The Crimson Horror
So I've just finished my first watching of the episode, and for the first time this year, I think I just might watch it a second time right away. I've certainly enjoyed all the episodes of doctor who this season, but most have left me feeling a little bit disappointed. This is at least partially due to my own high expectations (I knew way before I watched it that there was no way that JttCotT could ever live up to how much I was anticipating it), but of course, they also weren't as much fun as they could have been.
I had very high expectations for Crimson Horror, and it absolutely lived up to them. I haven't given myself much time to think about it yet, so I can't quite articulate the why, but the characters just felt so much more vibrant, the world bigger, and while Doctor Who is always witty, today I was genuinely laughing out loud at a lot of the episode, especially early on. At first impression, this episode is probably my favorite Gatiss ep, probably my favorite ep this series, and standalone, one of my favorite eps of new who. There are a lot of episodes that become great as part of an arc, but aren't that great on there own. This one did benefit from our familiarity with Jenny, Vastra, and Strax, and of course brings up their past meeting with Clara, but those were just little touches, they didn't make the episode. This episode enhances the narrative of the season without being dependent on that larger narrative to give it meaning, in other words it is an ideal episode for a semi-serialized tv show. It has so much for people who know absolutely nothing of the show overall, while still adding to the ongoing story for the more involved fans.
It's brilliant and wonderful and engaging. I adore Jenny, I want her to have her own show. And fainting for a Guinea. And Ada! I loved her relationship to her monster. It just seemed so believable and I can see how it easily could have been totally ridiculous. And I cannot believe I almost forgot- the speampunk rocket! There was a speampunk rocket! I think I can die happy now. But first I'm going to go rewatch this episode.