Best Doctor Who Christmas Special
Our new Weekly Poll is asking you to vote for your favourite Doctor Who Christmas Special and the poll includes last night’s fantastic A Christmas Carol.
The Christmas Special of Doctor Who has become just as much a tradition as Turkey, Mince Pies and watching the Queen’s Speech (or EastEnders). In just a few short years Doctor Who has become a firm and favourite part of the BBC’s festive offerings and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The Christmas Special is a little treat for fans for the long gap between seasons and without it that gap would be almost unbearable. The Christmas Special also, of course, features a trailer for the next series which is another Christmas highlight for fans.
So our new weekly poll is asking Who fans the difficult, almost impossible question; which Christmas Special is your favourite?
The Christmas Invasion – 2005
The first Christmas Special of the revived series and David Tennant’s first fully-fledged outing as The Doctor. Tennant had briefly appeared at the end of The Parting of the Ways and also in the Children in Need mini-scene of that year but this feature length special gave fans their first proper look at the 10th Doctor. A huge space ship arrives over London but the Doctor is in a coma following his regeneration and Prime Minister Harriet Jones (Penelope Wilton) doesn’t know what to do. Nor does Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) who is struggling to come to terms with the Doctor’s regeneration.
The Runaway Bride – 2006
The second Christmas Special and it’s all change as Billie Piper’s exit in the Season Two finale Doomsday means the Doctor is now without a companion. However, at the very end of that story a mysterious bride somehow arrives in the Tardis – Catherine Tate. The Runaway Bride featured comedian Catherine Tate as Donna Noble in a role she would reprise as a fully fledged companion in Series Four. The Doctor and Donna must work out just how and why Donna was transported to the Tardis and what does it have to do with a Giant Spider (Sarah Parish) and a star/web over London?
Voyage of the Damned – 2007
The big “disaster movie” style Christmas Special. The specials had been getting more ambitious in terms of stunts and story telling but this one is perhaps the biggest of them all. It’s a Doctor Who version of The Poseidon Adventure with a huge luxury space-liner, a replica of the Titanic, poised to crash into Earth on Christmas Day. Joining David Tennant for the special was singing sensation Kylie Minogue as one-off companion Astrid. The special also featured the first appearance of Bernard Cribbins as Wilfred Mott, Donna’s grandfather.
The Next Doctor – 2008
The deceptive title which hinted to fans that perhaps David Morrissey would be the 11th Doctor – following Tennant’s departure which was, by now, known to be happening. However, it was all a clever ploy by Russell T. Davies. This special was also a take on the “disaster movie” with a giant Cyberman crashing through London – in King Kong style. Cybermen in Victorian Times should work and the shots of them in the graveyard are very creepy – but there’s something we felt was missing in this special. However, Dervla Kirwan was simply superb as the ruthless Miss Hartigan who, if our memory serves us right, takes a Cyberman by the arm at one point and walks with it as if on a romantic stroll.
The End of Time – 2009
The Christmas and New Year of 2009 were marked with the two-part special, The End of Time, as David Tennant bowed out as the 10th Doctor. It’s style was in contrast to previous specials which were upbeat and very “Christmasy” with this special being depressing in places – but then it was about the 10th Doctor dying. Bernard Cribbins became the “companion” for these two episodes with John Simm returning as the Master and cameos by Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, Catherine Tate, Noel Clarke and John Barrowman amongst others. Who didn’t cry as the 10th Doctor regenerated into the 11th?
A Christmas Carol – 2010
The very latest festive offering in the world of Doctor Who and the first to be penned by Steven Moffat. As the title suggests its a take on Charles Dickens novel of the same name but its a very unique and Doctor Who take. After all did Dickens version contain sharks and fishes that lived in the air? Or Marilyn Monroe and trips to the past? No that I recall! Katherine Jenkins and Michael Gambon guest-starred in this special as The Doctor tries to save a ship, with Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) from crashing. However, to do this he needs the help of Kazran Sardick who “controls” the Sky but the man neither cares or wishes to help. So the Doctor decides to become the “Ghost of Christmas Past” in an attempt to turn Sardick into a better man.
So which one is your favourite? Voting couldn’t be easier. The poll is on the right-hand side of the page. Select the special of your choice and click vote. You will then be redirected to the results page where you can see how other readers have voted. Voting will remain open until New Year’s Day.
