This is currently in outline form, to get my thoughts down.

Things I loved

  • The Doctor referring to Clara as Handles and mentioning that she’s let herself go.
  • The entire scene in the room where The Doctor is supposed to be sleeping.
    • He doesn’t even recognize his reflection in the mirror and is confused by accents!
    • Standing up Cat Naps!
    • But what I love best is the final exhange between Clara and Jenny in the room. Clara is having difficulty with the accepting the new Doctor’s appearance, and how Jenny makes no bones about her feelings for and relationship with Madame Vastra.
  • I didn’t like the slight to 4, but that’s this new Doctor.
  • I liked all the things linking back to prior events in The Doctor’s Timeline, especially in regards to his face and how he’s seen it before.
  • The independent state of Eyebrow! then realizing he’s scottish, lol and Oooooohhhhhhhh sounding a little like Tennant!
  • The explicit call out to the symbolism of the sonic as his knob is just beautiful.
  • The timing of The Doctor saying Captain, my Captain is interesting. The first three episodes were leaked around the same time as Robin Williams suicide. I’m not watching the leaked versions first three episodes, so I can’t confirm it, but I highly doubt they reshot that part of the scene. I wonder if it was in the scripts that were leaked. The timing is very interesting.
  • The Tardis looks awesome!

Favorite Quotes

Doctor: Clara, what is happening right now, in this restaurant to you and me, is more important than your egomania.
Clara: Nothing is more important than my egomania.
Doctor: Right you actually said that.

Things I didn’t love

  • The boink sound effect when Madame Vastra knocks the Doctor out.
  • The carriage key fob. It was cute, but whatever, I can take it or leave it.

Things I missed

as of the second viewing
  • Madame Vastra says dinosaurs were always that size despite Jenny’s claims that she has seen fossils. I wonder if the dinosaurs did what the Silurians did and went deep underground. Well actually they did, which is why we have to dig them up. Maybe their bones shrink when they are shaken loose their mortal coil. But what about the dinosaurs on the spaceship?
  • Clara’s vest is black and has sparkly bowties on it. Bowties are cool, but this episode really did deal with her connection to 11 and having to accept 12 as being the same man. I do believe she changes her clothes after she accepts 12 as The Doctor. If that is the case, well done Mr. Moffat.
  • The symbolism in the new credits, I just noticed holy crap new credits! The transition from one Doctor to the next with spiraling roman numerals I through XII and the spinning hand alluding to a clock face while Peter Capaldi’s name was on featured for the first time as The Doctor. Frickin awesome!
  • When The Doctor is talking about the English accent spreading he said “You’ve all developed a fault!” Even after passing out he still thinks Clara is Handles, either that or Handles is his template for human behavior. Yikes, that’s a scary thought.
  • The forshadowing about Clara not seeing being able to see that he is The Doctor and how he’s alone here in this cold and gray time. Did he over hear it on the call? I should pay attention to that when it comes up.
  • Clara’s first costume change is to adopt period appropriate clothes, but she only does so after defending The Doctor to Madame Vastra, the symbolic first stage of acceptance. She does change back into the prior outfit at one point I believe.
  • Eww, the robot waiter saying “Yes we have a childrens menu” is really creepy since they are harvesting people for parts.
  • Dammit, if The Doctor over heard himself on the call, then he already knows he goes back for Clara at some point and that she’s going to be ok. AAHHHH wibbly wobbly timey wimey.
  • Ok even creepier, Strax contemplates suicide rather than facing his impending fall in battle. More unintentional recalls to Robin Williams.
  • She does change back into the bowtie sweater outfit, saying she felt like a change of clothes.
  • “Clara, I’m not your boyfriend.” “I never thought you were.” “I never it was your mistake.” Hah! He confirmed he saw her as a love interest, just as Madame Vastra suggested.
  • Nope he doesn’t hear it, she hung up.
  • And nope, she doesn’t change her outfit. I
  • Boyfriend, fucking hell Will called it. It’s too obvious though. It’s easy to miss, but once you notice it, holy hell. Moffat doesn’t just hang it out there that thinly veiled though.