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NuWho Rewatch: Closing Time
Sep. 16th, 2015 08:35 pmI've actually been back and read my previous review of Closing Time because I was interested in seeing how I reacted to the reappearance of Craig. I wrote "I'm glad I don't know who James Corden is" and that sentiment prevails. I still haven't a clue about Corden beyond the confines of Doctor Who and, given other people's comments about him, have no wish to. I think Craig works really well as a character. Hanging a second story from his "ordinary bloke with an ordinary life" schtick is, perhaps, stretching things a bit. But the character and set-up are likeable enough, and the episode sufficiently undemanding that one can forgive it being a little repetitious thematically.
NLSS child was very concerned about Stormageddon and had to be reassured that he would be fine. That done she particularly enjoyed the Doctor's fish-out-of-water moments with the baby. She didn't recognise Lynda Baron as Val, but then I don't think she was ever that fond of Come Outside (a pre-school kids programme which was mostly like the "through the window" bits of Playschool only without the windows and with the addition of a dog and an aeroplane). There was also a lovely moment early one when the doomed shop assistant was checking the changing room. NLSS child became increasingly agitated until the point where she pulled aside a curtain to reveal a Cyberman at which point NLSS child said "OK, so it's a Cyberman, but it could have been someone changing!"* - such are the anxieties of the pre-teen. Interestingly she was less affected when the Doctor did precisely the same thing only to find a woman changing, I suspect the framing of the moment as comedic made the difference.
Closing Time is a nice little episode with few pretensions. It's not as good as The Lodger who's basic set-up it recycles and is deliberately less significant than many companion-lite episodes. However it has plenty of charm and the wisdom not to pretend to be more than the filler it is.
* Sadly, and this from a child who frequently complains about the prudishness of her own contemporaries in changing rooms.
NLSS child was very concerned about Stormageddon and had to be reassured that he would be fine. That done she particularly enjoyed the Doctor's fish-out-of-water moments with the baby. She didn't recognise Lynda Baron as Val, but then I don't think she was ever that fond of Come Outside (a pre-school kids programme which was mostly like the "through the window" bits of Playschool only without the windows and with the addition of a dog and an aeroplane). There was also a lovely moment early one when the doomed shop assistant was checking the changing room. NLSS child became increasingly agitated until the point where she pulled aside a curtain to reveal a Cyberman at which point NLSS child said "OK, so it's a Cyberman, but it could have been someone changing!"* - such are the anxieties of the pre-teen. Interestingly she was less affected when the Doctor did precisely the same thing only to find a woman changing, I suspect the framing of the moment as comedic made the difference.
Closing Time is a nice little episode with few pretensions. It's not as good as The Lodger who's basic set-up it recycles and is deliberately less significant than many companion-lite episodes. However it has plenty of charm and the wisdom not to pretend to be more than the filler it is.
* Sadly, and this from a child who frequently complains about the prudishness of her own contemporaries in changing rooms.