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Doing it right: Your favourite Nu Who xmas episode?


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Old 25-12-2014, 20:51
Si_Crewe
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So, what do you think was the best of the new era DW xmas specials?

For me it's a bit of a no-brainer.
I wasn't a particular fan of Matt Smith but I reckon A Christmas Carol stands head and shoulders above every other attempt.

It had just the right mixture of DW shenanigans, xmas flavour and it was nicely bittersweet and had a nice "gothic" feel to it.

Funny really because pretty much every other attempt during the Matt Smith era was a spectacular failure, usually due to being far too cheesy or implausible.
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Old 25-12-2014, 20:55
Dave-H
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The first Christmas episode, The Christmas Invasion is still the best for me.
As well as being the début of a new Doctor, it was a proper Doctor Who episode that happened to be set at Christmas, rather than a Christmas story that happened to be an episode of Doctor Who!
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Old 25-12-2014, 20:59
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For me, it a toss up between A Christmas Carol and The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe (yes, I know, pretty much everyone else on here hates it, but not me!)

Those two specials actually put Christmas at the core of their stories and felt Christmassy too. Every other Christmas special has missed the mark to me in getting the festive season into the core of the story itself. That was the main issue of RTD's specials, they were just regular episodes with tinsel added on; that's not a Christmas special in my mind.

Moffat's other stories also have had that issue to for me and that's the annoyance I have. His got it right with his first two and his latest three have not matched up to that at all.

I'd prefer more Christmas specials like A Christmas Carol and the Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe. For one reason, I'd actually enjoy them and in the second's case, it would just annoy some people quite a lot!
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:01
Si_Crewe
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The first Christmas episode, The Christmas Invasion is still the best for me.
As well as being the début of a new Doctor, it was a proper Doctor Who episode that happened to be set at Christmas, rather than a Christmas story that happened to be an episode of Doctor Who!
Yeah, I think that would be in 2nd place for me, for the reasons you mention.
I prefer ACC just because it's more Christmasy, really, and because it's so nice to look at, rather than just being dull ol' 21st century London.
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:16
claire2281
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Either The Snowmen or A Christmas Carol. Both great eps with a plot that cracked along.
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:16
2shy2007
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Christmas invasion without a doubt, I watched it again the other day and it is still wonderful.
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:21
Si_Crewe
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Oddness. Post ended up in wrong thread.
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:30
inspector drake
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Got to be the Time of the Doctor.
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:45
callumfreeman
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The Christmas Invasion (started with that one), The Runaway Bride, The End of Time (I know it was a two-part story but still) and The Time of the Doctor. Don't recall the rest.
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Old 25-12-2014, 21:51
Mulett
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The first Christmas episode, The Christmas Invasion is still the best for me.
As well as being the début of a new Doctor, it was a proper Doctor Who episode that happened to be set at Christmas, rather than a Christmas story that happened to be an episode of Doctor Who!
Yes, still my favourite too.
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Old 25-12-2014, 23:00
Sharon87
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It's either The Snowmen or Time of the Doctor. Most of the Christmas specials I've never been a big fan of.

Although I do have a warm feeling towards Runaway Bride as that was the first Doctor Who episode I watched in full and got me into watching the series!
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Old 25-12-2014, 23:09
PaperSkin
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I think overall Last Christmas is the best, I liked that it had a bit of a horror vibe and played with interesting ideas such as dreams.

Though other Christmas episodes had moments within them that stood out more than anything in Last Christmas, the episode felt more complete than any of the others.
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Old 25-12-2014, 23:15
chattswho
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For me it has to be:
Christmas invasion & Time of the Doctor
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Old 25-12-2014, 23:51
Helbore
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Being there isn't many, this is how I'd rank them all, best to worst (Last Christmas might drop below Time of the Doctor. Can't quite make up my mind after only one viewing)

A Christmas Carol
The Snowmen
Last Christmas
The Time of the Doctor
The Christmas Invasion
The Next Doctor
The Runaway Bride
The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe
The End of Time
Voyage of the Damned
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Old 26-12-2014, 00:21
AG Verve
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The only three I've enjoyed were A Christmas Carol, The Snowmen and Last Christmas. Credit to Moffat, he certainly knows how to write a good Chistmas special!

