[ SECRET POST #2938 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2938 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.


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02.
[Constantine]


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03.
[Dragon Age]


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04.
[Merlin]


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05.
[Pokemon]


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06.
[The Americans]


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07.
[Doctor Who]


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08.
[Twisted Toyfare]


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09.
[Black Books]


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10.
[World of Warcraft]













Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 046 secrets from Secret Submission Post #420.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

07. http://i.imgur.com/ECcP3M3.jpg
[Doctor Who]

[tcex28]

Some of them have that problem (and all of the TV Xmas eps are written for an audience that gives slightly less of a shit than usual), but A Christmas Carol and Last Christmas are pretty good examples of how to do it while also endeavouring to tell a proper story.

[(Anonymous)]

You're not wrong. They really are patchy. Although inspired in places, they're slow in others. Also, if you're not British there's a pile of references you're not going to get.

It's mainly the tradition of the thing. Have your Christmas dinner, sit down to Who at six.

Even though the new Who really hasn't been going on for long, it was accepted back into the Christmas fold after just a few years.

[philstar22]

I kind of agree. I liked some of them (mostly Runaway Bride and also Time of the Doctor), but for the most part I find them cheesy and not my cup of tea at all.

[(Anonymous)]

IA. Mostly the specials focus too much on how Xmassy everything is and lots of references and cutesy little holiday fluff, instead of just telling a good story. Exceptions: ones dealing with regenerations, but those come with a whole other set of problems. I also liked the most recent one. Creepy, clever, some emotional moments, and only a dash of Xmas.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't get it, either. I think it's because the U.S. doesn't have the same tradition of shows putting out Christmas specials that almost function as a spin off of the original series, they're that fluffy and slightly OOC.

[(Anonymous)]

The Christmas specials do feel separate and different from the other episodes. I mostly enjoy them but they do feel different.

[kallanda_lee]

I think the last one was fun, but yeah, I do feel the double down on the "fun for all the family" thing with Christmas specials. I don't think they're ever the best-written episodes.

[elaminator]

I'm not a major fan of the Christmas episodes either, but regardless they're becoming a bit of a tradition for me and I like having them to look forward to.

Transcript

[(Anonymous)]

Image: the TARDIS in the snow, with a wreath on the door, presents in front, and a decorated Christmas tree behind.

Text: I don’t think any of the Christmas specials were anything to write home about, tbh. They seem poorly written and corny to me, like a pale imitation of a real episode. I assumed it was a British culture thing I just don’t get.

(But I never say anything about it because fandom looks forward to the specials so much. It’s easy for me to lie and say I watched it.)

[sabotabby]

I'm neither British nor Christian and they are my favourite thing about Christmas. YMMV.

[(Anonymous)]

How do you know none of them are good when you just said in your SB that you don't even watch them?

Even if you used to watch them and then stopped, you won't know if the last one or two or three Christmas specials are good or not -- you said "I lie and pretend that I watched them", meaning there's at least some of them you haven't watched.

[(Anonymous)]

What, did you write all the Christmas specials or something? Why are you so invested in making sure the OP gives every single last one of them a fair shot before deciding they're not something they enjoy watching?

[(Anonymous)]

Defensive or what? It's a perfectly reasonable question.

[(Anonymous)]

The sort of person who demands to know whether or not people who don't like X have seen every single episode of X because otherwise they can't possibly decide for themselves what they like is the defensive one here, anon.

[(Anonymous)]

Original ayrt

Um......How about no?

I asked whether they've seen all nine Xmas specials, not all 100+ episodes of the series, because the OP specifically says "I don't think ANY of the Xmas specials..."

It was just asking how they knew every single of those nine specials was nothing to write home about, when they just said they don't watch them. I was confused and thought I was missing something.

[(Anonymous)]

DA

You're not alone on this. If you hadn't asked, I would have. The secret was worded in a way that suggests they'd seen them and could have a valid opinion on the quality of ALL the specials, but then at the end, lies about having watched them, therefore suggesting they have only seen some of the xmas specials, or maybe even only a couple, and decided they suck based on that.

[lunabee34]

I wish all my shows had Christmas specials. I think they should do a Jeopardy Christmas special with only Christmas themed questions.

[(Anonymous)]

I actually had a secret sort of about this with regard to Last Christmas, and when I ended up watching it I enjoyed it. But that was with going in with my expectation VERY low. (As in, if it's less horrible than Time of the Doctor, I'm going to be happy.)

It wasn't flawless, and the whole premise falls apart if you look at it too closely, but it was one of the less-bad Christmas specials.

Still, I don't think too many people in the fandom would be shocked if you weren't all that impressed by any of the Christmas specials. They're notorious for being a bit naff.

[(Anonymous)]

They're broadcast in Australia on Boxing Day and have become a tradition pretty quick with a lot of people.

I'm a huge Whovian from way back so I love being able to watch a new episode; it's like a little extra Christmas present from the ABC.

I really enjoyed Last Christmas. The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe made me cry when the widow was flying the ship and told her children their father was dead.

[(Anonymous)]

Fandom looks forward to the specials, not necessarily because they are good, but because they happen between seasons. Like, the main part of that year's story is over and here's this brand new episode to tide you over until the next one. They're almost always unrelated throwaways. However, I genuinely enjoyed Last Christmas. The corniness of it is actually a pretty big factor.

[firecat]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes most of the Christmas specials. But I LOVED "The Snowmen."

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah...

I'm a huge fan, grew up with the show. I avoid the Christmas specials every year because I know they're usually shite. I think the only one I've ever seen was the first one with David Tennant.