Discussion: A Christmas Carol
Amy and Rory are trapped on a crashing space liner, and the only way the Doctor can rescue them is to save the soul of a lonely old miser. But is Kazran Sardick, the richest man in Sardicktown, beyond redemption? And what is lurking in the fogs of Christmas Eve?
The wait is finally over! This year’s Christmas special, A Christmas Carol, has just had its debut in the UK, serving up a royal banquet full of festive timey wimey delights!
Tonight, the Doctor, Amy and Rory returned to our screens to embark on a yuletide adventure based on the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol – but with a Doctor Who twist! The last time we saw them at the end of Series 5, Amy and Rory had just walked down the isle and joined together in holy matrimony, so it was only fitting that we were invited to rejoin them as they set out on their honeymoon!
Naturally, their honeymoon was always going to be an eventful occasion, however there was great disaster ahead as the newlyweds soon found themselves trapped on a crashing space liner. Luckily for them, though, the Doctor was just a sleigh ride away!
Also on hand to light up our Christmas were the episode’s guest stars, Sir Michael Gambon, who appeared as the lonely miser Kazran Sardick, and opera singer Katherine Jenkins, who was making her acting debut as the sweet-natured Abigail Pettigrew.
It was up to the Eleventh Doctor to save the day by first saving the soul of Kazran, but what did you make of his first Christmas outing? Did the touching shark tale tug at your heartstrings, or were you left swimming in a fog of disappointment? Suffice to say, it had it all – the snow, the singing, the crackers, but was it enough or too much for you?
Feel free to share your episode reactions and reviews in the comments below, and you can also give the episode a star rating out of 5. Happy discussing, and Merry Christmas!
@Professor Zed
I agree with all that, although just to clear your good name I think you mean “nasty Nazis” is redundant, not an oxymoron
I also rate this as my favorite Christmas episode so far, with Invasion and the Runaway Bride being close seconds. Yes, A Christmas Carol is cliche, but it was done brilliantly with appropriate plot twists that kept it fresh. Moffat’s ability to create an entirely alien world using FISH is stunning. Maybe there weren’t any scary monsters, but sometimes that’s best. I like Moffat because he often focuses on humans and psychology (being afraid of the dark and of statues) rather than on crazy monsters (but I like those too!).
And isn’t it funny that a few months ago we were all scoffing at the rumor that there would be a flying shark in the Christmas special?
@Kayleigh
I like your comment.
Thoroughly enjoyable stuff. A very slight story but I could have watched another hour of it. And very good acting. Why was Danny Horn not listed in Radio Times though?
(Thank-you, E.P for your kind correction. I feel I was quite an ox, and a bit of a moron when I made that mistake!)
thought it was amazing. Matt is such a brilliant doctor. Lpve the fact that Proving the Doctor a responsible adult was to big of a lie for the psyic paper. I can’t wait for season 6
I’m not sure, but wouldn’t Kazran Sardick have met the doctor, even though the doctor hadn’t decided he was going to go back in time because if it was going to happen, it would have happened, so he would have already met the doctor, which kind of goes against the whole story, but still.Because it was going to happen, it would have happened any way, right? Or do I not understand the laws of time?
But I think it was a really good episode, really funny, and I don’t think I will be able to wait till April!
Really bad episode to be honest. You can tell the episode was set up so that katherine jenkins could sing which they dragged on.
Or alternatively, Moff wrote a script that relied on music as a plot feature and then found the best possible singer to deliver it…
im sorry but i did not think it was that good, very boring actually, i loved tom baker and david tennant as the doctor i beleived they were the doctor Matt is ok but i dont think he is all that fantastic, maybe it could be the writing i dont know but this christmas special did not touch the previous specials of the last few years, Moffett is not that good to me i dont like where he is taking this programme and ive been a fan since i was 6 and im now 43,Mr Moffet needs to remember there are adult fans out there not just children
@Daniel
at least ive fond someone that thought like me, everyone seems to have loved it sorry but did not, bring back 10 and RTD thats all i can say
@janine howarth
Shows how tastes vary doesn’t it?
I’ve been with the show since Hartnell (yes, I’m a bit more than 43) and worship at the shrine of Troughton. And I love the return of proper storytelling, with proper set-up and craft, that Moff has wrought and the return of real eccentricity that Smith is bringing.