This was probably the strongest storyline of the lot, although I do have a soft spot for The Snowmen.
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Old 26-12-2014, 00:45
King_Mrh
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The Christmas Invasion.
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Old 26-12-2014, 00:49
Abomination
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For me it is without a single doubt A Christmas Carol. There was something that worked so wonderfully about that one. It was festive in places, but it didn't rub or shoehorn Christmas in - rather it was a component of the story for once, and that was echoed in the sentiments of a bittersweet tale. Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins were both superb in their roles, Matt Smith seems so at home in the festive setting, and the alien planet was beautifully done. It's an annual staple for me now, along with all the other renditions of A Christmas Carol. I actually think the episode is one of Moffat's best, and it sits up there as certainly one of Matt Smith's finest moments. After a fairly cold fifth series, it was where Moffat managed to strike a balance between interesting story telling and decent emotive characters.

The Runaway Bride probably sits in a distant second, simply for being a decent standalone story. The Christmas elements actually detract from it, but the story as a whole is very good.

The Time of the Doctor and Last Christmas, whilst not without their faults were both very enjoyable and sit behind in third and fourth.

Overall I think the specials are best when they try to do their own thing, rather than serving as defining chapters of the show. Companions coming and going, and Doctor's regenerating...save that for the series proper!

My overall order...

A Christmas Carol (2010, Series 6)
The Runaway Bride (2006, Series 3)
The Time of the Doctor (2013, MS Specials)
Last Christmas (2014, Series 8)
The Snowmen (2012, Series 7)
The Christmas Invasion (2005, Series 2)
Voyage of the Damned (2007, Series 4)
The Next Doctor (2008, DT Specials)
The End of Time: Parts One and Two (2009/10, DT Specials)
The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe (2011, Series 7)
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Old 26-12-2014, 01:06
Pull2Open
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Last Christmas
Time of the Doctor
Christmas Invasion
Voyage of the Damned
Christmas Carol
The Next Doctor
The End of Time
The Snowmen
The Runaway Bride
The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe
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Old 26-12-2014, 01:25
Si_Crewe
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S'funny how there's often not much between a hit and a spectacular miss.

There are probably people (possibly working for the BBC) who just can't understand why people think so highly of ACC but criticise TDTW&TW given that they're a similar concept and done in a similar style.

The latter was a great example, IMO at least, of how you can have all the right ingredients but still end up screwing it up.
I actually liked the idea of the box leading to the xmas planet, the people harvesting the trees and I liked the christmasy vibe about it but it just seemed like, as you sit and watch it, it just sort of "slips away from you" until you're left thinking "No, I'm sorry. This is actually a bit naff".
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Old 26-12-2014, 01:25
DrWholmes
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Christmas Invasion is still the best to me, one I always enjoy re-watching and not just at Christmas time.
The Next Doctor is a close second too. Still wish David Morrisey could actually be the Doctor - enjoyed the characterisation of him in this.
Really liked Last Christmas but will have to rewatch to decide how it matches up to the rest.
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Old 26-12-2014, 02:48
ryanr554
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Last Christmas is easily my favorite now.

I love The Christmas Invasion and The Runaway Bride as well.

I sort of like The Snowmen and Voyage of the Damned.

I hate all the other Christmas Specials with The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe and The Next Doctor making it into the special category called "Don't rewatch under any circumstances".
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Old 26-12-2014, 03:17
comedyfish
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S'funny how there's often not much between a hit and a spectacular miss.

There are probably people (possibly working for the BBC) who just can't understand why people think so highly of ACC but criticise TDTW&TW given that they're a similar concept and done in a similar style.

The latter was a great example, IMO at least, of how you can have all the right ingredients but still end up screwing it up.
I actually liked the idea of the box leading to the xmas planet, the people harvesting the trees and I liked the christmasy vibe about it but it just seemed like, as you sit and watch it, it just sort of "slips away from you" until you're left thinking "No, I'm sorry. This is actually a bit naff".
Direction maybe?
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Old 26-12-2014, 09:02
LostFool
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Probably the Christmas Invasion for me as it worked well for both fans and casual viewers alike.
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Old 26-12-2014, 10:29
chattswho
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Having only watched the show this morning c/o too many distractions yesterday i have to say i thoroughly enjoyed that episode & am now putting it amongst my fave xmas episodes. At the worst season finale ever IMO - coupled with santa appearing at the end i wasn't looking forward to this story but felt i had to watch it out of duty & loyalty to a show i have watched for 38 years. But no, it was a thoroughly enjoyable story. I liked the santa parts. They wasn't too chrismassy & he played a good part in the story - santa, not nick frost. I even liked the danny pink parts. & peter capaldi played his best portrayal of the doctor yet IMO in this episode. So yes, this is an episode i will definitely be watching again.
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Old 26-12-2014, 10:54
Firegazer
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The Runaway Bride, of course. So much comedy, and well written comedy too instead of Moffat's "clever" comedy. Catherine Tate was amazing. I'll be watching that again tonight.
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