Doctor Who/Recap/2011 CS the Doctor the Widow and the Wardrobe: Difference between revisions

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The Doctor and Lily quickly follow. The Doctor is confused -- this is supposed to be the single safest planet in the galaxy. He had planned a nice holiday for the kids here, without any danger, and definitely without growing footsteps leading out of giant Christmas tree eggs. The Doctor's sonic screwdriver [[Running Gag|still doesn't do wood]]. [[When Trees Attack]], this is a bit of a problem.
The Doctor and Lily quickly follow. The Doctor is confused -- this is supposed to be the single safest planet in the galaxy. He had planned a nice holiday for the kids here, without any danger, and definitely without growing footsteps leading out of giant Christmas tree eggs. The Doctor's sonic screwdriver [[Running Gag|still doesn't do wood]]. [[When Trees Attack]], this is a bit of a problem.


The creature leads Cyril into a tower, where he finds [[The Lion the Witch And The Wardrobe|statues frozen in time]].
The creature leads Cyril into a tower, where he finds [[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe|statues frozen in time]].


Madge, of course, has followed them by now. She's greeted by [[Bill Bailey (Music)|Bill Bailey]] and his crew, wearing power suits and standing near an industrial [[Humongous Mecha]] from [[Doctor Who/Recap/S21 E6 The Caves of Androzani|Androzani]]. Bill Bailey votes to shoot her. His crew disagree -- one of them has mommy issues and starts to involuntarily cry, and the other simply refuses to shoot an unarmed shivering civilian woman. Madge is not unarmed, however, and forces the crew to let her inside their mecha.
Madge, of course, has followed them by now. She's greeted by [[Bill Bailey]] and his crew, wearing power suits and standing near an industrial [[Humongous Mecha]] from [[Doctor Who/Recap/S21 E6 The Caves of Androzani|Androzani]]. Bill Bailey votes to shoot her. His crew disagree -- one of them has mommy issues and starts to involuntarily cry, and the other simply refuses to shoot an unarmed shivering civilian woman. Madge is not unarmed, however, and forces the crew to let her inside their mecha.


