Welcome back! Christina and Brad welcome Nick, Richard and Andy into the studio! Fear not, Adam will be joining them later!
Nick opens with a summary of the Christmas episode of Doctor Who, The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe. The gang discusses the themes of parenthood within this past series of Who. Richard labels it science comedy, while he and Nick trace the overuse of the sonic screwdriver. Richard says the Narnia-esque story “almost” works, but finds the used story less than stellar. Andy found the mother stereotypical, and caught many of the things reminiscent of other stories and images. He admits to preferring previous Christmas episodes. Nick found it both enjoyable but unremarkable, picking The End of Time as his least favorite Christmas story. He longs for the days when The Doctor himself was the hero, and asks us to count back the episodes. Nick has his Rose-colored glasses firmly in place and we ask if it’s possible for fans of any show to be totally objective. Is it better to be overtly Christmassy, or should the episode just have vague elements of the holiday? Christina loved the character of the mom and the few touching moments spread within. Finding that the monsters less suspenseful than they could or should have been and that was the moment the episode lost her. She was, however, thrilled to see Whovian Bill Bailey in the cast. Brad holds the Narnia Chronicles dear to him, so was apprehensive about the episode. Christina breaks them up for a moment to admire the Nicholas Courtney and Elisabeth Sladen poster above her desk. Brad likens the attempt by the mother to soften the blow of their father’s death to an episode of MASH.
Adam stops in to share his views this segment. Although he enjoyed moments and characters, overall he finds it less than the sum of its parts. Despite being the adventurer he is, he wasn’t as impressed with the environmental message as he could have been. He did love the tour of the house as well as the moving moment describing happiness now verses sadness in the future. Overall, he doesn’t think the kids and tree creatures could beat the flying sharks and Dumbledore of last year. Brad shares a sad moment involving Alexander Armstrong and what could have been.
For Geek Cuisine, McVities Ginger Nuts cookies. Christina may have to give the boys a smackdown to get through the segment, but everybody enjoys the cookies.
Winding down by winding it up, we discuss the appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Pond at the end of the episode. Nick makes an observation about companions who have either witnessed different Doctors, or caught up with them after time had passed. Would Amy treat another regeneration of the Timelord differently? Do all the companions prepare for a visit the way Rory and The Brigadier have? They debate portrayal of the character and ask if time would have changed the time travelers.
In closing, Brad reads an e-mail from Billy in defense of Amy in The Girl Who Waited. They respond to his points about Amy’s bitterness toward the Doctor, whether he was careless or whether she was justified.
Welcome back to PodCulture! Glenn isn’t with us for the open, but three geeks remain!
