Doctor Who has always shined with its Christmas episodes. While we wait impatiently The Church on Ruby Road with Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, here is a selection of Christmas Specials to review.
Doctor Who has always shone in its Christmas tradition, thanks to its Christmas Specials, episodes generally air on December 25. The tradition will return this December 25, 2023, with The Church on Ruby Road, Ncuti Gatwa’s first full episode as the 15th Doctor, and the introduction of Ruby (Millie Gibson). What episodes of Doctor Who see you again at Christmas? Here is our selection among those available for streaming (on Prime Video – therefore up to season 10 maximum).
If we do not put The end of time in this selection, which is nevertheless a crucial moment in the history of the series, as intense as it is touching, it is simply because it serves as the conclusion of a narrative arc. Thus, it is a little less of an independent (double) episode, likely to be rewatched regularly during the holidays.
The Ghost of Christmas Past
Season 6 — A Christmas Carol / The Ghost of Christmas Past (11th Doctor)
This is arguably the best Christmas episode in the history of Doctor Who. Especially since The Ghost of Christmas Past is in reality a free adaptation of the tale by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, transposed to another planet. Amy and Rory are on a spaceship cruise for their honeymoon, when things go wrong: the cruiser is about to crash on a strange planet, where clouds prevent a smooth landing. The Doctor therefore lands his TARDIS on this planet, to convince an old miser, Kazran Sardick (similar to Scrooge), who controls the clouds, to authorize the landing. But he refuses, having no consideration for human lives. The Doctor is then forced to meet Sardick in the past, during his childhood. A wonderful tale way Doctor Who, beautiful and touching. We’ll never get tired of seeing him again at Christmas, really.
A cruise around the Earth
Season 4 — Voyage of the Damned / A cruise around the Earth (10th Doctor)
How to forget Kylie Minogue’s appearance in Doctor Who ! Especially since the episode begins when the TARDIS collides with a spaceship nicknamed… Titanic. The episode is rhythmic and captivating, not to mention that the Tenth Doctor says his famous “Let’s go”!
The Christmas Wedding
Season 3 — The Runaway Bride / The Christmas Wedding (10th Doctor)
While the special episodes of the 60th anniversary of the series saw the return of Donna Noble in person, with Catherine Tate, how could we not want to see her first appearance in Doctor Who ? It goes back to a Christmas episode, The Christmas Wedding. Faced with killer robot Santas, we rediscover with delight the origins of this duo with perfect alchemy. The enemy to face is not exciting, but what joy nonetheless!
The Doctor, the Widow and the Christmas Forest
Season 7 — The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe / The Doctor, the Widow and the Christmas Forest (11th Doctor)
As The Ghost of Christmas Past, the Christmas episode of season 7 has all the makings of a wonderful tale – even if it is less solid in its storytelling. This one is inspired (from quite a distance but still) by the first volume of Narnia. It’s Christmas, 1941. The Doctor has decided to take care of a certain Madge Arwell — recently widowed, with two children, Lily and Cyril. While The Doctor had planned to offer them a trip to a snowy planet, Cyril opens the gift (the portal!) before Christmas… finding himself alone on this planet, which is ultimately not so “safe”. He goes looking for her, for an adventure of Doctor Who typical — Christmas style. And a touching ending.
Twice Upon a Time
Season 10 — Twice Upon a Time / Twice Upon a Time (12th Doctor)
Certainly, this episode is the direct continuation of season finale which precedes it, but it stands well as a Christmas episode in its own right, particularly as a tribute to the series itself: the episode takes place astride… the 1966 episode, The Tenth Planet. The very first Doctor therefore appears, played by David Bradley – who looks a lot like the original actor, William Hartnell.
Sweet night
Season 9 — Last Christmas / Sweet night (12th Doctor)
Santa Claus in Doctor Who ? Sweet night did, since the episode begins with Clara literally being woken up by Santa’s bells. Shortly after, the Doctor and Clara come to the aid of scientists on a base in Antarctica, parasitized by a mysterious form of crab. And now they are helped by… Santa Claus! But is it really him? A christmas special which lives up to its name, although, on this famous basis, it is a tad scary.
Cyber Christmas
Season 4 — The Next Doctor / Cyber Christmas (10th Doctor)
It’s a somewhat forgotten story from the David Tennant era, but this Christmas story is very nice. The 10th Doctor encounters a mysterious man claiming to also be the Doctor. All this in a Christmas atmosphere in the London of 1851!
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