The statues in the tower are made of wood. Cyril is invited to sit on their throne and wear their crown. He's discarded, however, because he's "weak". When Lily and the Doctor arrive, the Doctor is quickly discarded by them as well, but Lily is considered "strong".
The statues in the tower are made of wood. Cyril is invited to sit on their throne and wear their crown. He's discarded, however, because he's "weak". When Lily and the Doctor arrive, the Doctor is quickly discarded by them as well, but Lily is considered "strong".
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=== Tropes: ===
=== Tropes: ===
* [[Action Prologue]] / [[Lead In]]: The episode begins with the Doctor escaping an exploding spaceship. While this does lead to him meeting Madge, it's otherwise unconnected with the plot of the episode.
* [[Action Prologue]] / [[Lead In]]: The episode begins with the Doctor escaping an exploding spaceship. While this does lead to him meeting Madge, it's otherwise unconnected with the plot of the episode.
** Also serves as a bit of a [[Lampshade Hanging]] / [[Take That]] to the Christmas specials of the [[Russell T Davies]] era, essentially condensing the entire plot of each (large spaceship ready to attack Earth, the Doctor saves the day) into a five-minute prologue before getting on with the real plot.
** Also serves as a bit of a [[Lampshade Hanging]] / [[Take That]] to the Christmas specials of the [[Russell T. Davies]] era, essentially condensing the entire plot of each (large spaceship ready to attack Earth, the Doctor saves the day) into a five-minute prologue before getting on with the real plot.
* [[Big Red Button]]: In the prequel, the Doctor has his finger on one. When he takes it off, the ship will explode.
* [[Big Red Button]]: In the prequel, the Doctor has his finger on one. When he takes it off, the ship will explode.
* [[Blind Idiot Translation]]: Turns out that "weak" and "strong" are simply poor translations of {{spoiler|"male" and "female"}}.
* [[Blind Idiot Translation]]: Turns out that "weak" and "strong" are simply poor translations of {{spoiler|"male" and "female"}}.
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* [[Running Gag]]: The Doctor looks great in a hat.
* [[Running Gag]]: The Doctor looks great in a hat.
* [[Shout-Out]]:
* [[Shout-Out]]:
** The title of the episode is a nod to the [[CS Lewis (Creator)|CS Lewis]] story ''[[The Lion the Witch And The Wardrobe]]''. So is the plot premise: family leave the Blitz for an old house in the country, eccentric professorial caretaker, magical wardrobe, portal to snowy forest where wonderful things happen. There's even a lamppost. The Doctor also directly quotes the Professor:
** The title of the episode is a nod to the [[C. S. Lewis|CS Lewis]] story ''[[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''. So is the plot premise: family leave the Blitz for an old house in the country, eccentric professorial caretaker, magical wardrobe, portal to snowy forest where wonderful things happen. There's even a lamppost. The Doctor also directly quotes the Professor:
{{quote| '''Doctor''': What do they teach in schools these days?}}
{{quote| '''Doctor''': What do they teach in schools these days?}}
** The foot of the walker landing in front of Madge is reminiscent of the leg of the AT-AT landing near Luke in [[The Empire Strikes Back]].
** The foot of the walker landing in front of Madge is reminiscent of the leg of the AT-AT landing near Luke in [[The Empire Strikes Back]].
** The opening of the [[Action Prologue]] homages ''[[A New Hope]]'' (the gigantic alien spaceship flying over the camera), ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (Film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' (the [[Standard Snippet]] of [[Also Sprach Zarathustra]]) and ''[[The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy]]'' (the aliens' message beginning "People of Earth...")
** The opening of the [[Action Prologue]] homages ''[[A New Hope]]'' (the gigantic alien spaceship flying over the camera), ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' (the [[Standard Snippet]] of [[Also Sprach Zarathustra]]) and ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' (the aliens' message beginning "People of Earth...")
** [[Word of God]] has it that the overall [[Tim Burton]]-ness quality was a deliberate [[Shout-Out]].
** [[Word of God]] has it that the overall [[Tim Burton]]-ness quality was a deliberate [[Shout-Out]].
** Cyril looks an awful lot like Ralphie from a Christmas Story, which may or may not be intentional
** Cyril looks an awful lot like Ralphie from a Christmas Story, which may or may not be intentional
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* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Even before Madge takes over the [[Humongous Mecha]] to save her children, she pulls a gun on her three interrogators. "Crying's so useful, isn't it?"
* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Even before Madge takes over the [[Humongous Mecha]] to save her children, she pulls a gun on her three interrogators. "Crying's so useful, isn't it?"
* [[Vader Breath]]: The "stormtroopers" that appear in the forest. May double as a [[Shout-Out]].
* [[Vader Breath]]: The "stormtroopers" that appear in the forest. May double as a [[Shout-Out]].
* [[What Happened to The Mouse?]]:
* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]:
** What happened to the other people aboard Reg's plane?
** What happened to the other people aboard Reg's plane?
** What happened to the people Madge was expecting to be waiting for them at the house? Although it isn't mentioned in the episode, Maurice Cole mentions in an interview that they won the lottery, [[Doctor Who/NS/Recap/S2 E3 School Reunion|which the Doctor]] [[Doctor Who/NS/Recap/S4 E17 E18 The End of Time|often]] [[Doctor Who/2010 CSA Christmas Carol/Recap|arranges.]]
** What happened to the people Madge was expecting to be waiting for them at the house? Although it isn't mentioned in the episode, Maurice Cole mentions in an interview that they won the lottery, [[Doctor Who/NS/Recap/S2 E3 School Reunion|which the Doctor]] [[Doctor Who/NS/Recap/S4 E17 E18 The End of Time|often]] [[Doctor Who/2010 CSA Christmas Carol/Recap|arranges.]]
* [[What You Are in The Dark]]:
* [[What You Are in the Dark]]:
{{quote| '''Billis:''' Sir, with regret, I'm going to have to lower my gun.<br />
{{quote| '''Billis:''' Sir, with regret, I'm going to have to lower my gun.<br />
'''Droxil:''' Why?<br />
'''Droxil:''' Why?<br />
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'''Billis:''' Doesn't mean there's no visual. }}
'''Billis:''' Doesn't mean there's no visual. }}
* [[When Trees Attack]]: The Wooden King and Queen who live in the forest. Ultimately a subversion, as {{spoiler|all they want is to save the souls of their race.}}
* [[When Trees Attack]]: The Wooden King and Queen who live in the forest. Ultimately a subversion, as {{spoiler|all they want is to save the souls of their race.}}
* [[Whole-Plot Reference]]: Pretty clearly to ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]: [[The Lion the Witch And The Wardrobe]]''.
* [[Whole-Plot Reference]]: Pretty clearly to ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]: [[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''.
** [[Inspiration Nod]]: The Doctor directly quotes Professor Kirke: "What ''do'' they teach in schools these days?"
** [[Inspiration Nod]]: The Doctor directly quotes Professor Kirke: "What ''do'' they teach in schools these days?"
* [[Women Are Wiser]]: The female interrogator, while still bumbling, seems slightly more logical and calm under threat. Madge chats with her passively while insisting the other two can't be trusted.
* [[Women Are Wiser]]: The female interrogator, while still bumbling, seems slightly more logical and calm under threat. Madge chats with her passively while insisting the other two can't be trusted.
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