Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol – Toby Haynes (director), Steven Moffat (writer)
BBC
Originally broadcast: 25 December 2010

Reviewed by George Ivanoff

With the rebirth of the Doctor Who series in 2005, it has become the done thing to produce a yearly Christmas Special — an extra-long episode with a rather tenuous link to the holiday season. Generally, the Christmas Specials have not been the best examples of what the series is capable of. The 2010 special, A Christmas Carol, now released on DVD, is without a doubt to best of the lot.

It is the first of the specials in which Christmas actually plays an important part in the plot, rather than having a completely unconnected story that is simply set at Christmas. Using the Charles Dickens classic as inspiration, writer Stephen Moffat has crafted a lovely, whimsical tale that is both an excellent Doctor Who episode and a superb Christmas story.

The Doctor’s newlywed companions, Amy and Rory, are trapped on a space liner about to crash into a planet with a protective barrier. The only person that can save them is the miserly old man, Kazran Sardick, who controls the barrier. But he has no intention of helping, even though it’s Christmas. So it’s up to the Doctor to change Kazran’s mind with the assistance of some time travel. Add in some floating fish, a flying shark, a beautiful young woman in a cryogenic freezer and some of the wittiest dialogue yet to feature in this series, and you have an incredibly entertaining romp.

After a whole season, Matt Smith has really settled into the role of the eleventh Doctor. He is quirky, energetic and very engaging. Karen Gillan as Amy and Arthur Darvill as Rory are hardly in it, as they are trapped on the space liner. The guest casting in this special is inspired. Michael Gambon steals the show as the grumpy Kazran Sardick. His gradual realisation shows what a great actor he is. Welsh singing sensation Katherine Jenkins makes her acting debut as the frozen young woman who only gets thawed at Christmas. She’s beautiful, good in the role and she gets to sing.

There are two really good extras on this disc. An episode of Doctor Who Confidential that looks at the making of A Christmas Carol. And Doctor Who at the Proms 2010 — the latest in what has become an annual concert series showcasing the music of the Doctor Who series at the Royal Albert Hall.

If you’re a Doctor Who fan, then I probably don’t need to tell you that you should buy this DVD. If you’re just a casual viewer, this story is a good one to own — it’s a stand-alone tale that doesn’t need too much knowledge of Who background to be enjoyed, and you can drag it out each Christmas for a bit of SF festive cheer. Highly Recommended!