Waters of Mars
First of all, I really liked it on a technical level. The ending was a kick in the stomach, but brilliantly portrayed by all. I can't say enough about how amazing Lindsey Duncan was, DT sort of pales in comparison, but he was also really incredible at that moment when the Doctor finally flips out -- you could really feel it. It was so amazing, because, at first I felt joy at seeing him snap into action. I had a mild 'YES!' moment as he's tossing out orders, and then he's extra-specially manic, and then he's flat out gone over the edge and out-of-control, and he's right -- no one can stop him. There's literally no one who can stop him. He's got the keys to the universe and he's got road rage -- that's about the most frightening thing ever. I'm not even sure a proper companion would have helped he was that far gone, although definitely he needs handlers *g*, he needs a ballast like no other person ever. I can't even get mad at him about it.
I wasn't expecting that ending. I mean, the ending in which he actually *succeeds* in changing a fixed point in time. I was expecting death and destruction and another gut-wrenching failed-to-save-them reaction from the Doctor, I was expecting him to *try* and change it and fail for one reason or another. And he sort of did fail, but not because time prevented it or because fate is fate, but because Adelaide was ultimately stronger than the Doctor. I was *not* expecting that. So, major kudos to RTD for pushing it further, right up to the line.
Also, this plays havec with my flailing attempts at understanding how time works on DW. Clearly a "fixed" point is not so fixed for Time Lords, which I don't know how I feel about that.
They left Gadget Gadget out on the street.
Can't say I loved it; it was too horrible watching the Doctor lose his shit, but I did think it was pretty freakin well done, and the more I think about it the more I'm rather gobsmacked.
I did not watch the trailers for the Christmas specials, but I did trip over the bigger character spoilers -- most of which I assumed were going to happen anyway. Some things are very predictable.