He has succumbed to the most extraordinary sulk in the wake of Amy's departure (you can't convince me he's depressed about poor Rory). I let this slide when I first watched this, but now it seems bewildering. Having said that, the surly, shabby Doctor is rather fun, lurking in the shadows in his wonderful hat (Smith at his most Troughtonesque), and parking his TARDIS up on a cloud, like something out of a George Méliès film. But, again, compared with the departures of Rose or Donna, his depression is excessive and rather disturbing. Whatever his obsession has been with Amy (and I don't fully buy all that "first face I saw" stuff in The Power of Three), both he, and the show, need to get over it, pronto.
This is why we are here, of course, and so, thankfully, Clara turns up almost immediately. Jenna Coleman, with her engaging and clever performance, her enormous and expressive eyes, and an arsenal of weapons-grade smirks, has definitely got the measure of things and makes this version of Ms Oswald a little less flirty than Oswin was, but no less forward thinking. Within a few seconds Clara has amply demonstrated her credentials - an inquiring and intelligent mind, a tendency to curiosity over fear, a stubborn tenacity, and the ability to run like the wind in a dress and heels. Neither we nor the Doctor are given any choice but to take to her straight away.
After that strong start, she just gets more interesting and more likeable. The barmaid/governess duality is a bit odd, but provides her with an effective monopoly on female Victorian life - common and street-smart on the one hand, refined, learned and eloquent on the other. She deals effortlessly with the clumsy advances of Captain Latimer Von Trapp and chases the Doctor down twice, the second time navigating a fearsomely contrived interview with Madame Vastra that is nonetheless immensely satisfying thanks to the momentary frisson of her final fluked answer: "Pond."
Even now, she faces one final test: a cynical challenge set before her by the Doctor that she overcomes with an umbrella and no shortage of Poppins-like élan. Finally she can ascend to the TARDIS, and to the full companion status. At which point clever, mean old Mr Moffat pulls the rug from under us all, and dashes poor Clara upon the cobblestones. Deeply unfortunate for her, of course, but a wonderful, if dastardly, shot in the arm for this story: a dark twist that propels the Doctor through the final act and on into the rest of Series Seven.
Plenty of other stuff to like here too, and none more impressive than the CGI-assisted shot that finally manages to place the interior of the TARDIS inside the outside. Blimey, we've waited a long time to see that. The Paternoster Gang (great name, much better than The Silver Cloak) are a real treat. It's great to see Vastra in her adopted (if not native) environment, and Jenny (her relative ordinariness is crucial to this triumvirate and holds the gang together) continues to charm and delight, part 'umble servant, part samurai dominatrix. And it's fantastic to see cross-species lesbian relationships normalised on prime-time family Christmas television - surely to goodness that's the point of Doctor Who, even if Sydney Newman forgot to jot it down at the time. Strax may be a shadow of his former self, he may have ruined the Sontarans forever, but he is undeniably hilarious - for now at least. The business with the memory worm is exquisite (all the more so thanks to the eventual pay-off) and about a squizillion times funnier than when Del Boy fell through that gap in the bar. Oh yes it is.
Speaking of funny, all that Sherlock zaniness just isn't. Yes, it's a bit meta, and almost justified by Vastra's crypto-Holmesian set-up, but do we really need jokes based on the fact that Moffat is involved with other programmes?
Richard E Grant is also not funny, but then this is a good thing. His Doctor Simeon is appropriately chilly and played ramrod straight - exactly what this needed. Sir Ian McKellen (I know!) gives the Great Intelligence some vocal heft, but Grant supplies the stiff exterior it will be using from now on and it's an excellent fit. Also, how wonderful to bring back such a strong and flexible villain from the Sixties. Obviously I hadn't ever seen The Abominable Snowmen, or The Web of Fear (now gloriously returned to us) but I had adored the Target novelisations as a child. I'm extremely happy that The Snowmen connects so gracefully with those old stories.
So, all in all, pretty satisfying. Like any good Christmas, the really important things have been excellent, and it's only the odd decorative frippery that has disapointed. Goodness knows what next Christmas has in store, but for now I'm excited that the rest of Season Seven has hoved into view.
The end is in sight, and about time, probably.
NEXT TIME...
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