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A re-review of that superhero episode that half of everyone enjoyed, yet most of everyone thought was a little meh

After 24 years of an all-night-long River Song bing-bong, the Twelfth Doctor has returned to Manhattan to build a kind of time-catcher on the roof using the Hazandra, the Ghost of Love and Wishes, which was voted the most over-the-top name in the universe by the Apocalypse Monks of Andorax, who know a thing or two on that subject.

However, mere seconds away from plastering over New York’s time cracks Doc makes the naive mistake of trusting a kid not to stick whatever’s in its hands in its mouth. Compounding his misfortune, the gemstone formed in the heart of a red hole doesn’t fancy passing through another, and so young Grant soon finds his DNA bonded to it.

Gifted with the powers of flight, X-ray vision, and super-sadness, Grant is limitlessly powerful but metaphorically powerless to prevent his high-school crush from falling for his bad-boy bezzie. Now he helplessly nannies their daughter by day while fighting crime by night. But with 12 back in town investigating Harmony Shoal, will hilarity finally ensue?

 

This is the second time we’ve tackled the 2016 Christmas Special, The Return of Doctor Mysterio. Have a listen to our first, instant(ish) reaction review here!

 

 

Here's what we think of N131 The Return of Doctor Mysterio – The 2016 Christmas Special (re-review)

We rate Doctor Who stories on a scale from 0.0 to 5.0. For context, very few are excellent enough to merit a 5.0 in our minds, and we'd take a 0.0 Doctor Who story over a lot of other, non-Whovian stuff out there.

Leon | @ponken

2.2

Drew | @drewbackwhen

0.1

Marie | @hammashandjelly

2.0

Here's what we think of N131 The Return of Doctor Mysterio – The 2016 Christmas Special (re-review)

We rate Doctor Who stories on a scale from 0.0 to 5.0. For context, very few are excellent enough to merit a 5.0 in our minds, and we'd take a 0.0 Doctor Who story over a lot of other, non-Whovian stuff out there.

Leon | @ponken

2.2

Drew | @drewbackwhen

0.1

Marie | @hammashandjelly

2.0

Here's what you think 4 Responses to “N131 The Return of Doctor Mysterio – The 2016 Christmas Special (re-review)”
  1. Kieren Evans | @kjevans2

    Hi folks

    Ok, this might be an unpopular opinion if I’m remembering someone’s past comments, but I actually like this one. Sure, is it the greatest episode ever? No, but I like it for its dumb fun. The Doctor accidentally makes Not Shazam and there are brain swapping aliens. Perfect Christmas special material.

    It’s actually a sequel to the Husbands of River Song with Harmony Shoal reappearing, which you might not have realised on first watch given the year gap between this and the last one.

    Other than the McGuffin gem and a couple of questionable lines, I like it. It’s cheesy but whatever. Nothing much else to say really.

    3.0/5

  2. Awesome Alfie

    Oh gooooood. We waited so long for this uuuuuhhhh. Right I have nothing much to say about this other than it’s pretty bad.

    1.9/5
    From gun head alien awesome Alfie

  3. Michael French

    This whole episode comes off as babies first superheroes script. I feel their intention was to come off as classic comic book but instead it’s just the most cliché tropes from every superhero story. Not to mention the weird comic book panel editing in some of the scenes which as we know from Ang Lee’s Hulk doesn’t work.

    I don’t know if this is a controversial opinion, but I kind of like Nardole, he’s just kind of in his own world and I like that. The Doctor is great as always but the entire time this feels like a bad CW show.

    I am an unabashed fan of superhero media but Doctor Who shouldn’t be chasing trends or making Pokémon Go references, it should always try and feel timeless which is why I am giving this episode 2.2 gemstones mistaken as medicine out of 5

  4. Andy Parkinson | @caffreys71

    Hi Gang,

    Another week, another Christmas Special. Except that this one is a shameless love letter to comic book superheroes – more specifically Superman – from Stephen Moffat. Quite why they choose to focus on the Clark/Lois aspect is a bit wasteful and only seems to be there for comic relief. There are some great performances from Capaldi, Matt Lucas gets to stretch his comedy muscles and Charity Wakefield is very good as Lucy.

    Likes

    • Lucy: “You’re kinda wet” Grant: “I prefer mild-mannered”
    • Lucy’s interrogation using Mr Huffle

    Beefs

    • Grant phones Lucy to arrange the date. Why doesn’t she realise it’s his phone? Or does he have a Ghost phone too?
    • The whole split heads plan – come to Earth, build a super strong building, trick the humans into thinking there’s an alien invasion hoping that all the world leaders come and seek shelter in their strong building and insert their brains into said world leaders. Who came up with this plan? The Classic era Master??

    All in all, if you don’t think about it too hard, it’s another enjoyable Christmas special. Yes, it’s saddled with a ludicrous invasion plan and numerous plot holes and it’s more DC than Doctor Who, but it’s saved in part by some great performances and funny lines. It’s not as good as the previous episode though, but I am looking forward to season 10.

    I award this 3.0 time distortion equaliser thingies out of 5

    Andy Parkinson

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