Doctor Who 6x0X: A Christmas Carol

Not much in-depth analysis here. Upshot: To my surprise, I kind of liked this one.

My surprise comes from the fact that I was tepid at best about, and actively annoyed at times by, the fifth series. It's the first series of the modern era that I don't yet have (and may not get) on DVD. I was prepared to dislike this episode, but it may be that bracing myself for the worst left me to be pleasantly surprised.

( Cut for mild spoilers for this episode and bigger ones for the fifth series. )

Hmm. That's more than I thought I thought, but I think that's about it. I will say I'm slightly more enthusiastic about the upcoming season after seeing this episode.

Did these people never play D&D?

I've been trying to read Jo Graham's "Death Game", especially now that "Homecoming" has actually arrived as well, but finding time to read an actual book is nearly impossible. (Over about two weeks I've finally managed to read all seven text-pages of chapter one. Go, me.) But it was the third page that made me stop and say, "Wait, what?" — and the fifth page that made my quibble certain.

( Cut for first-chapter minor book spoilers, not really any more than the book teaser, and a vague one for Criminal Minds 2x14-2x15. )

Is it just me, or should any group in these circumstances know far better than to pull this?

I'm also cranky that the book uses "ok" as a word (rather than "OK" or "okay"), but I'm willing to blame that on a copyeditor somewhere along the line. It's cosmetic, not fundamental to the plot or characterization.