but for some reason it does not seem to have aged well. The effects are great and the part where the ship nearly crashes into Buckingham Palace is exciting, with the Queen waving and wishing the Doctor a happy Christmas (yeah that's a little cheesy). I'm not sure why I didn't really enjoy it this time. I think I was in post Christmas blues, plus I had a terrible cold and was therefore generally feeling miserable. Which is a shame because this is the last Doctor Who that I will be watching for a while as it's now time for season 2 of Torchwood!
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