Christmas and Easter nihilists

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Elizabeth Sandifer

Elizabeth Sandifer created Eruditorum Press. She’s not really sure why she did that, and she apologizes for the inconvenience. She currently writes Last War in Albion, a history of the magical war between Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. She used to write TARDIS Eruditorum, a history of Britain told through the lens of a ropey sci-fi series. She also wrote Neoreaction a Basilisk, writes comics these days, and has ADHD so will probably just randomly write some other shit sooner or later. Support Elizabeth on Patreon.

3 Comments

  1. Anton B
    November 19, 2015 @ 4:39 pm

    After listening to your podcast, (which was great by the way, more Mac Rogers please) I finally got round to re-watching Sleep No More and, much to my surprise, I liked it even more the second time around. This is weird. I’m beginning to reassess Gattis. Perhaps because he was writing for his old League of Gentleman mate Reece Shearsmith or because it’s an idea he’s had kicking around for some time but he seemed to have put a lot more thought and effort into this one than usual. Though it has to be said I didn’t hate last season’s Robot of Sherwood as much as everyone else seemed to.
    Victory of the Daleks however is still the Worst. Doctor. Who. Ever.

    As to the Sandmen. I think the naming of them is important. (Which is possibly why the Doctor gets irritated with Clara for taking ownership of the naming conventions). There’s another of those interesting cultural disconnect things going on here. I’ve heard and read a lot of American/Canadian reviewers refer to them as ‘eye booger monsters’ or ‘sleep snot monsters’. In the UK we refer to that stuff as just ‘sleep’ or ‘sleep dust’. Far less gross and a deal more fairy tale I think you’ll agree. I mean, it’s clear Gattis is aiming for the pseudoscience poetic imagery of a or a Listen here and slightly missing the target but the name Sandman performs a lot of functions. It references Gaiman of course, it provides for a good CGI visual effect like the same named Marvel baddie but possibly what Gattis was riffing on more was that fairy tale aspect; the Sandman with his sack of dream dust that visits children every night. Turning that character into a Doctor Who villain would be a very Moffat idea. Unfortunately Moffat’s done with fairy tale this season so they shoehorned the concept into a Found Footage Troper. I think one more watch will sort it out for me. Or maybe that’s their evil plan and I’ve fallen for it.

    Clara’s already dead as far as the Doctor’s concerned isn’t she? And has been all season. My theory – she dies in Face the Raven the Doctor agonizes for a whole episode in Heaven Sent and goes back in time to try to prevent it in Hell Bent which is where we pick him up in Magician’s Apprentice which would account for his hiding away and the uncharacteristic hug he gives her.

    We’ll see this Saturday I guess.

    Reply

    • Aylwin
      November 20, 2015 @ 8:32 am

      Yes, I like that theory (though we probably won’t find out if it’s right or not until the final two-parter). It would make sense of a lot of his behaviour, and looping back to the start of the season would also provide a context for the recording of the confession dial and fit in with him sending it to Missy rather than Clara.

      Not sure it fits with his anxiety when she’s taken and his relief when she reappears in The Girl Who Died, though.

      Reply

      • Anton B
        November 20, 2015 @ 8:22 pm

        Although his aim would be to travel back to prevent Clara’s death, the Doctor would be aware that time could rewrite her death as a different scenario.

        I’d forgotten about the confession dial. I suspect it’s a trap for Missy who he knows won’t be able to resist opening it.

        The only flaw in my theory is that I want Moffat to surprise me. So I must be wrong. Seems too obvious.

        Reply

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