This is a fun adventure with bittersweet notes that this is River’s penultimate (chronologically speaking) time with the Doctor, before her death and final time with the Doctor in the Library. This is a River story, she is taking more chances than she has since the early part of her regeneration, she knows time is running out. In terms of Christmas, it is mentioned, but this is not Christmassy, it is not independent, in fact any casual watcher should be warned not to ask ‘Who is River?’ because many long term fans can debate for hours on the precise details of her time line and meanings behind her actions and words.

 

This is not my favourite River episode, but it is one that pulls at you at bit when you know the pain going through this woman, when you know the final outcome is near.

  

Also, in true Capaldi Doctor form, although it’s not my favourite story it does have my favourite scene of today;

“River: Two hearts, stupid clothes, you can’t miss him.

Doctor: River.

River: Go on, scan the whole parsec! He’s not here. God knows where he is right now, but I promise you, he’s doing whatever the hell he wants and not giving a damn about me! And I’m just fine with that.

Doctor: River

River: When you love the Doctor, it’s like loving the stars themselves. You don’t expect a sunset to admire you back. And if I happen to find myself in danger, let me tell you, the Doctor is not stupid enough, or sentimental enough, and he is certainly not in love enough to find himself standing in it with me!

Doctor: Hello, sweetie.

River: You are so doing those roots.

Doctor: What, the roots of the sunset?

River: Don’t you dare.

Doctor: I’ll have to check with the stars themselves.

River: Oh, shut up. I was just keeping them talking till it kicks off.”

Typical Capaldi Doctor the episodes never come in my lists of top ten, but ask me about scenes and they always jump out.

 

We do have technology, a headless android is the main focus, sometimes it appears to be controlled directly by the head of Hydroflax, but it is shown to be fully independent and can function headless or even with multiple heads. It also has an amazing ability to remove heads from bodies while still keeping them alive. The headless android is large about 2.5m in length and has a width to match.

 

We also get two ships, neither are rememberable, Hydroflax has a fairly standard flying saucer and we spend some time on ‘Harmony and Redemption’ a cruise ship for murderers. The Cruise ship had four main engines at the rear, two large communication arrays on top, officer areas beneath that, leading down to a large, windowed area for the main cruise function of the ship. Passenger quarters the next set of levels down with engineering and other essential functions controlled at the lowest areas of the ship.

 

Eventually the episode gives us closure on River Song a last night, equivalent to 24 Earth years, with the Doctor. This also brings us closure on the Christmas Episode reviews, well the specific anniversaries we have focused on today.

 

Hope you have / have had a great Christmas.