Doctor Who's Best Christmas Episode Yet?

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol

When details of the upcoming Doctor Who episode (Christmas Day, BBC One, 6pm) first emerged we were rather skeptical.

The main pull, according to the BBC press release, was that this would be "the most Christmassy adventure yet," as it's a space-borne retelling of Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. And then to hear Katherine Jenkins--who has no previous acting talent--would be guest-starring in the show. We just weren't sold.

It didn't disappoint though. We won't give any major details away, but we can tell you that right from the start there's action, explosions and a sense of impending danger. It also manages the Dickens riff better than you might think; there's a sense that the characters are all in on the joke, know it's a little corny, but are enjoying a timeless classic anyway. In space.

One less than stellar moment is the opening, which isn't so much part of the story as a way to include Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill), who otherwise wouldn't have appeared. This doesn't ruin the episode, it just adds complication that isn't strictly necessary.

Once the main story gets going though, the guest stars all perform with aplomb. Michael Gambon is predictably brilliant as a man with a sad past, and even here Steven Moffat makes a touching point about how violence can affect children. Katherine Jenkins is impressive too, with her acting holding up well. Her vocal talents are put to beautiful and haunting use especially towards the end where she plays a pivotal role.

At the end of the hour you'll have been through a broad spectrum of emotions. The story is funny and heart-rending; ideal for wet-eyed family viewing. Sci-fi fans will love the brilliantly designed time travel element that's more immediate than most Doctor Who episodes. Moffat, as with episodes like Blink and his ongoing River Song arc proves that he can handle this kind of storytelling capably.

And once it's all over, it's worth staying tuned for the new season preview too. From what we could tell, this looks to be the most ambitious year of Who yet and there are some important characters returning, not the least of which is River Song, who may well finally see her story come to a conclusion. Oh, and there's another 'Doctor and his hat' gag coming up that made us laugh like drains.